After Market Front Grill Gap

[Richard]

If anyone is thinking of installing one of the after market front grill bars now available keep in mind the design has a fault in the way of leaving a gap between the grill and the underside of the bonnet.

The original has a small plastic mesh molded onto the grill to cover the gap.



Richard

[akroehn]

Can you fill the gap somehow?
Also can you take a shot further back so we can see how the grille looks with the whole vehicle?
I have one of these grilles on the shelf, but still waiting for my ute to put it on, couple more weeks to go i was going to plasti-dip the silver part on the bonnet, and maybe the new grille too so it all matches...

[DeadlyBeast]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vehicle-D-Shape-Car-Truck-Motor-Door-Rubber-Hollow-Seal-Wheather-EPDM-Strip-4M/351386853336?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140106155344%26meid%3Deb6970679eff46b68a5d2e3112e2018b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D321845252011

[Richard]

Just ordered a strip Beast, thanks mate.

I'll get some shots tomorrow for you Akroehn. The grill takes a little getting used to although I can't ever see myself saying it was a good buy because it looks good. It looks just ok is my best comment.

Richard

[Earlyninja]

Doesn't look too bad. More airflow to radiator and IC? Looking at the photo, the headlights have the chrome grill vanes designed into it?

[Richard]

Can you fill the gap somehow?
Also can you take a shot further back so we can see how the grille looks with the whole vehicle?
I have one of these grilles on the shelf, but still waiting for my ute to put it on, couple more weeks to go i was going to plasti-dip the silver part on the bonnet, and maybe the new grille too so it all matches...

Late but better than ever mate ...



And Deadly, the tape arrived yesterday, it needs to be twics as high to completely fill the gap.

[heavymental]

Perhaps having the nudge bar in matte black would make the whole front look a little meaner and blend the grill in .

Are those the toyota optional wheels you have there??

[DeadlyBeast]

...the tape arrived yesterday, it needs to be twics as high to completely fill the gap.

Bummer - that size filled the gap on the gen 7 with knockoff TRD grille.
You could get some solid flat EPDM and lay the D loop ontop or order larger D loop... how many mm is that damn gap?

[Richard]

...the tape arrived yesterday, it needs to be twics as high to completely fill the gap.

Bummer - that size filled the gap on the gen 7 with knockoff TRD grille.
You could get some solid flat EPDM and lay the D loop ontop or order larger D loop... how many mm is that damn gap?

Tape dimension is 13mm high, I've doubled it to fill the entire gap as a stop measure so 16mm will do fine. 13mm is ok until you start getting towards the middle.

Yep, they are the genuine Toyota aftermarket rims in grey, $250 a piece.

Looking to get the nudge bar powder coated as soon as I get the bracket placement on it sorted. They're too close at the moment for the ARB LED's, make it look bug eyed (see my shed).

[akroehn]

Thanks for the pics.. I finally got my hilux a week ago and tried on the ebay grille, but yes the gap is massive! probably around 30mm. And I don't really like the look after all, so I didn't install it. $140 down the drain

But what I did instead is to plastidip the factory grille black to match my wheels and nudge bar etc. I have the same genuine toyota aftermarket rims, but I got the matt black version. I even plastidipped the chrome part of the grille that is stuck to the bonnet, this looks heaps better. Mine is just an SR though so there are already lots of black features (like sides of the headlights, mirrors etc). I just left the toyota symbol in chrome, everything else on the grille is now black. I completely pulled apart the grille to do this. Will post some pics soon

[v6hiluxnz]

Yup chrome strip is ugly. I removed mine today hoping to have it looking clean. Not good, its got 4 or 5 holes in the bonnet .. so its not just double sided taped on.
and with it of theirs a 15mm to 20mm gap between the bonnet with holes to the grill ...

the chrome piece sits lower than the bonnet and fills the ugly gap.

so tomorrow ill color code it to the ute.. $33 bux for a can made up of 2pac that ya gotta use up in 24 hours and stick it back on... it better look ok or ill be left with to have to cover it with a front monsoon as they look beter than the chrome strip. what was toyota thinking.

[coshea]

Yup chrome strip is ugly. I removed mine today hoping to have it looking clean. Not good, its got 4 or 5 holes in the bonnet .. so its not just double sided taped on.
and with it of theirs a 15mm to 20mm gap between the bonnet with holes to the grill ...

the chrome piece sits lower than the bonnet and fills the ugly gap.

so tomorrow ill color code it to the ute.. $33 bux for a can made up of 2pac that ya gotta use up in 24 hours and stick it back on... it better look ok or ill be left with to have to cover it with a front monsoon as they look beter than the chrome strip. what was toyota thinking.

Any photos of how this turned out?