HOW TO: Install Mesh Grill Inserts

[ender00]

I got these off of ebay for $15 from customgrillinc something like that.

Work time: 1 hour

Remove grill via the four screws on top that are circled in red. Two are phillips and two are torques for some dumb reason.

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Only basic tool required. Its a T-20 torque i think.

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Just fasten the inserts with the wire as shown. I just did one on top in the middle and one on bottom Hold just fine. Nothing too fancy here.

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You dont need to take out the black thing at all. After you get done with all the inserts just reattach the grill and you are on your way.

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[jfortier777]

Looks like Phil is too late for the patent

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Weird. All of my grille attatchment screws were torx.

I like it!

 

[kolesy]

On my '05 they are push tabs to remove the grill, no type of screws at all. I really like that look!

 

[MoladoGuy]

Looks like Phil is too late for the patent

DAMN!!!! #-o

Gutter mesh and some zip ties. I don't have time to cut out templates of wire mesh for liberty grills.... I think I can make more $$$ sitting down and watching some TV than doing that. Fun little project for me though.

**WARNING**
The car washes will use the brush on your vehicle and swipe at the front of your grille. The ends of the mesh can easily get entangled on the brush and bend.

 

[DougBenn]

There is also a black plastic that can be used for thee blackout crowd. wavey.gif

 

[JeepJeepster]

That looks really good! \/

 

[phoenixbirdl]

Thanks for the thought Butt. On my 06 the front grill is rempved by plastic clips. I thied something different. ON my 06 after I removed the grill, the plastic ribbs from the grill can be removed in one piece. after the incert is removed I got some plastic window screen 18"x36" and laid the screen on the inside and placed the ribbed insert over it. I started from the middle of the grill and workd my way to the outsides putting the ribbed insert back in. You will need a razor knife and a screwdriver to do the operation. It takes 5 min to remove the grill, 15 min to remove the insert and install the screen and reinsert the ribbs and 5 min to reistall the grill. It look GOOD, keeps the bugs off the radiator and easy to clean.[/img][/url]

 

[welshman]

EVEN EASIER ON MY 2004CRD LTD AS THERE ARE NO SCREWS ...THE GRILL IS HELD ON BY A SERIES OF CLIPS ONLY.

 

[leerdmn]

Made my own

I made mine out of gutter mesh I bought at Lowe's, $9. It took about an hour of cutting and trimming, and I secured them with light wire. My grill came out with a total of 6 clips, 2 large ones over the headlights, and 4 smaller ones across the top. A few hooks on the bottom, but once the clips are released, you can just roll the grill off.

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[LibertyFever]

I made mine out of gutter mesh I bought at Lowe's, $9. It took about an hour of cutting and trimming, and I secured them with light wire. My grill came out with a total of 6 clips, 2 large ones over the headlights, and 4 smaller ones across the top. A few hooks on the bottom, but once the clips are released, you can just roll the grill off.

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I used the black gutter mesh too. It looks good and keeps the really big bugs (dragon flies) out of my radiator. Now that I see it I like the look of the chrome mesh

 

[Kugellager]

All that is is a <$10 roll of rain gutter mesh. A roll can do 3-4 Jeeps - possibly more.

I did this mod years ago. No attachment wire needed.

I just sandwiched the gutter screen (cut larger than the opening) between the outer and inner grille sections to form the shape, removed the gutter screen to paint it flat black and replaced the screens between the two sections, snapped it back together and viola! No ugly gaps and they are perfectly form-fitted to the openings. There is also nothing required to attach them to the stock grille They are held in place very tightly between the two stock grille pieces.

I'm not sure why you would want them cut like that with all the hard edges and gaps around the sides.

Doesn't look all that professional and can let things in through in those gaps.

You can see how mine look in my mods link. Slightly more detailed description as well. My Grille Inserts

There is also another thread here that is similar to how I did it with the exception that I left the plastic backing on for support.

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38463

John
];')

 

[badkittystt]

I love this idea but I have what may be a really stupid question.

First of all, I do not know very much about car engines, so please excuse me. But if I did this with something plastic that's not as thick as the parts already there, is there any risk of it getting hot and melting or doing any damage to the car? I don't have any materials in mind but as soon as I read this my mind started racing with random things I could make a grill out of! (What can I say, my mom is an art teacher and I've inherited the need to do strange things...)

So, any ideas or warnings?

Thanks!

 

[yellocoyote]

I tried the gutter mesh, and it worked out great. My major issue with that was that before installation, I painted it black. After installation, and up until I removed it (1.5 years?) I always had to touch up the paint to keep them looking good.

I got sick of that and I now use flexible fiberglass screening material - it already comes in black. It's a little trickier to attach, but still looks good, and their is low/no maintenance.

 

[badkittystt]

I wonder if that would come in blue or pink?

I'm deciding on a color scheme for my jeep and I was going to start with the grill. I am normally a black with pink accents type of girl, but the jeep I chose is beige. Not my first choice, but he runs like a dream. I'm thinking a dark or electric blue (like the photoshop logo) might look good. I know this is a little off topic, but as I am choosing the color for my grill mesh, anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Clyde Frog]

I wonder if that would come in blue or pink?

I'm deciding on a color scheme for my jeep and I was going to start with the grill. I am normally a black with pink accents type of girl, but the jeep I chose is beige. Not my first choice, but he runs like a dream. I'm thinking a dark or electric blue (like the photoshop logo) might look good. I know this is a little off topic, but as I am choosing the color for my grill mesh, anybody have any suggestions?

I think you'd be hard pressed to find it in a color other than chrome or black but if you wanted to keep up with the painting of it, electric blue would look pretty nice on beige!

 

[Kugellager]

I tried the gutter mesh, and it worked out great. My major issue with that was that before installation, I painted it black. After installation, and up until I removed it (1.5 years?) I always had to touch up the paint to keep them looking good.

I got sick of that and I now use flexible fiberglass screening material - it already comes in black. It's a little trickier to attach, but still looks good, and their is low/no maintenance.

I wonder if it is the paint you used? Or maybe the gutter material was oily? I have not had to re-paint mine since I put them in years ago. I do have pings and some chips due to rocks etc. but they are nothing major. We have lots of stuff out here to get hit by to say the least. Lets just say that if you live in Colorado for any amount of time you will experience a cracked windshield at some point. Anyway, lots of things impacting my grille inserts.

John
];')

 

[yellocoyote]

I wonder if it is the paint you used? Or maybe the gutter material was oily? I have not had to re-paint mine since I put them in years ago. I do have pings and some chips due to rocks etc. but they are nothing major. We have lots of stuff out here to get hit by to say the least. Lets just say that if you live in Colorado for any amount of time you will experience a cracked windshield at some point. Anyway, lots of things impacting my grille inserts.

John
];')

I'm guess I'm pretty picky about paint because it was those little pings and rock chips that I was touching up all the time. Luckily, the paint didn't start peeling off or anything or I may not have left the inserts in as long. The fiberglass screening isn't as aggressive looking as the gutter mesh, but at least I don't have to paint it anymore, and it keeps the rocks/bugs/crap out.

I hear ya on the cracked windshield - I have 3 spots that I'm watching. Chips that have been filled... that kind of thing.

 

[badkittystt]

I did some photoshop experimenting to see how it would look in blue. This is also in my Photoshop Mods album which I hope will be expanding soon and maybe someday turn into real life mods?

 

[Senistr]

I am sure you can paint the mesh any color you want if you took the right steps. Like applying a primer to both sides of the mesh and then go over it with he color you want. But what I want to know is if anyone used a bed liner spray to put on the mesh and THEN colored it to keep it from getting chipped by rocks o_o