Replacing the grille: what to watch on a US truck

Two types that should not be confused

A replacement grille takes the place of the original. The factory grille comes out and the new one sits in its mounts. That gives the cleanest result, but it is the more involved job and the more expensive option.

An overlay is fitted onto the existing grille or clipped into its opening. Cheaper and quicker, but depending on the vehicle the edges of the original stay visible. If that bothers you, you usually find out after fitting.

What else lives behind the grille

On recent model years the front end is no longer just sheet metal. Check before buying:

• Radar sensor for adaptive cruise control and emergency braking. It usually sits centrally behind the grille and needs a clear, defined area. A mesh insert in front of it can disturb the measurement.
• Front camera for the 360-degree view, often in or just below the emblem. If the grille is replaced, it has to go back in its place.
• Emblem. Some replacement grilles are prepared to carry the original emblem over, others deliberately come without.
• Number plate mount. In Germany a front plate is required. The new grille has to allow a usable mount – the point most often overlooked on US parts.
• Lighting. Grilles with a cut-out for a light bar bring the bracket; the bar itself and its approval are a separate question.

Cooling

The grille is part of the airflow to the radiator. A much finer mesh reduces throughput. In normal driving that goes unnoticed – towing uphill in high summer it does not. If you tow heavy regularly, stay with the more open design.

Installation

An overlay is usually on in half an hour. A replacement grille means partly dismantling the front end; depending on the vehicle the bumper or headlights have to come loose. Where sensors or a camera are involved, a workshop is worth it – a misaligned radar sensor only shows up when the assistant fails to react in traffic. We run our own workshop in Lüneburg, Hamburger Str. 3, and work with partner workshops.

Next

Available grilles are under grilles. To check whether one fits your vehicle use the vehicle finder; questions up front: +49 4131 242526.