aftermarket grill

NOT in the best mood just bought a grill for my truck in the want me to cut my old my stock grill out so I can install the new one.Hack if you ask me.?

 

That is the case with a lot of aftermarket grills in the end it will have a cleaner look because you won't be able to see the stock grill under it. If you are uncomfortable with cutting the stock grill you could always send it back and try to find one that doesn't require cutting. BTW what grill did you get?

 

yea can you post a pic of what ypur talking about i just did something similar but not quite sure if we are on the same page.

 

It's full mesh grillmaster. I'm thinking about doing it but I wanna make sure it looks good. Have any of you done this?

 

It's a Grillcraft sorry.

 

Yea, see my pictures. Yea it looks good! especially if you bolt some old school emblems on it

~M

 

Buy a cheap replacement one from parts geek, they are like $35 and hack that one up. I have a stupid chrome factory grill but it has the nicer looking grey center in it and i have hopes of replacing the chrome piece with a factory matched color one. Point is, I didn't want to cut my factory grill up and the replacement ones are cheap black unfinished plastic.

Edit: I see you hav the newer front end, don't know if they make those just yet.

 

Nice truck. WHAT'S the oil separator do for you?But yeah I'm thinking on just buying another one and hacking that up....

 

You should definitely do the fog light mod on your 2012 looks so much better!!!

 

I am not to familiar with the 2012s but just take you're time.

 

Pretty much every aftermarket grill is going to require you to cut out the old one and install the new insert. I wasn't looking forwards to cutting up my old one either but I took my time. I used a sawzall to rough cut out the old grill, leaving "stubs" where the old grill meets the edges, then I used a Dremel with a cutting wheel on it for the fine work. Then I sanded the edges smooth, taped off the outer front edge and hit the whole inside edge with some flat black spray paint. the only issue i had was not heating up and melting the plastic with the dremel wheel, hence is why i took my time. with the insert towards the front, you can't even really notice the cut out portions, i think mine looks great.

 

That's what I did, I got a color matched grill from toyota parts barn and put the grill craft in that, then just swapped out for the new grill unit. I have my chrome one for sale if you want one to hack up. 110 shipped for you if your in the US. http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...5315-fs-new-2012-stock-chrome-grill-unit.html

The Air/Oil Separator goes in between the PCV valve and the intake manifold. From the factory there is just a tube going straight from the PCV to the intake. The Separator has a mesh inside that the water can drop out of vapor on and it catches any extra oil that would normally just get pushed into the intake and burned in combustion. I catch about a tablespoon of oil/water mixture every 500 miles. Better in my separator than in my intake! Keeps my intake clean and im not building up oil residue on my intake valves ect...

There is a thread on the catch cans ^

~M

 

Ausome guys thanks that's a big help.I think I'm gunna do it like you said take my time.I Still don't understand why you paint it just to get rid of the marks you make?

 

previously installed a grillcraft on my '11. some guys use the recip saw, but i wanted to be extra careful not to scratch the grill surround, so i used a hacksaw blade, sans handle, while wearing a leather glove. much better control. didn't need to paint anything, but did then use a file to bring down the remaining stubs. i't's very doable and well worth the effort. either way, good luck, OP.

 

Yeah I just bought a hack saw and I was thinking a file instead of a dremel. Eather way I'll take pics when I'm done

 

definetly go grill craft! Looks so much better than stock IMO. Its not hard to install either.


Click for full-size image (1023 x 682)
Click for full-size image (1023 x 682)



OH and here's a write up on the oil catch can.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/231227-oil-catch-can-install-guide.html

 

Dude that looks sick came out good.

 

thanks man! thats also the lower grillcraft insert too.
If you went with black grillcraft you should look into spraying behind the grillcraft black with some high temp black paint

 

I have always liked those old school Trd emblems.