Best TRD Sport & Offroad Alternative Grill Options Currently

I just seen the thread for mesh grilles for 2016 Tacomas. Pretty sure I'll go that route, with Tacoma big across the front looks badass.

That being said if you're located in Florida I might would still trade to help you out once I get the other grille, since I don't plan on using this grille then anyways, but I wouldn't wanna ship it honestly.

 

Yah, the mesh grilles are cool for sure. I'm not in Florida but would pay for shipping my grill to you and your grill to me or if you just want to sell your SR grille I'd consider that as well. No pressure any which way or if you just end up keeping it. Just thought I'd throw it out there since you said you didn't like it . Currently planning on painting my TRD grille but have also looked into buying an SR grille online as well ($350).

 

like the last pic. stock grille with color match ring or gun metal like the mesh

 

I decided I'm going to fabricate my own grill using custom car grilles. I'm also going to integrate some Aux Driving lights into the grille. Before I start tearing my grille off, did anyone happen to capture some closeup pics of the tabs of the grille insert?

 

For painters of the grill,

That's exactly what I experienced today. I drove around town with an extra TRD grille I purchased for cheap in the marketplace here and nobody really wanted to touch it. One guy said he'd do it for $100, less if I prepped it, but he wouldn't guarantee that it wouldn't end up chipping or peeling in a year or two. He told me there were some low temp powder coating options that might be plausible for a good high quality job and sent me 20 minutes out of town to a really cool fab shop. The guy there examined it for a little and said powder coating wasn't an option he'd consider at all, but he suggested I consider Linex. Now I'm not positive that Linex is what I want to do because I'm not sure if it's a texture I want, but the price was the same as painting it and he guaranteed it would hold up. In the end he gave me a pile of scotchbrite and a lesson on prepping (had me do a bit right there at the desk), and told me with the right prep work I could probably rattlecan it myself and get a good result... and if I didn't I could always come back and he'd paint it or Linex it or whatever I wanted. He also said he might need a 2016 Tacoma test bed for some fab work so I should come back soon.

So I've just been sitting on my front porch prepping this thing myself, considering how terrible I am at painting things, I don't know that I can actually do this... I always end up with some really bad texture from a shaky hand or uneven coating. I've never been able to follow along with youtube videos and make paint look anywhere near decent.

 

Wow, that's a lot of work since the TRD grille has more nooks and crannies that a Thomas' English Muffin. Even if you don't have a steady hand for spray painting, you sure have the patience of Jobe.

I'm going to see Trick Trucks here in town tomorrow, to see if they'll fabricate a custom grill that I like. If not... I'll continue to wait for an aftermarket option I like. Not a fan at all of the mesh grilles.

 

Great work on the prep. The actual painting is all about light coats and keep moving. Always start and stop each pass off/outside of the piece. For all of the gridwork, you will want to run parallel lines across the grille facing the top and have the can about 30-40 degrees angle to the surface so you hit those slanted faces in each square. Spray all rows then repeat while facing the bottom of the grille so you get the opposite slanted part of each square. The last pass is when you will turn the can so it sprays directly at the surface and coat the whole thing in overlapping passes. Let it dry for 10-15 mins and repeat the whole process so that you have at least 3 total coats.

Main tips: Don't stop the can over the grille ever while it is spraying or reverse direction while over the piece. Also, check the spray nozzle for drip buildup periodically and wipe it. Move fast enough so that it just starts to look wet for each coat. Practice on a mailbox or something first if you aren't comfortable. If you get a drip, let it dry and chip it off then feather sand the edges and recoat.

Also, just because the paint guy is not guaranteeing that it wont chip doesn't mean he won't do a good job that will last. It's a grille. It will chip if you live where rock chips are common (snow areas are the worst) just like your factory hood/bumper will. In milder areas, it may last indefinitely.

 

I am still leaning toward SR5 grill

 

This is my favorite so far, I ordered a blue TRD Sport and I think the black outer bezel and black logo would look amazing with the factory dark chrome mesh and bars. Well done!

 

Well. After considering all my options, I settled on derping the grille. With professional painters telling me a good paint job is just going to chip and peel (and that I should just expect to get it redone every couple years), and Line-X being just a tad too much texture, it seemed more practical to spend less than $8 on a can of plastidip and just do it myself. If it chips or peels in a year or two, instead of paying the ~$100 to get it redone, I'll do it in my garage for less than a tenth of the price. Since I actually prepped the grill, maybe it'll last longer? Either way, it's not that much money at all.

So this is my first time derping anything, and attached is the end product after about 8 coats. I say 8, but I was pretty far away and saturation wasn't that great (was afraid I'd mess something up and I wanted some texture). It would have been 6, but I didn't clean the nozzle on the can and it threw drops at around the 5th coat, and it took 3 coats to level it out.

Lessons I learned:

1. The closer to the product, the more saturated. The more saturated = the smoother the finish.
2. Spray each coat from a different angle to get maximum coverage (little nooks and crannies).
3. Allow time for each coat to dry before applying the next coat (I gave it 15 mins)
4. Clean the nozzle after each coat so that you don't throw drops.
5. Warm the can to the upper 60s or so. When this stuff is cold it clumps. (run under warm water, maybe?)
6. FFS Ventilate your garage. I'm high as a kite right now.

Leaving the bezel and the emblem chrome. Checkit.





Edit: Added another lesson.
Second Edit: Added ANOTHER lesson.

 

That's great. Is sanding and prepping the grill necessary with the derp? Is flat black a derp color? It looks like yours is flat, and I like it!

 

I know from seeing others on here and on youtube that sanding and prepping isn't really necessary, but you do want to clean it really well with alcohol so there aren't any oils or greases on it that would keep the plastidip from sticking.

You're correct, I purchased flat black plastidip. I don't know that they make any other finish, to be honest, but there is a glossifying clear coat available for purchase.

I think it looks alright too, all things considered. I definitely would have preferred a pro job, but I guess this will do for easy and inexpensive repairs.

 

I'm a painter is what I do, I would use a liquid etch vs sand paper you don't want to leave scratches no matter how fine your paper is. the primer I would use is a product called XiM bonder primer I guarantee is will not peel if you use this primer

 

Swapped my TRD Sport Grill with an SR5 Grill,

 

looks great where can I get a black trim piece to replace my chrome one?

 

Nice job. Looks good in the pic! I too have a super white and I'm considering doing this. Would be my first time using the stuff. I think the way you left emblem and bezel chrome is the best plastidip look I've seen. Any pics installed?

 

Here is the grill I have. Next is the grill I like and want, and finally, is the grill I get to have and enjoy and thankfully!

 

Awesome

Would did it cost?

 

Well I jacked it all up this morning and learned a valuable lesson. I've included it in my original post with the other lessons I learned about derping. I left the can in the garage overnight. It got down to freezing, so when I tried to apply a final touch up coat this morning, I ended blowing a crazy rough texture onto the grill. When this stuff is cold it comes out in big ol' drops.

Well anyway, I wanted it to have a semi rough texture after all, although not as intense as Line-X. So I don't consider it a total loss. Here's the thing mounted on the truck. Doesn't look too bad at all.

 

Good to know about the cans getting cold! Man it still looks great! Gonna have to try this. Do most hardware stores like Lowes carry plastidip or order online? I think this actually looks better and costs way less than buying a SR5 grille!!!