Radiator support tie bar too weak to support grill guard

Do you have a grill guard? Is it making any raddle or squeaking noise? I ask because about a year ago I installed a Westin Grill Guard. A few months ago I hear it raddling so I tightened it up, then a few weeks ago it needed tightened up again. It has again started raddling so I decide to investigate it closer. The bolts were still tight. I found that the “radiator support tie bar” that runs from side to side in front of the lower part of the radiator (not the support above the radiator) was cracked and pieces had broken out around the fastening bolt slot. The upper support of the grill guard fastens into “radiator support tie bar”, while the lower support of the grill guard fastens on to the frame. Anyone else had a problem like this?

 

Those guards will only protect you from a full wallet

 

I wouldn't trust mounting anything heavy or expected to take an impact to anything but the frame and that includes secondary supports. The front of a modern vehicle is designed to do two things: (1) support the OEM configuration, and (2) crumple in an accident. They're not built out of heavy steel like they used to be, they're designed to be less likely to kill a pedestrian.

But as was said and will be repeated ad nauseam, those things are going to make any frontal accident 100x worse for you than hitting something directly. The impact point has huge leverage over the frame mount and if you're lucky, the bull bar will bend to save the frame and only take out your entire front end. If not, well I've seen several times where a deer hit around the headlight turned into frame damage and a completely new front end because of a bull bar.

 

Email Westin yet?

 

This is a great example of why those things are trash

 

No impact protection should be tied into the core support. You are just asking for trouble in a light impact where aside from the front fascia damage, you could end up pushing the radiator into the fan and collapsing the core and fender supports. Now a little damage becomes a lot. You might consider getting a bumper replacement that adds some impact protection and mounts to the frame.

 

Grill guards do nothing too protect your truck,and they do more damage with one, than without in an accident.

 

hmmm, i dont remember any grille guard ever mounting to the raditor supports. i always thought they tied into the same location as the tie down (you remove the tie down) or the frame unless someone did a hack job.

personally i use to like them but i se way to many doing more damage than saving. i would rather spend the extra money for a full bumper replacement if i could afford one.

 

No. (Also no and no by default).

Damage multipliers just doing damage.

How could mounting that thing to the radiator support thought to be ok in the first place?

 

ROFL!!! Get what money you can by selling that thing and get a real bumper or a Slim Line series. Wait till you actually hit something like a shopping cart to tweak your frame

 

What did the manufacturer say? I'd be pissed.. you'd assume things are relatively stress tested, not just tied into wherever a bolt may lie.

 

Yea what the fuck is that thing ....

I swear people like this... do zero research before slapping some shit they saw on eBay on their trucks because it looks “Offroad”

This does nothing to protect the truck. Like previously stated^^^^

Sell it and then...Put this part of your life into a little box and never revisit it.

 

You're suprised????

Let's be real. Look at the size of that thing. You expect any vehicle to support it properly with where it mounts? What did you expect to protect on your truck with that thing? Please tell me your mindset was purely ascetic

 

if you want tough truck nose, then get a proper roobar that attaches to the frame (or armored bumper/roobar combo) and not need to attach to non structural parts like the radiator support

as others are saying, the item you show in the pic is 100% cheese and 100% useless and can only cause problems not fix any

 

I would bring that up with Westin. It's their design that caused the problem. I doubt they'll make it right, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

who Installed it ? Looks like a Mickey Mouse install

 

Christ on a cracker it literally mounts to the radiator support. Can't make this shit up.

OP get an estimate from a body shop and demand Westin pays a refund plus the repair bill.

 

I’m going to need to see some install Instructions

 

Bottom bolts to the frame. Top mounts to something in the radiator area.

 

something? well not now....oh my