03-05 grille wont sit flush.

JWerner2

JWerner2

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Has anyone else that did the 03-05 grille on a 1st gen ever have a problem with it sitting flush along the bottom. It just wont sit flush for me and I really cant figure out why unless its cause Im missing the clips but I lost the clips a while ago and my original grille sat flush.


Anyone?
 
yes my 1st gen had a 03+ lse grill and it did stick out a just a little bit
 
i just went outside to double check and my 03 with the stock grill is not flush either, must just be a 2nd gen thing
 
Mine with the LSE grille doesn't sit up against the hood either - there's a little gap. I just leave it as is.
 
This is bad! I need to put pressure on to get the tabs to even sit in all the way. I have one single clip, lost the others and it pops off after I release the pressure with my hands cause it wants to pop back out of place.
 
Here's an idea.
Not sure if this will work as I haven't looked closely at my grille recently.
Push the bottom of the grille in and put some tape to hold it.
Put a washer on the stud and then wrap a bunch of dental floss
around the stud and tie it off.
Then remove the tape.
Another idea may be to cut down and use a blue or orange electrical twist cap as a nut.
 
04SCTLS said:
Here's an idea.
Not sure if this will work as I haven't looked closely at my grille recently.
Push the bottom of the grille in and put some tape to hold it.
Put a washer on the stud and then wrap a bunch of dental floss
around the stud and tie it off.
Then remove the tape.
Another idea may be to cut down and use a blue or orange electrical twist cap as a nut.
Click to expand...

i dont think he is talking about the studs on the top, i think he is refering to the spring clips at the bottom of the grill
 
Yes,l but if I take a few washers/spacers up top on those screws it may get the bottom to sit right.

Its almost like its the bolts up top that are doing it. It just like protrudes out as it goes down.
 
Ok I opened my hood and looked at this again.
The 4 flat tabs across the bottom stick out past the 2 layers of metal on the inside of the hood.
Therefore if you hold the grill in the place you want it either with tape or clamps(use some cloth to prevent scratches)
you can crossdrill a 1/8" or so hole through the tab at the appropriate point.(or at least locate it if you want to take the grill off again to drill)
Then you could use either a #8 3/4" metal screw or a fine machine screw and nut to act as the retainer.
 
If I remember correctly when I installed my McClaren grille on my 02 I had to trim the bottom ( like around where the clips slide on, seems that it acted as a stop as to how far it would push in) so it would push into the holes further and get the clips to engage fully.
 
Lincoln Luebbe said:
Jwerner, this isn't the grille I sent you is it? It sat fine on my 02-
Click to expand...

Nope still waiting on it.

If I remember correctly when I installed my McClaren grille on my 02 I had to trim the bottom ( like around where the clips slide on, seems that it acted as a stop as to how far it would push in) so it would push into the holes further and get the clips to engage fully.
Click to expand...

Not that either, when I push on it those go in. It sits out so far that those tabs are barely in the slots.
 
04SCTLS said:
Ok I opened my hood and looked at this again.
The 4 flat tabs across the bottom stick out past the 2 layers of metal on the inside of the hood.
Therefore if you hold the grill in the place you want it either with tape or clamps(use some cloth to prevent scratches)
you can crossdrill a 1/8" or so hole through the tab at the appropriate point.(or at least locate it if you want to take the grill off again to drill)
Then you could use either a #8 3/4" metal screw or a fine machine screw and nut to act as the retainer.
Click to expand...

if I cant figure out why this is happening Im going to do just that but like NYC said in another thread about me needing clips Im gunna use speed nuts or what ever they are.

I can slo actually see that I am flexing the grille a bit also which is just weird.


What I did for the screws was use my 2000's grilles screws but I had to epoxy them in place. At first I got these funny screws that had a flat square head but they started to slip n me.

Im 100% positive that the screws are straight!
 
I have that same problem with my McLaren Grille and had it with the LSE Grille
 
Maybe you could buy some clips from ford. If available they can't be much.
Here's some pics of my grille and the gap with the factory clips.
Seems like a problem but when the hood is closed you'de never notice.

100_0889.JPG


100_0890.JPG


100_0891.JPG
 
Thanks for the pics. I wish mine was only that bad. Its pretty bad I wish I could post a pic but I stillllll didnt get a damn camera.


Im gunna take it apart and secure the bottom first and then slowly fit the nuts on until its just snug and add some lock tight or something. Maybe that will help.
 
04SCTLS said:
Maybe you could buy some clips from ford. If available they can't be much.
Here's some pics of my grille and the gap with the factory clips.
Seems like a problem but when the hood is closed you'de never notice.
Click to expand...

Your grille is a flush as Jay Leno's chin!


Anyways this is why I'm not buying the Mclaren Grille nor the LSE grille and instead for about 20 bucks + cost of tools, going to make my own grille out of the OEM 2000 grille to look either like the LSE grille or go McLaren. But that :q:q:q:q can stand out as bad as a zit on the forehead.
 
I did the thing with the speed clips. Got them in as far as I could, took a marker and marked where I would put the hole. Drilled the hole and with it all together you can see somethings not right. Something is making the grille flex on the ends.
 
I'd say just get it to look good(enough) with the hood closed.
 
:lol: Thats what I wanna do!

But it just wont:mad:
 
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