I want to paint the Honeycomb Grille Insert on my 2000 XLT S Cab. Can someone please tell me how to get the insert off of the truck! It's driving me nuts , and I don't want to break anything.
Thanks ,
Larry

 

There was a post a few weeks ago concerning the same thing,My reply was tape off the surrounding areas,and paint it on the truck.Cant remember the original "poster" but he was encountering the same problems...took my(and alot of others) advise,and he was tickeled with the outcome.I did my 97,and it looks factory....

 

I thought about that , but I would prefer to remove it from the grille casing to get the sides and the back of the grille painted good too.

 

I know what youre talking about, Originally I had planned to pull it out...got the truck pulled into the garage,poped the hood,and started figuring where to start....From what ive read,there is quite a bit that has to come off,and some components can easily break.
Wish I could help you........

 

Well he--! Guess I'll have to do like you said and tape it off. I tried to remove the plastic cover that is over the grille casing top and broke 4 out of 8 of the nice little plastic screw/ gripper plugs!! Sure pisses a fella off when things have to be designed so difficult.
Thanks anyway!
Larry

 

Well. Guess you need to look at it this way....That Grill insert will NEVER just fall off!

 

No kiddin'!!

 

I wished I had checked here before I attempted it, I go it out and paint it, but it wasnt worth the headache

 

Haynes outlines most of the procedure quite well. Unfortunately the grille insert is installed from the backside of the whole front piece. Haynes shows how to remove the entire assembly.

Definitely much easier to mask off everything around the grille insert. Easier still to forget about repainting the grille insert & use that time & money for something far more productive.

 

Yeah i had the Haynes book to and they made it sound simple but after i tore apart what i had to, to get the grill insert out, it wasnt worth it....I should have taped it off