taking off the grill shell
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 1
From: Goliad, Texas
taking off the grill shell
well we figured out that we're gonna have to take off the bumper to make it easier. underneath the headlight bezels are 3 bolts that hold the grill shell on, but the bolt heads are on the inside of the fenders. how am I supposed to get those off? on my truck there is a black piece of metal that I think I have to take off to make it eaiser, but I'm not sure if that will help me get closer to the bolts. can someone that has put on a new grill shell help me out on this one?
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 741
Likes: 8
From: Western N.C.
I just took mine off to clean it up.
There are three bolts behind the very front corner of each front fender. I was able to get to them by turning the wheels all the way to the right, then sticking my head between the tire and the fender. Once I saw the bolts, it was fairly simple to get a 1/2 inch socket on them, then use a 4 inch extension to get clearance out to a wider point of the fender well. True, I had to work a lot by feel, but it only took me about ten minutes to get all six out of both sides. Of course, all of mine were rusted, too.
*NOTE*- remove the side markers before you try to get the very top bolt out of each side. This will make those much easier to get to.
You may have to do some careful maneuvering to get the shell off at the top due to the turn signals. You can't remove these until you get the shell off.
Good luck.
There are three bolts behind the very front corner of each front fender. I was able to get to them by turning the wheels all the way to the right, then sticking my head between the tire and the fender. Once I saw the bolts, it was fairly simple to get a 1/2 inch socket on them, then use a 4 inch extension to get clearance out to a wider point of the fender well. True, I had to work a lot by feel, but it only took me about ten minutes to get all six out of both sides. Of course, all of mine were rusted, too.
*NOTE*- remove the side markers before you try to get the very top bolt out of each side. This will make those much easier to get to.
You may have to do some careful maneuvering to get the shell off at the top due to the turn signals. You can't remove these until you get the shell off.
Good luck.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Mountville PA
there in there you shouldn't have to take anything off but the plastic fenderwell liner they apear back around the corner where you can see the rad. support bolts, its not easy to see so take the wheel off and get in with a light and put a bunch of extentions together even then you cant work and have your head in the same spot when I did mine a couple of the Unuts were rusted solid and spun screwing up the grill shell in the process but I was replacing mine keep that in mind if your planning to reuse it.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 899
Likes: 1
From: trenton ns canada
just like the other guys said doc,the plastic inner fender has to be taken out,and the bumper as far as my experience has to be taken off.I battled with the three bolts behind the bumper in mine only to find that the grill shell won't come off past it.so the it would have been just as well to get rid of the bumper first off.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 1
From: Goliad, Texas
yeah, we were gonna take off the bumper so we don't damage the old grill shell since there's nothing wrong with it (it's gonna be a spare since the new one is in better shape). I was wondering if you have to take off the fender liner things. if I take those off then it's real easy to get to the bolts?
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Gadsden Purchase
On my parts truck I just took apart, as usual, I used 1/2" drive stuff...
A two foot extension, speed handle 1/2 to 3/8 drive adapter and a 1/2"
knuckle socket for all the bolts I could use it on. :)
No adapter was needed on the two other 1/2" drive speed handles...
one with a 7/16" socket and the other with a 1/2" socket.
The only bolts that gave me any trouble on the whole pickup besides a
couple original exhaust U bolts were the two bolts at the bottom rear of
the front fenders.
Neither one twisted off, would have been easier if they had danggit! :)
Used a 1/2" ratchet with a cheater pipe on it. LOL :)
Used a little 3/8" ratchet for the fender bolts behind the doors.
------------------------------
The tires were on it but the front end had/has eight 8x8x16 cement blocks
under it and no engine. Easy as pie to dismantle the whole dang truck.
Going to haul the cab away using the frame then haul the frame and bed
back and make a trailer, I guess. Cab's frame bushings' captive nuts have
been reamed out with a 7/16/-14 tap so the bolts will come back out easy.
Got my 3/4" drill bit ready to dismantle the cab's bushings.
Alvin in AZ
A two foot extension, speed handle 1/2 to 3/8 drive adapter and a 1/2"
knuckle socket for all the bolts I could use it on. :)
No adapter was needed on the two other 1/2" drive speed handles...
one with a 7/16" socket and the other with a 1/2" socket.
The only bolts that gave me any trouble on the whole pickup besides a
couple original exhaust U bolts were the two bolts at the bottom rear of
the front fenders.
Neither one twisted off, would have been easier if they had danggit! :)
Used a 1/2" ratchet with a cheater pipe on it. LOL :)
Used a little 3/8" ratchet for the fender bolts behind the doors.
------------------------------
The tires were on it but the front end had/has eight 8x8x16 cement blocks
under it and no engine. Easy as pie to dismantle the whole dang truck.
Going to haul the cab away using the frame then haul the frame and bed
back and make a trailer, I guess. Cab's frame bushings' captive nuts have
been reamed out with a 7/16/-14 tap so the bolts will come back out easy.
Got my 3/4" drill bit ready to dismantle the cab's bushings.
Alvin in AZ
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 1
From: Goliad, Texas
this is what's gonna have to be done. I haven't had time to take it apart this week cause every day I've been doing something. the same thing is gonna be next week. hopefully the week after this I'll get to start on it. I still have it all together except for 3 of the bolts that bolt under the hood to the shell. I figured it's bolted to the fenders so it's not going anywhere.
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