Aftermarket grille issue

[RamVillian14]

I just got my first aftermarket grille, and the grille itself looks great, no complaints there. However after I put it on my truck, I’m struggling to get past the fact that you can see everything behind the grille i.e. grille shutters, radiator, and wires. Am I stupid? Can someone offer advice?

I have a crap ton of money in my truck and I don’t want my front end looking trashy because you can see everything behind the grille clear as day as if it weren’t there.

 

[Jwithing]

I hear ya man, it's been a concern of mine as well. I just dropped $850 on a Royalty Core grille and am hoping it's not as bad as what I see in your pic. I did buy some VHT flat black engine enamel to spray everything back there and removed the active shutters. May be worth trying to figure out if some place can custom Fab some flat black plastic flaps to cover everything on the sides of the shutters.

 

[RamVillian14]

Thank you for the quick reply and the advice. I’m sure yours will look better. This is a $250 E-Autogrilles product with wire mesh.

 

[Jwithing]

https://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic

This place has custom acrylic sheets that you can order to size in matte black. Let us know if you go this route. I'm sure others would be interested if you come up with something that looks better. My grille doesn't ship till the 21st, so I hope you solve for it before then lol

 

[RamVillian14]

Thanks for the idea. I very well might try this. You’re not going to like the idea I have right now though. I’m upset that I have to make extra modifications on this project because I was expecting 10 mins. of work and few dollars spent. I currently have the rough country grille insert in my possession that I originally decided not to do because I didn’t like the brackets and it wasn’t gloss black. However, I’m going to try and make it work this weekend because after you bolt it on to your original grille shell then you can pop on the plastic that was on the back which covers up everything. I have a sport to clarify so it has all this plastic that pops onto the back of the grille shell. If you want pics just let me know.

 

[Jwithing]

I hear ya man. I bought the smittybilt M1 but sent it back since it was matte black and my truck is brilliant black. I know the covers you speak of, but I think those may look a little strange as well since the middle is designed to be hidden by the crosshairs. May look better than currently though. Good luck, let me know how it goes!

 

[sandawilliams]

View attachment 119512 I just got my first aftermarket grille, and the grille itself looks great, no complaints there. However after I put it on my truck, I’m struggling to get past the fact that you can see everything behind the grille i.e. grille shutters, radiator, and wires. Am I stupid? Can someone offer advice?

I have a **** ton of money in my truck and I don’t want my front end looking trashy because you can see everything behind the grille clear as day as if it weren’t there.

Can you return it?

 

[RamVillian14]

Can you return it?

Yeah I can return it. I’ve already boxed it all back up.

 

[CanadianNick]

Yeah I can return it. I’ve already boxed it all back up.

Even though it sucks id honestly do the same thing.
I guess it just goes with the territory of doing mods. Sometimes we have ideas and visions in our head and then purchase things and it doesn’t turn out how we envisioned it.

 

[deangtp]

You can get on eBay and buy stuff called PVC foamboard and cut it at home. Super cheap and super easy.

 

[RamVillian14]

You can get on eBay and buy stuff called PVC foamboard and cut it at home. Super cheap and super easy.

I’ll check it out.

 

[RamVillian14]

You can get on eBay and buy stuff called PVC foamboard and cut it at home. Super cheap and super easy.

I’ll check it out, thanks.

 

[RamVillian14]

Ok so I put on the grille insert without putting back on the oem plastic on the backside of the grille. It looks way better than the E-autogrille, which showed everything behind the grille. This one has more surface area and doesn’t show as much which is a relief. I’m gonna roll with this for a week or so to see if it gets on my nerves then if it does I’ll brainstorm putting something behind it.

 

[Dbjb]

So you got the $179 rough country grill. I do like that the mesh is denser and hides more of what's behind. I'm highly contemplating getting the same one for my brilliant black sport.

Your truck doesn't look too bad and frankly, that's when the sun is directly shining on the front. Any other angle and you'd probably never notice.

Do you have any photos from the side or when the sun isn't shining into the grill? Besides that one issue, how do you like the rest of the grill?

 

[RamVillian14]

So you got the $179 rough country grill. I do like that the mesh is denser and hides more of what's behind. I'm highly contemplating getting the same one for my brilliant black sport.

Your truck doesn't look too bad and frankly, that's when the sun is directly shining on the front. Any other angle and you'd probably never notice.

Do you have any photos from the side or when the sun isn't shining into the grill? Besides that one issue, how do you like the rest of the grill?

So yeah I agree with everything your saying. I took pics when the sun was shining right at it so it would show worse case scenario to make sure no one did what I did and then wasn’t satisfied because of a picture that didnt show everything. Pics can be deceiving ya know? Anyway yeah I got one other pic I can show at the moment and after I was done putting the grille insert and grille shell together and on the truck I flipping love it but before that I sure hated it lol. I’m a perfectionist so getting the grille insert attached perfectly is not easy and I recommend a second pair of hands. I actually did the first half by myself and got pretty pissed off at one point, but in the end totally worth it. One of the best cheaper mods I have done.

I’ll post another pic for you tomorrow without the sun shining directly in it.

 

[Yellowfinii]

I put on marine screening. Hides everything, lets air flow, looks amazing.

Before


After

I also put lighting in the grille which made the front end look bad. The marine screening works amazing and looks good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dbjb]

I put on marine screening. Hides everything, lets air flow, looks amazing.

I also put lighting in the grille which made the front end look bad. The marine screening works amazing and looks good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yellow,
Do you have any pics without the grille lights on?

And where did you get that marine screening. Looks like that may be the simple solution. Well done!

Ps, no concerns about it touching the hot radiator?

 

[RamVillian14]

I put on marine screening. Hides everything, lets air flow, looks amazing.

Before


After
I also put lighting in the grille which made the front end look bad. The marine screening works amazing and looks good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tips man. I was also considering a black mesh but had the same concerns as Dbjb as far as heat goes. I assume you have it tight enough that it doesn’t touch anything but the grille?

 

[Jwithing]

View attachment 119618 Ok so I put on the grille insert without putting back on the oem plastic on the backside of the grille. It looks way better than the E-autogrille, which showed everything behind the grille. This one has more surface area and doesn’t show as much which is a relief. I’m gonna roll with this for a week or so to see if it gets on my nerves then if it does I’ll brainstorm putting something behind it.

This looks way better man, nicely done!

 

[Jwithing]

I put on marine screening. Hides everything, lets air flow, looks amazing.

Before


After

I also put lighting in the grille which made the front end look bad. The marine screening works amazing and looks good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks good. Would also be. Curious to see after pics during the day. Looks like that's just door screening essentially? What grill do you have on the exterior? I assume you added the ram letting yourself?