[jeffbot]

Hello All,

I just wanted to share my experience with installing the T-Rex billet grille. First, every war has its causalities, mine being a one inch scratch, and 4 smaller dings on my bumper. Secondly, never install a t-rex billet grille after you have taken allergy pills, the drowsy variety. It may influence your judgement in a most negative way.

The installation was pretty straight forward, but being me, I made it more difficult. When attaching the long screws to secure the bottom portion of the upper grille, I did not notice, that I was digging into the grille itself, thus chrome shavings everywhere. Then trying to be careful so that I didn't do it to the other side, i still made the same mistake. Good thing they aren't noticeable when i'm driving. When the car is parked, you can sort of see it, depending on how the light hits it. Another lesson, don't use one of those multi-tip screwdrivers...

So after I got that installed, I moved on. The Push peg things were so hard to get off the bottom of the bumper, but I managed, with a small pile of plastic shavings behind me...



Potential problem, I have a Nissan branded hood deflector, which usually sits nicely on top of the stock grille, but in this case, there is definite contact, but no problem yet.

Also, i've noticed that I have to reach a bit further down to get to the release hatch for the hood.

Another problem, the two plastic sleeve anchor clips things keep on popping out of the spaces where the stock grille connected at the bottom, so every now and again, I have to push it back in. I'll be asking t-rex about that, if they can send me better anchor thingy.

All in all, it was a good install, other than the scratches to my car, hand, and my ego. It looks pretty good with the hood deflector too.

Pictures will follow, of all the battle scars, and what not.


Anyone have any tips about fixing the appearance of the 'shaved chrome' and products to fill in the scratched on the bumper????

It would be much appreciated!


Noob Mechanic FTW!!!!

 

[1HoTCuBe]

pics? haha

 

[Square1]

Jeff, I'm sorry to hear things didn't go as well as you would have wanted, but at the same time it's refreshing to hear the honesty about the install. As far as the chrome touchup goes, you can always get some silver chrome spray paint and spray some into the lid, then use a small artist paint brush and fill it in. When you're done it may be almost invisible.

As far as the push pins go, you can pick up some replaements at just about any autoparts or hardware store, they're pretty cheap. - Dan

 

[TrevorS]

Thinking of the bumper fascia, the standard OE touchup paint would probably be adequate to cleanup the scratches. The trick is to try to apply it in small drops, not in brush strokes. Drops will spread minimally onto the undamaged surface and the solvent in the drops will evaporate leaving minimal sign of the application. Brush strokes, on the other hand, tend to both spread the paint to non-damaged areas and to remain visible after drying ! It probably still won't look perfect, but it should be much less noticable than now.

If there's a gouge, you'll probably need to use brush strokes to get the coverage. As long as the touchup color is reasonably close, it would still look a lot better than now. Typical dealer price for touchup paint is around $10 and includes a suitable brush in the cap. Drops are applied from the tip of the brush.

PS. Not critical, but it would be best if you can do the paint application in a covered area. Also, I'd suggest not driving the car until the paint has had a chance to dry.

 

[armadillo]

So is this pretty much a bolt-on installation? No drilling holes and such? Sounds like it's a little more involved than I thought, perhaps.

 

[jeffbot]

It is a bolt on, no drilling required, mod. Its just that I tend to over complicate things I know nothing about.... Pics up soon...

 

[jeffbot]

Here's the pics:

 

[jeffbot]

Hey Dan, thanks for the advice. Now seeing the pictures, do you think the chrome touch up will work???

 

[armadillo]

Dang, looks good! Best pictures I've seen.

Bummer about the scratches. A body shop or detailer could probably fix the paint scratches. Chrome, I dunno. I saw a "how to" on a classic car TV show fix a deep scratch on an old T-bird by filling it with paint several times, sanding, then compounding. Looked great, no need to repaint the whole panel. The chrome might buff out too. Maybe try a restoration shop. They can take an irreplaceable, bent Chrysler Airflow chrome piece and make it look like new. But that might cost more than a new grill.

 

[ChristineK]

Well you have all seen mine. I too have the full T-Rex. My question is how in the hell did you scratch the hood??????????

For this entire installation the hood should have been in the propped up position! How did you do this?

I can see the possibility for the other areas but the hood I cannot. I had zero problems installing and securing the grille. I have heard problems with the pop clips but patience and a "Small" fathead screwdriver worked fine.

Patience is key on any mod to a vehicle and a heavy hand is never the answer. :no:

 

[1HoTCuBe]

jeff where did u get that hood deflector?

 

[jeffbot]

Well you have all seen mine. I too have the full T-Rex. My question is how in the hell did you scratch the hood??????????

For this entire installation the hood should have been in the propped up position! How did you do this?

I can see the possibility for the other areas but the hood I cannot. I had zero problems installing and securing the grille. I have heard problems with the pop clips but patience and a "Small" fathead screwdriver worked fine.

Patience is key on any mod to a vehicle and a heavy hand is never the answer. :no:

These pics were after the install, where I did put up the hood. I had pop clip problems, in terms of I thought I was breaking them, but it was just opening a bit weirder. I think there are 2 types of pop clips, because the one kind was easy, but the second was a bit harder(The ones clipped to the bottom of the bumper.

If you read my second tip you would see I wasn't exactly of right mind. I was fitting the grille onto the car, and lining up the bottom two plastic anchors, when the grille decided to fall off, since it wasn't exactly secured in any way, except for its somewhat loose fit on the two mount arms.

jeff where did u get that hood deflector?

The hood deflector was from my nissan dealer. The part number escapes me, but then again, it seems that the part numbers differ from canada and the us. I think it has to do with the exchange rate....
The part is somewhat shown on the canadian cube accessory page.

http://nissan.ca/vehicles/accessori...up=D5RG59&vehicleBase=/vehicles/cars/cube/en/

 

[TrevorS]

Potential problem, I have a Nissan branded hood deflector, which usually sits nicely on top of the stock grille, but in this case, there is definite contact, but no problem yet.

Should have commented on this item before, but forgot !

Best answer might be to raise the hood just slightly by adjusting the bumpers it rests on. I don't know for certain about the Cube, but I'm expecting it's pretty typical. There should be two rubber bumpers located on the upper crossmember behind the grill (one to each side of the latch), the front of the hood rests on these. There are likely a couple more a little further back near the fenders. These typically screw into the frame and clockwise lowers, whereas counterclockwise raises. I'd suggest a counterclockwise rotation of all four by about 1/2 turn to solve the problem. However, you'll have to inspect the bumpers yourself to verify how to make the adjustment. Good luck !

 

[armadillo]

jeffbot, don't have them (yet) to look at, so what are these pop clips, those little thingies that expand to hold panels and such in place? Do they have to be reused or does the grill come with its own fasteners? What's the trick to getting them out, if any? Got me worried now. Please pardon my ignorance.

My Eclipse had something that sounded like this that held wheel well splash guards in. New ones were about $4 a pop at the dealer.

Thanks for being a trailblazer and saving the rest of us some headaches!

 

[jeffbot]

Potential problem, I have a Nissan branded hood deflector, which usually sits nicely on top of the stock grille, but in this case, there is definite contact, but no problem yet.

Should have commented on this item before, but forgot !

Best answer might be too raise the hood just slightly by adjusting the bumpers it rests on. I don't know for certain about the Cube, but I'm expecting it's pretty typical. There should be two rubber bumpers located on the upper crossmember behind the grill (one to each side of the latch), the front of the hood rests on these. There are likely a couple more a little further back near the fenders. These typically screw into the frame and clockwise lowers, whereas counterclockwise raises. I'd suggest a counterclockwise rotation of all four by about 1/2 turn to solve the problem. However, you'll have to inspect the bumpers yourself to verify how to make the adjustment. Good luck !

Thanks for the tip, i'll look into when daylight comes back

jeffbot, don't have them (yet) to look at, so what are these pop clips, those little thingies that expand to hold panels and such in place? Do they have to be reused or does the grill come with its own fasteners? What's the trick to getting them out, if any? Got me worried now. Please pardon my ignorance.

My Eclipse had something that sounded like this that held wheel well splash guards in. New ones were about $4 a pop at the dealer.

Thanks for being a trailblazer and saving the rest of us some headaches!

Jeffbot....Trailblazer Sounds good to me

The Pop caps are what you describe, they have to be reused. The trick is pretty much what Christine said

I have heard problems with the pop clips but patience and a "Small" fathead screwdriver worked fine.

I actually used the thinnest flathead screwdriver I had, but it still was a tight fit. I just inserted the screwdriver, twisted it, and went around the pop cap, to loosen it fully. Then they came right out!