2002 grill and bumper conversion on a 1998

[Ironman707]

So I just got my hands on a sweet 98 runner. It's in awesome shape and the price was perfect, the only thing is that I want to make the front end into a 2002. I've seen threads about this and some say you gotta chop stuff or grind and other day you don't.

Can anyone help me and let me know if it's possible to swap the bumper and grill on these. My goal is to have the fat lip and chrome 02 grill on my 98. Most of the threads here are old so it's hard to,get any feedback about it.

Can anyone help me out ?

 

[98WhiteT4R]

Why do you want the ugly fat lip bumper?

 

[Scramble]

Why do you want the ugly fat lip bumper?

Because the old bumper is flat & boring.

 

[s20004runner]

i converted my 99 faded, chipped, parts missing front into the dent free shiny chrome 96-98 version.

haha.. to each is his own...

I may get an armor front and back this summer though.

 

[Jason B]

You should do what I did. Much less money, and I think it looks better th ank the fat lip.

Burtman Industries front lip for 96-98 4Runners

 

[Bstrom]

i converted my 99 faded, chipped, parts missing front into the dent free shiny chrome 96-98 version.

haha.. to each is his own...

I may get an armor front and back this summer though.

Would you care to write an overview of the parts and process to do this conversion? It looks really good and I wouldn't miss my fat lip probiscus at all!

 

[98WhiteT4R]

Because the old bumper is flat & boring.

touche :flipoff:

 

[Ironman707]

You should do what I did. Much less money, and I think it looks better th ank the fat lip.

Burtman Industries front lip for 96-98 4Runners

Is that the 99 grill you have on there ???

 

[Jason B]

Is that the 99 grill you have on there ???

Yep, and I can get you one if you need when you're ready. I get compliments all the time, usually from 99-02 owners at the gas station, asking me why my truck looks newer. It's that front lip.

 

[Ironman707]

Well I might take you up on that grill but I'm still looking for that 02 bumper... Don't know why I like it better then the 98 lol

 

[thaemcee2]

its possible but just make sure u get the "crash bar" when putting a 99-02 bumper on a 96-98...i hate the fat lips and got a 98 bumper on my 01

 

[Jason B]

Well I might take you up on that grill but I'm still looking for that 02 bumper... Don't know why I like it better then the 98 lol

I'm telling you. If I park mine next to a 99-02, you will like my front end much better. It's all in the lip

 

[s20004runner]

Would you care to write an overview of the parts and process to do this conversion? It looks really good and I wouldn't miss my fat lip probiscus at all!

it's really easy.

Remove the 99-02 bumper
Remove the bumper reinforcing bar

buy 96-98 bumper w/ it's mounting bracket (99-02 bracket will not work)
buy turn signals (i used the old bulb and socket from the 99 and forced in the 96-98 light housing - it doesn't exactly fit)

everything else just bolts up.

One thing I realized after doing this conversion, is that since I have removed the reinforcing bar, the bumper provides no protection to the front end. So I want to invest in an armor.

 

[Jason B]

Nice. Now going from a 96-98 to a 99-02 is more complicated I thought?

 

[s20004runner]

Nice. Now going from a 96-98 to a 99-02 is more complicated I thought?

I think so. I've never studied the 96-98 front so I don't know. I think I read it somewhere in this forum.

 

[Ironman707]

it's really easy.

Remove the 99-02 bumper
Remove the bumper reinforcing bar

buy 96-98 bumper w/ it's mounting bracket (99-02 bracket will not work)
buy turn signals (i used the old bulb and socket from the 99 and forced in the 96-98 light housing - it doesn't exactly fit)

everything else just bolts up.

One thing I realized after doing this conversion, is that since I have removed the reinforcing bar, the bumper provides no protection to the front end. So I want to invest in an armor.

So if I'm going from a 98 to a 02, I'll need the brackets for the 02 bumper and that's about it?

I saw a forum online somewhere, where the guy just had to drill a hole to mount the bumper to the original 98 mount... He didn't mention any new brackets or anything but if I buy a complete set they're both about the same price brand new so it won't matter what year I out on... The only difference would be getting the brackets on

 

[Jason B]

I thought you needed to cut and weld.

 

[rtarv32101]

There is a write up on, I think Yotatech. He OP stated that you only have to drill an additional 1/2" hole for the braces to convert the new bumper to a 96-98.

 

[Ironman707]

There is a write up on, I think Yotatech. He OP stated that you only have to drill an additional 1/2" hole for the braces to convert the new bumper to a 96-98.

Yup that's the post I saw earlier that got me thinking of doing the conversion