Toyota has outwitted me. Can someone tell me what I'm missing in my efforts to remove the front grill? I have removed the one 10mm bolt on the top center and six pop up fixtures at the top corners and along the bottom. However, something is holding the grill the the fender section next to the headlights. I can not see or feel anything that is attaching the grill section to the fender cover on either side of the grill. I also can not figure out how the two plastic pieces perpendicular to the radiator are attached (removal would give me better visibility to the area behind the headlights). Tried looking in the repair manual, but that did not provide any help. What am I missing?
Need Help with Grill Removal
- Thread starter desertred
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
adio3x
New member
Wear gloves, pry back towards yourself on that piece under the headlamps and it'll make a "pop" noise.
Step 6
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/84880-how-guide-grillcraft-upper-lower-grill.html
Those little tabs are tricky.
Step 6
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/84880-how-guide-grillcraft-upper-lower-grill.html
Those little tabs are tricky.
Jono.ful
New member
I actually just had mine out earlier today....there are small plastic tabs across the bottom of the mesh grille and on the inside corner of the headlights. they are a major PITA. start at one side and work your way to the other side. you will need to pull the tabs up with a fair bit of force to get them to disengage.
Ahhhh..... Thank you for those posts. I'm sure it didn't help that I was working with a black T4R instead of the BP (where the tabs clearly contrasted). I'll give 'er another go. For reference, I'm wanting to remove the chrome strip on the grill for a little black out treatment. Can that be done without removing the grill?
weeeee
New member
Yes, just mask off the surrounding areas (such as the grille, front trim) and use something forgiving like Plastidip.
Plastidip is what I plan on using. However, I wanted to take the chrome off of the grill, as I found that trying to remove small areas of plastidip (vs larger areas) a real PITA. That was a lesson learned following spraying the rear garnish. I now know why the plastidip videos tell you to leave like a 2 inch bare area around the object to be sprayed (ease of removal).
I just buttoned everything back together under the hood and have given up, as I started breaking tabs and pieces off of the grill trying to remove it. Not worth tearing up my 4Runner to remove the grill. I can understand why it took my dealer 5 hours to replace the headlight assemblies.
I just buttoned everything back together under the hood and have given up, as I started breaking tabs and pieces off of the grill trying to remove it. Not worth tearing up my 4Runner to remove the grill. I can understand why it took my dealer 5 hours to replace the headlight assemblies.
Shogun
New member
I just changed out my headlights and documented the process. I didn't take the grill all the way off but maybe this will help should you choose to go at it again.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...headlight-fog-bezel-write-up.html#post1288029
JayG
New member
If you're just tying to get the chrome piece off no need to remove the grill. Its just a chrome cover that snaps on to the grill. Romove all the pop pins on the plastic piece that covers the radiator area, remove the 10mm bolt. At this point you should be able to look in there and see how it is attached. Its attached at 4 points. 1 on each end and 2 inward. Get 1 done and the rest are easy. When i get home ill take a pic of the back of the chrome cover.
tip for removing: use lube
After scouring forums and GrillMaster tutorials, I can to step 6(?) where you mess with the tabs to release the grill. It's a PITA and I used lots of force where I thought I was gonna mess up the entire front bumper. I broke one tab and after a beer break and mental release, I had a light bulb moment: lube.
Dab some lube(vaseline, lube oil or other) onto you finger(I had blue medical gloves on) and fondle the underside of those tabs and get that lube into the crevices. Bingo. Those tabs released super easy. I dried them off after the bumper came out. But yea, use lube. No need for special tools, wedges or brute force. The power of lube is real.
Hope this helps.
PS: I dig the Satoshi Mod. Pretty happy with the results.
After scouring forums and GrillMaster tutorials, I can to step 6(?) where you mess with the tabs to release the grill. It's a PITA and I used lots of force where I thought I was gonna mess up the entire front bumper. I broke one tab and after a beer break and mental release, I had a light bulb moment: lube.
Dab some lube(vaseline, lube oil or other) onto you finger(I had blue medical gloves on) and fondle the underside of those tabs and get that lube into the crevices. Bingo. Those tabs released super easy. I dried them off after the bumper came out. But yea, use lube. No need for special tools, wedges or brute force. The power of lube is real.
Hope this helps.
PS: I dig the Satoshi Mod. Pretty happy with the results.
Apologies for digging up an old thread, had to thank Watts011 for the lube trick, I struggled for a few minutes trying to remove the grill before applying Vaseline and it came out very easily.
Similar threads
