A qoute form IMPY in 06, was reading where you don't like the old ones brought back up and to just start a new one, so here goes:

ImportKiller: actually it was a complete custom install. I had to cut holes in the stainless lower grill cover to fit the lights basket, then I took the lights apart and threw away the back half cover (they were round lights) put the light through the hole in the grill cover so it sits flush and attached a back cover I made to the back of the light to hold it tight. Some high temp silicone to make it water tight and thats it...oh yea also had to cut the hell out of the stock plastic lower grill to make it all fit. All told it took about 6 hours doing and about two days planning...was hard cutting into a new hummer.


I bought some small round aftermarket lights to mount in the lower grill, my question is this: how do I get the lower grill off without damaging it? Just curious before I start ripping stuff off that I don't need to.

TIA for the help.

Actually, while I was waiting for help I was looking at my truck and think I might go with themin the outer holes of the grille.Am going temp mount them and take pics and see what ya'all think.

Will post them to this in a little bit

 

It just pops out eazy. You can even pop it back in just as eazy.

 

Does anybody have pictures of this?

Doc says if you are careful, you can remove the lower grill without having to remove the entire lower bumper cover. I'd like to see if anybody has successfully done it. If I put the KITT lights behind there, I may very well have to remove it anyway to drill mounting holes for the angle iron I use as a bracket for the light bar. That's what I had to do for the upper grill installation.

I figure I can buy some 90 degree angled brackets and mount them on the sides to support the bar, but I don't even know if that is plastic behind there.

Anyway, some feedback would be appreciated since 24 hours from now I'll be doing this

 

I haven't done this yet Mike, sorry. Plan on installing my own driving lights in there just haven't gotten around to it.
Are you going to cut the lower grill and have the KITT light mounted into it or have that light behind it like you did before on the top one? Thought it would look better to mount it "in" the lower grill.

 

That's a good question. I honestly don't know yet. The problem is the orginal light bar is mounted to the angleiron piece I cut to length to fit into the original location which was bolted to the grill frame. The lightbar itself without the angle iron is I think still wider then the opening. I'd probably have to cut more away.

The light bar itself gets hit pretty bad with debris, weather ice/snow and salt, etc. It at least had some protection behind the grill. Now that I'm lowering it, it's going to get battered harder. There's already slight signs of corrosion, but the most important part, the controller module is inside the cabin.

If I cut away the grill to leave the lights exposed, i'm worried that it's going to get hit even harder with the weather and the lights may not work after a few months. Also, the scanning affect looks better when it's masked behind something rather then exposed. It makes the movement look smoother, more like the real thing.

Also, the cops will eye it more then they do now. I get stares teh way it is, but unless i'm driving with them on, they can't do anything, and I never drive with them on. It's only for show purposes.

So, I'm not sure yet

 

OK Ladies and Gentlemen. I'm about to go out to the garage and start working on this. I may need some help taking this grill apart. I know how to remove the upper part. Hopefully ImportKiller is around if I have issues with the lower part, or anybody else that's done it.

Wish me luck. I will post a pic in my other thread once the initial mounting is done.

 

Number 18 is the screen.....lower grill. It has slots in its flange, two top, one on each side, two on bottom. The slots have metal crimp clips....kinda V or U shaped around each slot. The inside of the Bumper cover, #1, has flat plastic prongs that stick out to the rear. They go in the slots, get pinched by the metal clips and it stays. It is like removing an interior piece, start at one side and push in firmly, the grill will move back when the clip/slot lets free of the flat plastic prong. Go all the way round one at a time till it is no longer connecte and manipulate it to pull it out from the front through the hole. Pretty easy, but do not do it if it is extremely cold because the plastic prongs become brittle and can break.

Didn't we talk about this yesterday? Now I'm sharing the secrets of the holy grail with everybody. [&o]

 

You just helped me understand it a little better too Doc. Maybe I can put those lights in there this weekendI was scared to death of breaking it.

 

Thank you Doc I bet you just helped about 500+ people on the internet figure out how to do this. We REALLY appreciate it!

Although, uh, I was able to mount the lights without doing it after all Refer to the 2.0 thread for more

 

http://www.aemfg.com/pdfs/BX4104.pdf

These are very good instructions for removing the front end of the H3. Although they are for installing a tow bar assembly, they do a great job of showing howthe front endcomes apart. Time for complete dissambly is 30-45 minutes.

The 08 H3 has a brace between the frame rails that is not shown in these instructions. Loosen two bolts and it drops out.