Removing grill with driving lights...?

Barchinski · #1 05-20-2009, 07:25 AM

Hey guys I just bought the grill badge holder for my JCW and I tried to attempt to disassemble the grill, trim piece, and driving lights to install the badge plate behind the grill....but I didn't realize I might need to get the driving lights off first.

First, I have to say that that little lower trim piece at the bottom of my grill, those little end tabs that your supposed to push down...don't release that bottom trim piece....unless i wasn't pulling or pushing hard enough.

Second, I tried to go around this problem and just pull the girll back a few inches once i took out the four (4) top tabs, but i soon realized the driving lamps mount is blocking the two (2) outing bottom clips from me getting to them, so only the middle two are visible.

I really thoguht this would be an easy simple istall but it seems like its more than I thought. Does anyone have a quick solution to get this badge holder installed with these driving lamps on?

Thanks!

ImCBParker · #2 05-20-2009, 09:49 AM

Having had to install one with the lights I can say it is tricky. I did not want to remove my lights either.

If you have small hands it is not too bad. For the the bottom trim of the grill comes off pretty easy. Then remove the four tabs on the top of the grill. That should give you about three inches of space between the grill. The next part is tricky.

First you need to get the washer on. My first attempt was a fail. I got the washer on and a gust of wind blew it off as I was about to fasten it. Took a long magnet to retrieve the washer from the undercarriage. It should not be a problem, but I put a small piece of double sided 3M tape on the bolt to prevent that from re-occuring. From there I was able to put the screw in without incident.

Barchinski · #3 05-20-2009, 09:54 AM

Yea im glad that you were able to retrieve that washer....for taking the bottom grill piece off...i push down on those tabs and nothing wants to come loose....whats the key in achieving this successfully?

ImCBParker · #4 05-20-2009, 10:43 AM

You have to give it a good pull, but of course be careful! The bottom is not as important, as it really does not give you that much more leverage.

Barchinski · #5 05-20-2009, 12:07 PM

I have done the pull with some elbow grease and nothing is budging.....what next???

Oxybluecoop · #6 05-20-2009, 01:05 PM

Barchinski · #7 05-20-2009, 01:08 PM

Thanks OXY, but these are the same directions I have with the grill badge holder. I tried pushing those tabs down and got only about an inch of both ends of the lower grill trim to come loose. So i'm stuck on what to do now.

I'm a nob I guess

Oxybluecoop · #8 05-20-2009, 01:15 PM

Barchinski · #9 05-20-2009, 02:07 PM

I'm talking about the little trim piece that needs to come off before i can un- clip those 4 tabs at the bottom of the grill. Now I have the JCW grill with the black trim piece. Is this still the same process when i push those two outer tabs down?

ImCBParker · #10 05-20-2009, 02:34 PM

Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. Mine seems to pop right off. I cannot say I am doing anything different.

Barchinski · #11 05-21-2009, 01:08 PM

Went for Round 5, 6 ,7 ,8...etc. Who knows but i still can't seems to get that black bottom trim piece to come loose. It only gets loose at the ends and I feel if I use more power it will snap the trim in the middle. For some reason it seems attached to the honeycomb grill itself. Is the JCW front grill diff from the factory grills and the chrome trimming?

I wish i could find a video on this...I feel so stupid and helpless that I can't get such a simple item off my car.....

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to myself!!!!

Thanks for all the help peeps....

ImCBParker · #12 05-21-2009, 02:10 PM

I too have the JCW grill with black surround. It had to be cut to fit the lights. Sorry to hear you are having troubles.

Barchinski · #13 05-21-2009, 02:13 PM

and your black lower trim came right off after pushing those two outer tabs down from the inside of the grill?

shokk · #14 06-07-2009, 08:12 AM

I didn't completely remove the grille to install mine...

http://www.shokk.com/gallery2/v/MiniGrilleBadge/

Performance Angst · #15 07-03-2009, 03:13 PM

I installed my JCW grill and have to say that the center portion of that trim piece is very tight and would be difficult to remove w/o the entire assembly off the car. I would try using a long screwdriver and reaching the tabs from the top leaving the trim piece installed and pull on the grill rather hard. I removed my OE grill w/o ever removing the lower trim piece. I just pulled in the grill until the tabs released themselves from the bumper. HTH

rwwilsonjr · #16 07-03-2009, 11:00 PM

You must push "up" on the outer tabs on the strip at the bottom of the grille.