i have low beam HIDs (not bi-xenon so I had no high beams) and they work great in town, but not so well out in the country on back roads. I've also got them aimed pretty far down, just so I don't even come close to blinding oncoming traffic/ people in front of me.

So to fix my lack of high beam problem, I installed these 6" x 2.75" 55W driving lights by Westin:



Aimed them last night and drove around, and they worked awesome. Filled in perfectly the area beyond the reach of my HIDs. I even caught a buck and doe by the side of the road that I would have never seen with just my HIDs until I was almost on top of them.

The point of this thread is I am looking for some opinions on grilles.

Here's my stock grille, and it will fit with the lights if I do some trimming (you can see below - tape is where I still need to trim to). If I clean up the trimmed areas (sand, etc.) then I think it will look okay. I am a bit worried about reducing the light output too much though.





My other thought is to use the shell that I have and just go grille-less. However this won't hide the driving lights at all, and offers the least protection to them and the radiator.

Another option would be to take my grille out of the shell and make my own mesh grille using gutter guard like material (would get thicker and nicer stuff than regular gutter guard, but you get the idea).

Last option I can think of would be to buy a new shell and grille like this one:



I probably wouldn't paint it though - think it would look dumb not color matched?

Thanks for opinions!

Here's a couple more shots just for fun:

 

the easiest would be going the honeycomb route i would imagine. All you guys that have the lights bolted to the header panel like this do you guys have any vibration issues?

 

Get the honeycomb grille! Save your old grille as is....no mods to it and put it on ebay to get some coin back.

 

Well I already mucked up the old grille (trimming to fit over the lights).

What about the honeycomb one but leaving it black? It wouldn't be color matched (around the headlights) but think it would really matter? I sorta got a blacked out theme going with the blacked out headlights, side markers, tinted windows, etc.

 

I have my kc slimlights mounted like this and had no vibration issue. I also vote for the honeycomb grille. And I'd probably color match it too. The honeycomb doesn't effect light output either.

 

I say get the honeycomb grill. If you don't like it black then you can get it color matched.

 

Good idea.

Honeycomb it is! $66.20 shipped off Ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, you can't go with the honeycomb grille without swapping out other things. The honeycomb grille is for the powerdome hood, and I don't think yours is the right shape. I wanted to swap out my honeycomb grille and surround for one like yours (just NOT chrome, but colour matched) but found out I would need to change the header panel and then would have issues with the hood.

 

get the honeycomb grille, then use a sawsall and cut out a round holes for the lights so it looks like the Mustang 2005+ grille with fog lamps. instead of having the lights behind the grille.

 

Can anyone confirm or deny this? The Ebay seller accepts returns and lists my model as fitting, so I definitely have a leg to stand on if the grille doesn't fit. But I would rather cancel the order before they ship it to save some hassle.

 

it will definantly fit and look really nice... color match everything except for the honeycomb part

 

proof that it works....


black truck w/ stock 'flat' hood and edge/xlt 4x4 grille VS stock xlt 4x4.




Only difference is that the hood to grille gap is a little larger. Not that noticeable on dark colored trucks...little more noticeable on light colored trucks.



And for RollDogg, you don't need to change anything but the grille. Further proof you can do what you exactly what you want to do, using your existing hood....my truck with the same setup. The gap will be a little tighter between the hood and grille. But none-the-less, whoever told you that you need a header panel and hood are dead wrong. 01-03 all had the same exact header panel.

 

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...-question.html

Mossyoak confirms you need a new header panel and hood in post #8.

EDIT: Shane, I just seen your post (1 min before mine). So it's a direct swap, no rigging anything up?

I guess you can go this way, but NOT the other? A grille surround with the bars wouldn't fit with my 01 hood then?

 

honeycomb FTW.

 

No worries...you're good to go. all 01-03 grilles are interchangeable with any of the two 01-03 hoods. Just grille to hood gaps change a little.

You can run a 'argent bar' grille with a powerdome. you can run a 'argent mesh' on a standard flat hood.

Yeah..i edited that post like 5 times. lol. Need to stop doing that. lol.

 

I read the linked thread and looky there, I posted! lol. Yeah...that member was misinformed(plus the OP had the argent bar/chrome bar grille on his truck already, but that's not the point). The pics he posted, yes, hood and header panel would be needed. But 01-03, all interchangeable regardless of hood.

 

Cool. Thanks for the info fellas!

I can live with a little bigger then normal gap, think it will look okay.

And Fx4wannabe01 I just my try rattle can color matching, if I decide the black looks out of place.

In your post #12, is the one truck lowered?? It sure looks that way sitting next to the lifted one lol.

 

i like the kc lites behind the grill look but would it affect airflow into my radiator that would make my engine run warm?? or is there enough air flow? remember i got the mazda

 

Here's a pic of what the gap would be on a powerdome and the 2wd 'bar' grille....pic is of a gen4, but the gap is the same. And don't worry, nothing hits.



The lines are a little off on the outside edge of the grille, but it's not that noticeable.

 

I feel like I'm post whoring now. lol.



I'd grab a can of dupli-color color match paint, a can of their clear coat automotive line, and a can of their primer. And spray it yourself. I'd pull the honeycomb out of the shell to spray it though.

And yes, it is lowered 4" front 5" rear in both pics. 1st pic is my truck with 7" lift and 35's. 2nd pic is mine with 3" lift and 35's. Lowered ride is my brothers, screenname Dangerranger01.

 

LOL

So here's for beating a dead horse.....

So I can put this


on my 01 edge with the powerdome hood and everything will jive.....just a direct swap out?

I broke the little arm that goes under the headlight last winter and was looking at just swapping out the entire grille suround. Plus I think colour matching the entire grille with the truck would look awesome.

 

HONEYCOMB FTW!!!

 

whoops

 

I was laughing out loud while reading that post...

Answer: YES. Everything will jive.

Pop old honeycomb grille shell off, pop new 'bar' grille shell on, done! The emblem is the exact same emblem as well.

 

Shane whose black truck is that?