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***RTR Upper and Lower Grilles Install Write-up***

Project Whitemare

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Click Below to Buy Exclusively from American Muscle:
RTR UPPER AND LOWER GRILLES

Disclaimer:
The RTR Grilles are direct factory replacements and ARE compatible with the forthcoming RTR Grille Lights.

Tools Needed:
5.5mm Socket
7mm Socket
8mm Socket
1/4" Drive Ratchet
Panel Removal Tool
Flat Head Screw Driver
Blanket
Optional: Nut Driver and 7mm Ratcheting Wrench


Difficulty Level:
2 out of 12 Beers

Parts List:
RTR Upper Grille
RTR Lower Grille


Preparation:
Raise the vehicle from the front and place on jackstands.

Video:

>>>Coming Soon<<<

Installation:


With the front of the vehicle on jackstands, pull out the RTR Grilles and inspect your parts.

Remove the front wheels.


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With the wheels removed, it will be much easier to remove the "dreaded" 7mm bolt between the fender and the bumper.

Remove the (4) retaining clips inside of the front of the wheel well liner. This will allow you to "peel" back the wheel well liner and gain access to the 7mm bolt between the fender and the bumper.


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Use a 7mm ratcheting wrench to make quick work of this bolt.


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Pop the hood and remove all of the retaining clips securing the radiator cover and set the radiator cover aside.


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Peel back the weather stripping on either end of the radiator cover to expose and remove the 5.5mm bolt.


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You have (6) 8mm bolts running across the front bumper. Remove each of these 8mm bolts securing the bumper to the bumper support.


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Head underneath the vehicle and remove the belly pan, which is secured by (13) 7mm bolts along the front splitter, (2) 7mm bolts towards the middle of the belly pan, and (4) 7mm bolts near the rear of the belly pan.


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Once you have removed all of the 7mm bolts from the belly pan, slide it towards the rear of the vehicle and drop it.

Unplug the harness for the side marker light, and remove the fog light bulbs and the turn signal bulbs by rotating them 90* counter-clockwise and pulling them out of the housings.

The bumper is now ready to be removed. Head to the side of the bumper where the "dreaded" 7mm bolt secured the bumper to the fender. Using a quick tugging motion away from the vehicle, the bumper will pop right out. Do the same on the other side.


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Before removing the bumper, you'll want to lay a blanket down to lay the bumper on it's face for the removal of the OEM grilles.

Standing in front of the vehicle in the center of the bumper, you'll be able to pull the bumper up and off of the bumper support, and away from the vehicle.

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Lay the bumper face down on the blanket on a soft surface. Using your thumb as a pry tool, you'll want to separate the core bumper support from between the OEM grilles. Simply pry on the tabs while pulling the bumper core upward to remove and set aside. You will reuse this core support.


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Now you are ready to remove and replace the grilles!

Feel free to crack open that 2nd beer.

You'll want to take note that there are (2) tabs that are used along the securing points on the grilles. The plastic tab is part of the grilles, and the painted tab is a part of the bumper.

You'll want to take a flat head screwdriver, or your preferred pry tool, and slide it between the plastic tab and the painted tab. Gently pry the plastic tab away from the painted tab ever so slightly. You really just need a little room created for some give.

Once you spread the tabs a bit, push the painted tab towards the plastic tab to free the painted "lip" from the grille and pull the grille in an upward motion to remove the grille from the bumper.

You have several tabs around the entire upper and lower grilles. Work cautiously across the grille, starting on one side, and making your way across the grille removing the upper and lower tabs along the way.

Once you've removed one or two tabs, you'll have no problem removing the remainder of the tabs.

Be careful not to break any plastic tabs, as they are essential in securing a good connection with the factory bumper.

Here's the comparison of the RTR Lower Grille and my hand built Strongarm Grille.


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With the OEM grilles removed, you can now place the new RTR Grilles into place. You'll want to work in the same fashion from one side to the other. Be sure to get a solid connection where the painted "lip" of the bumper tab goes all the way through the plastic of the grill and "snaps" into place.

I found it helpful to have one hand under the face of the bumper applying opposite pressure as I was pressing the grill into place.

Once you have the grilles snapped into place into the bumper, you are ready to reverse the steps and secure the bumper back on the vehicle.


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Be sure press the core bumper support into tabs of the grill before mounting the bumper back on the car.

Hang the bumper on the front of the bumper support. Pop each side of the bumper into the clips near the fender. Reinstall the 7mm bolt securing the bumper to the fender. Reinstall the retaining clips in the wheel well liner. Mount the wheel. Install the 8mm bolts along the front of the bumper where it mounts to the bumper support. Install the 5.5mm bolts along side each end of the radiator cover under the weather stripping. Reinstall the radiator cover using the retaining clips. Head under the vehicle and reinstall the belly pan using the 7mm bolt previously removed.

Lower the vehicle off of the jackstands and admire your work and the craftsmanship of the folks at RTR!

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Before Pics:

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After Pics: (Much better after pics to come)



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Last edited:

Masorcas

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Nice write up!! Looks good. Just wondering if u will be selling the strongarm grills?
 

AMAlexLazarus

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nice work brother!

Thanks so much for the love and support!

Alex
 

blk2015

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Grill Badge

Looks great! Just received my RTR grill and will be doing the work soon. Just wondering, where did you get the GT 5.0 Coyote grill badge?
 

DIB2015

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My grilles will be here today and my howler badge should be next month. Thanks for the write up
 

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Mustang_Eh

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Nice write up. Thanks for this. I have a question about the grille cutouts on each corner. Do those affect anything in the engine bay due to dust+debris flying through? I'd love to get something like this done on my car, but I daily it in Canada, so winter means salt and slush.
 

JustPlainJay

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Love the look of the grilles. Compared to stock, is anyone seeing more hood lift/distortion? I see my hood "dance" at 90+. Trusting my hood latch not to lose it.
 

DIB2015

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Do you think its going to be difficult to mount the howler badge after the grilles are already on the car? I have the grilles now, but badge won't be till end of next month.
 

DarkHorse5.0

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Awesome writeup Nick! Great job brother and it was a pleasure getting to see this done!
 
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Project Whitemare

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Nice write up!! Looks good. Just wondering if u will be selling the strongarm grills?
Of course.

nice work brother!

Thanks so much for the love and support!

Alex
Always! Happy to have you guys in my corner, and the love and admiration is mutual!!

Looks great! Just received my RTR grill and will be doing the work soon. Just wondering, where did you get the GT 5.0 Coyote grill badge?
Awesome! You're going to love the freshening up of the front end! Such a nice change from the everyday Mustang.

I got the Howler Badge from my friends over at SpaceCitySpy. They sell them right here on this very forum. I'll see if I can grab you a link...

My grilles will be here today and my howler badge should be next month. Thanks for the write up
Great timing! Hope that this write-up makes things a bit easier for you.

Nice write up. Thanks for this. I have a question about the grille cutouts on each corner. Do those affect anything in the engine bay due to dust+debris flying through? I'd love to get something like this done on my car, but I daily it in Canada, so winter means salt and slush.
I don't think we have anything to worry about, at least here in Sunny CA!

With some rough winter seasons in Canada, it may be something to keep in mind. However, I think that's the case with just driving it period in those conditions.

Love the look of the grilles. Compared to stock, is anyone seeing more hood lift/distortion? I see my hood "dance" at 90+. Trusting my hood latch not to lose it.
Not at all over here. Same amount of hood flex.

Do you think its going to be difficult to mount the howler badge after the grilles are already on the car? I have the grilles now, but badge won't be till end of next month.
Nope. That's how I did it. I just left the belly pan off of the car after mounting the bumper, and reached up and added the brackets. Really simple, and easy to line up. I think this would be the ideal way to do it.

Awesome writeup Nick! Great job brother and it was a pleasure getting to see this done!
Always love having you over my dude! It's only half as fun if you don't have a wrenching partner and a beer bud! :cheers:
 

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jefc73

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Awesome writeup Nick! Great job brother and it was a pleasure getting to see this done!
[MENTION=15112]DarkHorse5.0[/MENTION] Who is this guy???? lol :D
Awesome write up Nick. As always brotha. :cheers:
 
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Project Whitemare

Project Whitemare

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@DarkHorse5.0 Who is this guy???? lol :D
Awesome write up Nick. As always brotha. :cheers:
Yeeeeee! Appreciate it my dude! That is none other than the Hoon King himself!

Thank you guys all for the feedback, on not only the grilles and car, but also the write-ups.

I do put some solid effort into these, so if you see room for improvement, or something you'd like clarified, always speak up! I'll always try to accommodate the request!

My PM box is always open, and I am always willing to help guide you guys through any of these installs.

If you like this write-up, check out the link to my build thread in my signature. I have several other write-ups that you may find helpful there.
 

LETHAL

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You make it look easy. Great write up man!

Wish Ford would have made removing the horse simple or even possible to get the cleaner look.

I have two badges in route from spacecityspy but I'm torn if I want a Coyote up front or a black horse.
 

surfs1st

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I still can't believe you have to remove the entire front end to get to the grill. Are you going to get the side lights when available?
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