How to Replace Your Jeep Wrangler Grille

Jeep Wrangler Grilles are important for protecting your Jeep’s engine, radiator, and other vital parts. If you have a Jeep Wrangler that is older than 10 years old or so, it may be time to replace the Jeep Wrangler Grille. This article will teach you how to do this!

Jeep Wrangler Grilles are Jeep’s most recognizable and iconic parts. Jeep Wranglers have gone through many changes since their introduction in the early 1990s, but Jeep Wrangler Grilles have remained virtually unchanged. Jeep Wrangler owners love the Jeep Wrangler grille because it is rugged and tough-looking. But time takes its toll on anything exposed to the elements day after day, year after year. You can prolong the life of your Jeep by installing a new Jeep wrangle grill!

Why replace your Jeep Wrangler Grille

Jeep Wrangler Grilles are a critical part of your car’s exterior. It is the first thing people see on the outside, and it influences their opinion about what they will find inside. Jeep has made some minor changes to its iconic Jeep grille over time but one change that you may not have noticed was in 2007 when Jeep replaced steel with aluminum for the Jeep grille frame.

Jeep Wrangler Grilles can be found in different materials and with a variety of available features to best suit your needs. Common Jeep Wrangler Grill finishes include chrome, black powder coat, or gloss finish while common Jeep Wrangler Grill styles are slotted grill (for more airflow) or honeycomb grills designed for factory appearance.

What You’ll Need

• A Phillips screwdriver
• A wrench with an 8mm socket head
• Jeep Wrangler Grille
• Jeep Wrangler Grill gasket kit

How to Replace your Jeep Wrangler Grille

Step One: Remove the Jeep’s front bumper. The top and bottom bolts are located on both sides of the Jeep grill, while the center bolt is found under a plastic nut cover just above the Jeep badge. Pry off this cover to access the last bolt (step two). Once you’ve removed all three screws, use your wrench with an eight-millimeter socket head to remove them from their corresponding nuts in order and lower down onto safety blocks or a jack stand below it.  Once lowered, take out these pieces by hand as well as completely unrolling any wire harnesses that may be attached if they are not already disconnected at one end. If your Jeep Wrangler has a Jeep Lift Kit, you will need to remove both bolts holding the Jeep Grille to the Jeep before starting with step two below.

Step Two: Remove the Jeep grille frame from your Jeep’s front bumper. The lower bolt is located on one side of the grill and can be accessed by removing plastic nut covers in order along that same side (step three). Once all four pieces have been removed, use your Phillips screwdriver or wrench to remove these screws as well as any brackets attached for support.  Once detached, lift up and out at an angle so it clears its mounting points before lowering down onto safety blocks or a jack stand beneath it.

Step Three: Use your wrench with an eight-millimeter socket head to remove the Jeep Grille from its mounting point. This is found on each side of your Jeep’s bumper about three inches below the Jeep badge. Once removed, you will need to use a Phillips screwdriver or wrench in order to loosen up and then detach any brackets that may be holding it down along with their supporting nuts (step four). Once these have been detached, set them aside for when installing your new Jeep Wrangler grille later.

Step Four: Remove the Jeep Grill Gasket by first removing two clips at either end of where it connects into the Jeep grill frame as well as disconnecting any wiring harnesses connected there before sliding outwards and off. Disconnect all wires attaching them back onto corresponding Jeep wiring harnesses. Next, use your Jeep Wrangler Grille to push down on the Jeep grill gasket as you pull it out of its mounting points along either side of the Jeep’s bumper (step five). Once removed, set this aside for when installing your new Jeep Wrangler grille later.

Step Five: Remove any brackets and bolts that may be holding in place your Jeep Grill frame before removing this piece by hand or with a wrench using an eight-millimeter socket head onto safety blocks or jack stand below it. This is located at the top and bottom near where they join into each other just above the Jeep badge while two are found about three inches under from there near where they connect into what holds up the Jeep grille.

Step Six: Install your Jeep Grille onto Jeep’s front bumper in reverse order that it was removed (step one). Once you have installed the Jeep grill, use a Phillips screwdriver or wrench with an eight-millimeter socket head before tightening all bolts securely into place and re-installing any brackets as well as their supporting nuts while reconnecting wiring harnesses where they are needed to be for the Jeep Grill Gasket to work properly again. Once secure, lower down gently on safety blocks or jack stands below them and retape over plastic nut covers along either side of Jeep grille frame if not already done so beforehand with wire cable ties (step two) surrounding this area. Finish by replacing Jeep badge at top of Jeep grille frame.

Once you are done, your Jeep Wrangler Grille should be installed and working properly again!

Tips for installing a new Jeep Wrangler Grille

• Jeep Wrangler Grilles can vary in difficulty of installation depending on the model year as they have different parts so make sure to read instructions coming with it before starting out.
• It may take up to two hours from start to finish depending on which Jeep Wrangler Grille your purchase (a more expensive Jeep Wrangler Grill will usually need less time) but this is an easy DIY Jeep Jeep Wrangler Grille replacement.
• Make sure to turn off your Jeep and disconnect the Jeep’s battery before beginning any installation work, it is not a good idea to do this while driving!
• You may want to use safety blocks or jack stands when installing Jeep grilles that are larger in size than other models for added stability as well as keep some rubber bands handy should you need them during installation. It can also be helpful if you have an assistant helping with installation too just incase something needs two sets of hands at one time like removing bolts from brackets but remember they must know how to safely remove nuts on distributor caps without touching hot wires first so make sure they are aware of what they’re doing beforehand (safety first!).
• When installing Jeep grille replacement, it is recommended that you use only high-quality bolts as well as using Teflon tape when attaching plastic clips back onto Jeep’s frame; this will guarantee you have the best possible installation experience!