Billet grill installation

[BIG RED DAWG]

Anybody install a billet grill on a '01 or '02 Silverado? Did you remove the entire chrome part of the grill. I'm thinking the of taking out the whole thing by grinding off the melt tabs. Or would I need to leave part of it in to install the billet insert?

[Kania2k1]

I assume you're talking about the billet insert, and not the full phantom grills they have out now.  You will have to remove the entire grille assemblyto get to the pieces that have to be removed, but you only have to grind off the plastic welds from the small horizontal bars above and below the chrome part in the front.  Basically, you don't have to touch the chrome piece.  I have one on my truck, check out the link, and let me know if that's what you're talking about.  The instructions that come with them are pretty easy to follow also.

[BIG RED DAWG]

No I didn't get the full face phantom grill. It's a Trenz billet insert. The chrome part I'm talking about is the stock insert that is melt welded to the back of the shell. When I took off the shell over the weekend, to see how the install would go, I thought all the tabs would be ground off and the entire chrome section removed. The instructions from Trenz seem to indicate the same. However, after talking with the place I bought the grill from, the guy there said NOT to remove the whole thing just cut out the top and bottom part of the stock plastic grill. This is because the attach tabs on the new billet grill will have a place to insert the rivets. I've looked at the shell and still don't see exactly what he's talking about. He also said to leave some of the webbing in the center for installation of the billet bowtie emblem since it bolts on instead of using clips. I don't want to cut off part of the grill I might need to use.