Badlands to Heritage Grille Swap -- part number, purchasing, painting, installing

[swooshdave]

Ha ha JEEP...it looked like this:

Nice!

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[Lots O Fords]

A heads up for those swapping and have a front camera. The trim covering the camera is the same and you will want to paint to match.

 

[broncorik]

A heads up for those swapping and have a front camera. The trim covering the camera is the same and you will want to paint to match.

Yup I had to do that...I used SEM for ABS to prep the grille (I stripped the primer) and to scuff the camera cover prior to painting. They make good stuff.

 

[Lots O Fords]

I wound up doing a poor paint job on the camera cover because I wanted it put back together the same morning, and since the grille paint came out so good, I ordered a new camera cover to have it painted with paint that has hardener and I'll swap it out in the future.
To me the grill change made a big difference and I am so happy to have gone OEM

 

[broncorik]

I wound up doing a poor paint job on the camera cover because I wanted it put back together the same morning, and since the grille paint came out so good, I ordered a new camera cover to have it painted with paint that has hardener and I'll swap it out in the future.
To me the grill change made a big difference and I am so happy to have gone OEM

Well done!

 

[AKBronc49]

I wound up doing a poor paint job on the camera cover because I wanted it put back together the same morning, and since the grille paint came out so good, I ordered a new camera cover to have it painted with paint that has hardener and I'll swap it out in the future.
To me the grill change made a big difference and I am so happy to have gone OEM

This is almost exactly what I want to do, it looks fantastic!

 

[roadtripper]

Hey @broncorik , did you have to pop out a piece of the grille to fit the camera in there? In your first pic of the uninstalled grille it looks like there’s a flat piece of plastic between the O and R. (I’m hoping that’s the case because the Badlands I ordered doesn’t have lux package/front camera).

 

[broncorik]

Hey @broncorik , did you have to pop out a piece of the grille to fit the camera in there? In your first pic of the uninstalled grille it looks like there’s a flat piece of plastic between the O and R. (I’m hoping that’s the case because the Badlands I ordered doesn’t have lux package/front camera).

Hello! The Heritage grille has the camera cutout...I believe all the Heritage trim levels have a camera. I got that specific grille because the other grilles that look similar to it came only without a camera cutout.

 

[roadtripper]

Hello! The Heritage grille has the camera cutout...I believe all the Heritage trim levels have a camera. I got that specific grille because the other grilles that look similar to it came only without a camera cutout.

Right on. I was worried something might look off without the front camera. But after looking at some other pics for the same PN, the spacing between all letters looks the same so it should work well with or without the camera. Thanks mate

 

[broncorik]

Anytime! The spacing is even. If you don't need the camera, you could go with the base trim one...I would have gone that route if I didn't have a camera (and if I didn't want the grille to have Ford on it versus Bronco... I prefer the Ford lettering).

 

[broughtie]

I wound up doing a poor paint job on the camera cover because I wanted it put back together the same morning, and since the grille paint came out so good, I ordered a new camera cover to have it painted with paint that has hardener and I'll swap it out in the future.
To me the grill change made a big difference and I am so happy to have gone OEM

@Lots O Fords How did you get a clean line between the body color and white on the grill. Not something I have experience with, curious what technique you used?

 

[Lots O Fords]

I cheated. I just to it to a body shop and told them what I wanted. He said it was a challenge. I wish I could be more help.

 

[BCT1212]

I have a Badlands and was never in love with my grille...and I was jealous of the base model grille simplicity/retro vibe. Unfortunately the base grille didn't have a camera provision, and I was hoping for small Ford letters versus the Bronco letters. I had been searching for an alternative, and just about the time Xipex released their white retro grille (and I was waiting for them to become available) I realized the Heritage grille was added to the Ford parts catalog.

While it was on infinite backorder, I did some research and found that along with the grille a rear support bracket was required...and the Ford letters. Unlike many if not most of the aftermarket grilles, the OEM grilles have rear brackets that not only structurally support the upper portion of the OEM grilles but also direct airflow. They also differ by grille shape. For example, if you have a base model, your bracket should fit the Heritage grille because the holes in the grille are the same. The Badlands is different so I was on the hook for buying the bracket.

I used the Bronco6g discount at Ruxer Ford and bought the grille, letters, and bracket. I later realized I also need 9 5mm PAL nuts to secure the letters to the grille...and bought them from a local dealer (at full price, unfortunately). While my parts were shipping I learned a lot about preparing ABS plastic for painting (I know a lot of members like white on the Heritage grille, but I prefer a dull black).

After an informative conversation with a representative from SEM, I went with SEM Plastic/Leather Cleaner and SEM Sand Free. The grille is molded in black, and appears as if it can simply be bolted on without painting, but it apparently is primed. When I used the SEM cleaner, I was initially concerned because the surface started to get gummy...but then I realized that either primer or a mold release agent (or both) was slowly coming off on the rag. I soon realized that the most effective technique was spraying the rag, not the grille, and rubbing (a lot) until all the coating was off (which took some time).

The easier part is spraying the SEM Sand Free adhesion promoter and then the paint (while the promoter is still wet). For paint, I went with 1-stage 2k SprayMax Hot Rod Black. They have a patent on the can that mixes the paint and the catalyst.

Pics of the grill and bracket reference and PNs:

So will my camera on my current lux badlands fit this grill? Just order these three parts and it all good?

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