i did this mod today and it looks SWEET! I used an expanded metal sheet and chopped it up... painted it with a dark "hammered" crustoleum, and the rest is history. i was actually really pleased with the paint!

 

I did this mod today and am very happy with it. I used the stamped stainless steel and the zip tie blocks with gorilla glue. Put a bend in the middle of the steel using two pvc pipes under the steel and then pressed down in the middle with a third pvc pipe...this allowed the grill to keep it's shape and not flatten out. I also used a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade...much easier than snipping it by hand.

 

Looks like you have no worries with your backup there...

 

Where are you guys finding the AL for the grill? I can' find this stuff anywhere. Got clips and zips from lowes but no luck on metal and don't really want the plastic.

 

I don't know about Aluminum, but I got the stainless steel link from this thread...someone else posted: "I got it from McMaster-Carr. Part # 9358T341"

 

Thanks. Your rig looks great, what wheels/tires/lift are you running?

 

Thanks, I've got a 4.5" Clayton lift (very happy with it), 17" mickey thompson classic II wheels (polished aluminum...don't want chrome in New England with the salt) and 35" Goodyear MT/R with Kevlar. These tires are great...good offroad and quiet on the road...definitely worth the extra 30 bucks or so per tire over some of the other mud tires.

 

Looks like the aluminum one is part number 9232T221, and its $70 cheaper

 

just ordered a sheet today

 

Just finished my grill mod today, and it only cost $13! Of coarse, I did snag some of the perforate aluminum sheet metal from the material at work. $10 for the bag of self-adhesive ziptie squares (100 ct.) and $3 for the can of Tangerine Orange spray paint.

Note: On the '09 model there are no more plastic screws that hold in the grill. Just a set of plastic inserts that can be popped in and out.



I love the way the orange and blue go together. Maybe someday I'll pay to get the entire Jeep colored orange...