Accessory Grill Install

[jch]

The following is the procedure I used to install the Honda accessory grill in my Ridgeline. I basically followed the Honda grill install pdf. In addition, I also installed Honda Fog lights. If you are handy and wish to have both accessories it makes sense while you have the bumper cover lying on the floor of your garage to perform both installations. The fog light installation caries a higher degree of difficulty than the grill install. I documented both installs, but will focus on the grill since a fog lights installation how-to has already been done.

Tools:
Phillips and flat screwdrivers, metric socket set or nut drivers (10mm) and a blanket to throw on the garage floor to lay the bumper on are all the tools you need.

1) Open the hood and remove the seven clips along the front of the bulkhead. Picture 1 below shows the inner clip that you pop up with the flat blade screwdriver. After the inner clip is popped up you can pull it and the outer clip out of the hole and put aside in a container. An additional point to take note of in this picture is the fact that the bulkhead cover is on top of the bumper cover you will be removing. This is important when reinstalling the bumper cover to be sure to tuck it under the bulkhead cover.
2) You also need to remove 2 screws located under the front of the fender wells and 6 bolts under the fender cover (see diagram in grill Installation Instructions ).
3) The installation sheet doesn’t mention that there are tabs running from under the headlights towards the fenders as seen in picture 2 below. After removing all the fasteners from the 2 steps above, the bumper won’t come off until you pull it away form these tabs. I grabbed the cover at the outside and started pulling it away and the tabs started popping off. The bumper cover is extremely light and easy to handle without additional help. I would recommend having the blanket ready to lay it down on prior to pulling it off.
4) After removing the bumper and laying it face down on the blanket, you'll need to remove the 9 screws holding it in place (shown in picture 3 ). ALL OF THESE SCREWS AND CLIPS ARE REUSED SO DON’T LOSE THEM. From here you pop the grill out by disengaging the tabs that run around the periphery of the grill.
5) Remove the screws from the back of the “H” logo to be reused to fasten the new “H” to the new grill.
6) Picture 4 shows the old and new grills side by side to see the differences not only in design but size as well. The original grill fits inside the front face of the bumper, where as the chrome outer of the new grill fits out over the front face. Picture 5 is the point in the install where you don’t want the wife to wander into the garage if she is at all squeamish (take it from me, my wife didn’t get the joke).
7) To install the new grill into the bumper cover after reusing the screws to mount the new “H” on the new grill, simply push the grill into place until the tabs engage, then reinstall the screws taken from the old grill. Picture 6 shows bumper cover with new grill installed. From here I went on to conquer the fog light installation. After completing that…
8) Reinstall the bumper cover by lining it in position, sliding the top under the bulkhead cover (seen in picture 1) and start clipping the tabs under the headlights. You need to tuck the black surrounding parts behind the cover as you go (black wheel-well trim, black trim under the front of the vehicle. The only trim that ends up over the entire cover periphery is the aforementioned bulkhead cover. Then, pushed the 7 clips back on the top edge and reinstalled the screws in the front of the wheel-wells as well as bolts under the bumper.

There you have it!! Picture 7 shows a before and after of grill as well as fogs. I should have taken both shots without flash for better comparison but… This is not an overly difficult install if you have some patients, take care and have the few tools needed. I’m not sure what your local dealer would charge for this (and fogs) install but both took ~3.5 hours and it was great to see the look of the truck evolve.

[jch]

The additional pictures...

[Tex's Ridge]

JCH. I am very impressed!! You did an excellent presentation! Thank you

[zero]

Very nice job with the install, write-up, and pics.

The grill looks great.

[jch]

Thanks. It was a fun experience. The grill wasn't much of a challenge, the fogs were a fun challenge.

[Lingered_I]

That grill looks smart. I've been toying with the same idea on my black Ridge, but with black enamel spraying the chrome surround first, to maintain the genral no-chrome theme of the truck. Thanks for posting.

[sfleming]

jch,

Great post.

As one who has seen the real bumper under the plastic cover ... what do you think of it? Doesn't look like much. Are there shock absorbing dampers or something we can't see in the photo?

I see absolutely no corner to that bumper at all. Looks like a mere touch of a pole or someone elses bumper would completly cave in the plastic bumper and even damage running gear?

Any thoughts?

[T Mac]

<applause> Nice job and yet another super contribution to the ROC!

[jch]

Originally Posted by sfleming

jch,

Great post.

As one who has seen the real bumper under the plastic cover ... what do you think of it? Doesn't look like much. Are there shock absorbing dampers or something we can't see in the photo?

I see absolutely no corner to that bumper at all. Looks like a mere touch of a pole or someone elses bumper would completly cave in the plastic bumper and even damage running gear?

Any thoughts?

sfleming,
Not sure about shock absorbing dampers. To my untrained eye, the bumper didn't appear very intimidating, like the ram-rod everyone would want to see on the front of the vehicle they are driving. In the big picture of the engineering that went into the design of the front end however, this is obviously a superior design, as demonstrated by the highest marks in frontal (not to mention side impact) crash tests!!!
I guess it comes down to ...I can't judge the performance of the bumper based on it's appearance, I can only trust the crash test ratings and Honda's historical commitment to safety first!

[Tex's Ridge]

Originally Posted by jch

sfleming,
Not sure about shock absorbing dampers. To my untrained eye, the bumper didn't appear very intimidating, like the ram-rod everyone would want to see on the front of the vehicle they are driving. In the big picture of the engineering that went into the design of the front end however, this is obviously a superior design, as demonstrated by the highest marks in frontal (not to mention side impact) crash tests!!!
I guess it comes down to ...I can't judge the performance of the bumper based on it's appearance, I can only trust the crash test ratings and Honda's historical commitment to safety first!

Smartest answer I've read. Not to mention, the absolute goal is the safety of the passengers, not how the bumper survives.