Vintage Auto Parts: Tips for Restorers and Repairers

Vintage Auto Parts: Tips for Restorers and Repairers

Avoid These Mistakes When Choosing a Grille for Your Truck

Malena Capel

A grille for your truck can enhance the vehicle's overall safety, as some grilles are meant to absorb impact in case of a collision, and some also have housing units to hold winches that can be used if you get stuck while off-roading. Other grilles can just make your truck look sporty and sleek, while offering minimal collision protection. Before you start shopping for a grille, note a few mistakes you'll want to avoid in making your choice so you know you wind up with a grille that works for your needs and that will last for years to come.

Finish

Some grilles come in a specialised finish; this might be polished chrome or matte black, as examples. These specialty finishes can look very nice, but exercise caution in choosing such a finish if you plan on taking your truck off-roading or through any rough terrain. Those specialty materials and finishes may easily show every nick and scratch and may need the services of a smash shop to be restored. If you want a durable and tough grille for driving through brush and vegetation, or if you drive over gravel roads or along the beach, choose a more durable stainless steel without a specialty coating or finish.

Impact and diameter

If you do want a grille guard for strength, don't shop by price alone, but consider the diameter and thickness of the steel you choose. A cheaper but lightweight steel will offer some impact resistance for minor collisions, but they may not be the best for actually pushing down thick vegetation when off-roading. A thicker steel will also reduce the risk of the grille bending or coming unbolted from the truck if you should need to use a winch to pull the truck out of mud or snow. Invest in heavy-duty bars and the thickest steel offered if you need maximum protection and strength.

Function

Not all grille guards work the same; brush guards will have a mesh covering that keeps leaves, broken twigs, seeds and other debris out of the truck's under body when you drive through vegetation. Push bars, as the name implies, are stronger and have added bracing that allows you to use them for pushing heavier obstructions out of the way. Bumper guards offer some protection from collision and impact, but these are usually very lightweight and may not be the best for rugged off-roading. Be sure you understand these differences so you can choose the best grille for your needs, rather than assuming they're all alike in form and function.

Contact a business like Moore Truck Parts for help choosing the appropriate grilles for your vehicle.


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About Me
Vintage Auto Parts: Tips for Restorers and Repairers

My name is George. After working as a teacher for two decades, I retired, and now, my heart, hands and time are wrapped up in restoring a vintage car. I love it, and I want to share some of the minutia of that passion with others. My wife doesn't always want to hear about auto parts, but they are always on my mind. I want a place where I can share buying tips, restoration tips and repair tips, and this blog is the perfect place. I plan to write about my own restoration work as well as general info on auto parts. Thanks for reading.

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