goofboy1

Hey guys, this is more of a, "I can't get my damned front grille off!" problem. I have a 1993 4runner with the 9004 type headlight bulbs. I bought the car used off of someone in October, and the headlights in there were absolutely horrible for night time driving.

So, I bought a couple of higher powered bulbs to replace whatever I had in there, only to find that I couldn't get my front grille off. I can get all the clips off the top part of the grille, and I can get them somewhat detached on the bottom, but when it comes to pull it out, it seems as though its jammed on the bumper. I was yanking at this thing for a good hour, and couldn't get the bloody thing off.

I have a feeling that previous owner of the 4runner bumped into something, and it pushed the bumper so that the grille is now impossible to take off. Perhaps its a pain to get off in the first place, but I don't know about that... Any suggestions, or am I screwed?

Jay351

Im in the same boat as you... my grille is pretty much stuck.. or so it seems

Brenjen

I need to replace my headlight lens in my '95 4runner; I tried to get my grill off & I must say if you got the clips on top off without breaking anything....you got a heck of a lot further than me. I tried for a half hour & gave up when I began to get frustrated for fear of a grill replacement too instead of just a lens assembly.

leebee

looks like youre going to need to crawl underneath and remove the bumper to get any further. get busy with the pb blaster for a couple of days, it should come free then.

good luck.

lee

goofboy1

SONOFA!

Well, I'll start hosing down those bolts with some WD40... they look pretty rusted. Is taking off the bumper hard for that vehicle? Any suggestions?

Marc

On my 91 I have to remove the turn signal assemblies to remove the grill.

MMA_Alex

mine comes right out, just gotta twist the top part outwards to clear the lip on the bottom that goes into the bumper. If you have 9004's you might even be able to get at em from in the engine compartment. I'm assuming someone swapped in the housings with the replaceable bulbs instead of the stock sealed beams?

Shoua

I actually work at my local Toyota dealership (NOT as a salesman!) and I have done it before. You DON'T have to tear or break anything off, although it is guranteed you will break some of the clips. Your local Toyota dealership parts department should have a few of them in stock though. Okay, see those clips that hold the grille in place at the top? Well there are the same clips on the bottom side as well. They are also on the top and bottom of the headlight surrounds. Also you will need to pull off your corner light assemblies first. You push down on the top of the clip to disengage them (to get to the bottom ones you will need a long flathead screwdriver), and when they are all disengaged you can GENTLY pull the grille off (it comes off as a whole assembly with the headlight surrounds). If all else fails, you can use a long thin screwdriver to get to the three screws holding the headlamp in place. This sometimes works, but you might break more things. Hope this helps.

goofboy1

Thanks for the info... turns out the previous owner got into a minor bump and actually bent the bumper brackets upwards. When this happened, it was pressed flat against the grille, and therefore, rendering it completely not removable.

I ended up removing the front bumper, salvaged the driver's side bracket, and ordered another passenger side one. Woot woot! New headlights make a helluva difference!

rentedmule

i changed my bulbs a few times and i never had to take the grill off. it was a while ago but i'm pretty sure i took the battery and airbox out and there was an access hole in either side of the rad support to get at the bulbs.

goofboy1

Seems like either way is a hassle.

The 92-95 4runners state in the owners manual that you need to take out the grille, then the headlight housing, then the bulb... in my case, my bumper, too! Haha...

Brenjen

"although it is guranteed you will break some of the clips"

Sorry Shoua, but NO that's not reassuring! LOL

My problem is those clips, I don't want to break them & I have to remove the grill to replace the head light assembly.

1989toy4wd

In the instructions to replace the headlights you have to remove the bumper, thats why you cant get it out!! I do not know why toyota designed our trucks this way, its just a big hassle to change a freakin headlight!

Keith B.

...Is possible IF you're willing to grind a few small(.25" diameter max) notches in that chromed ring around the headlight, precisely at the locations where a screwdriver lines up with the removal screws. Digicam is in shop or I'd post a picture. It's really simple, and you can't see the notches from > than 10 feet away, and even then only if you're looking for them.

Shoua

Well, I said you are "guranteed you will break some of the clips" because we all know these trucks are getting old, and thus those small plastic clips get very brittle. I've taken grilles out before, WITHOUT removing the bumpers. The bottom clips (on the bottom of the grille, between the grille and the bumper) are the hardest to get to, like I said you can access them with a long flathead screwdriver. When you press down on the top of the clip it should go down and stay there. Then before you reinstall the grille you install all the clips into the grille first, then the whole assembly snaps back. Like I said, you can also try using a small long phillips screwdriver and bend it around the headlight surrounds to get to just the screws around the headlight assembly. I've done it both ways, and both times I broke some clips! D'oh!

Brenjen

I push in on the tops of the clips & it won't move lol & I refuse to break anything at this point. I'm stubborn enough that I will win & the clips will lose, I just hope they live on when I'm finished.