IND Front Grill DIY

[Ryan@IND]

Originally Posted by MHOW996

I did this today with the Carbon Fiber grills using the reach in through the grill technique. It took about 10 minutes and it was worth waiting two months for the parts. THANK YOU IND!! Sorry for the crappy cell phone photos

Front grills look great!

[Bluex]

Originally Posted by Flashman666

After reading several DIY here and watching the video, I decided to try taking the grills out without removing the screws and flexing the bumper.

If you have the full grill replacement set, look where the clips are located. Reach into the grill on the car and click the tabs starting with the top left-most (outside of the left grill as you face the car) and work towards the center. If you give gentle pull pressure as you go, the top part of the assembly pops forward. Then do the side clips and finally the bottom. It all comes out easily. The second grill is even easier than the first as you can now easily get your hand behind the grill through the open side. Then just slip the new ones in. No need to remove the weather strip, screws, or play with the bumper.

Agreed! This can be done without removing strip, bumper or using any tools at all. I literally just finished this up a couple minutes ago. The first, left hand side grill is the most challenging, but if you're patient, and use a deliberate and careful amount of force you can do it fairly easy. The bottom clips are the toughest, but once you get all the others out and get your fingers under them pushing upwards they will come too. You need to be careful of the slots (attached to the car) that these clips go into. They seem flimsy (once you get the grill out you'll see what I mean), so don't overly force anything.

Once the left side is complete, the right one is far easier and I used a small flat head screwdriver to give me a bit more prying leverage.

Sliding them back in is cake.

Having the full set does make it easier because you can see exactly where the clips go.

[NiceGuyEddie]

This was really easy to do, I had no issues whatsoever. Simplified DIY: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5#post18414515

[Hrmm]

Originally Posted by NiceGuyEddie

This was really easy to do, I had no issues whatsoever. Simplified DIY: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5#post18414515

Yup...just removed the grills by sticking my fingers through the slats. The top 3 tabs and 2 sides were quite easy, but I did have to use a small screwdriver to assist with a couple of the bottom tabs. I think it took about 15 minutes total.

[Bmwguy11]

For the IND full grille set, if you choose "NO" for painted logo, that just means it comes with the standard M3 logo correct? Or does it mean the grille won't have any M3 badge at all?

http://ind-distribution.com/ind/bran...ull-grille-set

[IND-Distribution]

Originally Posted by Bmwguy11

For the IND full grille set, if you choose "NO" for painted logo, that just means it comes with the standard M3 logo correct? Or does it mean the grille won't have any M3 badge at all?

http://ind-distribution.com/ind/bran...ull-grille-set

If selecting "no" for the painted logo, the ///M3 logo in the grille will be left in the OEM chrome finish.

[Bmwguy11]

Originally Posted by Cat@IND

If selecting "no" for the painted logo, the ///M3 logo in the grille will be left in the OEM chrome finish.

Perfect! Exactly what I wanted.

[JeffDaKid3]

I swap the grills but now i can't get the hood to close with the weather strip, if i remove it the hood closes does anyone know what it could be or how the weather strip should be

[Ryan@IND]

Originally Posted by JeffDaKid3

I swap the grills but now i can't get the hood to close with the weather strip, if i remove it the hood closes does anyone know what it could be or how the weather strip should be

Make sure the weather strip is fully seated onto the ridge of the bumper. It might take a few tries to get it right.

[Acturater]

Originally Posted by Flashman666

After reading several DIY here and watching the video, I decided to try taking the grills out without removing the screws and flexing the bumper.

If you have the full grill replacement set, look where the clips are located. Reach into the grill on the car and click the tabs starting with the top left-most (outside of the left grill as you face the car) and work towards the center. If you give gentle pull pressure as you go, the top part of the assembly pops forward. Then do the side clips and finally the bottom. It all comes out easily. The second grill is even easier than the first as you can now easily get your hand behind the grill through the open side. Then just slip the new ones in. No need to remove the weather strip, screws, or play with the bumper.

+1 worked like a charm, no torx needed. Great suggestion! One thing I found very helpful was to get a very small key and stick it into each one of the clips as leverage. Saved my fingers some abuse. Can't explain any better than that but when you see it you'll know what I mean.

[TooFan328i]

I tried a couple of times, and failed. I took it to my dealership, and got it taken care of for just $47. He said it was a 20 min job for his tech, and I said, OK, go for it!

[gaff0486]

Originally Posted by Acturater

+1 worked like a charm, no torx needed. Great suggestion! One thing I found very helpful was to get a very small key and stick it into each one of the clips as leverage. Saved my fingers some abuse. Can't explain any better than that but when you see it you'll know what I mean.

Just completed this myself without removing anything. I was able to fit my hand between the grill slats and use my fingers to depress the tabs from the back of the grill. Pretty tight but I have smaller hands and had little issue. Took about 20 minutes start to finish.

[pdx_m3r]

I completed this myself today. The video made it look so easy. I followed the steps including the removal OGG e weather strip and 8 torx bolts. The first grill was the hardest to remove and the 2nd was easier. Since I have big hands, I used my prying tool to hold the top from latching back In and a flathead screwdriver to loosen the bottom tabs.

Once it's out, putting the slats back in and reassembling the completed grills took only a minute.

[GSWCireM3]

I don't recommend doing this at night But it looks fantastic!

[MovingChicane]

For those removing the weather strip and unbolting the Torx at the top (6 or 8; whatever you choose to do), be sure to check your hood alignment once it is all back together again.

When you put the Torx back in and tighten, your front bodywork trip may be a bit different in alignment that before you took the Torx out, and the gap between that trim piece and hood will not be even all the way around. Ask me how I know. Still looks off to me but I'm done re-doing it again and again tonight to get it "just right."

Might want to highlight this in an early step and suggest marking the original Torx bolt location/placement with tape or something to make this easier at the end for everyone. Just a suggestion.

[KnightedBMW]

Just finished installing my IND black grille surrounds, side grilles, and trunk emblem.

I first tried the "reach in" method. After 45 minutes I gave up. Hands were destroyed and felt like I was definitely gonna break the bottom clips.

Moved on to the side grilles. Pretty easy.

Trunk badge. Pretty easy.

Back to the grille surrounds. I went to Home Depot to get the correct size torx, pulled the bumper, and had them done in about 10 minutes. Definitely recommend you pull the bumper. Only caveat is to make sure your weatherstripping is PERFECT when put back otherwise your hood won't close.

Pics to follow.

[KnightedBMW]

Pics attached. Don't mind the filthy car.

(Sorry if the pics are sideways as its from my iPhone).

[KnightedBMW]

Rear.

[KnightedBMW]

Side grilles.

[iatacs19]

Originally Posted by MovingChicane

For those removing the weather strip and unbolting the Torx at the top (6 or 8; whatever you choose to do), be sure to check your hood alignment once it is all back together again.

When you put the Torx back in and tighten, your front bodywork trip may be a bit different in alignment that before you took the Torx out, and the gap between that trim piece and hood will not be even all the way around. Ask me how I know. Still looks off to me but I'm done re-doing it again and again tonight to get it "just right."

Might want to highlight this in an early step and suggest marking the original Torx bolt location/placement with tape or something to make this easier at the end for everyone. Just a suggestion.

I second this! Aligning the hood was a bit time consuming.

Another tip when re-installing the weather strip, if you look on the underside of it towards the center there is a white dot marking the center of the strip, align this dot with the center of the bumper and it will save you some guessing.

[domino_z]

need to remove the grilles to install eventuri ducts

tried to do this tonight, pulling the bumper back just seemed excessive - it was bending right at the bottom of the centre grille area and didn't feel right

so then tried a pry tool and fingers through the grille opening, and just couldn't get enough leverage

i'm now thinking of either a) buying a set of oe grilles, not too expensive, and dremeling the slats out so i can get my hand inside the grille to remove the tabs

or b) removing the whole bumper

[Gibson6594]

Originally Posted by domino_z

need to remove the grilles to install eventuri ducts

tried to do this tonight, pulling the bumper back just seemed excessive - it was bending right at the bottom of the centre grille area and didn't feel right

so then tried a pry tool and fingers through the grille opening, and just couldn't get enough leverage

i'm now thinking of either a) buying a set of oe grilles, not too expensive, and dremeling the slats out so i can get my hand inside the grille to remove the tabs

or b) removing the whole bumper

Try making a tool like I did. It helped me a lot.

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...&postcount=313