If you guys can help me out with something,

I'm trying to take out the stock grill of my maxima, but having a problem doing so. The part that I'm talking about is the black gate-like grill that surrounds the "Nissan" emblem in the front. I know its on 2 screws when i checked under the hood, but i don't have any idea how they come out because they aren't your average screws.

if anyone got any idea on how to take this grill out, please let me know thanks.


itsgt.

 

The whole grill between the headlights comes out in one piece, including the body-colored [or chrome on some models] "parentheses" next to each headlight.

You are right, they are not your average screws - they are a kind of pressure-fit thing. Just two on the top.

Once you get them out, the grill lifts up and forward - two plastic "pins" fit in 2 holes near the bottom and I think there are a couple of clip kind of things. You don't need to do anything for these.

Get the top things out, then pull on it carefully and it should come out no problem. To get the top things out I used a regular screwdriver and pressed on it. A bit of a pian because I'd get one loose and then it would go back when I tried the other side. Be careful with these becuase they seem kind of delicate [though I can't imagine replacements cost all that much].

To get a better idea of just what exactly you are trying to do with the screwdriver, take a little mirror, like from a cosmetic kit, and hold it between the inside of the grill and the radiator so you can see this pressure-fit screw thing [I don't know what it's called]. This way you can kind of see how the thing works.

Goodluck and let me know if it works for you.

I have a 97 SE I was thinking of modifying my grill, so I took it off to check it out. I think what I have in mind is too complicated - too much effort for the end result [which, if I did it, would probably look pretty crappy anyway - I have no bodywork skills].

What are you going to do?

 

Raise the hood. Locate two plastic fasteners in the upper corners of the grille. They look like black square slotted screw heads. Insert a small flat-blade screwdriver into the slot and turn CCW 1/8 turn to release the clip. Gently tug the grille upward and outward. Elapsed time, 30 seconds.

Installation is almost as easy. The two plastic fasteners stayed in the car. Use a small pair of pliers to squeeze the legs together, and remove them. Insert the square heads into the hole in the grille, working from the back of the grille. Turn 1/8 turn to click into place. Place the grille into the vehicle body, taking care to line up the locating pins near the lower edge of the grille. Gently push those two plastic fasteners into their respective mounting holes. Snap! The job is done. Elapsed time, 60 seconds.

 

I have experience with my 95's grille. I think yours is the same. The first thing to do is: open the hood and locate the screws or clips that attach the grille to the car right next to the headlight housings. I've heard some are screws, but mine uses a clip similar to interior ones. They are a two part, just pry the center up with a small screwdriver and then the rest of the clip should pull out. (it functions similar to a wall anchor) Then, after that you have 3 plastic (read careful) screw clips. There a two located at each end of the grille on the top. The third one is located through the Nissan hamburger. To remove these: turn 1/4 and pull the grilled forward. Do this to the top two first, then the center. Be careful, they are all plastic. Once the grill is out, you'll see how the clips work. With this method the clips will stay in the car. I find it easiest to reinstall the clips to the grille and then snap it back in, rather than trying to turn and line up the clips. To reinstall the clips use some needle nose pliers and reinsert into the holes of the grille with a twisting motion while trying to push them into the grille. Is grille spelled without the e - grill? I'm so dumb.

 

My 97 grill was not as complicated to remove as "itsgt" describes for his 95...

 

yea, its not as complicated for 97, 95 must have a slightly different structure. I only have 2 screws ontop of the grill under the hood holding it to the body.

The thing is that its hard to insert any screw driver into the screws..i'll probably need to use a mirror like u said to get an idea what exactly im dealing with.

What i'm planning to do is color the grill in white. My 97 max has a white body color, and I seen this done on a white car of someone i know and it looks really good. This would be the best thing to do without spending too much money. Because originally i wanted to replace the grill with a totally different grill, some Ford explorers have them..its like horizonal alloy/aluminum like lines that run across from the bottom of the grill to the top.

 

1st of all I had meant to say:
"My 97 grill was not as complicated to remove as "toolrocks" describes for his 95..."
But you probably figured that out.

The white grill would look nice.
I think what you are talking about is a "Billet" aluminum grill.
They are available from a company called "Trenz".
A few people on the Org have it.
I think it looks ok, but I'm not nuts about it.
Seems more of a mod for a truck.
And the Stillen grill kinda reminds me of a Pontiac.
I wish we had more options available.
I have some perforated aluminum sheet-metal that I'd like to use,
but I can't figure out a way to make it work and look right.
I think whatever I do will look like some hack DIY job
and I don't have the bucks to pay a body shop to fabricate what I want.
Too bad I didn't win powerball.
[sob]

 

yea,
i understood what you ment.
And you're exaclty right I was looking for the Trenz billet grille....and i found it that same day that i had posted my thread...it seems costly so for now im going to paint it white and in the spring maybe go with the TRENZ.

www.gt-x-designs.com