Westin Grille Guard Install...Help!!! 2005 Silverado

**MWright936** · 03-05-2009, 08:07 PM

Ok, I was hoping that I was going to be posting pics of my truck boasting it's sweet new grille guard this evening....but, I was baffled once again!!

I got one heck of a deal on a Westin grille guard from a guy off Craigslist...$150!! It is in great condition, and included the mounting brackets (I had to go buy the bolts and such). Here's a pic of it:

I printed off instructions from Westin's website, and things seemed pretty straight forward. After I got all the tools I needed, I crawled under there and removed the plastic "cup" things that went around the back of my tow hooks. Then, the instructions say I just take out the bolt on the bottom of the frame rail connecting the tow hook, and mount the bottom bracket using that existing bolt (not saying anything about removing the tow hook, which would require removing another bolt). The only problem is, my tow hooks leave absolutely no room for anything to fit in there with them. They curve down, taking up the whole opening. And...that is where I got stuck. I can see exactly where the upper brackets go, and how they mount up (although they're gonna be a pain to get to), but those lower brackets have me stumped!

Has anyone installed one of these on my body style truck before? If so....help!!

Here's a pic of the brackets that came with it, if that helps:

**dwill3015** · 03-05-2009, 08:40 PM

Tow hooks gotta go. I don't have them on my truck with my brushguard and you're right, there is not enough room for both in there because I looked at getting a chrome set to put back on and there is not enough room.

**MWright936** · 03-05-2009, 08:47 PM

Yes, the bottom brackets I'm referring to are the ones in the bottom of the picture.

Ok, when I pull those tow hooks out, do I slide the bracket into the end of the frame rail and bolt it to the existing hole in the bottom (from the tow hook)?

Also, there's another tab with a mounting hole aside from the one that bolts in the tow hook's place and the one that bolts to the grille guard itself. Is that supposed to attach to something, or is it for some other application?

**MWright936** · 03-05-2009, 09:25 PM

Ok....F!!!....I noticed before that the bottom brackets on the instructions didn't really match up to the ones I had. I ignored it at first, but since I couldn't really see how they were supposed to fit, I got curious. I looked at the instructions for the model for the HD model of my truck, and bingo....there were the brackets I have. F!!!

**TRPLXL2** · 03-05-2009, 09:40 PM

Okay I will comment on your problem now, my Westin bull bar was originally for a 2500HD that I had traded. I put that bull bar on my 1500 that I have right now, it is possible to make that work but it will take some elbow grease. I slid those brackets on top of my frame, and I had to put the bolts in a little crooked but it worked. The only thing I don't like about mine is it sticks out about 4-5 inches further from the bumper than it should, I don't think yours would look good if you did that In my opinion.

**MWright936** · 03-06-2009, 06:01 AM

Well, turns out the guy I bought the grille guard from is a nice, honest guy. He called to ask how the install went, and I told him about the brackets. He got my address and is going to contact Westin today and have the right brackets shipped to me! I have this grille guard in here taunting me, wanting to go on my truck, but I'll have to wait until the right brackets get here.

**dwill3015** · 03-06-2009, 11:05 AM

That would have been good to know in the first place that it came off a different style truck with different mounting brackets. Nice of him to help you out instead of take the money and run.

**Springthing** · 03-06-2009, 12:25 PM

Wow! That was extremely good of this guy. Nice to see some good people once in a while! Hope everything goes on alright. I can't imagine you'll be more than 10 minutes with the new brackets that you'll be trying to wrestle that thing on!

**MWright936** · 03-06-2009, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Springthing

Wow! That was extremely good of this guy. Nice to see some good people once in a while! Hope everything goes on alright. I can't imagine you'll be more than 10 minutes with the new brackets that you'll be trying to wrestle that thing on!

as soon as I get that package, I'm gathering tools and going outside!!