DIY Guide: Lower Grille Guard

[JakeBlade]

This guide is to make your own grille guard for the lower grille, to help protect from ingress of stones, leaves and debris that could damage the car radiator. It sits on the outside of the lower grille, so you don't need to remove any trim or the front bumper.

Time: 2-3 hours

Cost: £40 (incl. £10 on tools)

Difficulty: simple (no part or trim removal required)

Materials:

- cardboard (at least 105.25cm x 11.25cm)

- aluminium mesh (at least 105.25cm x 11.25cm, black, with min aperture size of 12x6mm) http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005BP7AV6/ref=oh_details_o02_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

- rubber edge trim (3 metres) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321030155367

- cable ties (2.5mm x 100mm, black weatherproof) http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000RO146I/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

- bright coloured cotton thread

Tools:

- tin snips http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001K9UIW/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

- scissors

- tape measure

- pencil

Directions:

1. With your scissors create a simple rectangular cardboard template size 105.25cm x 11.25cm.

2. Hold the rectangular template to the lower grille on the car, and sketch out the "smile" of the grille on the cardboard. Cut a little at a time and re-try so that you get a good outline of each side of the grille. It should look like this:

3. With your tin snips, cut out a 105.25 x 11.25 cm rectangle from the aluminium mesh. Then to shape each end, hold the cardboard template against the mesh and cut to shape using your tin snips. It should look like this:

4. Working from one end, push the rubber edging onto the mesh so that the bottom and both sides are trimmed with the edging. Make sure the rubber is pushed on as far as it will go as you go along. It should look like this:

5. Apply the rubber edging to the top edge of the mesh, so that the trim now completely surrounds the mesh.

6. Your grille guard is now ready to be shaped. Hold it into the lower grille of the car and gently bend and shape the mesh - paying particular attention to the side edges of the grille guard, so that they curve in.

7. Once you're happy with your shaping, set the grille guard to one side. It should look like this from above:

8. Now take 3 cable ties and 3x30cm lengths of cotton, and tie a loose knot through the eye of each cable tie, like this:

9. Cut 3 new lengths of cotton (20cm each), and take these, the grille guard, cable ties and scissors over to the car so they are all within reach whilst you now fit the grille guard to the car.

10. Holding the grille guard to the lower grille, choose 3 horizontal slats on the lower grille (far-left low, centre high, and far-right low) that you will use to loop the cable ties around in order to secure the grille guard to the lower grille. Thread your 20cm lengths of loose cotton through the two holes in the mesh that each cable tie would need to thread through, in order to line up with the horizontal slat on the lower grille. With the cotton hanging through the mesh, take the grille guard away from the lower grille but keep within easy reach.

11. Holding the tail end of your cable tie above the far-left horizontal slat of the lower grille, thread the 30cm of cotton around the back and under the slat, so that it looks like you're flossing behind the slat. Do this for each cable tie at each of your chosen left, centre and right points on the lower grille, and allow them to dangle.

12. Take hold of the grille guard again with it's hanging 20cm bits of cotton, and hold it near to the lower grille. Pull the tail of each cable tie through the corresponding hole of the mesh, i.e. the upper-most hole that the 20cm cotton is hanging through.

Holding the grille guard close to the lower grille, take the end of the 30cm cotton and thread that through the hole in the mesh immediately below the hole that you just pulled the tail of the cable tie through.

Continue pulling the cotton until you can hold the eye of the cable tie, and pass that through the mesh hole - you should now have the cable tie wrapped around the back of the lower grille slat, and the tail and eye of the cable tie through to the front of the grille guard. Snip the cotton from the cable tie and remove the 20cm loose cotton before locking the tail into the eye. Don't pull it too tightly just yet - just 4 or 5 clicks to hold the grille guard loosely in place.

Repeat for the 2 remaining cable ties, and pull them all tightly when you are happy with the position of the grille guard. Trim off the tails of the cable ties.

13. Your guard should look like this when finished.

Edited 3 June, 2014 by JakeBlade

[jozisko]

To replace either fog light or DRL light bulbs will you have to remove the guard? 

[JakeBlade]

To replace either fog light or DRL light bulbs will you have to remove the guard? 

Yes.  In which case twist the cable ties off with a pair of pliers, and then re-fit once you've changed the bulbs.

[Kilkenny]

Lovely tiles on your kitchen floor. Good idea also...

[JakeBlade]

Lovely tiles on your kitchen floor. Good idea also...

The mrs will be happy that you noticed those!

[GaSelle]

That´s a very good idea. I had my condenser for the A/C replaced a month ago, due to a stone destroying the old one. It costed me around £375 and a new Citigo Elegance (well... I waited at the dealer for four hours, while they replaced the condenser - and while I waited, I got a good price on a new Citigo as my second car )

 

You can actually by an OEM grill, that clips on to the A/C condenser for around £10. I got one of those fitted along with the new condenser, hopefully that will make the new condenser last a little longer.

 

The OEM grill has part number: 1K0 820 746 and needs around 10 clips to be mounted (3D0 867 646).

[JakeBlade]

Nice find GaSelle.  Does that OEM condenser guard need the bumper to be removed?

 

Damaged condensers on another car was what prompted me to make my own guard for the big Sko.  Leaves, debris and road salt had found their way in over time, and composted down into a nasty corrosive sludge in a couple of corners of the condenser.  Then I looked at the protection offered by the Superb, which is sadly lacking.  I also did a tour of the car park at work: the vast majority of cars have next to no protection.

[GaSelle]

It is mounted on the condenser, so I think, you will need to remove something in order to gain access. The garage fitted mine, while replacing the condenser, so don't know for sure.

[Chan110]

Top man with the instructions - thanks!

 

Brilliant idea, Jake!

[matthewg]

I done this on my car and posted pics on the facebook page. Some of the folk are saying that the air will now flow around the grill ( path of least resistance) and could cause premature fan failure. Any thoughts??

[JakeBlade]

I done this on my car and posted pics on the facebook page. Some of the folk are saying that the air will now flow around the grill ( path of least resistance) and could cause premature fan failure. Any thoughts??

 

There are still holes for sufficient air to get through, as well as the upper grille which remains unimpeded.  Remember that this is a diesel, and a relatively low-performance car.  I have done the same with zunsport grille guards on my porsche and it is absolutely fine.

 

Please can you post a pic up on here too, as well as any design improvements or changes to the original instructions?

[matthewg]

Before and after pictures.

I followed your instructions to a T, except for using the string. I found there was ample space when using longer cable ties.

Only one suggestion I would change is use light cardboard or even a piece of paper ( more flexibility)

As my Superb is a taxi I didn't bother with the rubber strip over the edges, plus I could only find something in blue.

Hope this helps

Matt

[JakeBlade]

Before and after pictures.

I followed your instructions to a T, except for using the string. I found there was ample space when using longer cable ties.

Only one suggestion I would change is use light cardboard or even a piece of paper ( more flexibility)

As my Superb is a taxi I didn't bother with the rubber strip over the edges, plus I could only find something in blue.

Hope this helps

Matt

This is the rubber trim in black: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/321030155367

Will stop any scratches getting on your car.

[matthewg]

This is the rubber trim in black: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/321030155367

Will stop any scratches getting on your car.

Thanks for that. Dont really care about it getting scratched, its a taxi so it's gonna be abused. Wont be expecting much on resale because it is a taxi

[rabmurray121]

has anyone done this on a facelift model

[JakeBlade]

has anyone done this on a facelift model

Rab, if you can stick a couple of pics on of the FL lower grille, I can try and advise. From what I can make out trying to zoom in on wider shots it looks like the lower grille is in two parts and wider.

The only real constraint will be whether the grille has a deep enough lip for the guard to sit in. Two separate parts and wider length are do-able.

[Wile7]

I've purchased the 'winter grill' (link below) and will be adding a few well placed 5mm holes to it for all year work and to give me a balance between ventilation and protection.

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/SUPERB/Superb-II-winter-grille-cover-for-the-front-bumper-in-OEM-design

I do like that mesh idea though...great explanation and good job

[JakeBlade]

I've purchased the 'winter grill' (link below) and will be adding a few well placed 5mm holes to it for all year work and to give me a balance between ventilation and protection.

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/SUPERB/Superb-II-winter-grille-cover-for-the-front-bumper-in-OEM-design

I do like that mesh idea though...great explanation and good job

Tecton did a how-to on the winter lower grille guard: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/index.php?/topic/337264-How-to-Fit%3A-Lower-Bumper-Grille-Guard/page__view__findpost__p__4055872 Edited 16 May, 2015 by JakeBlade

[PaulBarls]

JakeBlade

 

That is a great idea and set of instructions.

 

I have just ordered all the parts, will install next weekend.

[moris]

Colleagues, Pictures are not available, could you attach some?

Cheers

George