lower Valance Removal

[paintballrocker]

i cracked the plastic front valence the other day. just wondering how to remove it?

thanks

[green02crew]

Mine is also cracked from a snowbank issue. A good chunk is already missing. I also need to remove it.

[fallvitals]

I broke mine in half the other day removing it, your in luck!

Both sides of he valance, closest to the fender well, there Is one bolt with a nut on the back of it. Remove them both.

About 10" beside that bolt there's a super heavy duty body clip (like those Xmas trees). These stupid clips are what caused me to break my valance. They are very heavy duty, and getting pliers on the expanding portion of them is hard to do given the tight spot.

You have 4 of those total. The other two are right above the frame, center. After I ripped my valance off. I still couldn't pull those clips out with pliers!

Also after those are out, thr valance has 'ears' ontop of it that just slide in and out of holes in the bumper.

Good luck! I bought a replacement on eBay for $30 shipped.I'm gonna get some lighter duty body clips to replace those heavy duty ones.

[green02crew]

I was thinking about going without one. Does it look terrible when off? I have the earlier style bumper for '01 and maybe 1/2 through '02? not sure when exactly that they switched.

[fallvitals]

I'M not sure off hand what your bumper looks like. The replacment valace I got said it fits. 4 cylander 03 zr5... Don't think they made such a truck... But where the tow hooks are it's a solid plastic bar, and with my body lift I'm gonna mount the tow hooks underneith. Should be a different look. And it should fit though I didn't say exactly...

http://forums.s-10crewcab.net/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7837

pics of mine without the valace at the bottom of that thread. Looks awful.

[paintballrocker]

thanks for the tip fallvitals. idk why but my bumper (i have an '02) had a dozen of the push clips going around the bumper. it was a major PITA, it only took me 3 hours to remove it and put everything back on

[green02crew]

I have a different bumper than the one pictured in your 03. It has chrome on the front as well. Its going to come off either way due to its damage. Just unsure if I want to dump the money into a new one that I will break or not?

[fallvitals]

I thnk I learned something about those heavy duty clips on my bumper today... The pins are circular with a smaller circle in the middle.... I think your suppose to pull out that center circle/pin to "disable" it and pull it out.

So you had the bumper with tons of holes in the front of it right that the valance connects to? I saw that one and thought man that would be a pain!

Another tip... Lowes has vehicle body pins for much cheaper then auto stores in the specialty fastener isle.

Pretty ugly without the valance huh? What are you gonna do get a replacment?

[fallvitals]

I overlooked your reply green02. It's up to you, but ts way too ugly without it. Plus it adds some prototection from road debris IMHO, I can see the oil lines and top o the filter without mine, and the exposed frame, nasty.

Check eBay, my replacment was only $30 shipped. But yours, being different then mine, might be a few bucks more.

[green02crew]

I'm really not sure of a solution yet. I'm not in the mood to go through the work replacing it and money just to break it again, which I know I will since I've cracked this one 5 times before losing pieces. It just hangs down a little low and is too brittle in the cold. I'm going to need another solution I feel.

[fallvitals]

Im guessing you haven't dont any lifting? What all have you hit yours on?

Mine came broke when I bough the truck... I coulda had the dealership replace it... but I didn't see any point in it since I could just cut the broken portion out. That weakend it, and helped me more easily crack mine right in the center. Plus a cracked it on a few of those body clips too... oh well, mine was sent out today, fedex should deliver it Saturday. So I might wanna get some of those lighter body clips at lowes tomorrow.

[JaVeRo]

If you go to "Readers Rides" about the 4th post from the bottom, the middle truck has the Valance removed. I can get a better picture if you wish. The two inch bump strip can be put back on to hide the holes. You will have to make a license plate mount if you are in a state that requires a front LP.

My opinion, it sorta looks like crap but that truck is all beat to crap anyway.

James

[green02crew]

I have done a TB crank in the front for lift. Mainly it hits snowbanks... You can't always make it over them at slow speeds But at any rate, That one in the middle Javero is the same style bumper as mine. Not great but not too bad I guess. Atleast it looks clean just exposes the tow hooks more? A close up would be awesome if you had one easily available before I go tearing whats left of my valence off.

[fallvitals]

lol, while at lowes, instead of getting the Xmas tree type body clips, i saw a similer clip that was used on my valance. Except its not a plastic nylon push rivet, its a nylon rivet with a screw. So that can make for easier dissassembly in the future. Especially for me since if I need to remove my grill I have to remove my piaa lights and valance.