I hate these crummy C8 grill guards I bought. Multiple attempts over the last hour plus to install one but no luck. Its impossible not to damage the fins I'm trying to protect no matter how careful I am. I guess you need small hands to get up in there without doing some damage....and I'm trying to be very very careful. Then to top it off they cheap out on the short zip ties they provide. If they were only an inch longer maybe I could line one up to work....but they're short and just barely reach the other end....seems impossible to install with only two large hands. I'm gonna give it another try shortly but maybe I'll have to give up and throw this $130 box a crap away and order one of those fin combs and call it day. BUYER BEWARE.

I love this car but its too bad Chevy didn't address this problem...seems like a big miss in my opinion. I will have massive bug accumulation/damage in there if I drive any summer evenings near the lake (which is where I spend a lot of time). Really disappointed in Chevy right now, and totally P O'd at the vendor I bought this crap from. Now back to my garage.

 

What brand did you buy? There's several companies out there making them. BTW, fin combs won't work on C8 radiators. The fins are interrupted about every 1/2" and don't stick out to be able to run a comb through.


Fins need to be arranged like this:

 

Ahhhhh....fun times indeed. The zip ties are challenge. What I did is fold over the end and push it thru the front side and once pushed thru, the folder over part comes back thru on the next screen hole.

 

I made a nice knuckle mash on the fins installing my zip-tie guards. Flattened 3/4 of an inch. Hobby Lobby sells what are basically dental tools which are various angled picks like those used to scrape tarter off you teeth. Stuck them through the slots and straightened them out pretty good and virtually unnoticeable. I was shocked to see how easy they bend. They are like tinfoil.

I’ll use them periodically to do some fin straightening when I’m board.

 

What Brand?

 

I found them fairly easy to install. Took about an hour but that’s because of all the fasteners

 

It's not a miss or a problem. In fact, Tadge said they looked at it and the only difference was less cooling because of the reduced air flow in certain high performance situations. It's almost entirely a cosmetic choice to put a grill guard in. Things will still get stuck in there, and bent fins don't reduce the effectiveness of the radiator until the thing is about destroyed. Now I don't blame anyone for putting them in, I have them on my C8, but it's not some huge oversight by GM.

 

Update: after I calmed down a bit I tried again with a double dose of patience and an added bit of determination, and I did finish the one side. Besides big hands my biggest problem was trying to wrap the twist ties around the thickest part of the grill insert because I thought it would hide the zip tie better....but thats a BAD IDEA. Instead I went around the skinnier part and was able to finesse the ties into place and conceal them well enough.

Thanks for the feedback and not ripping into me in my time of despair. I maybe should try to delete this post.

 

You never did say what brand you bought.

 

Crap happens man....that's why I always have a six pack of cold ones or a cigar or some other stuff to keep me relaxed while working on the car or around the house

 

For future reference for others, cut a piece of cardboard the size of the heat exchangers to place between them and the screens you're installing. No bent fins.

 

Like this:

 

GREAT idea! Thanks.

 

I bought a set for the side scoops. Tried several times to install but had to keep coming in to watch the video. Haven't given it much of an effort to install......once, twice then give up. The installation video is just over 4 mins with both sides complete. Has anyone bought and installed the side scoop grille guards? BTW....the cost was $80+ for two simple pieces of plastic. Guess I bit a little too hard.

 

Another thing that makes it soooo much easier... Getting the tail end of the zip tie to thread back is a pain. I used a dental tool---similar to the one in the photo below. (Available for cheap in the drugstore in the toothbrush section.)

Thumbs up for the cardboard insert, too.

And when you're done, the car looks so much better!

 

Great suggestions on using the cardboard and dental tools, will have to remember those. Thanks!

 

YES...... I did buy a set of the plastic side intake grill guards.Sounds like the same ones you bought. I also had to watch the video several times, and friend and neighbor, Gettysburg Cliff was here attempting to install his set too. We both had difficulty, and then had a FaceTime call with Eric the product manufacturer. He gave a step by step overview and then looked at what we had done, via the phone camera on FaceTime. Took several attempts to get both sides in properly. Not an easy feat.... but they DO go in and fit, locked into place.

We did learn that there is a LEFT side and a RIGHT side, unbeknownst to both Cliff and me. Turns out that the front side, the side facing outwards is totally smooth, while the back side has the small spru locations where the plastic mold injected the molten plastic into the mold. Who would have guessed...... wasn't really noticeable until Eric pointed it out to us. They are both the exact same size and shape.

I got the driver's side in on the first try. Passenger side took several attempts. Besides using a Hex tool to use to help pull the plastic guard into position, I found it handy to put several ( 4 ) zip ties loosely with a large enough loop to get a couple of fingers in there to help pull the screen around. Then when happy with proper placement, I cut the zip ties off and tossed them.

Good luck.....

 

I bought the side scoop grills - tried installing several times in several different temperatures in the garage from 65-85 degrees. Used allen keys to pull them, made sure they were warm so they'd bend, took my time... ended up cracking the driver side one, threw the remaining one onto the shelf in disgust. Not re-buying the split driver side one. So no grill for me.
I was slow, patient and determined. Stopped and started a couple times. Nope. My driver side scoop area seemed to have more equipment near the top than in the video that got in the way of the install. Despite everything I could never get the piece to bend around the obstructions.
Shame. Really disappointed in that product install & instructions, and I turn wrenches often.

By way of comparison - the front grill guards were a piece of cake (minus all the fasteners under the car) even with my big ham hock hands).

 

I like your idea of the zip ties.....thanks for the suggestion.
Have you noticed if they fit loosely or rattle?