[Jlm02a3094]

I have been really interested in putting a grille guard on my 2014 Black Edition Express ever since I picked it up. I did an awful lot of research, and kept meeting dead ends. It seemed the consensus was that it couldn't work on this model because of the plastic bumper, and protrusion above the lower air dam.

Finally, I found one that purportedly fit without any major cutting and/or modifying. The Dee Zee DZ503245. I ordered it, received it, brought it to professional installers, and met another dead end. I had to return it (which was a major headache) and start over again.

Now, finally, I think I got the right one. Westin 40-3545. Directly from Westin, this grille guard will fit Express + Sport models with no cutting or modifying of any painted portion of the bumper. I even had the same installers comb through the installation sheets for it, and they agreed it will work.

It's being delivered on Thursday 9/4 and installed on Friday 9/5 so we shall see. If successful, I will post pictures to this thread

Josh

 

[vol]

I'm interested in one as well.

Keep us posted.

 

[AztecSN95]

Definitely let us know how things go tomorrow and Friday. I'd be interested in picking one up as long as no modifications to the factory bumper is required.

 

[Jlm02a3094]

I will, absolutely guys. It does look like someone beat me to it though. This is the same guard I ordered, installed on a 2013 express:

http://youtu.be/iyLp9fMtYLw

I'll post pics on Friday once mine is on

Josh

 

[motley1987]

Looks awesome! Can't wait for some pics.

 

[Jlm02a3094]

Ok, so complete and utter failure on this. This model does not work with the Express front without cutting a painted portion of the lower bumper. Major loss of points for Westin in my book for not knowing about their own product and/or outright lying. I'm extremely disappointed with this outcome. I'm am about to give up on the Grille Guard for this truck.

Josh

 

[Jlm02a3094]

Oh, and just for the record, a Westin representative specifically told me this would work with the Express + Sport models. The professional installers today took about an hour to come to the conclusion it could not work. Westin just lost any future business I would give them.

Josh

 

[tweener439]

Does it involve the same cutting as the guy in the video did? I doubt there's any out there that don't involve some cutting.

 

[RiverRat1]

I installed the westin light bar with 4 Piaa 520 series Looks good

 

[Jlm02a3094]

The guy in the video installed the winch mount sportsman. Apparently that one involves the least amount of cutting. The regular sportsman would involve much more serious cutting, which I'm not interested in doing. I guess it all comes down to personal preference really. If you don't mind chopping up the lower bumper, then maybe you could get this one to work. I'm mostly irritated because they said this one would not involve any cutting of the painted portion of the bumper, and that turned out to be incorrect.

Josh

 

[spoiler]

The guy in the video installed the winch mount sportsman. Apparently that one involves the least amount of cutting. The regular sportsman would involve much more serious cutting, which I'm not interested in doing. I guess it all comes down to personal preference really. If you don't mind chopping up the lower bumper, then maybe you could get this one to work. I'm mostly irritated because they said this one would not involve any cutting of the painted portion of the bumper, and that turned out to be incorrect.

Josh

So I'm curious… Are you saying the bumper design on the Express and the Sport are a little different?
Or is it the mounting brackets on the Sportsman and Winchmount Sportsman are a little different.
Just trying to understand
Thanks.
I'm certain that literally no one on this board would be down for cutting into the painted portion of the bumper… the plastic flashing… no problamo

 

[Jlm02a3094]

I'm saying both. The lower bumper design on the express/sport is plastic and protrudes further out, and also the mounting brackets are different between the 2 different sportsman grilles. I would have no problem cutting/drilling the plastic cover over the tow hook area if that's all it was. I'd even have no problem removing the lower air dam below the bumper. I just don't feel right about cutting notches into the lower bumper which is what the installers said would have to be done in order to clear the mounting brackets.

Josh

 

[cass]

i've started looking for a grille guard for my 2014 and am coming up with similar issues. not really keen about chopping up the grill or bumper either but would like a little something up front to mount a winch on.

 

[Jlm02a3094]

Well, some guy was successful with the Westin 40-93545. I might give it a shot, I'm not sure. It's been so frustrating but maybe worth one last attempt.

Josh

 

[Thunderhorse]

You are going to have to cut something, just based on the design of the bumper. The only way to avoid this would be to have the mounts come up from underneath the bumper assembly, including the air dam if you didn't remove it. A side effect of this would be to severely limit your approach angle clearance.

 

[Jlm02a3094]

Exactly, I understand. However, with the winch mount one, the guy in the video link I posted was able to avoid cutting any painted portion of the bumper. He only had to cut small inserts through the plastic cover over the area where tow hooks would be.

Josh