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Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker

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Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« on: June 23, 2010, 12:24:43 PM »
I am looking for a grille guard for my 03 chev tracker and have been unsuccessfull.  Is there anyone that can point me in the right direction?  Also, does anyone know if there are any other vehicle makes that are similar that I may be able to order the grille guard for and then use a bracket to install?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Online fordem

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2010, 08:20:07 PM »
Thanks for the link.
 I have seen this one, but i am actually looking for the full grille guard that also covers the lights. 
looks like this. 
http://www.carpartswholesale.com/images/cpw_performance/thumbs200/big_game/biggameBLACKgrilleguard.jpg

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Offline blacktrack99

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2010, 10:54:22 AM »
Manik used to make one.  You may be able to find one.  Best of luck.

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Offline gsherred

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2010, 08:03:55 PM »
Westin and a Saddle Man division called polarbear used to produce them also I like the polar bear grille guard but can't find a carrier in NWPA.
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Offline Teniente

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2010, 09:31:40 PM »
It's five o'clock somewhere!!

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Offline gsherred

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2010, 03:08:17 PM »
I've already called there they nolonger carry the polar bear line
02 ZR2 K&N filter driving lights in bumper body colored coil covers. Jeff's 2 inch spacer lift.

Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2010, 05:39:20 PM »
OK, so i lucked out with a bar from a 92 pathfinder, not what i was looking for... but it will have to do (and it only cost me 60 bux).  It will take a bit of work, but im sure i will be able to make it work.  I will post pics once it get it on.

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2010, 05:16:49 PM »
Shockwave, this one looks JUST like the pic in the link you posted.  I just picked this up yesterday from a Craig's List add.  The mounting tabs are 29" from outside to outside and the entire guard is right at 68" wide.  A little wider than my Tracker fenders... but only by an inch or so on both sides.  There is a manufacturer label on the front of the push bar which tells me it was made by a company called "Go Rhino" located in Orange California.  I don't know if this company is still in business, but one of their brush guards made it all the way out to Indiana.  The verticals on the brush bar appear to be made of about 3/16 inch steel.  It's fairly sturdy and weighs around 30-35 pounds.  I wouldn't want to be pushing more than brush and small samplings with it though!

A rough measure on the inside of my frame indicates the frame rails are 29 1/2 inches wide in the front.  I'm thinking I can get the Brush Guard properly centered and located, mark the mounting holes, tap the four holes, then come back with a couple 1/8 inch thick 1 1/2 inch washers and tack weld them around the mounting holes to beef up the frame surface on both sides then mount the brush bar.  I have a little cleaning up to do on it first.  It has some light surface rust and I'm thinking I'm going to clean it, then coat it with POR-15, then spray some black semi-gloss Rustoleum rattle can paint on it to finish it off.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2010, 05:07:00 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2010, 08:23:05 PM »
Appears Go Rhini is still in business.  I'm thinking you can provide them your measurements and they can find a model that will work or is very close (like the one I found).

http://www.gorhino.com/descargas/catalog.pdf
« Last Edit: July 11, 2010, 08:41:55 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline BoGiggers

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2010, 04:07:59 PM »
I know you were looking for a larger grille guard but this one looks good on the Tracker. I saw a pic of one on it and I'll eventually pony up the chump change and get one. I personally call it a bull bar. It has a couple of light mounts on it too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Westin-30-0025-Grille-Guard-Safari-Bar-Steel-Black-/370412202339?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3AChevrolet%7CModel%3ATracker

BoGiggers
Chop what-ch-ya-got!

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2010, 04:44:48 PM »
Well I sized up the GoRhino brush bar I had found on crags list (bottom pic) and found the verticals were about 6.5 inches taller than I needed.  So I made a template out of heavy card board and traced marks on the lower middle of the frame where the 6.5 inches would have to be removed.  I came down 1.5 inches from the broad channel bar towards the top to start the cuts.  I cut these sections out with my sazs-all.  After cutting the 6.5 inches out of the verticals I tacked them into position with my hobby welder and then took them to a real welder and had him join them back together... permanently.  I coated the brush guard with Herculiner to resist chipping from rocks bettter (and the aggravating rust that follows).  I tried to use just the liquid and avoid the rubber particles for a smoother coating. Then I coated the Herculiner with Rustoleum semi-gloss rattle can paint.  Herculiner just doesn't survive exposure from the sun for long without a protective coating of paint. The top pic below show a reduced height brush guard and the next two the welds Dave laid on it.  The last pic is the "before" cut pic of the brushguard.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2010, 07:53:48 AM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2010, 05:05:25 PM »
Next I had to design a frame mount that would firmly hold the brush guard to the front frame and also provide the additional 1/2 inch of width I needed to attach the brush guard to.  Since the brush guard verticals were 29" wide outside to outside measurement and the frame was 29.5 inches inside, I opted for 1/4 inch plate steel to construct the frame mounts.  I made the templates out of card board again and started experimenting with different shapes that would provide adequate support.  Once I had the template shape completed for one side, the template was interchangeable with the other side EXCEPT for the fact that the driver side had the factory steel recovery loop welded to the frame so I had to cut a relief in the driver side tab to clear the recovery point.  I thought I had the shape nailed down, then it occurred to me that once I had the plate welded into shape, I could not maneuver the brackets over some of the frame obstacles... so I began reducing the bulk of the frame mounts with some major cuts then some fine refining on the grinder.  I built a wooden template of the Tracker frame where the mount would rest (2 - 1/16th inch wide) with the bevel included and clamped the plate parts together, tacked them together, then trial fitted them again.  I added a gusset to the lower part to reinforce the mounting tab. 1/4 inch plate is probably over kill, but i had access to a machine shop band saw which made the cuts quicker and more accurate.  When they fit I beveled the edges on all the plate edges and ran them over to my local welder who laid some great bead on them.  

For final assembly I have to remove the plastic bumper cover off Buster, paint the mounts and frame area with Herculiner, then tap holes through the brackets and frame assemblies (one in the front and one in the rear) then add an inverted "U" shaped 1 inch steel strap (12 inches long) over the top of the frame (tap holes to accept the front bracket mount bolts) to provide more vertical support to the mount.  Then put the plastic bumper cover back on, align the brush guard evenly with the grill and headlights,  clamp and mark the holes on the brush guard to the tabs on the fabricated frame mounts, remove the plastic cover once more, tap the mounting holes, reassemble and bolt the brush guard onto the mounting tabs.  I hope to get the final assembly done this week.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2010, 07:01:59 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline Crazy4x4

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2010, 10:48:19 PM »
Cool! Lets see them mounted up!
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Offline nprecon

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Re: Grille Guard needed for 03 tracker
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2010, 06:40:02 PM »
Stripped off the plastic bumper cover and removed the grill then the tires and mounted the brackets.  The last pic should be rotated counter-clockwise.  I rotated it when i saved it but it obviously didn't save.  It shows the relief I cut into the bottom of the bracket to retain the front factory tow strap.
« Last Edit: September 14, 2010, 06:43:28 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!