rhino conversion

[djmac]

i have read some of the archives. but i do not quite understand whats involved in converting the sheetmetal on either side of the rhino grill. the vertical slot grill in my 82 j10 runs from fender to fender but the rhino is just in the center with some sheet metal in between. is sheet metal behind the current plastic grill the
(near and around the headlights) the same sheet metal that is exposed on the early model rhino type trucks. in other words is it as simple as adapting the rhino grill to the front clip paint the existing sheet metal on either side and apply the vents and headlight and trims?

[Rande]

Pretty much thats it.

You will need to grind off the mounting tabs for you late model grille. Also the front edge of the center section of the front valanve will need a little trimming. The top center mount of the rhino is a bit higher than some of the later model valance so a spacer is needed for that mount.

You will also need to move your tranny cooler (if you have one) to behind the valance to clear the rhino grille.

[djmac]

thanks for the tips. i heard that the hood may not fit real well over the grill. has that been your experience?

[woodybeone]

Originally posted by djmac:
thanks for the tips. i heard that the hood may not fit real well over the grill. has that been your experience?I think that's what the top spacer is for. Some people used washers others used a piece of hose.
I was going to put mine on my '91 but I need skeleton hands with really long fingers to bolt the grill on with the radiator and A/C condenser in place. :eek: I'm going to have to remove/move all that to bolt in on......someday !

[Rande]

Nope, the spacer is for mounting the grille to the valance. There is a mounting tab in the center of the top of the rhino grille but the top of the later model valance is lower by about an inch or so. If your truck has an inside latch, I would guess that would still work normally, my '80 has a pull latch behind the grille and although it is not where the original rhino latch pull goes, it still is reachable through the rhino. I shouldn't have to change anything for that.

The hoods are somewhat different. My 1980 hood doesn't fit right but my friend's 1975 looks like a good fit (haven't yet got it on the truck to know for certain). The '75 hood has the crossbar on it and that has to go and that will leave two holes I'll have to fill where the crossbar mounting bolts went through the hood.

The rhino headlight buckets fit right in my 1980 valance even though it had square headlights. My 1983 J20 however, had square headlights and when I installed a 74-78 waggy grille with round headlights, I had to fabricate some small brackets to mount those headlights. I don't know if the difference was in the valance or the headlight buckets.'

There is nothing insurmountable about this swap. Its just not a direct bolt-in. A little tweaking, a little imagination, a bit of sledge hammer work and it will be fine. ;)

[ September 27, 2003, 04:44 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[Chero77]

My Rhino grille came with a bracket bolted to the top tab. The bracket is about .75" in height. When I test fit it to my '77 the bottom flanges of the bracket rested on the valence and the four side tabs on the Rhino lined up with the side tabs on the valence. This bracket appears to be a factory part. However, on mine, the bottom center tab on the valence is to far forward to fit the Rhino. Don't know why. The hood cross piece is held in by two 5/16" bolts so removing it will leave two small holes which need to be filled. Actually, they are small enough you could just leave them. Later models may be different. Also, there are several tabs on the valence for mounting the Razor grille which would need to be ground off. Like Rande said, the Rhino conversion is not a bolt on. But it does not take major mods either. Whenever, I do mine, I am going fit the Rhino and just drive it around for a few weeks to make sure I like it. Only then will I cut the tabs for the Razor and have it painted. Once you cut those Razor mounting tabs there is no going back.

[Rande]

My rhino came vis UPS so I didn't see it mounted. I have been to a local junkyard and checked out thier rhino equipped trucks. I don't recall seeing any sort of bracket under there. I compared the rhino valance to the late model ones they had in the row and saw a definite difference in the height of the center section.

You've got me doubting myself a bit here (its been several months now since I went out there and compared them). I'll go back out there and look them over again.