Front Bumper / Grill Options

[Dan Acosta]

I am looking to do the HD grill. So I have been observing some for the bumper options, and have a few questions.

Do I have to use the 99-02 HD bumper cap? Or can I use the later 03-07 Cap as it is similarly shaped with the dip in the center. I only ask because they can easily be sourced from the junkyard, while the used HD stuff is like a unicorn.

Also, I was looking at the Yukon/Denali bumpers and caps and they have the same shape withe the center dip, can they be used as well? These have an interesting look the way the cap and chrome bumper appear molded together in a different way. These are also quite plentiful in the junkyards.

I am sure someone has tried or mentioned these before, but I haven't found pics or links.

Thanks

 

[02_Tahoe]

I am looking to do the HD grill. So I have been observing some for the bumper options, and have a few questions.

Do I have to use the 99-02 HD bumper cap? Or can I use the later 03-07 Cap as it is similarly shaped with the dip in the center. I only ask because they can easily be sourced from the junkyard, while the used HD stuff is like a unicorn.

Also, I was looking at the Yukon/Denali bumpers and caps and they have the same shape withe the center dip, can they be used as well? These have an interesting look the way the cap and chrome bumper appear molded together in a different way. These are also quite plentiful in the junkyards.

I am sure someone has tried or mentioned these before, but I haven't found pics or links.

Thanks

It's more than just the cap, you have to cut the bumper mounts and weld the bumper back to the frame about 2" lower in order to fit the cap. It's much more work than you think. I wanted to do the same thing till I saw what I had to do

 

[W8TVI]

This is my 2000 Yukon XL, it has the dip:

The Yukon Denali (And the C3 Sierra) has a gentle dip:

Here is an '03 Silverado HD:


And an '03 Sierra HD:

And here is an '01 Sierra HD:


This is the '01 Silverado HD:


It looks like the '02 and before GMC and Chevy trucks shared the same bumper, but after '02 they don't.

If you are talking about your 2005 Tahoe, I think whatever HD grille you pick will require an entirely new bumper.
The HD bumpers tend to include vent holes in them from what I can tell, and I'm not sure about the actual metal bumper would match up with the cap.

I think from the looks of things, the 2005 Tahoe bumper might be most like the '99-02 GMC bumper, but I'm not sure about where the cap clips to the bumper.

If you could give us some more information on what truck you are starting with and where you want to end up, that would be very helpful

One thing I do know, if you are going to do HD anything to a Tahoe, you got to do the HD hood!
They look awesome!

 

[MadDogDelpho]

Someone else used an 03+ Sierra bumper, which considering the dip in the GMC grilles, it makes sense that it worked.
Truck Trend did a story about changing to a newer bumper on a Yukon, and the steps should probably be the same.
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/paint-body/2002-gmc-sierra-body-frontend-conversion/

 

[jarydM]

There has been a few members of the Forum that have done this exact mod @blurred and a few others (although I can't find their names right now)

I had thought it was an easier swap than cutting and welding frame.

 

[Fleetgeo]

I want that lower valence grill on that black Denali

 

[adventurenali92]

The denali bumper does not have a dip in it. The grille and bumper are flush.

 

[Dan Acosta]

I have a 05 tahoe with a stock bumper. I was hoping to source some parts from the junkyard. I like the Yukon front bumper with the dip. It was nice to see a pic of the hd grill on the tahoe with the HD GMC bumper. I may prefer the std GMC bumper with the HD grill. I was also wondering if the later (03-on) silverado bumper cap combo would work. It also has the dip in it. I assume I will have to re-mount whichever bumper there is, so I guess it just depends on the size and shape of the dip in the bumper. If the 03-on silverado would work, you could also get away with the "SS" bumper cap that would also have the dip in it. Maybe the sides of the bumper are too long on the 03-on silverado as the grill/headlights does not wrap the sides as much as a 05 tahoe?

 

[MadDogDelpho]

I think the Silverado bumper wouldn't work because of the headlights. The bottom marker lights on the Tahoe dip below the edge of the fender, while on the Silverado they're flush.