99-02 Silverado/00-06 Tahoe Suburban z71 air dam swap

[ScottyBoy]

Ok, I decided to swap the stock air dam on my 01 Suburban LS with a Z71 Tahoe/Burban style air dam. I actually got the black air dam that came on the 06 Sububurban with the LTZ package(it looks identicle to a Z71 stly air dam except its black instead of grey). I also decided to add the round Z71 foglights and a set of tow hooks (since my truck wasn't equipped with them). I also ordered a 6000k HID kit for the foglights as well. I worked on it today, and heres my recap.

Here are the goods:

The tow hooks

The foglights

The HID kit

And last but not least, the Z71 style air dam

First off, I had to remove the stock air dam. Its held on by about a dozen or so plastic "rivet" type clips. To remove these, you first pop the center pin up then pop the entire clip off. This is easier than it sounds, you need to man up on these to pop them out.At first I tried a scredriver, but then I found that a clip removal tool/upholstery removal tool worked best.

Heres a shot of a clip.

Now pop the center pin up

Then pop the entire clip out. Here is what the removed clips look like.

I managed to get all but one clip out without any damage to them at all. I also got a nasty scrape/cut across my wrist in the process somehow.

Now here is the stock air dam completely removed

Now I forgot to take a picture of my next step, but this is where I bolted on the tow hooks. I figured I'd better do that before fitting the new air dam on.



I decided to put the HID bulbs into the light housings and bolt the lights into the air dam before installing the air dam on the truck.

Then to install the new air dam, I just popped in the plastic rivets that I removed earlier.

Air dam installed

By this time, it got dark outside so I stopped. All I have left to do is mount the ballasts for the HID's and wire them up. I should have that done tomorrow, so stay posted for more pics

 

[daddy]

Very Nice!

Looks WAAAAAAY better.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Thanks

 

[daddy]

Some chrome tow hooks would have been the titties though.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Yeah, but I'm fine with black though, especially for the price.
I found em on a 05 silverado in the boneyard and got em for 15 bucks with the bolts.

 

[Black02Silverado]

Looks great! Thanks for a great write up with the pictures.

 

[Stumpuller6.5]

cool, didn`t know those years fit together, neat, i should tell my cousin, i`m sure he`ll destroy his soon.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Ok, today I finished wiring up and mounting the ballasts for the HID's in the foglights. I mounted a relay underneath the big fuse panel/power center near the battery and ran 12 guage wire to each ballast, which I mounted just behind and above the parking lights. The wires from the ballasts to the bulbs were just barely long enough to reach having the ballast mounted like that. I only took this one shot this evening. I still need to get them aimed correctly.

 

[ScottyBoy]

OK, so I removed the grill to run a power wire across to the passenger side light ballast which I mounted just above and behind the parking lights. To do that I first had to remove the upper shroud/cover off of the top of the grill and radiator support. To remove that all you have to do is pop out all seven of these plastic rivet style clips. Then lift it right off.

Now to remove the grill main grill assembly, you have to remove one 10mm bolt right next to the hood latch and there are 4 plastic cam type connecters. You just have to turn these counter clockwise with a philips screwdriver.(turn, but don't remove them) There is one of these cam type fasteners in each top corner, and one in each lower corner next to the parking lights. Once you remove that one single bolt and undo all for fasteners, then each side is held on with a retaining clip, just give it a firm pull to pop it loose.

The 10mm bolt that needs to be removed....

And the cam type fasteners that need to be turned..

Now just give each side a firm pull to pop these retaining clips loose.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Now once I got the grill removed, I ran my wire across to the passenger side ballast. I routed it from the relay which I mounted inside the power panel/fuse box near the battery. From that relay, I have two 12 guage wires running out inside some split loom. One goes right to the drivers side ballast, and one goes across the front grill area to the passenger side ballast.

Here is how I ran my power from the relay.

And heres the wires from the ballast down to the bulb