I'm ordering a set of the lower grill off road lamps GM part#19159112, and wondered if any of you guys have ever installed a set of these, that you may have the instruction sheet you can e-mail me a copy of. I want to see what's involved installation wise before I pull the trigger. Or, maybe some tips on what you had to pull apart to get the old grill out, and new one in. I'm pretty comfortable with the wiring I'll have to do. Thanks!!

 

I don't have any instruction sheet or those lights but I did recently remove that lower grill. Just push in on it. It's held in by plastic clips. It should cave right in. The new one should just press right on in it's place.

 

I installed a set of these lights and no longer have the instructions, but it is very easy. While I am very pleased with the look of the extra lights in the grill I found them to be extremely difficult to aim properly. Because the plastic grill is soft and distorts with the slightest pressure I found it very difficult to aim the lights and then tighten them in position. Has anyone got the secret to this?

 

You may also look into the early scuttlebutt concerns about early Alpha overheat issues which I do not think resulted in a TSB, but there was some official internal communications resulting in the Grill Offroad lights not being offered initially as an option for the Alpha because of obstructing radiator air flow? Really I think they were just paranoid, but might be worth searching around to see what you find.

Like Bunger said, just held in with clips. I would start from one side and work around popping them loose. Make sure the clips are all in place for installing the new one. If I remember, there are two top and two bottom, one on each side?
See # 18



OOOooooohh look at the OLD thread I found!!!! https://www.hummerforums.com/forum/h...-removal-8975/

 

Hey Doc...thanks for the heads up on the overheat and the grill r&r info. I'm heading to the dealership this afternoon to pick up the lights. I'll inquire with the service dept. as to any knowledge they have on this issue, but I'm not holding my breath any info they may have. Of course the guys over at Jim Riels Friendly Hummer are pretty good (as you, yourself have probably dealt with them and agree).

 

Yeah the Friendly people at Jim Riehls are not bad.

I just remember what seemed like a lot of over concern on the lower grill remaining open for the V8 when the Alphas first came out. I do know of a few guys with the lower grill lights or with custom lights in there so like I said, probably just engineering paranoia.

 

For '08 they switched the lower grill openings from round holes to diamond shaped openings. I've been assuming it was just a minor face lift for the sake of change, but maybe there's more to it. I would guess there's probably a 50% increase in air flow with the new design. Since the lower grill off road lights only come with the round hole openings, I might be adding a double whammy for flow. The bad part is, that, now that Winter's here, I may not know I have a problem for another 6 months.

 

were you able to get a good deal on those lights? im looking into getting them as well and the lowest i have seen them for is $213 + shipping. thanks

 

That's a great price as long as they aren't stickin' it to you on the shipping! I got the last set my Hummer dealer had, for $275 out the door. Went through the install instructions. Pretty straight forward. They tell you to pull the whole front bumper assembly off, and I couldn't understand why because there's plenty of clearance to get it out from the grille opening after you pull the main grille off. Then I saw the reason. It says you need to drill (2) 1" dia. holes in the air baffle for lamp clearance. The only way to get in there with the drill and bit is to pull the bumper.....BUT...these instructions were printed in Oct. '05, and, (I'm not sure when the change took place), the baffle has been revised providing plenty of clearance on my '08 Alpha. So...no bumper removal.

 

When I got my Alpha I headed out to see Neo and F5 in Moab and I had a heater hose blow right at the firewall because the plastic clamp was not fully engaged. It was tricky to find because it would slide back and let off pressure and then relax back to appear to be on all the way. Long story but with help from those two guys I made it back to town and figured out how to seat that clamp. It helped to have a GM guy standing there. Supposedly dealer check out of a new vehicle was supposed to check that or were after that got reported.
I run a Warn Power Plant which mostly covers that lower grill. I have not had any more overheating problems.
I just happen to have all that apart working on a steel facia piece. I had that piece off and from the back I had to pry the plastic clips away and up at the same time. It looks to me like the light grill would have to be put in from the back side.
Which means having to remove that frontal piece.
See if these pictures help explain that.


That whole piece can be removed with the fog lights to get where you can work on it. There is one bolt at each end on a bracket, you don't have to remove the bracket and several across the top of the bumper. There are two plastic push pins at each end into the fender liner.

When I get the steel piece made to replace the tupperware I may not put anything back there. I have it mocked up to show the fab shop. I'm going to mount a Hot Dog 2.5 gallon air tank behind the winch or inside the bumper.
That lower grill and two inch surround being gone should increase air flow down the driver side for sure and behind the winch is more open now, just in case.