Splitter Bling

[Bakertech]

Not for everyone of course! I had some 16ga. (0.060"±) Stainless bent to about 87º and formed to fit the double compound lines of the lower splitter of the XLR bumper. Not an easy task!
I had the leading edge buffed as smooth as possible and drilled and deburred holes that tightly fit the SS screws used for mounting.


I then had the piece electropolished. This process brings the Nickel and Chromium to the surface.


I put high quality double sided foam tape along the trailing edge. Starting from the center, I drilled ten 3/16" pilot holes through the existing screw holes and installed the 1/2" long SS screws by hand so as not to strip the plastic. I removed the backing tape from the foam as I proceeded, drilling one hole at a time while holding the piece tight to the splitter.


I like the look and added protection that it provides to the front.
The Upper and Lower Mesh Grilles are by E&G Classics.
I hope the Photos show up. Harder than the Bling to install!

Email me for Photos.

Gord.

 

[cubby558]

As long as you're happy with it, it shouldn't matter. I do have a question for you from your pics, are those front sensors in between the fog lights and lower grille?? What are they hooked up to??

Not for everyone of course! Gord.

 

[Bakertech]

Sensors

As long as you're happy with it, it shouldn't matter. I do have a question for you from your pics, are those front sensors in between the fog lights and lower grille?? What are they hooked up to??

I am not sure, but I believe they are for the Adaptive Cruise Control, which works very well. It is a 2008 model.
I had read somewhere that those sensors were behind the opaque plastic covers on either side of the lower grille - perhaps on earlier models.
Apparently those sensors behind the plastic covers did not work if plastic was dirty or something to that effect.
Gord.

 

[dennis93coupe]

Adaptive cruis control

The radar unit for the adaptive cruise control is behind the black smooth area on the drivers side. V's don't have ACC so that is why the lower grille screen goes all across. Supposedly ACC does not work behind the screen and don't know why the V's didn't get ACC unless it had something to do with the supercharged engine.

 

[Bakertech]

Adaptive Cruise Control

The radar unit for the adaptive cruise control is behind the black smooth area on the drivers side. V's don't have ACC so that is why the lower grille screen goes all across. Supposedly ACC does not work behind the screen and don't know why the V's didn't get ACC unless it had something to do with the supercharged engine.

My '08 is the 'base' model with only the 'V' grilles unfortunately.
I haven't removed the covers beside the air intake to check, but I do believe the ACC sensors are the ones visible in the bumper facia.
I will check the Service Manual sometime to be sure. I don't know what else they could be for.

Gord.

 

[cubby558]

The V's didn't get ACC because the area where the module is located is taken up by the supercharger intercooler. Nowhere to put it. Had an '04 prior to my V and never really cared for the ACC. Driving in Chicago area and trying to keep spacing between vehicles, someone always darts in front of you and the ACC applies the brakes--sometimes rather abruptly!! Got tired of one foot each on the gas and one covering the brake!

The radar unit for the adaptive cruise control is behind the black smooth area on the drivers side. V's don't have ACC so that is why the lower grille screen goes all across. Supposedly ACC does not work behind the screen and don't know why the V's didn't get ACC unless it had something to do with the supercharged engine.

 

[dennis93coupe]

The V's didn't get ACC because the area where the module is located is taken up by the supercharger intercooler. Nowhere to put it. Had an '04 prior to my V and never really cared for the ACC. Driving in Chicago area and trying to keep spacing between vehicles, someone always darts in front of you and the ACC applies the brakes--sometimes rather abruptly!! Got tired of one foot each on the gas and one covering the brake!

Hey Cubby, not a bad guess huh. So it having something to do with the engine, supercharger intercooler. . Chicago traffic is that bad? I thought it was only that bad on the left coast.

 

[XLRATING]

Driving in Chicago area and trying to keep spacing between vehicles, someone always darts in front of you and the ACC applies the brakes--sometimes rather abruptly!! Got tired of one foot each on the gas and one covering the brake!

I'm with you on that one Cubby! ACC is useless where I live, first time I really got to use it was on some fairly empty freeways on the way to BG.

Can't use it on two lane roads with curves either. It almost threw me through the windshield when it picked up a car on the other side of the road & slammed on the brakes & put a red crashing car symbol in the HUD. Completely unexpected, almost caused me to wreck. I became completely DONE with it after that.

Because I have a little bit of "lead foot syndrome," I use cruise control everywhere I can from 25 mph up to try to keep myself out of trouble - so no ACC on my commuter car!

 

[Eslic1]

I like it....

Not for everyone of course! I had some 16ga. (0.060"±) Stainless bent to about 87º and formed to fit the double compound lines of the lower splitter of the XLR bumper. Not an easy task!
I had the leading edge buffed as smooth as possible and drilled and deburred holes that tightly fit the SS screws used for mounting.


I then had the piece electropolished. This process brings the Nickel and Chromium to the surface.


I put high quality double sided foam tape along the trailing edge. Starting from the center, I drilled ten 3/16" pilot holes through the existing screw holes and installed the 1/2" long SS screws by hand so as not to strip the plastic. I removed the backing tape from the foam as I proceeded, drilling one hole at a time while holding the piece tight to the splitter.


I like the look and added protection that it provides to the front.
The Upper and Lower Mesh Grilles are by E&G Classics.
I hope the Photos show up. Harder than the Bling to install!

Email me for Photos.

Gord.

In fact... I have an entire set of chrome plated stainless steel (Rockers and such) left over from a botched shipment for a truck I no longer own. The seller said to just keep it after sending F150 pieces instead of Expedition. Some of the pieces are 4 or 5 feet long. I guess I'll see what I can do with a piece or 2. Heck, it won't cost me anything. Yours looks great. I was actually considering throwing the old stainless out... Thanks for posting.

 

[XFireXLR]

Not for everyone of course! I had some 16ga. (0.060"±) Stainless bent to about 87º and formed to fit the double compound lines of the lower splitter of the XLR bumper. Not an easy task!
I had the leading edge buffed as smooth as possible and drilled and deburred holes that tightly fit the SS screws used for mounting.


I then had the piece electropolished. This process brings the Nickel and Chromium to the surface.


I put high quality double sided foam tape along the trailing edge. Starting from the center, I drilled ten 3/16" pilot holes through the existing screw holes and installed the 1/2" long SS screws by hand so as not to strip the plastic. I removed the backing tape from the foam as I proceeded, drilling one hole at a time while holding the piece tight to the splitter.


I like the look and added protection that it provides to the front.
The Upper and Lower Mesh Grilles are by E&G Classics.
I hope the Photos show up. Harder than the Bling to install!

Email me for Photos.

Gord.

Looks GREAT......imho, would you be interested in making another?

 

[pure zen]

ACC

ACC is useless where I live, first time I really got to use it was on some fairly empty freeways on the way to BG.

Can't use it on two lane roads with curves either. It almost threw me through the windshield when it picked up a car on the other side of the road & slammed on the brakes & put a red crashing car symbol in the HUD. Completely unexpected, almost caused me to wreck. I became completely DONE with it after that.

As a relative newbie, I as yet have had little experience with the ACC system,,,,,but after reading the above I can only wonder if this will be a future GM 'recall' ? The negatives may outweigh the positives ?

I'll get to use it soon on our 4K mile vacation trip. Now I have one more thing to think about, besides tornadoes and hail

 

[Crimson Pearl]

ACC

My experience has been that the ACC works well in the right situation. I have used it quite a bit during Interstate highway travel when traffic is not heavy. I was able to use it quite a bit during our trip to Bowling Green last year, but not nearly as much on the return trip. Traffic was quite heavy during the return trip on Sunday, but regular cruise wouldn't have been very useable either.

It would have been a good idea to have incorporated a switch for standard or adaptive cruise control operation in our XLRs. I travel a lot in my Chevrolet Tahoe and use the standard Cruise control quite a bit.

But I can imagine that the average traffic where I live is quite a bit less than where some of you other folks live.

 

[madcurl]

My experience has been that the ACC works well in the right situation. I have used it quite a bit during Interstate highway travel when traffic is not heavy. I was able to use it quite a bit during our trip to Bowling Green last year, but not nearly as much on the return trip. Traffic was quite heavy during the return trip on Sunday, but regular cruise wouldn't have been very useable either.

It would have been a good idea to have incorporated a switch for standard or adaptive cruise control operation in our XLRs. I travel a lot in my Chevrolet Tahoe and use the standard Cruise control quite a bit.

But I can imagine that the average traffic where I live is quite a bit less than where some of you other folks live.

I agree.