How to Replace the Grille & Headlights on a 2018-2020 Ford F150

Step by Step!
Today, we'll be replacing the factory Ford XLT chrome grille with a paint matched STX (Sport XLT) grille. We'll also be replacing the factory Ford XLT chrome headlights, with some Special Edition "Black Appearance" Halogen Housings.
My plan all along has been to run Diode Dynamics SL1 LED Headlights in blacked out, special edition halogen housings. This takes us 1 step closer to that goal.
Follow the steps shown in this video & you'll have your grille/headlights swapped out in no time!
Part numbers;
Agate Black STX Grille: JL3Z-8200-SL
Putco Luminix LED Ford Emblem (No camera cut-out): 92603
OEM Ford Special Edition Headlights (Halogen): KL3Z-13008-A & KL3Z-13008-B
Aftermarket Black Headlights (Halogen): DNA MOTORING HL-OH-F15018-BK-CL1
www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07X...
Aftermarket Honeycomb Grille: www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07F...
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[@K5ORD]

Thank you! This by far is the most comprehensive installation video for the headlights and grill swap that I have seen.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@juancardona9440]

I agree!!!

[@uhNomad]

Hands down one of the best DIY breakdown I’ve seen . 👍

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@coryneville2832]

Great video and much appreciated. Did a Lariat to STX grille swap using this video. Came out perfectly with no issues. For those asking about how long just the grille swap would take, having everything ready to go, going slowly and referencing this video step by step, I did it in around 2 hours. Probably could have gone faster but I was being extra careful not to break any clips etc.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for the kind words, had fun filming this and yes it's hard to time for me because setting up the camera explaining this etc lol but 2hrs sounds about right

[@ramiaw]

Very thorough description! I will be doing the grill/lights soon. Thank you for posting!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@drewthompson2558]

This video was very helpful, my grille swap went smooth after watching this!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@sambarton202]

The depth of info is appreciated so much, i have 18 as well and planning to upgrade front and tail lights in the near future. Saving this for instructions!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I have a video on the tail lights too just check out the playlist!

[@hectorquinones4524]

Great video! I’ve got the STX grill on my 2020 STX Model but I personally like the look of the XLT GRILL with the twin horizontal bars!! But the video was very informative! Nice job!

[@CrunchDramaNetwork]

Want to trade?

[@F150ownershipguy]

I personally like the chrome grill but I love how thoroughly you explain the process. Great video!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@wiremanbob8777]

That look's great . I have had Sport package's on all my new truck scene 1997. Great job. Keep it up . Thanks Bob

[@EliminatorPerformance]

It's funny that the STX is a cheaper package than the XLT, yet everyone wants this grill. Thanks for watching!

[@ivanpejic3108]

Eliminator Performance I think it’s the best grill option on all of the models I choose the xlt sport over a base lariat because of it

[@jorgegeorgegeorge4567]

Great job man that truck is looking so beautiful

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks!

[@1AbominAble1]

The Special Edition or Black PKG grille and headlight housings are the only thing I don’t have, that I wanted on my truck. They didn’t come with the wheels that I wanted😡 salesman told me it was cheaper to replace the grille than buy the wheels, I shouldn’t have believed him, that grille is expensive and the lights are no better. Your vid is by far the best I’ve seen for this job. I subscribed 👍👍

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@speedracer5721]

Great job explaining. Not too much, not too little

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@XmrRayy]

Great video, you skipped a couple steps but i got it done appreciate it man!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

What steps did I miss? Thanks for watching, glad it helped!

[@tkskagen]

Great "Do It Yourself" Upgrade!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@adamopel5702]

It looks very sharp👍

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks Adam!

[@noeluna4765]

Appreciate the help Brother

[@petersallander2455]

Wow what a change better-looking

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks Peter!

[@Hdsoftaildeluxe]

Phenomenal instructions

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Waylon!

[@oskarhaas824]

Very good Video Instruction

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@AK_Vortex]

That is awesome! And I'd rather stick with the Ford OEM as much as I reasonably can. looking forward to more videos with your F-150. Nice Job!!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks, I should have some more videos coming this summer!

[@AK_Vortex]

@@EliminatorPerformance I'll be waiting. I should have my F-150 XLT or similar by then and should be between 2018 and 2020.

[@brucel.6078]

Damn that looks sweet!!! Looks $$$$ though. Nice job!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Big money, especially since I'm in Canada. This grille is exceptionally hard to find used in Canada, so I bought it right from Ford, as shipping and exchange rates from the USA would've cost about $100 less. The headlights however, if I could've done it again, I would've tried the aftermarket DNA lights from Amazon for like 1/3 of the price. Thanks for watching!

[@circlepfarm9729]

The video is very well done and easy to follow your instructions. I just don’t understand how a blacked out plastic grill could look better than the original chrome one from Ford. I’m probably too old fashioned.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I guess it all comes down to personal preference, thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching!

[@CrunchDramaNetwork]

Dude you sound like a robot 😆 😂

[@EliminatorPerformance]

The Agate Black STX grille is exceptionally hard to find used in Canada, so I bought it right from Ford. You can find lots of them on eBay US, but with shipping and exchange rates from the USA, it would've cost about $100 less and could've arrived damaged. The headlights however, if I were to do it again, I would've tried the aftermarket DNA headlights from Amazon that cost about $500 for the pair. (That's about 1/3 of the price compared to the OEM Ford ones).

[@leoliu8189]

help a lot! thanks!

[@yittihenriquez7813]

Thank you

[@matthewcairo2079]

That does look nice.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@theweightlifterknownasbobw7707]

looking forward to the bumper cover video

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I ended up getting them vinyl wrapped in 3M gloss black, it turned out amazing and was $400 Canadian. Well worth the money.

[@calvineenigenburg3524]

Those four nuts to disconnect the shutters from the grill all broke the clips holding the bolt back instantly as soon as I tried to loosen them, wasn’t prepared for that 😂🥴

[@shesamdrum50]

Thank you !!!!!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulkimble736]

I like the honeycomb grill, I plan to do this too

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I just got my bumpers wrapped gloss black, truck looks amazing!

[@MRBurns-ti9lb]

My god is there anymore steps holy cow I just talked me out of it

[@EliminatorPerformance]

It's not that bad lol

[@MRBurns-ti9lb]

@@EliminatorPerformance the video is awesome though

[@LM-cs5ri]

Awesome video bro, nice to see local talent as well, I’m from Ontario too. How much did u pay for grille if u don’t mind me asking? Looking forward to watching more of your videos. You just set the bar so high. Best video tutorial I’ve come across keep up the great work.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I paid $900 for the grille through a distributor, it was like $1200+ at the dealership. And thanks for the kind words!

[@flexfire7432]

Nice video I just purchased a 2018 and I wanna know where you got your blackout in them from thank you very much

[@waynestefinashen239]

The ELMN8OR is being very nicely transformed, would have cost you a fortune to have this done at the dealership. Really like the LED Ford symbol Don V. may actually buy a Ford after watching this video.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes that's true, and it's always nice working on your own vehicles when you can. Thanks for watching!

[@donvoll2580]

Good day Boy that was interesting, very educational. I afraid Don V won't be buying one for awhile. My pockets aren't deep & have holes. It looks really nice with Ford emblem lit up. Thanks Boy my son just phoned, I had to tell him about it, he had a good laugh. Thanks

[@coachbeam3600]

I wish they made the STX grill the standard one, but that’s just me…I think it looks way better than the two bars.

[@eDuCincoCinco]

I have exactly same truck, color and chrome, I wanted to get same grill but now I see that doesn’t look that great unless I change the bumper as well, thank you for the info !

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yea I'm going to get them vinyl wrapped for like $250 I think it'll look good.

[@eDuCincoCinco]

Eliminator Performance I’m not sure if you can powder coating it, but will be better, I’m doing it with my chrome rims

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@eDuCincoCinco yea you can but they'll end up getting stone chipped eventually, so wrapping is easier and more affordable.

[@nocturnus7615]

Great Video, thanks. Question for you. Do they make this emblem without the LED option. Is there a standard Ford OEM part number for the emblem that fits this grill. The number you have listed brings up the one you purchased. I am wondering if there are different variations to this emblem possibly? Thanks, again. Great Video. Simple and to the point.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

There's black edition ford emblems yes, without LED. But there isn't this one without LED.

[@Drewwhid1]

Nice informative video. I’m getting ready to do my truck very similarly. Also, can the led bulbs just plug in and work or are there any new wiring involved? Thanks.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Headlights and high beams need resistors or else they'll flicker. Turn signals don't need resistors, but will hyperflash inside the cab. This is because the LEDs have less resistance than a factory halogen bulb, which makes the truck think the bulb is burnt out. You can easily disable this using the Forscan program.

[@jessnegron8174]

Excelent jobs

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@kevinboyd8384]

Great video, it’s definitely going to help! I’ve got a 2020 XLT that’s Oxford White and I want to do the same thing - replace the grille with a color match STX Sport grille. Did you order the grille from a dealership or an OEM website? When I trie to go through an OEM site, it says that the grille is not compatible with my truck. Thanks in advance

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I ordered through a 3rd party, but it came from Ford. I did it that way because my friend works for a company and the more ford parts they order the better deals they get. So he did me a solid and ordered me everything. As for the grille, it should fit! The only thing is you'll have to get a new emblem if you go from XLT to STX

[@notagain1788]

I can’t manage to remove the middle piece! Help!!!

[@michoacanom4320]

Nice job im doing that to my 2018 platinum i dont like the satin 2 bar going with stx painted to match clean truck you need matching black painted bumpers

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@michoacanom4320]

@@EliminatorPerformance no problem nice content keep up the good work

[@Pete.Ty1]

😊👍

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@josechavez4820]

Very educational video. I am rebuilding my truck from a front crash, in the process l got to get the 5 clips that puts together the grille and the shudder described at min 4:28. do you have any information where to get those?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Maybe tasca parts or east gate ford in Canada. I got all my stuff from a friend who works with dealers. You need a parts diagram, then you get part number and then order

[@itsElsgoo]

If you were only swapping out the grille, how long would it have taken you? ... looks great.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Not long, it's quite simple really. But I would highly recommend trim removal tools, I bought mime on amazon for like $15 for a whole pack of them. Made taking off that lower piece super simple. For everything else, you just need basic socket set!

[@sjfrand]

Grill and headlight removal demonstration is great. Your explanations are very thorough. I’d like to know more about the Diode Dynamics SL1 LED headlight install. I have both high & low beams, but having a lot of difficulty with the low beam install; I haven’t gotten it done. Are you willing to provide some input?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Loosen the metal retaining bracket that has the 2 or 3 Torx screws and they fit right in, then tighten them down.

[@sjfrand]

@@EliminatorPerformance I’ll try that tomorrow. Did you install the anti flicker modules?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@sjfrand yes, only for low beams. They're a pain to get in, but they do fit, using the original dust cover.

[@sjfrand]

@@EliminatorPerformance Yes, that is correct; flicker modules for low beams only. I’ll give it a try tomorrow. I do appreciate your assistance. I have tried this install through the wheel well, as instructed by Diode Dynamics; that method I found to be impossible. Again, thank you.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@sjfrand I did it like that, I took the wheel off though because of my 22" wheels and peeled back the inner fender liner

[@brandonpanduro3839]

Where can I find the plastic molding that Goes on top of the chrome bumper

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I'd go to a wreckers, additionally, you could try going online to a site called www.car-part.com and search for the specific part through local wreckers

[@cesarestrada5020]

Could I do this swap to my 16 model I have a different headlight assembly

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yea the whole front end has to be changed, there's info on the forums, look up 2015-2017 f150 to 2018+ front end

[@ironwelder9983]

Can these parts fit f150 2017 . I wanted to upgrade my font end .

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes google 2017 to 2018 front end swap, you need quite a few parts but you can buy everything and make it look like an 18-20

[@agca2411]

Found an OEM paint matched STX grille for my F150. Good price at $500 however it has one broken tab. Would you buy it with a broken tab or should I pass on this grille?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

You might be able to jb weld something? For $500 it seems like a great deal. They're getting harder to come by used. Like I said I bought mine new it wasn't cheap lol

[@agca2411]

@@EliminatorPerformance Thank you!

[@iggymazza9138]

hey, I'm going from a lariat special edition grille (STX) to a limited grille, can I reuse the same logo? how come the logo can't be reused? looking forward to hearing from you, thanks!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I'm honestly not sure. All I know is that the XLT emblem can't be used on the STX grill. It's uses different mounts I guess. That's what I read on the forums.

[@iggymazza9138]

@@EliminatorPerformance thank you for the quick response. also, I am missing 3/4 gold bolts/studs that hold the active grille shutters on the limited grille. will I be able to take off and reuse them on the new grille from my current? I briefly tried taking the only one I had left off and I struggled with it as I did not want to break it.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

They can be a pain, in the video I believe I mentioned not to over tighten. I don't know if you can replace them.

[@noeluna4765]

Quick question I just saw the 2021 limited front end with the fog lamps and I wanted to ask u if it's possible to swap them to my 2019 Lariat?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

No completely different. You can however upgrade a 2015-2017 to the 2018-2020 front end, but pretty much need the fenders, hood, grille, lights and trim with bumper etc

[@noeluna4765]

Appreciate the answer 🙏

[@nelly713pressuahh8]

What is that software you use that tells you where bolts are and all that the little pop up images you put on video

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Oasis, it's only available to mechanics. But you can download pdf online manuals that have the same stuff, but it costs money.

[@ruffus4924]

Will this work on my 2018 f150 XL?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes, 2018-2020 all models of f150

[@xXx_Mason_xXx]

where did you buy the grill from?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Zanchin truck and trailer in Fort Erie Ontario, they were cheaper than the dealership because I bought everything through them, and the more they buy, the better discount they get, so we were both happy.

[@riverrivers250]

Starting your truck without that grill connected,, can that cause a Check engine light too come on,,, cause i replaced my headlights with LED’s and i started the truck without the grill and wiring connected, and oh btw. My grill has 2 connectors on it, right beside each other

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes, because the grille shudders will send a fault code because they're not plugged in. Should clear once you plug it back in

[@riverrivers250]

@@EliminatorPerformance thanks,,, u were right, it went off eventually,

[@timothyryan2847]

Are you going to replace the chrome bumper too?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Probably end up wrapping it if the business ever gets back to me!

[@nahumdeleon8453]

Does the stx ford come with the shutter system as well or only on the xlt

[@EliminatorPerformance]

The shutter system is different and will be behind all the grilles

[@nahumdeleon8453]

@EliminatorPerformance I have an xl ford trying to change the grille to a stx hoping that its easy to take off

[@Spoder_Man]

My friend has 2020 F150 and he wants to upgrade his headlights but says it’s the hardest thing ever. My Camaro I had to remove the whole front bumper. This is really easy

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yea it honestly didn't take long, I'd highly recommend the trim removal tools though, without them it would've been quite difficult. Thanks for watching!

[@Thelegendking-yj4bm]

I've got a 2020 did u have to remove grill to change out headlights ?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@Thelegendking-yj4bm yes

[@Thelegendking-yj4bm]

@@EliminatorPerformance im installing projector headlights which is better hid or led ?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@Thelegendking-yj4bm I'll be running LED in halogen housings, which I've heard will be the brightest. I've never used HIDs but my buddy has them and likes them.

[@ramirosotelo3425]

Where did you order the grill?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

You can get them at your dealer, I went through a repair shop that orders Ford parts because a friend works there and gets discounts

[@markreimer2897]

Is there anything the bottom of the grille can catch onto? The top of mine is loose but I can’t figure out the bottom?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Just those 4 big clips I believe, give it a good pull and it should come out as long as you have that lower trim piece removed

[@markreimer2897]

I found 2 pins coming from my bumper?

[@kensmail2394]

I cannot get the bottom off either. Dif you ever get yours off? I notice all these comments say what a great job but none of them have actually tried this. I've been an hour trying to get the buttom of the grill to release from the truck.

[@mickdouglas3062]

How much was the grille? I love the look of the STX the most.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

$900 Canadian, MSRP was over $1200 so I got a "deal" lol you can find them used in the US but in Canada, an Agate Black STX grill was impossible to find used.

[@mickdouglas3062]

@@EliminatorPerformance I'm in Canada, NB to be exact. I bought an Abyss grey F150 Reg Cab. Hopefully I can get one for under a grand. Thanks for responding btw.

[@ziplock7286]

The 10 mm nuts on the inside of the shutter doe's not come off, they just loosen and keep turning? there is no way to get inside to hold the bolt and stop it from turning.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

They're hard to get out sometimes that's why I said don't over tighten, if you ever have to do it again they just spin. Good luck.

[@ziplock7286]

@@EliminatorPerformance I saw enough gap between the bolt and frame to insert a small screwdriver down into the base and applied enough pressure to stop it from turning. I was then able to get the nuts off. I then placed the nuts back on the backside of the bolts and inserted them into the new grill, allowing the bolts to stand up. I dropped the louver onto the new grill and it fit perfectly.

[@buffalobmf]

Looks like you should of just bought the blackout package with the truck lol

[@EliminatorPerformance]

You can't get it on a single cab, just like you can't get the STX package. Thanks for watching!

[@buffalobmf]

@@EliminatorPerformance no kidding. Thats why i said you should of just bought a truck with the blackout package