Best Jeep JK Grille Options

1. Editor's Choice: Hooke Road Matte Black Shark Grille

Hooke Road has made a name for itself as one of the top go-to sources for affordable aftermarket Jeep modifications and accessories, and the Hooke Road Matte Black Shark Grille is a great example of why the brand has caught on. It’s a full replacement Jeep Wrangler JK grille panel made from matte black ABS plastic, ready to be painted in whatever hue you choose, with a distinctive, cool “shark teeth” pattern over the grille opening and a sleek “angry brow”. The design sits more forward of the headlights than the factory Jeep JK grille, helping to guard your headlights off-road so they’re less exposed to trail hazards, and whether you choose to paint it the same color as your Wrangler’s body or leave it matte black, it looks mean, menacing, and cool as all get-out.

Hooke Road has made a name for itself as one of the top go-to sources for affordable aftermarket Jeep modifications and accessories, and the Hooke Road Matte Black Shark Grille is a great example of why the brand has caught on. It’s a full replacement Jeep Wrangler JK grille panel made from matte black ABS plastic, ready to be painted in whatever hue you choose, with a distinctive, cool “shark teeth” pattern over the grille opening and a sleek “angry brow”. The design sits more forward of the headlights than the factory Jeep JK grille, helping to guard your headlights off-road so they’re less exposed to trail hazards, and whether you choose to paint it the same color as your Wrangler’s body or leave it matte black, it looks mean, menacing, and cool as all get-out.

2. Easiest Install: Rugged Ridge Nighthawk Light Brow

3. Rugged Ridge Spartan Grille in Satin Black

One of the best-known and most popular Wrangler grilles around, this Jeep JK Spartan Grille from Rugged Ridge does away with Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille, and replaces it with a simple mesh insert. Depending upon who you ask, that’s either an unforgivable act of blasphemy, or a solid aesthetic choice that simplifies the JK’s front end and provides extra cooling airflow through the radiator. The default insert is a simple black one, but there are several more interesting Jeep JK Spartan Grille mesh options, from a “Land Shark” pattern that sees the black mesh finished with big, pointed white fangs on the top and bottom, to one called “Star”, features an encircled white five-pointed star on it. There’s also a “Skull” option, and for the proud US patriots among us, an American flag print, as well. No matter which option you spring for, the mesh is contained by a rugged, ready-to-paint matte black plastic replacement panel with menacing “angry eyebrows”.

4. T-Rex Grilles Stealth Torch Series Black Grille

If you’re a fan of the Wrangler’s trademark factory seven-slot grille design, but you’ve found yourself wondering whether there might be a way to make your Jeep JK grille more useful, check out the Stealth Torch Series Black Grille from T-Rex Grilles. It’s a bit on the pricey side as Jeep Wrangler JK grille pieces go, but that’s for one very good reason: the seven CREE LED lights integrated into the grille piece, one over each slot. Each LED is rated at 10 Watts of power with 900 lumens of light output, for a total of 70 Watts and 6,300 lumens – more than enough to make a serious difference in your nighttime visibility. It installs cleanly behind your factory grille panel, taking the place of the original mesh insert, and no drilling is required for installation – only a bit of fiddling with fasteners and basic wiring. And sure, there are plenty of other auxiliary Jeep lighting options on the market, but how many of them install so clean?

5. ToxicStorm Front Grille with Amber LED Running Lights

T-Rex isn’t the only brand doing things with integrated LED lighting in a Jeep Wrangler JK grille. Say hello to ToxicStorm and its uniquely savage-looking Jeep JK grille with amber LED running lights. Busier-looking than stock, this replacement grille features a total of 14 slots with a black hexagonal mesh insert, interrupted about a quarter of the way down by a solid bar with five rectangular amber LED lights. The net effect is a sort of evil, vaguely Darth Vader-esque fascia with “angry eye” headlight cutouts and an imposing demeanor. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but this ToxicStorm grille has garnered loads of rave reviews from owners, mostly relating to its appearance and, in particular, the sinister amber LED lights. If standing out in a crowd is your thing, this grille will do nicely.

6. American Modified Matte Black Gladiator Vader Grille

Like the two Jeep JK grille options preceding it, the final entry on our list also does something unique with integrated LED lighting. This matte black replacement grille from American Modified is literally referred to by the brand as a “Vader Grille ”, owing to its scowling trapezoidal radiator opening and piercing “angry eye” headlight cutouts. It’s maybe a more cartoonish aesthetic than some Jeep owners are looking for, but it’s certainly got its fair share of fans. An integrated LED strip along the top of the grille helps add an extra dose of personalization, although it’s not going to do much for your dusk-time trail visibility; these LEDs are really just for show. Installation is simple and straightforward with the included directions, and no drilling or cutting is required – just some basic wiring and fiddling with factory fasteners.

How Do I Install A Jeep JK Grille?

So you’ve ordered a new Jeep Wrangler JK grille and you’re wondering how tough it will be to install. Great news: swapping out your factory grille for any one of these aftermarket alternatives is a breeze, taking just a few minutes to an hour of your time, and requiring only basic hand tools. Note that this doesn’t apply to things like the Rugged Ridge Nighthawk Light Brow, which actually attaches to the factory grille panel instead of replacing it outright.

To install your new Jeep JK grille, with the vehicle off and the radiator cooled down from your last drive, first pop the hood, prop it open, and locate the series of four plastic grille retaining rivets along the top edge of the grille panel. Each rivet consists of an inner and outer piece, both of which must be removed. To remove the rivet, take a slender tool such as a flathead screwdriver and carefully slide it under the lip on the inner piece, and then pry upward to pop it out. With this inner piece popped, the outer part of the rivet should simply lift right out of the hole.

With the rivets out, you can now gently pull forward on the top of the grille panel, unplug the left and right fog lamps from their respective harnesses, and then lift the panel out of position.

That’s it. No real surprises or hidden tricks. Installation is the reverse of removal, although you may have a couple of extra steps to perform. Namely, your grille may have shipped with some metal clips that must be pressed onto a series of tabs along the bottom edge of the aftermarket Jeep JK grille. It should also include a new weather strip with an adhesive backing which must be applied along the top edge of the fascia, and of course, you’ll have to transfer the fog lamps to the new grille. The fog lamp housings are removed by pushing in on a pair of tabs on the back of each unit, and then sliding the unit out from the back of the grille. Don’t forget to reconnect the fog lamp wiring as you install your new Jeep Wrangler JK grille. For any additional steps, such as replacing an aftermarket grille mesh insert or connecting aftermarket LED wiring, refer to the instructions that came with your grille.

Additional Resources

• Best Jeep Wrangler LED Headlights
• Best Jeep Wrangler JK Accessories
• Best Jeep JK Fenders

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