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DIY - Custom Painting Speaker Grills

jlewissystem

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Hello all!

This is not my idea: i've seen a few guys do it and i really liked it, so wanted to show my process in this. I am not a painting pro, so dont take this process as bible. Just wanted to put out my ideas, even if it's just a starting place for others.

Tools Needed (I will explain all as we go)
  • Spray Paint (Paint matched)
  • Spray Paint (Primer) Optional depending on color
  • Spray Paint (Clear Coat)
  • Exacto Knife
  • Painters Tape
  • Trim Tool or FlatHead
  • (Optional)
  • M4x16mm screws
  • #10 Washers
  • Black touch up paint
First remove the speaker grills. The fronts are held in by clips. Simply use a trim tool or flathead to pry up. They should come off easily. The rears are help in by 4 screws each - 4.5mm allens will get these out.

Be sure to wipe your grills down with a degreaser/cleaner and wipe with water.

Once you have the grills removed, we'll use painters tape to cover the all grills:
IMG_7521.JPG


Using a trim tool or flathead, push down and follow the "indents" around the grill. This will help to cut the painters tape (to shape):
IMG_8333.JPG


Showing all grills with pushed down indents:
IMG_9843.JPG


Take your exacto knife and follow your indents, to create the shape of where the paint will land:
IMG_2089.JPG


After you cut and pull away the tape, the tape might not be exactly close to the ridge (depending on how well you cut). Use a trim tool to "run the channel" or push the tape back towards the middle:
IMG_4470.JPG


All 4 trimmed and prepped. Ready for paint. Be sure to give 1 last wipedown with water (Soap if you feel the need)
IMG_0753.JPG


For the rear grills, i would suggest taping the speaker holes on the back of the grill. It will help spray not come back up and accidentally show paint on the grill (from the underside). You shouldn't have to worry about the fronts:
IMG_3206.JPG


Since the front grills have tabs, they are already elevated, but i would suggest using something to elevate the rears, so paint is not adhering to both your grill and your painting surface. I used a cut 2x4 and an old box of plugs. (You can see how i already did my Mojito grills in this pic):
IMG_1808.JPG


READY TO PAINT.
I bought color-matched paint from paintscratch.com. 1 can should do all 4 grills.
I bought clearcoat from Amazon.- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2D806Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. You should only need 1/2 can for 4 grills.

NOTE - Besides the Hyper White, i would suggest using a white primer as a base. My Mojito turned out great, but i can tell that it's "slightly" darker than my Jeep's Mojito. If i were to do this again, i would prime first.

Make sure to shake your cans properly prior to spray and during the spraying process. Hold the can about 10-12 inches from the grills, make sure to use nice even strokes and fully depress the spray nozzle. I did 2 coats at the same time, rotating around the grills as i went. The point of the 2 coats was to make sure that i was spraying everything, the screw holes and the bottoms of the outside - wanted to make sure that i had good even coverage. I did 4 rounds total of color - 4 double rounds, based on my comment above. I did 2 rounds of clear. I painted color 1 day and let dry overnight, then did the clear the next day and let dry overnight:
IMG_0293.JPG


When you remove the tape, it may pull some paint from the channels:
IMG_4674.JPG


I used a touchup pen to paint these. I only did 1 coat, but feel free to do more. A steady hand wins on this one. Paint thinner and a Qtip will help with any unwanted paint that happened to get on your grill:


IMG_4676.JPG

IMG_2121.JPG


Here's an optional section. I didnt want to use the same chrome screws that came off of the grills and i liked the contrast of black, so i ordered some new screws (from eBay). They are M4-16mm button head socket cap - https://www.ebay.com/itm/M4-0-70-x-...hash=item1cb5ec8db3:m:mwB3pnP3O3P4WwEr_ZUA5xQ

I also used some #10 washers and painted those (twice) with scrap black gloss touchup paint:
IMG_4672.JPG


Reinstalled:
IMG_4673.JPG
IMG_4677.JPG
IMG_4678.JPG
IMG_4679.JPG
IMG_4680.JPG
IMG_4681.JPG


Enjoy, improve on the process...keep MODDIN!:like::rock:
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Fastmover

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Hello all!

This is not my idea: i've seen a few guys do it and i really liked it, so wanted to show my process in this. I am not a painting pro, so dont take this process as bible. Just wanted to put out my ideas, even if it's just a starting place for others.
Excellent mod and write-up! Thanks for sharing.
 

knick33

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It would be cool to match the red dash, but it's probably impossible to find a match.
 

F1REFLY

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It would be cool to match the red dash, but it's probably impossible to find a match.
That's actually is a great question ..anyone know what the color is for the dash? for the red accents on the Rubicon's? Or where to find this info?
 

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Turbo_punkn

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Looks good!!! Might attempt this soon, still have a few cans of the touch up paint left from my wheels. I wanna do the dash first.
 

Goheels050917

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Was it hard to match the paint to the exterior? If you or somebody you know has a paint gun you could probably get some factory paint for an okay price. Definitely gonna cost more but a perfect match is worth it.
 

Turbo_punkn

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Was it hard to match the paint to the exterior? If you or somebody you know has a paint gun you could probably get some factory paint for an okay price. Definitely gonna cost more but a perfect match is worth it.
I paid around $13 a can at the dealer. They’re very small cans too!
 
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jlewissystem

jlewissystem

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That's actually is a great question ..anyone know what the color is for the dash? for the red accents on the Rubicon's? Or where to find this info?
I dont have the quick answer on this question - good question. If no one else can chime in, you might consider going to a powdercoater, just to reference their colors. They have a TON of colors to choose from. You can take their color samples out to your Jeep to find which color it is. From there, find someone to provide that color in a spray can.

Was it hard to match the paint to the exterior? If you or somebody you know has a paint gun you could probably get some factory paint for an okay price. Definitely gonna cost more but a perfect match is worth it.
I paid around $13 a can at the dealer. They’re very small cans too!
As i put in the thread, you can buy pre-mixed color-matched colors. I bought from PaintScratch.com, but like @Turbo_punkn mentioned, you can get it at the dealer.....or amazon or other places. They're typically available....just gotta look:like:
 

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Turbo_punkn

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I dont have the quick answer on this question - good question. If no one else can chime in, you might consider going to a powdercoater, just to reference their colors. They have a TON of colors to choose from. You can take their color samples out to your Jeep to find which color it is. From there, find someone to provide that color in a spray can.




As i put in the thread, you can buy pre-mixed color-matched colors. I bought from PaintScratch.com, but like @Turbo_punkn mentioned, you can get it at the dealer.....or amazon or other places. They're typically available....just gotta look:like:

Had I know ahead of time how much I was gonna need for my wheels I definitely would have bought from paint scratch. I bought like $100 worth of those dam little cans.
 
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jlewissystem

jlewissystem

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Had I know ahead of time how much I was gonna need for my wheels I definitely would have bought from paint scratch. I bought like $100 worth of those dam little cans.
HA! I did the same thing through paintscratch, but bought the full rattles. I think they were $20 a can (12oz i think). I bought 4 for "whatever". Sucks to pay so much for paint in general, but the outcomes are nice.......not like theres much of anything thats cheap in the Jeep world :)
 

Turbo_punkn

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HA! I did the same thing through paintscratch, but bought the full rattles. I think they were $20 a can (12oz i think). I bought 4 for "whatever". Sucks to pay so much for paint in general, but the outcomes are nice.......not like theres much of anything thats cheap in the Jeep world :)
I searched all over trying to find a paint close to punk’n but nothing was even close. I hated having to buy the expensive stuff but I’m glad I did. Looks a lot better matched.
 

TrailTorque

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It would be cool to match the red dash, but it's probably impossible to find a match.
I actually got the color name from FCA for the (what WE call Rubi Red) dash.

It's called:

REDICAL RED
 
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jlewissystem

jlewissystem

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I actually got the color name from FCA for the (what WE call Rubi Red) dash.

It's called:

REDICAL RED
Good dig! Do you know if they have a paint code for it?
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