How We Build a 5-Piece Grille for the 2023–2026 Ford Super Duty
When Ford redesigned the Super Duty for 2023, the biggest change was up front. Building a custom grille for this truck turned out to be one of the most involved projects in our shop.
Here's what changed, and how we build a grille to match it.
What Ford changed for 2023
The 2023 Super Duty has a bigger grille and redesigned headlights with a "C-clamp" lighting signature (CNET). More importantly, the grille now wraps around the headlights instead of sitting between them, which makes the front end look wider (Canada Drives). Ford also gave the 2023 lineup seven different grille designs, so each trim level gets its own look (AutoGuide).
For a custom grille builder, that changes the job. On earlier Super Duty trucks, the grille was mostly one center section. On the 2023 and newer trucks, the grille and the trim around the headlights work together as one design. A grille that only replaced the center would look unfinished next to the factory headlight trim.
Why we build it in five pieces
Our 2023–2026 Super Duty grilles are 5-piece full replacements: one center grille section plus four headlight trim pieces. Building the trim along with the center gives the whole front end one consistent design.
It's more work than any other grille we make, but it's the only way to do this truck right.
The headlight trim: stainless steel, shaped by hand
The four headlight trim pieces have the most complex shapes on the grille. Each one is:
- Laser cut from stainless steel.
- Formed to follow the contours around the headlight.
- Welded in a jig, a fixture we built to hold every piece in exact position. That keeps every trim piece consistent from one grille to the next.
- Metal finished by hand, to clean up the welds and get the surface ready for its final finish.
Headlight trim pieces after welding in the jig, before metal finishing.
Building one set of headlight trim takes about 8 hours of hands-on labor, before the grille is even assembled.
The center: 1/8-inch aluminum with a 3D profile
The center section is built from 8-gauge (1/8-inch) aluminum. Instead of cutting one flat panel, we weld the center together from multiple parts to create its three-dimensional profile. That gives the grille real depth and makes it stand out from flat, stamped designs.
Aluminum keeps the large center section strong without adding unnecessary weight to the front of the truck.
Test-fitting the stainless headlight trim and the aluminum center around a factory headlight.
Why it takes 5–6 weeks
Every grille is built to order, and the forming, jig welding and metal finishing can't be rushed. That's why we quote 5–6 weeks for our 2023–2026 Super Duty grilles. Color matching can add about another week.
The finished grille
A finished 5-piece grille on a 2023+ Super Duty, with the stainless headlight trim and 3D aluminum center installed together.
Choose your design
We offer three designs for the 2023–2026 F-250, F-350 and F-450:
- Design 1 and Design 2: Two-layer grilles with a studded frame and a mount for your OEM Ford emblem, $2,150 each.
- LED Grille: Customizable center text with a glow option, $2,500.
All three include the four headlight trim pieces as part of the 5-piece set.
Shop 2023–2026 Ford Super Duty grilles
Before you order
Ford built the 2023 and newer Super Duty in several trims, each with its own front-end equipment. Before ordering, send us your year, model and trim, and tell us whether your truck has a front camera, sensors or adaptive cruise control. We'll confirm the right fit before we start building.
For a comparison of every Super Duty generation we build for, see our 2017–2026 Ford Super Duty grille guide.
