Grills 101 - Billet Grill Material Types

When it comes to auto trim design, great looks mean nothing if the item is made from substandard materials. Auto accessories must be as good as or exceed original equipment manufacturer's quality, particularly billet grills. They must survive continuous exposure to harsh weather, sunlight and dampness. Plus, they come in constant contact with everything in the traffic patternruck debris, metal parts, rocks, animals, insectsll of which come flying at you every time you drive down the road.

That is why BilletAnything always uses only the finest and strongest materials to ensure even in the harshest conditions that it will last a lifetime.

ABS Plastic Billet Grilles
Widely used across the entire automobile accessories spectrum, ABS Plastic is a lightweight, rigid and durable thermoplastic material. ABS Plastic is not as strong as stainless steel or aluminum. It offers the least protection, deflecting under finger pressure. The cheapest look of all billet grill material available is the ABS Plastic.

Aluminum Billet Grilles
The material most widely used in the billet grill industry is aluminum. Aluminum is known for its strength, versatility, low-density, durability. However it is too flimsy, which explains why parts tend to bend out of shape after a while. The major problem, however, is that all are vulnerable to corrosion. While there are seven different types of aluminum alloy, billet grill manufacturers use either the 5xxx or 6xxx series. The difference between these two types is that 5xxx series aluminum uses magnesium as its principal alloy, which makes it mildly to moderately strong, while the 6xxx series relies on a mixture of magnesium and silicon to produce higher-strength aluminum.

Stainless Steel Billet Grilles
Known all over the world for its strength and rust resistance, stainless steel is a popular metal used for manufacturing billet grills. The reason that it resists rust so successfully is its high chromium content. In fact, for steel to be considered stainless, it must contain at least 10.5% chromium.

As with aluminum, types of stainless steel vary. Of the two types used in billet grills, the less costly 409 series is commonly used for many different automotive accessories because of its sturdiness. The other type of stainless steel, 304, is another popular automotive metal chosen for its much brighter and better finish. It has higher chromium content for the ultimate in corrosion resistance. BilletAything uses only 304 stainless and then the finish is triple chrome-plated, a BilletAything exclusive. In addition, BilletAything grills are constructed of rectangular tubing for exceptional strength and reflectivity, rather than round tubing that is much weaker and cannot produce a mirror effect. One BilletAything user actually stood on a grill component supported by wood blocks, with absolutely no damage to the trim (he weighs about 200 lbs.)!