Hood deflector needed!

[Oneshotlucky]

Who’s got what!? I know the bug deflector is not going to stop rocks. What I’m looking for is something to minimize the amount of bugs splatter!
I have been looking at Mopar’s AVS aero shield 2 and ERG? (I think that’s right). If anyone has any one of the 3 listed I would appreciate some feedback on how they are working out for you plz?!

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[sharpsicle]

Take a look at these threads for some ideas and feedback on what's out there:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/does-a-bug-deflector-work.31374/
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/i-have-been-ordered-to-buy-a-bug-deflector.45368/
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/bug-deflector.21110/

 

[Dakotaz]

I have the Mopar deflector and currently in AZ there some massive bees that have a suicide mission going on. These are big bees and the bug deflector does not stop them doing 50/60 MPH in town. Not sure how it will work on the highway for "normal" bugs...

 

[Volt3894]

I use this Bushwacker deflector that I found on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QC8HXMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It seems to work well- I have less bug splat since installing it- I think. I also think it completes the look of the front end too.

 

[kevman65]

You're not going to get rid of bug splatter, you're going to move it up the windshield.

I have a version of this, https://www.amazon.com/GZYF-Protect...ladiator+hood+deflector&qid=1652367178&sr=8-8

The name of the company seems to change often and yes it is Chinese like most of them.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have the Mopar deflector and currently in AZ there some massive bees that have a suicide mission going on. These are big bees and the bug deflector does not stop them doing 50/60 MPH in town. Not sure how it will work on the highway for "normal" bugs...

You hit on the main thing - it depends on how aerodynamic the "bug" is, and how wind affects the trajectory. Bumble bees are about as aerodynamic as a Wrangler (damn, I just lost 10 points for using the words "aerodynamic" and "Wrangler" in the same sentence)
Smaller bugs it seems to move them up higher. I have more splatter at the top and on the front of the roof than I used to.
Around here it's windy a lot and with a good side-wind, it won't do a lot of good because the bugs are coming in from the side and there's little can be done. But on a calm day, I can't say it resolves the issue, but does move them higher.
Prior to the deflector going on, the bugs were more even, wipers and lower part of glass on up was pretty evenly marked with bugguts as my wife calls it.
I noticed something interesting based on photos I took of my truck after driving to Colorado Springs and back - where the KS and NE bugs were in the millions all over the front of the truck.
The windshield, side mirrors, every forward facing surface had those small bugs littering it fairly evenly.
After the deflector - I noticed the side mirrors had the same riddling of bugguts while the windshield wasn't as badly covered. So I'd say it reduced them. On some days, wind depending, and based on the bugs out that week, it typically moves many of them upward. Like I say - my roof front edge has a lot more bugs than it used to.
Before - glass and mirrors looked like they had the same coverage.
After - the side mirrors continued to have the same coverage, this time the glass wasn't as bad as the mirrors.
A fix? No. But a bit of relief.

Like I do, I research things to death, hours spent on a topic, research, reading, looking for actual test results and so on. What I found was that those deflectors that stand more upright didn't help at all because once the air - and bugs - got passed it, it was like the wind over the mountains - back down the other side and back to the same old path. Those with a more slanted profile, more subtle, did more good. The upright like sold in the 80s - worthless.
The more expensive designs are actually wind tunnel tested - proven to be of help and tweaked in shape and surface to try to maximize the effect.
A lot of testing has been done so now computer models have been made based on live wind tunnel testing so they can be tested on computer. You get what you pay for because the better ones use those past tests and the modern modeling based on those tests. The cheap ones just look good.
None of them are perfect. The best ones help - how much? That depends.......
That's what my week worth of evening reading told me. Do with that whatever........

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have the Mopar deflector and currently in AZ there some massive bees that have a suicide mission going on. These are big bees and the bug deflector does not stop them doing 50/60 MPH in town. Not sure how it will work on the highway for "normal" bugs...

Our bumble bees and carpenter bees (they are huge and can be mean) are dangerous when riding a motorcycle. I'll never forget riding my Yamaha at 60 mph going home after work, t-shirt, WHAM. I thought i'd been shot. I had a heck of a huge welt, it was red. I think he hit me butt first. I saw it coming but what do you do on a bike at that speed? Swerve to miss it? LOL
I felt that thing for hours if not longer.

 

[MPMB]

I have the Ventshade Bugdeflector II with Auto Debris Trajectory Assistance (/s if you couldn't tell).

It does not stop bugs nor rocks, as evidenced by my lovely 8" crack that starts between the wipers and heads straight up.

What it does do, and was totally weird, is create a bubble behind it and above the hood, extending to the windshield.

I was driving back from WY in a windy snowstorm. It was hard to see, and the Jeep's wiper delay system could use a bit of work. I reached down for something as I was driving, and my view got incredibly better.

Sat back up in the seat and the windshield needed to be wiped.

Crouched down, and it was mostly clear.

The deflector creates a "dead space" where most of the snow wouldn't hit the windshield in the bottom half.

 

[olegs]

I have the Mopar deflector in Fla.
It sits about 1.5-2 inches above the hood.
It does cut down on bug splatter significantly.
It may help with stones flying at the windshield also. (At least it makes me feel better thinking that.)

 

[staying_tuned]

I've got the bushwacker one as well as of a week ago. I haven't noticed a difference in total amount of bugs hitting the windshield to the extent that the bottom of my windshield is picking up as many splatters as the top post install. I have to believe it has a minimal impact. That said, I ended up having to correct a fair amount of chips up front during a 20k mile refresh so I was more concerned with simply protecting the front lip of the hood and from that perspective, it was well worth it for me.

The finish texture fits well with anything that has a fine texture powder coat but it certainly isn't a match for OEM black plastics until you dress it with something. This pic is post ceramic but any ol' back-2-black standard dressing will make it melt in and look OEM.

 

[NC_Overland]

You're not going to get rid of bug splatter, you're going to move it up the windshield.

I have a version of this, https://www.amazon.com/GZYF-Protect...ladiator+hood+deflector&qid=1652367178&sr=8-8

The name of the company seems to change often and yes it is Chinese like most of them.

This. I don’t regret buying mine, but it only helps with the bottom half of the windshield.

I have the bushwhacker looking one, but IIRC it’s a different brand. ARE I think.

edit:
AVS

 

[Deemo]

You're not going to get rid of bug splatter, you're going to move it up the windshield.

I have a version of this, https://www.amazon.com/GZYF-Protect...ladiator+hood+deflector&qid=1652367178&sr=8-8

The name of the company seems to change often and yes it is Chinese like most of them.

correct you are , i have the bushwacker and while i love the look it has however pushed the bug splat right around eye level since i installed it , oh well the jeep is like driving a flat board against the wind anyways

 

[Komato]

correct you are , i have the bushwacker and while i love the look it has however pushed the bug splat right around eye level since i installed it , oh well the jeep is like driving a flat board against the wind anyways

Looks good! What size tires you running? Lift?

 

[Lunentucker]

I use this Bushwacker deflector that I found on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QC8HXMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It seems to work well- I have less bug splat since installing it- I think. I also think it completes the look of the front end too.

That's the one I used as well.
It seems to be doing a decent job and I like the look.

 

[DirkG]

Another nod for the Bushwacker. I still get bug splats as others have said, but my reason for it was to deflect road debris and rocks from the highway.

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