Are bug shields a worthy investment in terms of reducing rock chips or do they create too much turbulence?

[Pedal Metal]

Are bug shields a worthy investment in terms of reducing rock chips or do they create too much turbulence?

Sponsored

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There's several threads on this. Rocks won't be blown off course if aimed for the windshield - it will protect the front of the hood, though.
Bugs, yes, depending on what you get. some are better than others, some are computer designed based on wind tunnel tests. Some are not.
They don't create turbulence.............
They are for bugs, not rocks.

 

[kevman65]

I got mine for one reason only, to direct the line of dead bug splatter higher on my windshield and out of my sight line.

They will prevent peppering and chipping of paint on the leading edge of the hood, BUT they can cause paint under them to discolor.

 

[domingjm]

I got mine for one reason only, to direct the line of dead bug splatter higher on my windshield and out of my sight line.

They will prevent peppering and chipping of paint on the leading edge of the hood, BUT they can cause paint under them to discolor.

How? The adhesive?

 

[Kevin_D]

How? The adhesive?

Some use adhesive, some are screwed/bolted on.
The deflector will change the amount of UV/IR/visible light passing through it, and that will change how said light affects the finish as compared to light not passing through the deflector.

And I’ve found the Mopar deflector to be pretty much useless.

Kevin

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Some use adhesive, some are screwed/bolted on.
The deflector will change the amount of UV/IR/visible light passing through it, and that will change how said light affects the finish as compared to light not passing through the deflector.

And I’ve found the Mopar deflector to be pretty much useless.

Kevin

Worked for me - of course nothing is 100% but it was a reduction.
No chips on the front edge of the hood - duh - it's covered, but the bugs were higher.
A whole lot depends on the speed you drive, the direction the bugs come from, how light or heavy the bugs are and likely other factors.

I never saw any difference in paint color when I removed mine - but then different colors will behave differently - some colors are more impacted (reds, for example) than others.
So again, YMMV, depending on color (and the amount of light your truck is exposed to along with the angles, intensity, whatever)

Some will have better results than others.

The worst ones are those that stand up like the old days - tests have shown those are definitely worthless.
Modern ones are -
Designed using a wind tunnel,
or
designed using computer simulations of a wind tunnel,
or
designed just to look good or be cool and haven't been run through either of the above.

Sponsored