bug shields

[sportin83]

what brand makes a good looking bug shield? how much do they run and where can you get them? i want something but i dont want it to look tacky. i will probably paint it to match the truck.

[TexasF355F1]

Just a word of warning, bug guards do scrape paint.

[sportin83]

are there any that do not hit the paint? i really would like to have them the bugs are always really bad and my old junk s-10 has a bug shield and it blows alot of them over. i want one but dont want to sacrifice looks or damage to the truck.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

Just a word of warning, bug guards do scrape paint.

They sure do. On my '95 it did not touch the hood, but where the metal tabs contacted the bottom of the hood blisters started to form. I took the shield off when I de-hicked it (along with the running boards and mud flaps that the previous owner had installed), but the blisters had come around the edge, and a couple spots flaked off right in plain view.

I'd rather put up with stone ships and bugs over the damage I've seen the shields cause. Some shields will even cause your mirror glass to vibrate as well as the rear edge of the hood.

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by sportin83

are there any that do not hit the paint? i really would like to have them the bugs are always really bad and my old junk s-10 has a bug shield and it blows alot of them over. i want one but dont want to sacrifice looks or damage to the truck.

None of them hit the paint when you're standing still. Once wind hits it, it flaps occasionally. There could be bug guard that doesn't, but I have yet to see one that hasn't messed up paint in some way, shape, or form.

[kenny-1907]

I have owned 3 vehicles now that have had bug deflectors on them for a total between them of about ten years (approx 4 years each) and not one of them had any damage caused by the bug deflectors. The bug deflectors come with little rubber nubs that you stick onto the hood behind the deflector so that it will not hit. You can not even see that they are there on the black tinted deflectors.

[chuck16]

Here is a slightly better front shot of my truck. it rests on the hood in a couple of places but, does not scratch it. It really protects the hood from rock dings but, not so much bugs. For a proper deflector to do well it needs to have a good vertical lip on it to cause a "bubble" over your hood that the bugs loose velocity in.

http://vvv.com/~evan/pimages/silverado1.JPG

[yakk]

An alternative to a bug sheild is to use the clear tape (3M makes it) that will protect from all but the biggest stones.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

None of them hit the paint when you're standing still. Once wind hits it, it flaps occasionally. There could be bug guard that doesn't, but I have yet to see one that hasn't messed up paint in some way, shape, or form.

Me neither. plus they're ugly...strike 2.

[nineball481]

My deflector hadn't scratched my factory hood, and has yet to scratch my cowl hood. It has the protectors on the backside that keep the plastic from touching metal, and underneath it is screwed into factory drilled holes, no bubbling, chipping, or cracking. I'd say if you want one, get one, just make sure you like the way it looks and that it has the protectors and the holes that match up with the factory holes on your hood.

[99redsilverado]

mine has been on since new and it hasnt scratched it at all.....just dont get a cheap one....get bugflector brand or lund...

[sportin83]

nineball481 what brand is yours?

[99redsilverado]

Originally Posted by sportin83

nineball481 what brand is yours?

that looks like bugflector, but wait for him to be certain

[TwentyPints]

i have a lund...it looks nice and fits good.

[nineball481]

Mine is a bugflector II. Sorry for the delay in response, this post slipped by me.... I like the way it looks on the truck, and it hasn't hurt the paint yet....

Jake