newbie-ish looking for opinions

[sb66]

hey everyone - new to me 2021 Ram 1500 big horn quad cab - i was looking at some different bug guards to help protect the hood - especially on some longer freeway trips - and i was curious if there was a prevailing favorite here - i have see the avs low profile stick on, avs bug shield and even some clear lamin-x stuff that protects paint. I have almost always had one of these on my trucks - but the variety is growing and installation has changed a bit too (lot of tape) - anyhow - thought i would throw it out to the experts and see what you thougt

thanks

Sean

 

[tron67j]

I tried to have a 3m clear bra installed and the place screwed it up. Was my preferred, but now have a AVS that sits flush with adhesive tape. I had extra 3m automotive red-backed tape for extra hold, working fine 1 year in.

 

[sb66]

thanks - the low style avs looks slick - i was not too sure about tape and messing up the alignment - still good look!

 

[Kickboxer]

The consensus is that those hood deflectors do not work for much of anything.
So save your money and forget about it.

 

[sb66]

really - not much protection for hood? - i would have thought they might offer some help vs. chips from debri and such on freeway? - -if not then i will spend on something else . ...

 

[Tulecreeper]

The consensus is that those hood deflectors do not work for much of anything.
So save your money and forget about it.

really - not much protection for hood? - i would have thought they might offer some help vs. chips from debri and such on freeway? - -if not then i will spend on something else . ...

The only part of the hood it would protect is the 2 or 3 inch strip directly behind where it is attached. Most rocks and debris are too heavy to be deflected by the little bit of updraft above it. And any bugs coming in higher than maybe 6-inches above it are not going to be deflected either and will still hit your windshield.

 

[DanAR]

My belief exactly. If you look at any wind tunnel tests with smoke over the hood, you don’t get a lift or deflection in the air stream over the hood edge and a deflector basically just plates the hood edge. Any little lip or flip on the deflector will just move the air flow up slightly before it falls back to the hood surface. The air stream follows the hood curvature closely and then the windshield. But that’s just my 2cents (mostly worthless) opinion. But they will protect the most damage-prone area of the nose of the hood.

 

[sb66]

thanks everyone - really appreciate all opinions! - definitely ponder it a little more before throwing money at it just yet

 

[Marshall]

It will save the front of the hood, But back in the days of gravel roads, saving the glass was the point, the only one that seem to work where the big ugly ones that stood up high.
My largest truck had one and never got a rock chip, the other 2,3 tons both had large chips.
When I bought a new 2005 1/2t I meant a horse trailer on the highway 30 miles from the dealer and the trailer tossed a rock up and had a huge divot. I had all the insurance transferred from the old one, You can't buy plates in this province with out full insurance, and I always add extra glass coverage, especially with rain sensors, that really adds to the price,
I have not used any thing for the last few years, but not on gravel anymore.

 

[JDSR]

I have weathertech, it bolts on and works great.