Bug Shield Mounting Question

[softail250]

I decided I wanted a bug shield/hood protector for my new Silvy as soon as I bought it. My previous truck ( '02 Super Duty ) still had the "Ford" brand bug shield that I bought the same day i took delivery of that truck almost 9 years and 102,000 miles ago on it when i traded it. So, having had good luck with the manufacturer's brand ( which is probably still made by Lund ) I decided to by one from the Chevy dealer. I can't believe how these things mount. The rivnuts in the hood....ok.....the solid mounting of metal brackets to the shield, and the tape to protect the edges of the hood....ok...but those stupid spring clips that they use are just ...well...stupid. After a slight pissin contest with the dealer that my g/f and I had just spent over 70k at, and another $600 in accy. at the parts dept, they agreed to take my bug shield back, sans the rivnuts of course. Here's my question, do ANY of the aftermarket shields for my '10 Silverado mount WITHOUT actually having anything touch the outside of the hood ? Tell me what you got and how it's mounted.

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My AVS sits at least an inch off my hood, but my truck is totally different.

[softail250]

My AVS sits at least an inch off my hood, but my truck is totally different.

Maybe I worded that incorrectly. The shield itself doesn't touch the hood, it's the mounting brackets. The metal brackets actually slide over the edge of the hood. They give you this mylar tape that goes on the hood edge where the metal bracket slides over it, but I can't see that tape lasting long, I already had one piece get worn through just while taking the shield on and off once during installation for fitment. Somebody has got to make one that that mounts solidly enough under the hood that it doesn't need to be mechanically attached to the edge or top of the hood. I don't even mind if I have to install those little "bumpers" on the hood, just don't want a metal bracket with a piece of tape.

[snarkee]

i have the avs....there are 3 holes on the inside of the hood.....you insert a rubber gromet into each......a screw goes into each gromet as it is threaded on the inside....as you tighten the screw, the rubber expands making it tight.....and there are 2 strips of 2 way tape for the inside lip under the hood.

 

 

no metal brackets

[tanked_darren]

i have the avs....there are 3 holes on the inside of the hood.....you insert a rubber gromet into each......a screw goes into each gromet as it is threaded on the inside....as you tighten the screw, the rubber expands making it tight.....and there are 2 strips of 2 way tape for the inside lip under the hood.

 

 

no metal brackets

 

OK I had this set up and just so you guys know, these grommets do deteriorate come loose, and the the shield can flop in the wind, rubbing on the underside of the hood.

 

Other than that its a good setup, comes with four tiny small clear "cushions" to stick on the top of the hood where the shield may contact if it were pushed on.

[softail250]

Which avs shield is that ? Bugflector ? Bugflector II ? Anybody have any idea about the EGR or Weathertech shields ?

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they're all gonna have those metal brackets, it's just the AVS ones are plastic. And they're not brackets, they're more of a groment to have something to bolt into.

[softail250]

I don't mind the metal brackets under the hood, it's when the metal brackets actually clamp onto the top painted surface of the hood that bothers me, kinda hard to explain without seeing one I guess. As far as the grommets that you're talking about, I've seen those , and actually the Chevy shields have a better idea there ( i think anyway) , they give you rivnuts that you permanently install at 3 spots under the hood, one directly in the middle, and one on each side ( almost at the edge of the hood). I realize I'm going to have to re-use those rivnut holes with a new shield, but that shouldn't be a problem.

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I've never seen actual brackets that touch the paint on a bugflector.

[softail250]

Here's a pic of the installation instructions. The pen tip is pointed at where the hood goes, and on the other two mounting brackets, you can see where the bracket gets "slid" on the hood. They give you these little pices of mylar tape to put on the hood that's supposed to keep it from being scratched by the metal brackets. This is the Chevy setup that i don't like, I can't believe that those pieces of tape are going to last year after year without wearing through, then you have metal to metal contact on the hood.

[sc4808]

I had one on a Ford that attached the way you are talking about and yes it did destroy the paint on the hood (I bought the truck used and it was already on it).

 

I have one on my 03 and on my 08 that is made by Lund and niether of these touch the painted surface in any way.

 

The one on my 08 came from Cabelas and has the Cabelas tag but it looks like it was made by Lund.

[Ranger482]

I have the weathertech bug shield and there is no metal on it. It has the rubber gromets like mentioned before and two strips of padded, double sided tape to hold it snug. No holes are drilled and there is nothing to rub on the metal. It's been well worth the money....

[4wd]

I have the GM one, strong setup, looks perfect....

[dogzapper]

Here's a pic of the installation instructions. The pen tip is pointed at where the hood goes, and on the other two mounting brackets, you can see where the bracket gets "slid" on the hood. They give you these little pices of mylar tape to put on the hood that's supposed to keep it from being scratched by the metal brackets. This is the Chevy setup that i don't like, I can't believe that those pieces of tape are going to last year after year without wearing through, then you have metal to metal contact on the hood.

 

 

I bought one like that, with the "Chevrolet" brand name on it when I bought my stupid 2002 Avalanche (it was the first Avalanche in Portland and probably the first Chevrolet bug shield for an Avalanche). If I remember correctly, it was made in Australia and I remember thinking, "They had to go halfway around the world, only to totally screw-up this amazingly simple part???"

 

Yeah, silly heavy metal mounting brackets and a totally weird mounting system that really never fit right. And, of course, it scratched the inside of the hood folds.

 

I returned mine after a couple of days .... the parts manager hung his head and said. "Yup, it's stupid, but it isn't my fault." I ordered a Weathertech and it fit absolutely perfectly; closer to the hood, no scratching and a perfect accent to the Avalanche.

 

When I bought my brand-new 2010 1500 CC/SB Silverado a couple of months ago, I ordered another Weathertech bug guard. The Weathertech hood protector again fit absolutely perfectly.

 

As a matter of fact, when outfitting my new Silverado, I liked the Weathertech floor mats so well that I ordered literally EVERYTHING Weathertech; hood protector, in-channel window thingies and what-all. About the only non-Weathertech accessory I opted for is locally-made heavy-duty mud flaps (and they were hand-fitted and superb).

 

Steve

[mworld938]

I recommend you look at 3M Clear Bra or Expel or similiar product. It is a clear film but thick in mills to protect from chips. I got a quote for $240 for the whole front end. You can wax over it and if you grow to hate you can simply peel it off.