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What are the best (most protective ) splash guards. cant tell much of a difference between them in the pics, but some appear to be a bit larger which i would assume would block more debris. anyone know which ones are better?
You really only have two choices. GM has them for the fronts and rears, they stick out a little bit from the sides and seem to do a pretty good job of providing protection. ACS makes guards for the front only. Theirs are a little bit wider and longer to stick out under the car a little bit for added protection.
I have the ACS on my fronts, but I couldn't quantify if they actually do more than the GM ones. Common sense says yes because they're a little bit bigger. I do know that adding side skirts will provide a lot more protection than just the splash guards.
You really only have two choices. GM has them for the fronts and rears, they stick out a little bit from the sides and seem to do a pretty good job of providing protection. ACS makes guards for the front only. Theirs are a little bit wider and longer to stick out under the car a little bit for added protection.
I have the ACS on my fronts, but I couldn't quantify if they actually do more than the GM ones. Common sense says yes because they're a little bit bigger. I do know that adding side skirts will provide a lot more protection than just the splash guards.
I put on the GM ones (easiest install ever!) and drove for several weeks before I got around to installing side skirts. There was definitely some dirt / mud splashes on the lower panels - particularly by the rear wheels where there are factory cleartastic like protection - but also under the door. Therefore if you aren't going with side skirts, I'd opt for the slightly bigger ACS guards. Having said that the ACS side skirts look AMAZING!
Great. Thanks guys! The acs it is. I'll check out the side skirts too I have a steep driveway with a big curb, how much lower are the side skirts? Don't want to destroy them getting into the garage lmao. I wanted to get the splash guards before my museum pickup so I don't get any dmg on the long ride home.
Great. Thanks guys! The acs it is. I'll check out the side skirts too I have a steep driveway with a big curb, how much lower are the side skirts? Don't want to destroy them getting into the garage lmao. I wanted to get the splash guards before my museum pickup so I don't get any dmg on the long ride home.
The sides skirts bolt / rivet directly to the underside of the car, so almost nothing there but they do have a 1/2" lip....so I'd say that's about all of the difference. I think most people are more worried about the front splitter for going over curbs ets - I bought the GM poverty splitter ( a little over $100) but haven't installed that yet as I want to paint it first.
I have the ACS for the front and the GM for the back. If you have side skirts, definitely go with the ACS, as the GM ones will leave a gap. Even without side skirts, the little extra coverage can make a difference, and they don't look particularly large when installed.
I have the ACS side skirts, fit and finish top notch, great protection too. I had the ACS front guard and found it looked out of scale, too big, opted for GM ones that flair out about 1". Very happy with this set up.
I went with the O'Reilly splash guards on the front of mine. Paid $13 for them, I think, and had to trim them but if I didn't point them out you would think they were OEM. Looking from the back of the car, they stick out just far enough that the front tire is completely covered, so no debris is being thrown back.
After about 200 miles of driving from new without any front splash guards I was seeing a pattern of water/dirt/crud being thrown onto the side of door/rocker going back as far as rear wheel. Installed ACS and after another 200 miles these water/dirt/crud patterns were gone.
So...IMO the ACS guards are the way to go.
VH
You really only have two choices. GM has them for the fronts and rears, they stick out a little bit from the sides and seem to do a pretty good job of providing protection. ACS makes guards for the front only. Theirs are a little bit wider and longer to stick out under the car a little bit for added protection.
I have the ACS on my fronts, but I couldn't quantify if they actually do more than the GM ones. Common sense says yes because they're a little bit bigger. I do know that adding side skirts will provide a lot more protection than just the splash guards.
The ACS are ~3/4 inch deeper than the GM Splash Guards I had on my C7 Z51. For my new Grand Sport, with it's wider front tires, posters convinced me to buy the ACS. Glad I did.
Originally Posted by murtro
I put on the GM ones (easiest install ever!) and drove for several weeks before I got around to installing side skirts. There was definitely some dirt / mud splashes on the lower panels - particularly by the rear wheels where there are factory cleartastic like protection - but also under the door. Therefore if you aren't going with side skirts, I'd opt for the slightly bigger ACS guards. Having said that the ACS side skirts look AMAZING!
Did the same with my 2014 C7 Z51, put on GM Splash Guards and the rears worked as hopped but still getting the GM plastic protection marked by pebbles.
Installed full length side skirts and all marking went away. After a few months removed the GM plastic that was marked and starting to discolor. When I sold the car a few months ago the rocker panels looked new!
For my new Grand Sport ordered the optional Stage 2 aero package to get full length side skirts. Installed ACS front Splash Guards that was easy with the wheels off; you just use a screw driver. As you said, the GM Splash Guards as a "snap" to install, they snap in place! Used GM Splash Guards for the rear, in fact, removed them from my 2014 before it was sold and they cleaned up like new with Meguiar's Ultimate Black!
I have a Grand Sport with Level 2 ground effects package - i.e. the full length side skirts. Installed the ACS splash guards on the front and GM splash guards on the rear (purchased as package from ACS).
Very happy with performance and protection provided by both. The ACS front splash guards are long enough to protect the leading edge of the side skirts and I'm not getting any debris on top of the side skirts or on the lower rocker panels.
As folks with the GS and Z06 know, the front tires throw up a lot of road debris and I can hear it hitting the bottom of the side skirts but the car body is protected.
Here's a picture of the left front ACS splash guard.
CRI splash guards cut to fit on my GS......yes.....elephant ears....
I like your idea. After all, a splash guard should do what its name implies. BTW- Do you mean, CRE splash guards? And which ones / size? Thanks. CRE SPLASH GUARD MUD FLAPS
These are the O'Reilly mud flaps that I installed on my car. Like I said, for $13 you can't go wrong. I don't have a shot showing them from the rear looking forward but tire is completely covered so that nothing should get past them. I also have side skirts and with those and mud flaps I don't have any rock chips in the side of my car.
O'Reilly mud flaps are RoadSport Premier Series Mudflap, part number 4322, and are $12.99. Thread showing how to mount them is here.
Best splash guards
I put on the GM ones (easiest install ever!) and drove for several weeks before I got around to installing side skirts. There was definitely some dirt / mud splashes on the lower panels - particularly by the rear wheels where there are factory cleartastic like protection - but also under the door. Therefore if you aren't going with side skirts, I'd opt for the slightly bigger ACS guards. Having said that the ACS side skirts look AMAZING! 
I have a steep driveway with a big curb, how much lower are the side skirts? Don't want to destroy them getting into the garage lmao. I wanted to get the splash guards before my museum pickup so I don't get any dmg on the long ride home.
