Splash guards
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 840
Likes: 22
From: Dade City Florida
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
Got my splash guards put on today... less than 10 minutes for both the front and rears.
I wanted these on before my guys come to put on the 3M protective film. The 3M film will go on the front bumper, but also behind the front and rear wheels as an extra layer of protection.
I wanted these on before my guys come to put on the 3M protective film. The 3M film will go on the front bumper, but also behind the front and rear wheels as an extra layer of protection.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 87
Likes: 17
From: Waterloo Illinois
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,500
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From: Severn Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 697
Likes: 50
From: Up North Wisconsin
The GM slash guards will do very little to protect your car. While they will do a little bit to alter the splash pattern for liquid or soft debris they will do nothing for rock protection. In order to do that something has to block the trajectory of the rock such as a guard that is lower at the front wheel, side skirts, or clear film on the paint. Here is the path rocks will take. The lower one is the most common area, the top is the extreme.
At the rear wheel because the bumper cover angles in on the side it will not be hit by rocks. That cannot be said for the lower portions behind the tire.
The Z51 tires threw rocks, unbelievably so. Sticky tires that corner well do that. It was funny, if I back out of my shop quickly will turning, the crushed granite will stick to the tires and get thrown up on top of the hood. I ran a test of a brush style lower extension below the wide GM splash guard with good results behind the front wheel. I covered the bottom of the rear bumper cover with ~6 inches of paint protection film. It is beat to hell in under 4000 miles but it did it's sacrificial job of protecting the paint. It is a quick replacement. This is where it needs paint protection.
Paint protection film is really the only option for rock chips. Skirts will be a major help but they will take the brunt of rock hits from the sticky tires. If you care, they should be filmed too.
Personal preference will dictate the choices. It would be nice if the aftermarket would come up with a front guard with a rubber or brush extension. A rigid one will not work as it will rub on the road upon suspension compression or hook in reverse as it has to be quite low to do the job. To make a mold that fits the GM clip mounting design would take some investment. GM should design a slot in the bottom of the existing wide guard for an insert that could be slid in.
I admire the guys who can just drive, rock chips be damned.
At the rear wheel because the bumper cover angles in on the side it will not be hit by rocks. That cannot be said for the lower portions behind the tire.
The Z51 tires threw rocks, unbelievably so. Sticky tires that corner well do that. It was funny, if I back out of my shop quickly will turning, the crushed granite will stick to the tires and get thrown up on top of the hood. I ran a test of a brush style lower extension below the wide GM splash guard with good results behind the front wheel. I covered the bottom of the rear bumper cover with ~6 inches of paint protection film. It is beat to hell in under 4000 miles but it did it's sacrificial job of protecting the paint. It is a quick replacement. This is where it needs paint protection.
Paint protection film is really the only option for rock chips. Skirts will be a major help but they will take the brunt of rock hits from the sticky tires. If you care, they should be filmed too.
Personal preference will dictate the choices. It would be nice if the aftermarket would come up with a front guard with a rubber or brush extension. A rigid one will not work as it will rub on the road upon suspension compression or hook in reverse as it has to be quite low to do the job. To make a mold that fits the GM clip mounting design would take some investment. GM should design a slot in the bottom of the existing wide guard for an insert that could be slid in.
I admire the guys who can just drive, rock chips be damned.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,112
Likes: 95
From: Blue Springs MO
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I wanted these on before my guys come to put on the 3M protective film. The 3M film will go on the front bumper, but also behind the front and rear wheels as an extra layer of protection.
I wanted these on before my guys come to put on the 3M protective film. The 3M film will go on the front bumper, but also behind the front and rear wheels as an extra layer of protection.
