Installing the WeatherTech Hood Protector

[bdaniel230]

I just received the AVS BugDeflector II for my Maverick and it in fact mounts using four of the panel pin holes on the underside of the hood.
First Pic is the end of the weather stripping where you can see the aqua panel pin that holds the weatherstrip up to the hood.

You need to get the narrowest panel clip removal tool as those pins are about 5/32" diameter and a narrow tool can catch both sides of the arrow that is in the hood.
Just get behind the weatherstrip and the pin and pop them out. I use a plastic pin remover that looks like a tack puller.

The instructions say to just pull out the ones behind the four holes but they also want you to grease pencil the hood to mark the placement. No grease pencil needed if you take the entire strip off. I put it back after the deflector was on and it keeps the thing from rattling when you are running down the highway.

And if you aren't careful they get screwed up. The kit comes with four but I, fortunately had four pins that were longer and fit the hole better than the ones that come with the kit. You can pick them up at any Ford dealership. They are the same as the clips that hold the weatherstrip on the hood of a 2019 Escape.

It took longer to get two coats of Carnuba on the hood before I put the deflector on than it did to install it. In all it took about 30 minutes. but it looks pretty good, notice how much wider it is than the Aeroskin and Weathertech. It is overall about six inches wider and protects the entire lip oif the hood and fenders. and with the weatherstrip between it and the hood rail it doesn't rattle around at all and you can barely see it at the end of the hood when you are in the driver's seat.

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[Grim_Skunk]

Thanks for the update on the bug deflector ii... I'll be get this one!

 

[FriscoTXJoe]

Can you run the truck through a quality, soft brush auto wash without the deflector getting damaged?

Do these make the hood shake at all?

Thank you!

 

[FDT93]

Can you run the truck through a quality, soft brush auto wash without the deflector getting damaged?

Do these make the hood shake at all?

Thank you!

I have not experienced any "hood shake" at least up to about 80 Mph.
I just went through a car wash at a local Buc'ees for the first time. I was a little nervous going through the first time. But there was no damage at all.

 

[pxpaulx]

It looks glossier than the one Ford sells, does that seem to be accurate? I was going to get the WeatherTech myself, but I'm not in love with that glossy look.

Looks the exact same to me. Wouldn't surprise me if they are made in the same place with a different logo attached/etched. I personally like the small etched Ford logo on its version - it is barely visible unlike the weathertech one that is fairly obvious here.

 

[bdaniel230]

Can you run the truck through a quality, soft brush auto wash without the deflector getting damaged?

Do these make the hood shake at all?

Thank you!

I drove on I-84 the next day and paid attention to the hood. No shaking at all. The deflector ends at the same height as the body line above the hood lip. so you don't see the top of the deflector except for the outboard above the headlight and just about 1/8" is all. After reading about hood shake I have been very observant of the hood. Mine is tight and has no added motion. There is no shaking or any indication that it isn't as tight to the body as the fenders or doors. I am pretty happy with the construction of this unibody truck. The only concern I have is if it will fold in half if I need to stop fast with the trailer attached or off-road pulling the trailer. We shall see how it behaves. I am paying close attention to the weight and height of the truck with the trailer attached.

 

[Old Hickory Trojan]

I drove on I-84 the next day and paid attention to the hood. No shaking at all. The deflector ends at the same height as the body line above the hood lip. so you don't see the top of the deflector except for the outboard above the headlight and just about 1/8" is all. After reading about hood shake I have been very observant of the hood. Mine is tight and has no added motion. There is no shaking or any indication that it isn't as tight to the body as the fenders or doors. I am pretty happy with the construction of this unibody truck. The only concern I have is if it will fold in half if I need to stop fast with the trailer attached or off-road pulling the trailer. We shall see how it behaves. I am paying close attention to the weight and height of the truck with the trailer attached.

I thought this deflector was for both rocks and bugs so it had an angle to it that pushed those over the windshield. It sounded like yours was tight against the body of the truck. Did I miss something? Also I thought there were four standoffs that kept the deflector from touching the truck's hood since they were taped on the hood. Is this not the case? Could you verify the part number since the instructions I saw for the version II mentioned that. Thanks

 

[bdaniel230]

I thought this deflector was for both rocks and bugs so it had an angle to it that pushed those over the windshield. It sounded like yours was tight against the body of the truck. Did I miss something? Also I thought there were four standoffs that kept the deflector from touching the truck's hood since they were taped on the hood. Is this not the case? Could you verify the part number since the instructions I saw for the version II mentioned that. Thanks

Nope, it actually works fine for bugs and crud. There is enough airflow directed over the top of the hood that bugs go over the roof, mostly. I got a hornet dead center of the windshield but that has happened with almost every bug deflector except the one on my '76 Granada Sport GT. That was a dead vertical deflector that was more of a bug dam than a deflector. It was always coated with mosquitoes and bees a few bumblebees and hornets hit the top of the windshield but few hit the middle of the glass or lower.
I got a rock chip, barely noticeable but it stood out, before I got the deflector, right at the curve of the hood lip. Half an inch lower and it would have gone into the engine bay. So this will stop those and that is what I wanted it for more than anything. The grill on this truck is pretty much an air dam and pushes everything either up to the hood or into the radiator. This will guard the hood against that and it pushes the smaller insects over the roof.

 

[Grim_Skunk]

Installed my bug deflector ii a few days ago. I used my own Retainers (B196), which seems to work fine. The holes are aligned, it just needs a bit of force to align the holes. I love it, its not glued to the hood and looks good with Shadow Black. Seems sturdy, no hood shake yet.

 

[Area51FM]

My Ford Deflector looks the same. It looks great on the truck.

Does the deflector add wind noise?

 

[bdaniel230]

Will look forward to see that as very interested as will be doing my own ceramic vehicle coating, but with a possible late fall or winter delivery, may not be able to coat it till spring with the require temp of 50 plus degrees. Not sure if that is for the full 24 hour curing time. But the ability to be able to coat whenever and to be able to remove the deflector is big plus.

I have installed it and

I just received the AVS BugDeflector II for my Maverick and it in fact mounts using four of the panel pin holes on the underside of the hood.
First Pic is the end of the weather stripping where you can see the aqua panel pin that holds the weatherstrip up to the hood.

You need to get the narrowest panel clip removal tool as those pins are about 5/32" diameter and a narrow tool can catch both sides of the arrow that is in the hood.
Just get behind the weatherstrip and the pin and pop them out. I use a plastic pin remover that looks like a tack puller.

The instructions say to just pull out the ones behind the four holes but they also want you to grease pencil the hood to mark the placement. No grease pencil needed if you take the entire strip off. I put it back after the deflector was on and it keeps the thing from rattling when you are running down the highway.

And if you aren't careful they get screwed up. The kit comes with four but I, fortunately had four pins that were longer and fit the hole better than the ones that come with the kit. You can pick them up at any Ford dealership. They are the same as the clips that hold the weatherstrip on the hood of a 2019 Escape.

It took longer to get two coats of Carnuba on the hood before I put the deflector on than it did to install it. In all it took about 30 minutes. but it looks pretty good, notice how much wider it is than the Aeroskin and Weathertech. It is overall about six inches wider and protects the entire lip oif the hood and fenders. and with the weatherstrip between it and the hood rail it doesn't rattle around at all and you can barely see it at the end of the hood when you are in the driver's seat.

As an update (may 15, 2022) I have had the deflector for a month approximately, and the early bug hatchings are in progress. I have had only large bugs, (i.e. bumble bees, ball head hornets, and either huge moth or other small flying creature), and none have hit the windshield in my field of view and mostly within the top 3' of the windshield. The deflector was pretty well coated with mosquitoes and gnats as was the grill. But the windshield has stayed pretty clear. There is also some tar on the deflector and I have had none on the hood or windshield, so that is a plus I hadn't counted on.

 

[New2AZ]

I ordered the Weathertech deflector today. Got off Amazon rather than weathertech's site. Price is the same if you're paying the $25 shipping at WT.
From the photos I've seen of the various deflectors, I liked WT's design the best. Hoping it arrives and I can get it installed before my first longer road trip!

 

[KimoCarew]

Let us know if it works! I'm thinking about getting one. With the Mav, I notice a TON of bugs splatter on the windshield where on my sedans it's only like %15 of the bug splatter. I'm curious if the deflector can somehow help with that too.

In my experience (I put one on a Honda Pilot) the bug deflector is purely cosmetic. I can't imagine any studies approximating real scientific research on the subject, but hell, R1s research a lot of stuff dumber and less important than the efficacy of bug deflectors.

 

[jwiedle24]

I have installed it and

As an update (may 15, 2022) I have had the deflector for a month approximately, and the early bug hatchings are in progress. I have had only large bugs, (i.e. bumble bees, ball head hornets, and either huge moth or other small flying creature), and none have hit the windshield in my field of view and mostly within the top 3' of the windshield. The deflector was pretty well coated with mosquitoes and gnats as was the grill. But the windshield has stayed pretty clear. There is also some tar on the deflector and I have had none on the hood or windshield, so that is a plus I hadn't counted on.

Any chance you can post a few more pics from different angles? I can’t find any other Mav pics with it besides your one…

 

[Gschaef]

Any issues with the deflector being in contact with the hood? Can grit and road grime get under the deflector, and if so, does it look like that could be cleaned out without removing it?

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