Minimising stone chips - exploring options

[pastapete]

Some strategies other than car bras or 3M clear bra kits can help to some degree. On a recent trip I pulled right off the single lane bitumen, and the passing 4WD, towing caravan, still pulled off into the gravel and sprayed me with a shotgun blast of stones. What really annoyed me was that when I put up my hand to brace the windscreen (old reflex action) the guy waved at me like he thought we were buddies...

A more recent trip with another NC proved again that even pulling right off the road and stopping completely will not stop some morons from pulling off into the gravel just because they can. But then we got a really pleasant surprise, came across an old XD Falcon wagon, the driver pulled off the road and stopped, giving us the bitumen lane! SO, although common courtesy isn't so common anymore, it's still out there...

Noticed that most of my stone chip damage is the lower panels immediately behind the front wheels (above the plastic sill covers), so I bought a $44 Supercheap kit of clear plastic protector, seems to be working fine, and is almost completely invisible.

Of course, I could fit some nice long rubber mudflaps
So much for the 'lucky country' - almost 3rd world roads in much of the country side, and Thai dentists coming out to do free work on our teeth...

[JBT]

.....I bought a $44 Supercheap kit of clear plastic protector, seems to be working fine, and is almost completely invisible.

More details? Pics?

[AJ]

i my experience, guarding against stone chips is a lost cause, wherever you put stuff to protect against them, they just find different places to hit, especially on a low slung car like the MX5

[pastapete]

Yes, there is a degree of inevitability about stonechips, but IMHO it's worth taking reasonable steps to reduce them. Most of mine are caused by having wider tyres and wider track, more stones being flicked up. Yes, I could put stock rims and tyres back on, but that's not my choice...

Last time I touched up multiple stone chips, I could see a pattern, mostly in the one area on each side.

[JBT]

Very interesting stuff. Does it come off without much drama when it needs replacing?

[pastapete]

Comes with a 3 year guarantee against yellowing or otherwise braking down in UV, and peels off easily should the need arise to replace it. I haven't tried applying it to the section below the grille yet, but the instructions suggest that curved surfaces shouldn't be a drama.

I'm sure it's nowhere near the quality of the 3M products, but it's also nowhere near the price. You can get kits designed for motorbikes (thinner) or 4WD (thicker) but the stuff I've put on so far looks sufficient to deflect the usual gravel that I encounter.

It may not be a solution that suits everyone, but to me it's better than doing nothing at all...

[PUR157]

...when I put up my hand to brace the windscreen (old reflex action)

Mythbusters to the rescue!
I think it was on an SBS episode they had a while ago, they tested that myth...

Lets just say... if it is flung with enough force to break a laminated or tempered glass window... your hand has no chance... (whether or not you being Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime helped was not tested though)


I hope this wasnt a case of "dont believe everything you see on TV"

[pastapete]

It wasn't such a myth when I started driving in the 70's, which was why I acknowledged it as an 'old reflex action' The days of digging little pebbles of glass out of every crevice in the car don't really seem so long ago...
No laminated or tempered glass then?

[metris]

REBIRTH!!!

Does anyone think that the 4wd version would protect the paint well with a bit of amatuer rally driving??? khanacross, club rally, etc...

[bigdog]

Comes with a 3 year guarantee against yellowing or otherwise braking down in UV, and peels off easily should the need arise to replace it. I haven't tried applying it to the section below the grille yet, but the instructions suggest that curved surfaces shouldn't be a drama.

Prepare for drama, believe me! I fitted the stuff to the leading edge of my bonnet thinking I would try there before attempting the bumper area. To start with the '4WD' kit (it covers more area than the std kit) only managed to cover the front of the bonnet... must be very small 4WD's in the USA

total time spent - 2 hours! The stuff will not conform to complex curves without lots off heat and pressure. And you can forget about cutting a template first - it won't 'unroll' from its packet enough to allow this. No way would i attempt a bumper after this experience. I am told that Polaris do the best job in clear stone protect - a friend has his BA GT Falcon front end covered by them - no joins or seams at all, so very nice to look at.

[NMX516]

Heard a great way to touch up chips on solid colours on the weekend - nail polish!! Ever noticed how smooth it is on nails?! No brush marks, and is designed to fill in any imperfections. I haven't tried it yet, but it's on the short list of \"to-do's\"

[AJ]

old trick Gerard

btw, when you grab some, get a bottle for me willya??...........you'd probably pass as an ageing Goth wannabe, i wouldn't

[wun911]

ehhhh is this what you guys use to protect the front of the car from stone chips??

http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Pe ... 1161C.html

BTW I got heaps of little stone chips on the front now who in melbourne can fix em?

[bruce]

Simple. Stay away from gravel and don't follow cars closely.

[NMX516]

btw, when you grab some, get a bottle for me willya??...........you'd probably pass as an ageing Goth wannabe, i wouldn't

Yeah ok, or maybe we/I could con Lu into geting us all some!!