Hood Deflector really work?

[JimmyZ]

Trying to prevent my windshield from getting cracked. Had to replace the one in my Wrangler 4 times in 5 years. Do these Bronco Aeroskin II Black Textured Trail-Armor Hood Deflector really work for that? Also has anyone painted theirs to match the hood color?

https://www.ford.com/product/hood-protector-trailarmor-aeroskin-ii-black-textured-p2918445229

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[Iceman62]

I'm at least going to try, rocks here in Omaha are everywhere, from winter street treatments. You can get the same thing on Amazon, but cheaper. Search for "Broaddict Hood Deflector."

https://www.amazon.com/Broaddict-De...hood+deflector+for+2024+bronco,aps,128&sr=8-3

 

[Taltyman]

Trying to prevent my windshield from getting cracked. Had to replace the one in my Wrangler 4 times in 5 years. Do these Bronco Aeroskin II Black Textured Trail-Armor Hood Deflector really work for that? Also has anyone painted theirs to match the hood color?

https://www.ford.com/product/hood-protector-trailarmor-aeroskin-ii-black-textured-p2918445229

Same issue with our Jeep and already have 2 cracks in our Braptor at 15 months. Ours also had a window film installed. That didn't seem to help. They only list Bronco as an option so not sure it would even fit a Braptor. At $89 it may be worth a try.

 

[Golfsnob]

I have it on mine and to date have no windshield cracks.

 

[tomfoolery]

I could be mistaken here, but I’m pretty certain those are only intended to protect the leading edge of your hood from rock chips in the paint, nothing to do with your windshield.

 

[KillerPenz]

I could be mistaken here, but I’m pretty certain those are only intended to protect the leading edge of your hood from rock chips in the paint, nothing to do with your windshield.

That's about all they do, and decrease the amount of bug guts on the windshield. Which with the way my hood was looking, makes this well worth it.

I still catch rocks even though I have the hood protector.

 

[Dreamer]

I could be mistaken here, but I’m pretty certain those are only intended to protect the leading edge of your hood from rock chips in the paint, nothing to do with your windshield.

I believe the hood deflector also creates a little different wind patterns/turbulence while driving.

Had nothing on my bronco for a while and receive several small chips lowdown on the windshield

Since installing the deflector, the only chips I’ve received are much higher up on the window

Definitely reduce the number of bug splats too

from what I can see, I would say it works. The only downside is that the washer fluid goes everywhere if you try to use it at highway speeds. Very little hits the window anymore.

 

[OtisFE]

I have it on mine and to date have no windshield cracks.

Same for me.

 

[Brian_B]

It certainly helps but it’s not a 100% guarantee

After getting a bunch of pits in the first few months I got one. Two weeks later got my first crack ><

But in the months since then only 1 more minor pit, and I do a lot of dirt and gravel road driving - so it definitely helps

 

[SkyKing]

It will protect the leading edge of the the hood where it covers it. There is simply no way that the small change in the wind pattern on your hood would somehow change the direction of a rock! There is a reason they just call them "hood" deflectors, and there are no supporting wind tunnel tests that are marketed to show the wind altering the path of rocks or bugs. If you think you have fewer rock chips on your windshield because of this, you must have missed high school physics.

 

[PWillette]

Not 100% guaranteed but in three years over highways, city and logging roads mine has worked great deflecting debris and bugs.

 

[kr_1315]

No amount of protection can overcome how ugly these deflectors are.

 

[userdude]

I went on long trips both before and after getting this same hood deflector, and I can tell you, I get a lot less bugs on the bottom 60% of the windshield. I think that's a hint. It isn't 100% effective, as others have said, but it does help. Making the affected part of the window smaller is only going to help, even if you might still get a rock chip (I got one on the passenger side about a year after putting it on).

 

[OffRoadUSA.com]

Hood deflectors definitely can help with bug splatter and minor debris/rock chips. Overall, they’re a solid option for some extra protection but not a guarantee that you'll avoid windchips chips or racks

 

[Headsong]

I have both these AND Exoshield-like covering. The AeroII's will bump some stuff over the windshiled, but not all. I have a lot of pits from hits in the plastic, so for sure they don't do as I'd hoped. But the plastic coating does! 35k mi, no cracks.

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