Front Guard?

LXL15 · 10-01-2011, 03:04 PM

Hi guys,

Sorry if this is a repost or just a stupid question...

What is this guard under the front of my car? Seeing as how i've managed to rip half of it off, is it worth getting it fixed or should I just pull it off? What does it do/protect from?

Cheers,
Alex

galaxy xr8 · 10-01-2011, 03:12 PM

Just a splash tray, you could try a wrecker's or FTG auto on here.

Beer Baron · 10-01-2011, 04:44 PM

Mine fell off so i used tech screws to hold it on. Its a ***** to get off now but at least it wont fall off.

T3man · 10-01-2011, 05:54 PM

It is a very necessary part of the car for a few reasons so go to Ford and buy a new one - they are "one size fits all" and won't cost you a nut.

artemics · 10-01-2011, 09:10 PM

i just screwed mine back on with the help of a mud flap washer i picked up at Bunnings.

the problem was the screw hole in the guard had been ripped/stretched and the screw didn't have enough plastic to press into to keep the guard in place without the use of a wide washer.

urbancowboy · 10-01-2011, 10:26 PM

LXL15. They are called a radiator deflector if i recall correctly, my work sells a few of them every day! They are there to force the air that goes in through your front bumper inlet to go through the radiator, they will keep the car running cooler on a hot day, and without it the cars aerodynamics will be affected and you will have more front end lift. You could go as far as saying that its also a guard.

From memory they retail for around a couple of hundred, be sure you buy the correct fitting clips etc and inspect the underside of you car for if any of your other under car plastics have also been damaged.

T3man. They are not a one size fits all, unless you mean that there is one for a AU and one For a BA etc. etc.

Mr Hardware · 10-01-2011, 11:05 PM

Take it off and don't bother with it. The only time it ever makes a difference is it gets in your way when you work on your car.

**Mont5.0** · 11-01-2011, 08:23 AM

if you dont want to buy a new one, drill a few small holes in the main part of it and a few in the broken peice- and cable tie it back together for the time being.

T3man · 11-01-2011, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

T3man. They are not a one size fits all, unless you mean that there is one for a AU and one For a BA etc. etc.

"one size fits all" was a tongue in cheek reference to the fact that every AU model uses the same deflector whether it is Forte or TS50. Being as common as they are one would expect the price to be quite reasonable and I certainly remember the last one I bought being under $40.

However as you mentioned something like $200 I bothered to ring my Ford dealer to check - list price $128.25. WTF?!!! That's more than 3 times as much as I paid two years ago.

So even though my price is $88 I wouldn't be buying a new one when the old ones are more often than not quite easily repaired with some light sheet metal supports or bracing.

Mr Hardware> The part is very necessary particularly for the proper cooling of the engine. It also aids the aerodynamics of the vehicle alleviating front end lift at high speeds (probably doesn't concern a lot of people LOL). Also without it the front bumper isn't supported correctly and it will allow excessive deformation of the bumper from a front on hit. It also supports the inner guards which in turn support the guard and bumper at the bumper rear upper mountings. Hard to imagine one small part doing so much? - well believe me it does. Structually (even for a weak piece of plastic) it ties the whole front section together into a "boxed" unit - which is the only way it achieves any strength at all. Take one side of the box away and the box collapses.

PS urbancowboy> Please tell us you don't work at Klosters - charging $200 a pop for the undertray is a bit excessive even for those robbers!

PPS and please refrain from using terms such as "BA" in here - there may be children about and blasphemy will not be tolerated! LOL.

Mr Hardware · 11-01-2011, 11:53 AM

I'll take your word for it t3man, but we ran cabs for half a million kays without them on. If we ever had a hit hard enough to bend the bumper it would have done so whether it had that tray on or not. For cab purposes when they're on the hoist every 28 days, the practical applications of them were completely overshadowed by how much of a pain in the **** they are when working on a car. Plus the cabbies did so much gutter hopping that if we didn't take them off, they'd do it for us.

T3man · 11-01-2011, 02:18 PM

I understand exactly what you're saying. Thankfully most owners treat their cars better than cabbies LOL.

LXL15 · 11-01-2011, 03:30 PM

Wow okay, I think I'll go fix it with some cable ties and screws. Hard to believe that one piece of plastic does all that, that's quite impressive really...

Cheers everyone!

**Whoosha** · 11-01-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3man

PPS and please refrain from using terms such as "BA" in here - there may be children about and blasphemy will not be tolerated! LOL.

I have a delete button at the ready just for such out breaks

urbancowboy · 11-01-2011, 07:20 PM

T3man - Sorry i couldn't tell you had your tongue in cheek! I get a very similar price as you do and i figured retail would be at least twice that from memory!

I tried to tell them about all the things it did, but got shot down! thanks for the back up! Knowledge in number's win's!

I will watch my fingers whilst typing and try to avoid that two letter profanity again! LOL

I hadn't considered how it may in fact hold all the front end together, i think you are spot on and this would explain why my front bar has some distortion to it's shape!

And finally, Okay i won't tell you who i work for! Lol

XRGhia · 11-01-2011, 10:26 PM

Read my signature for those two letters :P

hehehehe