impulsebrklyn

Well i went to home depot and got some screws, nuts, large washers, and two large rubber washers. This is started from a previous post which i explained there was an undesirable play in the bug deflector due to poor design of the fasteners. I also stated that i now have two imperfections in my paint in my hood.


So i started by taking a flash light and looking to where it was fastened. Oh look at that some ASSHOLE(lund) supplies screws that were just to long for installation. it was the perfect lenght, they fastened the screw into the desired point and then just barely touch the hood. The play caused the screws to rub on the underpart of the hood causeing almost like a tiny tiny nipple and a small crack in the paint. So now i need to decide exactly how to contact lund and maybe get them to fix it. Or atleast give me the money to fix it, i really dont want to have the hood painted. I need all of your advise of this one.

Now onto a fix for those with the same problem. This is the easiest fix i could come up with. I purchased these

6-32 x 1/2 machine screws
6-32 hex nuts
4 large washers large enough to cover the hole where it would be fastened to
2 large rubber washers to extra cushion

First i put the rubber washer between the hood and the mounting bracket.
I then crazy glued one the nuts to one of the washers. Then used the crazy glue to attached string to the nut/washer combo (dont want the nut and washer sliding into the hood). You can see how i attached it in the picture below. I used regular old sewing thread, strong enough to hold it in place, but weak enough to break it away when i wanted to. Then with the nut/washer attached to the open end I slid it in the hole to the side of the wounting point. Then just slide it into the correct location.
I used a one of the large washers i purchased and the stock washer supplied by lund on the screw to pickup extra slack. With this setup, the deflector is mounted nice and snug, and the screw is no where near the inside of my hood. How it should have been before.
Everything can be seen in the pictures below. They are large pictures so beware. I have pictures of the stock fasteners which are mangeld as well. there is also a comparison shot of the screw i used and the screw lund supplied. Couldnt get a picture of the mark in the hood, wouldnt show up.

Picture of the screws and old parts
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...wsandparts.JPG

close up of the thread
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...hreadsetup.JPG

open end wrench with thread
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...endwithnut.JPG

open end wrench with thread 2
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...ndwithnut2.JPG

Picture of the right side attachment
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...ght%20side.JPG

Picture of the left side attachment
http://www.clarkson.edu/~calisec/4ru...s/leftside.JPG

Please leave your feedback on how i should contact lund. What do you all think they should do??? I need some help on this one. Chris

I am Lund !

impulsebrklyn

up no help from anyone

Woodbert

Chris,

I can't help with Lund but I got a small indentation right in the front center of my hood that is almost not noticeable.

I asked the body shop that does all the Toyota body work here about fixing it and the owner bascially told me to just live with it. He said it would be prohibitively expensive to fix it.

Good luck.

orangeman_85

Chris,

Sorry to hear about that! I have a '99 4Runner Limited and I had the factory bugshield on. I didn't like the rubber nipples on the hood, and the bottom was rubbing on the top of my grill, so i tossed it. Im planning on putting on the EGR 3D Carbon Fiber SuperGuard (www.egr.com.au). Anyways, I don't really know what to do about this evil Lund product. All I can suggest is photographing how it was installed while it was causing damage, and also photograph the damage, and then some how get in contact with them and explain what happened. I'm sure that if you show the product was installed correctly, and it still caused damage to your vehicle, then they will do something to help you. I don't know where the company is located, so I don't know if personally showing proof would work, but maybee you could send them some pictures. Just my ideas. Again, sorry to hear about the damage to your '03! By the way, I checked out your site and I love your rig! Im in the middle of putting in a JL Audio 12W7 and 1000/1 amp, along with a new head unit. I also love those wheels! Anyways hope you get this figured out. Peace.

The Dutch Man

Hey Guys,

I too have had the same exact issues. I have the OEM Toytoa deflector. I contact my local stealer about the rubber grommits falling apart when tightened down. They have ordered a whole new mounting kit for me. However, here's the curve ball. After a week of waiting, no kit showed up! I called the stealer and they told me the kit is on backorder. Maybe Toyota (aka Lund ) is redesigning the mounting kit???

My solution. You know those plastic fasteners you place in a drywall hole so you can screw something into your sheetrock?Well my local Ace hardware had these nice plastic ones. Once you put it into the hole, the backside widens out so it doesn't pull back out. Pretty Niffty! I then screwed the deflector mounting bracket in with another screw and bam, my deflector is sound as a pound!

I will try to take a picture of the fastner this weekend for everyone. Only $.19 a piece.

Chris, your idea is great! One of the guys at work suggested the same exact thing to me. It's just time consuming and I was very scared of looseing that nut and washer inside the hood. My solution was the cheapest fix in the least amount of time.

I'll keep everyone posted if the mounting kit from the stealer has a different solution the second time around. Who knows when I will see the parts???

The Dutch Man

impulsebrklyn

yeah i know i was worried abou losing the nuts and washers to, so i tied those suckers up. If there passed the twirl in the air and make sure it doesnt break test. I went with it.


orangeman_85
i want to see pictures when your done. I see you didnt spare any expense you have some expensive equipment. Good luck and thanks for the compliments.
Chris