I need a decent and cost-effective replacement for the six plastic /nylon push-lock fasteners Toyota sells to mount the Toyota hood deflector shield. Mine are 10+ years old, brittle, and breaking apart.

The Toyota parts counter man quoted $16+ for a "hardware kit" and was unable to tell me what the kit contained. I assume 6 fasteners and four bumpers.

I looked around the various auto parts stores but have not yet found a decent replacement. Most of the racks have more "out-of-stock" tags that actual parts, so what I need might be available.

Can somebody help me out here with a source of replacement fasteners?

 

I know what you are referring to. I have the same thing and mine are brittle too. I have no idea where to find something like this.. I'll check my local parts shop and report back.

 

Dont wast your time with the hardware that comes with the bug shields. Run to your local hardware store, buy some threaded inserts (well nuts), stainless screws, and washers. you can press the well nuts into the holes in the hood and then thread your screws through. It may take some persuasion to get the well nuts into the hood (i used a pair of needle nose pliers), but once they're in you wont have to worry about them coming out. Works 100x better than what comes in the kit and you dont have to worry about them loosening up.

 

couldn't you use some of these fasteners?

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...egoryCode=3102

just buy some for the diameter hole you have and push them through. i used some of those on various places when the plastic ones shattered after years of outdoor use. the packages i bought were usually around $2 or $3 for a package of 4-6, definitely beats $16.

 

Good tip! But won't they just spin when attempting (some years later, for example) to remove the screw that seats them???

 

i swore i saw something like in the pic above at autozone once, but it had a phillips head on it like the ones the bug guards come with...

 

I found a perfect solution to the flimsy toyota option: a screw with a rubber nut that expands as it is tightened. I found a bag of 4 at either Home Depot or Lowes. I'm surprised toyota didn't do this from the beginning as it works WAY better than the original clips. I did this modification because when i got the runner, there were 2/4 clips missing! i'm surprised the deflector didn't fall off while driving!

to give you an idea, i'll go get a picture of one (because i can't, for the life of me, find a picture online...)

edit:*VALUABLE TIP: when making the holes bigger in the deflector (to fit the fastener), step up the drill bits incrementally! do not just make the jump to the large size or you crack the deflector...don't ask me how i know...*

 

here ya go: i didn't realize it would be such a PITA to remove...SO easy to install...
you can see in the second picture the threads for the screw are only at the end of the rubber nut piece, thus expanding the middle of the rubber outward, effectively securing the deflector: