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eddy
Dodge Dakota
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8/15/2004
14:29:02

Subject: What a dumbass I was
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Can't believe I attatched bug deflector to paint using that flimsy double-sided tape. IT was already starting to loosen and trap dirt and debris in there, Im sure eventually all those leaves and little pieces of dirt trapped by loosened tape would have eventually wreaked havoc on my clear coat. Bug deflector's getting screwed on tomorrow, and the ventshades will come off next to probably be replaced by the weathertec pieces that go in the window channel.



Noltz
Dodge Dakota
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8/15/2004
18:33:46

RE: What a dumbass I was
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:-) Yup, you're a dumbass... JK! Listen, when you're done installing the deflector, push on the corners, near the front fenders. If you can push it all the way to the body, install a rubber bump-stop thingys included in the ket to keep your paint. My F150's fenders had matching scratches from the deflector bending back at highway speeds. I've got a few in my toolbox if you need, just post up.

-Eric N.




eddy
Dodge Dakota
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8/16/2004
21:10:54

RE: What a dumbass I was
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GREAT, two different accessory shops told me my deflector can't be re-attatched with screws. At first I thought they just wanted to sell me a new one, but on closer inspection I don't think the shape allow for it so now I'll be ordering a and having it put on sometime this week. Thank god I took off the cheapie one when I did. There was already little mounds of dirt, crud, and tiny pebbles lodged in there but I think I took the thing off just in the nick of time before it started rubbing away at the paint. Looks like I'll hit it with the pressure washer tonight and some wax in the next week or so when I do the rest of the truck and it should be good as new. 40 bucks down the drain and a lesson learned, start out paying a little more for something good is better than paying twice as much to throw one thing out and buy another.



jeremiah2360
Dodge Dakota
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8/16/2004
23:01:34

RE: What a dumbass I was
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eddy,I have the weathertech`s in mine. Installation was easy. Just a little heads up. Mine squeak a bit after rolling up the window till they settle in,especially in winter(after a minute they are quiet). Seems to come from where they contact on the pillars by the mirrors. Minor complaint. Also in the rain with the window down an inch or so(the most you roll them down without the water dripping inside)at speed water will spray in my left ear and dirty around where it comes in. Air pressure builds up at the corner by your ear. I still like them and they look great,and a lot better than nothing. I hated when it was raining and the water would pour in(I smoke so the windows come down in any weather,cough) Just thought I might save you any more surprises,good luck.

PS: Anyone with vent shades ever notice water coming in at your ear? Just curious if it`s just the weathertechs that do this.

03 qc 4.7 auto 4x4 37k



greyDAK
Dodge Dakota
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8/17/2004
08:34:01

RE: What a dumbass I was
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I have the Ventshade and never experience a wet ear. Although I dont smoke, I like to have the window open in any weather. The ventshades do a very good job and stick very well. No clearance problems either. The set on my wife's Honda cracked from the extreme cold we get here in Ottawa, but other than that, they are pretty tough



cheeup
Dodge Dakota
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8/17/2004
09:06:49

RE: What a dumbass I was
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I bought my window deflectors on ebay from a user named Jerry. His user name is jamin_jer. He has plenty of positive feedback. I bought a 4 piece set for my quad cab, cheaper than anywhere else. We had some miscommunication at first, so he CALLED me and was TOTALLY concerned with making a quality transaction with me. Great guy, I can't recommend him more highly. The deflectors were from a company called Wade, but the Wade stickers peel off easily. They are low profile and don't stick way our far from the original shape of the truck. They look great and work great.... no water inside. And yes, they are "in channel" installs. He currently has a ton of things on ebay. Check him out.



eddy
Dodge Dakota
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8/17/2004
15:43:31

RE: What a dumbass I was
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Just to clarify, I was talking bug deflectors. There's an EGR on there now. Middle portion slides between grill and hood. The two 'eyebrows' attatch under the rubber molding on the sides of the grill and with two stick-on velcro tabs. They're low profile enough that it's extremely difficult for anything big to get wedged under there. And even if it did, all I have to do to remove it is unfasten the velcro tabs and unfasten the small piece of rubber strip from the side of the grill to clean underneath. It's also a little meaner looking than the old ventshade bug deflector.



Pic-Please
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2004
01:55:12

RE: What a dumbass I was
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Hey Eddy got any pics to post...I'd like to see how it looks



Cheeup
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2004
02:35:36

RE: What a dumbass I was
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Eddy, I also got a Wade bug deflector from jamin_jer on ebay. It attaches the same way as the EGR. His pics on ebay are good close-up pictures. It slides between the hood and the grill, and the "eye brows" are low profile tape on with double-sided velcro. This link won't last forever, but it will work for a few days.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38659&item=7917048047



eddy
Dodge Dakota
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8/19/2004
21:52:55

RE: What a dumbass I was
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Great, install of the deflector went well except of course I didn't grab one of the bolts that tightens the grill to the edge of the hood fast enough when I loosened it, and it fell in front of the engine block and rolled into the undercarriage of the truck. Funny how pissed off it can get you, when you need this one tiny little piece and it's so close yet so out of reach.

After 10 minutes of backing up, pulling forward, and stopping suddenly it still hadn't rolled out. Though I must have looked like a maniac to anybody in my apartment complex who happened to be looking out the window at the time. The Dodge dealership said they had none lying around and only order in bulk, they can't just order one of such a small item. So I went to Home Depot, where of course the old guy said it was a 10/32s and sold me a bolt of that size. Tried to screw on the 10/32s bolt with a socket wrench, but it was just a tad too small and got stuck after a few turns. Impossible to tighten further, and real difficult to loosen. And of course after trying for a minute or two to loosen it back off the head on the oppposite tip of the screw that's sealed within the grill broke off. This made it impossible to tighten since the screw just moves along with the bolt and impossible to remove since there's built-in washers on both ends.

So now I'm rollin with one of the 7 bolts that tightens the top of the grill to the edge of the hood un-tightened. There's still the other six, and they only tighten the top of the grill to the edge of the hood. There's still a completely different set of bolts that actually attatch the grill. It looks fine and doesn't feel or appear loose, but it still bugs me a little bit and I don't see any easy way to fix it.



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