is a rock guard necessary?

[Janet]

Apples and oranges......

Rock Protectors cover glass

Segment Protectors cover metal trailer body

[fireflyinva]

Cheers, Peter--

I had wondered also how to hold up a window awning, besides draping it over the window!

[fireflyinva]

Originally Posted by Janet

Apples and oranges......

Rock Protectors cover glass

Segment Protectors cover metal trailer body

Whodathunk. Is that official Airstream terminology? Seems the term "rockguard" is used for both, at least coloquially.

Mary

[Silvertwinkie]

You know, modding out the rock guards is not a small task. Those stubs that hold it to the body I believe are actually sealed from the inside just like the rivet lines and all exposed areas where 2 areas join. In addition, you'd prob keep the old lower stubs on so you don't have holes or possible areas for leaks...if the space between the new rock guard and the body allow it without making even more mods to accomidate it....

I found adding a good pair of mud flaps also helps keep the rock at the rock guard and off the body. Thing is that you have to have mudflaps that are about an inch off the ground to ensure that projectiles are kept to a min.

I took our Safari through the north woods up by Pictured Rock National Lakeshore, and I gotta tell ya, the roads for a national park are shameful. All gravel and sand, washboard, sink holes, etc. My parents met us up there with their SOB. He had the standard GM mudflaps on his Silverado. I had some custom ones I built and mounted to the Impala. His RV was covered in sand and dirt up front....while the Safari made it through 38 miles of real nasty roads without so much as a grain of sand on the front....not a scratch, dent, ding....NADA....though it was very dusty.

[alvinator]

After reading the above posts, I was referring to the stainless steel segment protectors. I am going to buy mudflaps like Silvertwinkie suggested and I am also going to schedule an appointment with Jackson Center to have the higher segment protectors installed at a cost of $536.58 per set.

I would suggest to anyone contemplating the purchase of an existing 2005 Airstream to insist that the unit be delivered with the higher segment protectors.

Thanks to all for their comments.

[Silvertwinkie]

Alvintor....when you do this, keep in mind that you should measure when the coach is on the back end with the weight bars on. I found that after getting to the sweet spot I liked, once I added the coach with the weight bars, I needed to trim a bit more. Other than that, it's pretty clear if you have them about 1" from the ground once the coach is on the back end. Also I have the Enkay flaps on the hitch as a secondary. I think you will be satisfied with the outcome as I have been.

[Sav'h Steve]

Originally Posted by Peter&Denise

Front window rock guards are usually mounted on a hinge just above the window. Mine uses a continuous extruded aluminum type of hinge, kind of like two "C's" that slide into eachother. Very commonly used for the back doors on truck caps, you could probably get most of what you need to fabricate a rock guard from any place that sells, installs and repairs truck caps and accessories. P.

I don't have either window rock guards or segment protectors.

I am interested if others have made their own using truck cap accessories, etc.

Of concern is the possibility of leaks from the attachment above the windows as Silvertwinkie suggests.

Steve

[aluminauts]

There were a few Airstreams at the Florida State Rally that had use Rhino Liner to coat the front segments of their trailers. One owner described it as 3 layers of the normal bed liner application to give some thickness (for stone protection) and ended on each side with a gentle curve from window to belly (for an aesthetic look).

The owner I talked to had done his in black ( silver might have been even cooler ) before a trip to Alaska. He was very pleased with the protection it provided and liked the look.

[Silvertwinkie]

Yea, those coatings do a great job, but in my opinion they don't look very good. Plus I'm in the camp of those not liking to put anything on the finish of the coach.

[Sav'h Steve]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Yea, those coatings do a great job, but in my opinion they don't look very good. Plus I'm in the camp of those not liking to put anything on the finish of the coach.

I agree with you!

But in the several years I have been on this forum, I have seen one S.C. man who made SS segments and only heard of a few who replaced the acrylic in older vintage rock guards over the windows. I was looking for someone who successfully made the 3 covers for later model curved window trailers from local parts.

Steve

[Janet]

I wonder how much weight you add with Rhino liner....?

[fireflyinva]

Originally Posted by Sav'h Steve

I agree with you!

But in the several years I have been on this forum, I have seen one S.C. man who made SS segments and only heard of a few who replaced the acrylic in older vintage rock guards over the windows. I was looking for someone who successfully made the 3 covers for later model curved window trailers from local parts.

Steve

I wasn't considering recreating the old ones entirely. I figured that it would be pretty easy to make a front window cover out of aluminum. The tough part would be attaching it, since it would need a separate system from the existing window. The idea of using an awning bracket has possibilities, since it would operate off a separate hinge.

Bear in mind, this was all speculative thinking, for that distant someday when long trips take us into dirt road territory.

Mary

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by alvinator

And here is what happens with the low rockguards on a 2005 28 classic, dents! See attached thumbnails.

I wrote Airstream about the problem and asked them to consider replacing my low rockguards with their new higher rockguards and here is their reply:

Thanks for the pictures and the note. Unfortunately, swapping out rock guards are not covered under your warranty. In researching your records, your trailer was delivered in August of 2004. The higher rockguards were introduced as a running line change in mid-2005. Your current rock guards did not fail.

I will give you the part numbers of the higher rock guards. They are: 685275-101 CS & 685275-102.

This can be obtained at any Airstream dealer. Thanks for your inquiry.

"Your current rock guards did not fail." I disagree and I have the dents to prove it.

Any suggestions?

I too have the Enkay's, and wouldn't ever want to be without them. I hear they may be giving a 10% discount if you tell them about all the nice things people on this forum say about them. I only wish you could buy them in an even wider size than they are now, because I still get some rocks, but nothing like it appears you got.

I saw a guy in MT last summer who had customized his Enkay's by cutting 2 additional strips of rubber about 18-24" long x 6" high, similar to the mudflap rubber that Enkay uses, and then he had these rubber strips screwed onto metal bars which he had welded to the top of the bars that the Enkay mudflaps attach to. He had a 4x4 truck (as I do) and claimed that some rocks came off his tires and went both above and below his truck bumper, but above the Enkay's -- possibly hitting his trailer about where it appears your rocks hit. If I get ambitious sometime, I may do this also.

For the moment, I have oversized front and rear mudflaps behind all of my truck tires in addition to the Enkays.

John

[Silvertwinkie]

John, Enkay also has a wider flap for the dually trucks, perhaps that might be something to consider......