Replacing your plexi glass Rock Guards / Stone Guards

[PeterH-350LE]

Some time ago, I promised to write a short tutorial on how to replace the Plexiglass with original material. Here is a list of the tools and materials needed. When using a jig saw for the corner segment cuts, it should be used with a fine metal blade, on low variable speed, orbital turned off or else you could crack the material.

Other than a good quality Jig saw, the rest of the tools are rather simple as you see on the picture. II used 5/32 pop rivets 3/8 long for putting the frame back together

[PeterH-350LE]

You will need to source a 4x8 sheet of Plexiglass (see info below, i purchased mine at a place called Regal Plastics), if your trailer is a wide body, you will need 2 sheets. Besides the few rivets you also try find some spline to replace the old hardened spline

[PeterH-350LE]

Lets start with doing the easy center panel. There a 2 rivets on the top rail that keeps the center panel from moving left to right. You need to drill one of them out. I used a 5/32 drill bit, since I will be replacing it with a 5/32 pop rivet.
You also need to drill out 2 rivets on the extender arms, so you can slide the arms out.

After you drilled out the 3 rivets, you can lift the panel and slide it out to one side

[PeterH-350LE]

Now comes the surprising part. All you need to do is drill two rivet out in one of the corners, after you only partially pulled the rubber seal away. No need to pull the seal of completely. you only tear it trying.
After drilling the 2 rivets out (in 1 corner only) use a piece of wood to tap the frame apart.

[PeterH-350LE]

If you can get a hold of the old spline, try to pull it out, if not don't worry about it. Just carefully pull the frame apart and pull the old panel out. Take the frame to a hose and wash all the dirt out of the channel. Now you can lay your old piece as a template on the Plexiglass (Note: do not remover the protective coating until you are done cutting )
I prefer to score straight cuts, just be very careful you score it deep enough, especially at the corners or you will see it break uneven

[PeterH-350LE]

Once you cut your replacement panel, your are ready to slide it back into the frame (it is always better to cut it 1/16 smaller rather than 1/16 bigger, unless you already notice a gap in the old sheets)
Before you proceed, remove appr 1" of the protective coating on the edge of both sides, so you dont have to struggle with that after you installed it.

Slide the corner bracket back into position and set the 2 new rivets. Use the old or new spline to fasten the plexi glass to the frame. This is of course done from the back side. Now you are ready to re install the center panel by sliding it back onto its rail and setting the stop rivet you previously drilled out. Remove the remainder of the protective paper.

Center done!

[PeterH-350LE]

The corner segments are done in the same way, except you have to use a good Jig saw with a fine metal blade to cut the material. Removel of the corner segments is easy enough, so no need to waste time on it. Before you take the corner segments apart, take a good look at the rounded corners and see if they were cut short before. Almost everyone I have done was cut shy in one of the rounded corners. Now is the time to correct that.

The corner segments only have 1 rivet to drill out to pull the frame apart. If you drill one corner out and the frame doesn't want to budge, try the other side before you bend the frame. It takes a little patience to pull the old panel out and to slide the new panel it.
Total time spent: 5 hours with some time spent adjusting the corner segments to line up better, $130.- in materials.

[PeterH-350LE]

If you like this tutorial, you may want to ask the administrators to make it perm, so it floats on top.

[CruizinDux]

Peter, thank you for taking to time to photo document and share. This is outstanding!

Janet are listening , can this be made perm?

Bob

[dford77]

Thanks for your posting. This is great information! I followed your plexiglas description from Regal Plastics and noticed that the color you selected for replacement was bronze (2370)? Also, what thickness did you use? Was the replacement spline difficult to find?

Excellent information!

---Daniel
------------
2017 FC 25 RTB
2017 F150 Lariat

[GettinAway]

I’ve been waiting to see this! Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve got a hole on the street side, and a couple of big cracked areas on the road side. I’m afraid I may have done it myself while brush hogging near by. Not sure, but they need replaced none the less. Fortunately the middle window over the propane tanks is unblemished.
Thanks again!

[Tschupp]

Thanks for the photos and step by step instructions., just found my next project!

[A W Warn]

Excellent writeup!
Thank you for sharing!

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by dford77

Thanks for your posting. This is great information! I followed your plexiglas description from Regal Plastics and noticed that the color you selected for replacement was bronze (2370)? Also, what thickness did you use? Was the replacement spline difficult to find?

Excellent information!

---Daniel
------------
2017 FC 25 RTB
2017 F150 Lariat

Daniel, yes it is Bronze, which is close to the original which appears to have a bit of a green tint. The material is 3mm, like the original, which is part of code on my invoice:

Acry 118x48x96 2370 Paper masking, meaning
.118" (3mm) thickness, 48"x96" Bronze (2370) protective paper masking on both sides.

Again, before you slip the cut new sheet inside the frame, remove appr 1" of the paper masking around the edges. You will not be happy trying to remove it at the end.
That size spline is not readily available at Home Depot. I reused a lot of the old and used rubber engine vaccuum line to replace the real hardened stuff. Be careful tapping it into place, no need to crack the panel so close to completion.

[Streamracer]

When you are saying, you like to score the straight cuts, do you mean no saw cutting? Just scoring and snapping/breaking the straight lines? Good job.

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by Streamracer

When you are saying, you like to score the straight cuts, do you mean no saw cutting? Just scoring and snapping/breaking the straight lines? Good job.

Yes, score (3-4 times with a sharp blade) and snap by placing a piece of wood the length of the cut under one side. The risk with cutting plexi glass is always breaking the corners. If you decide to rather use a jig saw on a straight cut, do not attempt to cut all the way to the end, but rather stop a few inches short, then support everything and finish the last few inches from the uncut end.

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by dford77

. Was the replacement spline difficult to find?

..

---Daniel
------------
2017 FC 25 RTB
2017 F150 Lariat

I stand corrected on the spline, its readily available in 13/64, but only in long rolls. I found a section of new spline in my shop, so I looked online and found it at various locations:
https://www.midlandhardware.com/5269...iABEgKX3fD_BwE

[Edistobob]

I just recently replaced some spline on our rock guards. Used a 25' pack of 0.225" black spline from Amazon for $5.37. It seemed to work fine even though it is about 0.022" larger than 13/64.

[budair]

Wish I hand this info about 15 years ago when I discovered that my daughter could hit a soft ball a lot farther than I thought! I ordered the replacement corner panel from AS at what I considered to be an outrageous cost. It came in a new, aluminum frame, with hinges that, had I used them, would have had to be attached to the frame and the trailer--but the plexiglass and frame were a little taller than the original--the width was OK--so I had to have the local glass company cut/trim the plexiglass to fit my original frame. Even if it the plexiglass was the correct size, I would have used the original frame to avoid messing with the hinges. The plexiglass must have been thicker and bent with heat, though--it did not loose its shape when removed from the frame..

[featherbedder]

Why not use lexan instead of plexiglass when repairing rock guards? Lexan much more resistant to damage than plexiglass, not expensive only couple $ more & a little easier to fab. as doesn't crack as pg does. Use jig saw slo speed.