Mount the fly swatter on the hood. How to install a fly swatter on the hood and do you need it at all?

Such detail, as a fly swatter, has recently become more and more relevant among our car owners. Almost every second car today is equipped with this element of small tuning. Some decide to install it for the sake of a beautiful appearance, others only because of practical use, and others purely to separate. And today we will try to answer the question of whether a fly swatter is needed on the hood and what benefit it brings to motorists.

Characteristic

In general, the name of the fly swatter was due to the ability to remove various insects from the surface of the windshield and hood. In fact, this element is called a lining on the hood of the car, or a deflector. Most often, fly swatter is made of dense plastic. Sometimes the lining on the hood is hammered additionally with leather or leatherette. True, the utility of this accessory is controversial among many motorists. But before we understand the utility of the fly swatter, we will dip a little in the history of its occurrence.

How did the bonnet on the world appear?

This plastic element takes its historical beginning in North America, in the southern states of the United States. It is there that a lot of different insects are found, which after collision with the car leave on its surface very ugly deposits. Sometimes they can not be removed even with the help of strong solutions. In addition, each of these insects have in their bodies a whole set of different chemical components that can over time corrode a layer of paint and varnish. That's why the Americans developed such an uncomplicated element as a fly swatter. With its competent use in combination with special detergents and auto shampoos, you can save the car paint in perfect condition even after 10-15 years of operation and constant insect attacks.

Usefulness of using lining in Russia

Is it necessary to install a fly swatter on the hood in our country? The answer to this question is very ambiguous. The fact is that a huge accumulation of insects is observed only in the southern regions of the Russian Federation. It is in these latitudes that motorists suffer most from the plague of midges, beetles, locusts and other animals. Due to their size, some insects can cause a huge damage to the paint and varnish coating of the body. And with each increase in speed, this risk rises at times. Therefore, in order to preserve the surface of the hood and windscreen, many car owners in the southern regions are looking for a rescue in a fly swatter, installing it on their cars. Thus, the plastic pad is just an emergency measure, effectively saving the car body from flying insects on the road. Putting a similar fly swatter on the hood in the northern regions is simply not practical. In this case, it will not perform its direct functions, but simply become an extra decoration on the body of your car.

In order to understand whether to install the fly swatter on the hood, below, we note all the pros and cons of using this element.

pros

So, let's start with the advantages. First, the fly swatter is able to protect the front of the hood from various impacts of stones, dents, scratches and other mechanical damage. Secondly, the lining on the hood can significantly reduce the wear of the windshield wiper on the windshield (because on its surface will be much less insects than before). Thirdly, the fly swatter is able to protect the surface of the windows and hood from grease stains, which leave behind the insects in a collision. That is, your car becomes much cleaner.

Minuses

Now let's move on to the shortcomings. Here it is necessary to note the fact that a fly swatter is working on a car only if its speed is at least 70 kilometers per hour. And its level of protection will depend on the correct installation on the hood. In addition, the installation of the flywheel requires drilling several holes, where the screws will then be screwed. That is, to preserve the original appearance of the body you will not be able to, if you want to remove this part from the car. In its place there will be holes, and if they are not puttied and not painted over, soon the hood will be rotted, as the water will constantly flow into the water at a slope. Thus, to put the fly swatter on the hood is only if you often drive in the southern regions of Russia or your work is connected with long trips (or with travel).

How to choose the right plastic cover?

For today in automobile shops there is a considerable quantity of deflectors, differing not only the form and the sizes, but also color. Thanks to this variety, a motorist can pick up a fly swatter that best meets his requirements. However, do not forget about the rules of choice. The main thing that you should pay attention to when buying, this is the external state of the plastic deflector. If the lining on the hood contains frozen bubbles inside, you know, this is a defective part and you should not buy it. It is also necessary to avoid the acquisition of fly agarics with cracks. Remember that the hood deflector is subject to very heavy loads and temperature changes, so soon even the slightest crack can increase on the entire area of the plastic part.

Shape of lining

Also pay attention to the following nuance. The flywheels on the car's hoods must be of such a form that they prevent the water from flowing into the engine compartment and do not delay deposits such as sand, dirt and road dust. Also, do not purchase deflectors with a strongly protruding upper edge. In such products often falls fallen leaves and dirt, which is very difficult to wash with a jet of water during car washing.

Installation

How to mount a fly swatter on the hood? There are two ways to do this. If you are driving in a car primarily around the city, you can fix the bonnet deflector with double-sided tape. However, if the machine often travels long distances and at high speed, for greater reliability, you must install the fly swatter with self-tapping screws or special fastening bolts.

In the first case, we need to degrease the paintwork surface in the place where the deflector (that is, the front part of the bonnet) will be installed. Further, using alcohol or gasoline we process the fly swatter from two sides. After that, arrange the fixing points and apply tape to the surface of the plastic. Next, you can safely install the deflector on the car, slightly pressing it to the surface of the car's LKP. All at this stage we successfully installed the fly swatter on the hood.

And now, in more detail about how to install the same deflector with self-tapping screws. To begin with, note that this method contains a small catch. Since for self-tapping screws or bolts we will need to drill a few holes in the hood, when dismantling this plastic part, all holes will not disappear by themselves. Therefore, if you are not sure whether this fly swatter is necessary for your car or not, it is best to fix it with double-sided tape. Otherwise, the holes will have to be puttyped and painted over.

How to install the fly swatter on the hood with self-tapping screws? Everything is very simple. To begin with, the deflector is placed on the surface of the car's hood, then its fastening points are marked with a marker. How is the installation of the fly swatter on the hood? Further in the marked points holes are drilled. But after this, do not rush with screwing screws. Since this part of the hood is a constant source of accumulation of moisture and water droplets, to avoid rotting the hood, the bare metal is necessarily ground treated. This can be done both with the help of a special aerosol dispenser, and with the help of an ordinary brush. After the primer has dried, you can safely install the deflector and fix it with screws. Similarly, the fly swatter is mounted with rivets. However, in this case they will have to be drilled, but not unscrewed (in that case if you want to remove this deflector from the hood). For greater tightness at the junction, a rubber washer or gasket can be used to prevent water from entering the interior of the vehicle and accumulating moisture in the area of the self-tapping connection.

For how much is sold a fly swatter on the hood?

The price of such accessories is not significantly different from the brand and model of the car. On average, the deflector can be purchased at a price of one and a half to two thousand rubles. And it does not matter for what machine this fly swatter is designed for the hood. "Toyota Corolla", VAZ-2114, "Kia Rio" or "Mercedes Vito" - for all these machines the deflector will cost no more than 2-2.5 thousand rubles. There are also more expensive options, but they are already made not of plastic, but of aluminum, or simply covered with a chrome layer on top. Most often, these flys are mounted on the domestic "Volga", models 3110 and 3102.