Flow of air design & Stones

What kind of road did you drive on when stone hit you? Where there any cars ahead of you?
Alex

 

Most deflectors don't work on large stones, just the small stuff. I'm not going to comment on my experience, as that would be tempting fate!

 

haven't read a lot of complaints here in 10 years.

 

I try to avoid following large trucks and vehicles, and when I do, I try to leave more following distance. Already replaced the windshield once, out of pocket, for $400.

SCH-I535

 

^ +1 on increasing following distance. Obviously you can still catch a rock, but hang back further will help a lot.

 

A lower deductible? A less rocky route?

 

There's another area that a rock can do expensive damage to. Some people have had a rock damage the inverter coolant radiator behind the top grille openings. Once the coolant is lost, the inverter can quickly overheat and shutdown. If the inverter is irreversibly damaged, it's a multi thousand dollar repair if done by the dealer.

I've put wire mesh screen behind both the top and bottom grill openings to keep out larger rocks that can fit through the openings. The smaller stuff that can get through the holes in the mesh hopefully can't do enough damage.

 

Well, there is a windshield plastic protector you can have applied. Just like the 3M vinyl tape stuff. It will help with the medium sized stones, but really large ones not so much. It will scratch easier than the glass too. If you have the special glass on your car it will make that not work.

My experience has been the windshield is sloped enough most projectiles just bounce over the roof without any more than a tiny pit. Unlike the FJ Cruiser. It cracks in fear just seeing stones on the ground.

 

I haven't had any rocks hit my liftback yet *knock on wood*, but on my prius c I drove before it, I did have some paint chips on the hood, though luckily nothing happened to the windshield. The Honda Civic I drove before the c definitely sustained a crack in the windshield, but fortunately it never grew larger even after years of driving with that crack in it.

Unfortunately part of the freeway I take to work is undergoing construction right now, so there's a lot of dump trucks on the roads. I've been either keeping my distance from them if I can see them well in advance, or if they're merging near me I drive a little faster to get in front of them so as to not be stuck behind them at such a close range. I figure burning a little gas is cheaper than fixing paint chips or windshield cracks.