Stone Guards

[crackacoldie]

I am looking to fit a stone guard to the front of the Expanda. My train of thought has gone two ways, both with posatives and negative.

First thought - Stone Stomper: Posatives: Stops all stones from coming above drawbar height, easy to use, great protection for both van and back of ute.
Negatives: need to hook it up each time I hook the van up, is a messy heap when van not hooked up, appears to be fiddly to fit with WDH.

Second thought - Dflector stone guard: Posatives: fixed to van, no need to connect/disconnect each time. Looks Neat, Easy to fit.
Negatives: Not as much protection as a stone stomper.

Has anyone used either of these and what are your thoughts. I do a fair amount of dirt road work, so want to protect both the front of the van and the back window of the ute canopy.

Cheers

Cracka

 

[macca]

I think SS will give you a good answer.

I always think a product must be good when it is known by its brand name. Ie vacuum-hoover, Internet browser-google. I have noticed on forums lately that people wanting things to deflect stones from their caravan call them stone stompers. I think that says a lot, but only my opinion.

Geoff

 

[bigman0510]

Have a stone stomper on my van that is just sold, and I am buying one for my new van. So you know my stance on the matter. If you are staying at a park or somewhere for a couple of days you just poke it under the van. When you get home just undo the 2 shackles and fold it up. I love em!!

 

[chartrock]

I use a home made stone guard. Stone Guard I made it removable as they can make it awkward to get into the boot but it is effective and there are no chips on the van and it has covered around 30,000km.

 

[cruza driver]

Here is mine CC

How To,Stone Guard

 

[shadow75]

I put the Stone Stomper on my 17-56.2 prior to heading up towards Cameron Corner. Absolutely fantastic for protecting the front of the Caravan & back of the Car. Easy to setup & remove. Great to watch the dust deflected from the side of front of the van. Highly recommend!!

 

[coled1970]

We have the Stone Stomper, Have done a few trips with it and found it to be easy to remove / install. Protects the van and vehicle very well. Christian is great to deal with and very helpful. I don't think you could go wrong with one of them!

 

[Newcastle Knight]

I recently purchased one of these http://caravanadventures.com.au/d-flector-for-529/ I have not fitted it yet but will need to get it on in the next few weeks ready for Easter.

 

[straydingo]

I'm intending to get the d-flector one. The chap who makes them is around the corner from me so i went and had a look and a chat. they might not offer as much protection as a full Stone Stomper but will meet my needs. Seems well made and with lower flaps to protect from stones going under also. (He has one on his expanda too, but not a forum member....)

 

[bigman0510]

The only thing I was worried about was the stones hitting those deflectors and rebounding on to the back of the car, chipping or even worse smashing the back window. Hence the SS.

 

[Bushman]

Also have Stone Stomper, had on on my Swan also

 

[Stone Stomper]

I think SS will give you a good answer.

I always think a product must be good when it is known by its brand name. Ie vacuum-hoover, Internet browser-google. I have noticed on forums lately that people wanting things to deflect stones from their caravan call them stone stompers. I think that says a lot, but only my opinion.

Geoff

Thanks Maccayak,

Just a couple of thoughts from my experience, our first camper trailer (brand new Cavalier style) I made an angled stone guard on the A frame with rubber flaps, I even wrapped the frame tube in that soft plumbers foam so there was no hard surfaces to rebound from.

Our big first trip with a brand new 2005 Hilux with 3000km we did a trip from Adelaide-Birdsville-Plenty Hwy-Cattle Water Pass track to Alice Springs-Painted desert-Googs Track- Gawler Rangers and home.

When we got home and washed the car and camper the only part on the camper that had no stone damage was the tool box behind the stone guard the rest of the front sides and underneath was peppered, that wasn't the worst though, when I washed our first ever brand new car the whole tail gate had a stone chipped every square inch and the taillights had star cracks in them. I was in tears. Resulting a full camper respray to sell and the tail gate also had to be resprayed.

In 2006 we had a new Jayco Eagle and planned a trip through the Gregory N/P, Gibb River Road, Cape Leveque, Tanami and the Gawler Rangers and from our past experience I didn't want to make another A framed stone guard, so I came up with what we now call the Stone Stomper (same materials as we use today), I was so paranoid I even made an acrylic rear window cover that we now know is not needed.

After doing the 10,000km trip with a freshly painted tailgate we returned with no stone damage and also noticed not only a huge amount of dust reduction but a lot less damage to the underside to the van.

I found the A frame mounted stone guard more of a pain than a few seconds to disconnect the mesh as the A frame one restricted access to the front of the van/camper, gets in the way of Hayman Reese brackets and restricts the size of the tool box you can fit on the A frame. When camped with the stone stomper it's like you have no stone guard at all as the mesh tucks under the A frame out of the way as Bigman said.

Christian

Our A frame one in Ruby gap

All resprayed for the sale

Our first stone stomper 2006

 

[crackacoldie]

Thanks all for the feedback, I think I have made up my mind for the SS.

Cheers

Cracka

 

[Newcastle Knight]

I actually have both. Its my intention to put use the SS when I know I am hitting long distance dirt roads. The A-Frame is just to provide a little protection when travelling on the HWY and in case I end up on dirt roads for a short time and I dont have the SS on...

 

[achjimmy]

Yeah I was thinking something along those lines too knight. I built a stone guard along the lines of Cruzas and it certainly has stopped heaps of stones it has a very acute angle and has not marked the back of the Paj, i think the Stone Stomper is an excellent. Product and what stopped me from getting one was I have never finalized my drawbar box and what I am going to do there. the thing the stone stomper lacks IMO is to stop the rocks going under the van. I have marks in the floor around the axle, and had plumbing damage these are rocks that went straight from the rear wheels to under the van, the big flaps on the stone guard has stopped this now.

 

[ROnEM]

I had the D-Flector stone guard fitted to the Panda by the dealer before we took delivery.

We have done about 5,000km on the blacktop only so far and it has stopped any the stone damage to the front of the van.

There is only minor stone pitting on the rear on the Land Cruiser and plenty of stone pitting on the van axles. Much (amost all) of this damage is from the small 6mm stones they put down for the significant amount of road patching and resurfacing works on the Newell Hwy and other roads we have travelled. The great thing is we have not as yet had any stones hitting the back window of the Cruiser, so it has been money well spent.

The other thing I have noted with the D-Flector is the weight of the rubber used for the flaps. I think it may be a little too light as from the rubber rubbing marks on the A-frame, the flaps appear to be blown up/flapping and not down where they should be to stop the stones going under the van. As we have been doing only black-top trips to date, and at the speed limits (100/110), this may not be an issue if we are driving at slower speeds on dirt roads/tracks.

The D-Flector is doing a great job, but I am thinking of putting on heavier rubber (10mm used conveyor belt) that will span the entire width of the van in 3 peices.

I would like to upgrade to a Stone-Stomper in the future, particulatly when we do Oodnadatta/Gibb River, etc. after seeing it used on many 4x4 shows & documentaries. The SS also allows me more options if I wish to put a tool box on the front in the future.

Cheers,

Rohan

 

[Meridith Davies]

We have a "Stone Deflector" fitted to our OB Eagle - we have yet to use it because we have only just bought the camper but it looks pretty much like a stone stomper and is very neat behind the Pathfinder - can't wait to use it!
Note the great pole holder!

 

[Hit the road]

I have just ordered a s/stomper also, seems like a great solution and am hoping not too awkward to hook/unhook during travels
Can't wait to get it on!

 

[crackacoldie]

Have had a change of heart and am now in the throws of designing my own. Will put up some pics when I get to it.

 

[mfexpanda]

SS for me after smashing the rear canopy window on my brand new colorado in the finders rangers . no a mark since fitting it :nono: