Front End Protection

Front End / Paint protection

  • Do nothing...

    Votes: 10 41.7%

  • Plastic application (3M or like)

    Votes: 13 54.2%

  • Nose Mask (a.k.a. "Bra")

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Total voters
    24
  • Poll closed .
C

CITADEL96

New member
Ok, so I'm new to this.....Just went from a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder w/ 186,000 miles to a 2012 black SR5.. The front end compared to my old pathfinder is like a billboard. Had anyone had problems with bugs / rocks chipping the paint? I've put a couple of coats of wax on it in the last month. Is the plastic coating worth it? Or, is a "nose mask" the answer. What are the pro's / con's of either or none?

Thanks!
 
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CITADEL96 said:
Ok, so I'm new to this.....Just went from a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder w/ 186,000 miles to a 2012 black SR5.. The front end compared to my old pathfinder is like a billboard. Had anyone had problems with bugs / rocks chipping the paint? I've put a couple of coats of wax on it in the last month. Is the plastic coating worth it? Or, is a "nose mask" the answer. What are the pro's / con's of either or none?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Step 1:
Install Shrockworks bumper

Step 2:
Crush bugs, Canadian Geese, Honda Civics, ....
(Did that 4runner which hit the Stove wear a shrockworks?? :D )

Step 3:
Enjoy life.

Okki :peace:
 
Jesse1983 said:
1engineer - how did you find that information?:shrug:
Click to expand...

Hi Jesse,

1. in addition to the current browser you have open to t4r.org (with the current thread and quick reply open and ready) open another browser tab to t4r.org - it takes but a few seconds. Now you have two tabs open: One to where you are going to paste the links and one generic t4r.org tab.

2. In the upper right corner of your screen, to the left of your your "welcome, last visited, etc, information you will see the "Google custom search" bar.

3. Alway prefix whatever you are searching for with "5th gen" so in this instance I typed "5th gen bug protect" and it gave me many spot on links.

4. I clicked on a link I liked and copied it from the main address bar at the top.

5. I then clicked on the tab I had open for the quick reply to the current thread and pasted the link.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you are satisfied.

It took less than a minute to copy and paste those links above. The key is the prefix "5th gen" and then a few keywords. So for HID headlight threads with your name I would type into the "Google custom search" bar "5th gen HID Jesse" and get many links and I listed them below. Hope this helps haha.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/108332-group-buy-trs-hid-projector-retrofit.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/106978-hids-projector-headlights-4.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/112900-lift-rims-tires-headlights-way.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/60125-jesse1983-11.html
 
Last edited:
I have the clear bra installed on my TE, and I have to say I was impressed at first, but after only a year I'm already debating removing it. The TE typically gets washed once every other week or every week depending on time. In the last few washes I have done, I have started to notice in some of the edges, they have pulled up a little and dirt is starting to sit in between the paint and the clear bra. At ~$500 to have it installed, this is unacceptable. I have already been back to shop who installed it to have them fix some of their mistakes already. The shop has been hard to work with, especially since I paid a lot of money for it, and they did a half ass job on it. Would I do it again? Probably not, now that I've had it for a while. I probably would have applied several more coats of wax to the front end to help protect from bug spatter.
 
philsey said:
Jesse, as I've asked you before, why can't these instructions be in a sticky?
Click to expand...

as I've said, first I like to keep stickies to a minimum. too many and you're scrolling halfway down the page before you get to new discussions. Second, a sticky to teach people on the internet how to look for information on the internet just seems ridiculous and redundant. I would guess that 90% of people that join here either belong to other forums, or have joined forums in the past. they know the ropes and know people hate when new people don't search. it happens in every forum. i don't want to create a permanent reminder for the lazy people that don't search. a reminder that the same people who don't search won't look at anyway.
 
FactoryRide said:
I have the clear bra installed on my TE, and I have to say I was impressed at first, but after only a year I'm already debating removing it. The TE typically gets washed once every other week or every week depending on time. In the last few washes I have done, I have started to notice in some of the edges, they have pulled up a little and dirt is starting to sit in between the paint and the clear bra. At ~$500 to have it installed, this is unacceptable. I have already been back to shop who installed it to have them fix some of their mistakes already. The shop has been hard to work with, especially since I paid a lot of money for it, and they did a half ass job on it. Would I do it again? Probably not, now that I've had it for a while. I probably would have applied several more coats of wax to the front end to help protect from bug spatter.
Click to expand...

Take a razor blade and cut the lifting sections out. It is quite simple. The 3M clear bra is worth its weight in gold IMO. I have had it installed in all of my vehicles with paint worth saving.
 
brockeverly said:
Take a razor blade and cut the lifting sections out. It is quite simple. The 3M clear bra is worth its weight in gold IMO. I have had it installed in all of my vehicles with paint worth saving.
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean. It nice having the protection comfort of it, but for $500 it shouldn't peel up at all.
 
Can make an argument for either way: with or without clear bra
Never had it on any of my vehicles and bumper covers take a beating. Have had it on my wife's 2010 white TL and not one scratch or chip at all. But you can tell the color is a little off and I see it and that part bugs me.
Thinking about getting it on my 2011 4Runner, but not sure? Will probably end up getting it. It has it's plus and minuses.
I think it probably looks better on darker colored cars since it's not as noticable. So that has a lot to do with it.
Or you could get your bumper cover painted every 4-5 years. But then what guarantee do you have that the color will match perfectly at that point as well?
I would go for the clear bra myself.
 
That is exactly the reason for posting this thread. I am not convinced that the $400 - $500 to install "saran wrap" on my new 4Runner will last. When I hit the highway I could put one of those "bras" on and take it off when I'm done. With that though, I'm worried it would fade the paint.....
 
Also protects from desert pinstripes. I plan on adding it to the fender flares as well to keep them from getting scratched as well. You can get it installed for far less than $500 as well. I believe I pay around $450 for the tint and 3M on my vehicles, the 3M itself is under $300.
 
I always have the 3M body film installed on my new cars, the '11 4R is no exception.
Cost me $275 cash to have headlights, fogs, DRL's and bumper done. He's a certified (through 3M) installer, comes to the house and he does all the dealerships in our area.

My '06 4R bumper, headlights etc. look like new because of this film.
Now the windshield is another story. :shrug:
A winter road trip through the god forsaken state of Nebraska during a storm with all the 18 wheelers kicking up salt blasted the windshield.
 
1engineer said:
2. In the upper right corner of your screen, to the left of your your "welcome, last visited, etc, information you will see the "Google custom search" bar.
Click to expand...

I believe "Google custom search" is a browser add-on you've installed and not part of T4R.ORG itself.
 
as someone else mentioned get a steel bumper, shrockworks, demello, ARB... crush bugs/rocks!

yea my film is ready to come off after 6 years, 3-4 years my truck has been two tone. No good with dark paint, too much contrast after car washes & sun. still gotta dremel out the existing rust spots from rocks on the part of the truck that wasn't 3m filmed.
 
Update

Ok, so to anyone who is interested.....After almost two months here's the deal with the "Clearbra"....Acutally I got Llumar protective film....

It took ALL FREAK'N DAY to put it on. I though it would only take a few hours. Once on, its ok. Go ahead and expect to have bubbles for about a week until it gets some heat on it and cures out. Also, now that the 100 deg. heat has started, I've got a weird oxidation coat on it. Its blue and purple....Not too happy with that. I'm going to wash it this weekend and see if it goes away. Bird poop does seem to be difficult to completely eradicate through washing. It goes away, but you have to go over the "bird's gift" on your coating more than once. Otherwise you can see the outline of where it was. Its slightly opaque...

It is nice to have the piece of mind that the front is protected from rocks and bugs. Now if they just made some sort of miniture guided missle deterrant for birds on their bombing runs.....Maybe I should just get a fake owl and strap it to the hood like a hood ornament.....
 
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