Windshield bugs

[SunPilot]

I read through the thread on vent shades and hood deflectors because I am experiencing an awful lot of bugs on my windshield. Most of the posts are only dealing with availability. Have any of you noticed lots of bug strikes with this generation 4R? I have to clean my glass (windshield) every day, especially if I ride at night. The front of my rig is plastered with bugs too. I wonder if a deflector will really help? Any thoughts?

 

[Snooperstyle]

I read through the thread on vent shades and hood deflectors because I am experiencing an awful lot of bugs on my windshield. Most of the posts are only dealing with availability. Have any of you noticed lots of bug strikes with this generation 4R? I have to clean my glass (windshield) every day, especially if I ride at night. The front of my rig is plastered with bugs too. I wonder if a deflector will really help? Any thoughts?

I don't know if it will help, but I just ordered one of the deflectors to see if it will help! I am getting WAAAAYYY more bugs on the windshield than on my Audi, although I did expect it a bit since the windshield is more vertical, but not this much!

You might want to post this in the deflector threads.

 

[ciaz]

I've never owned a vehicle that was so prone to bug splatter. Seems like the wipers don't really do much to clean them off. Luckly, where I live, bugs are only an issue 3-4 months out of the year, but on road trips and long highway drives they can be a real nuisance.

 

[mrjonm]

Bugs

yes, let us know if the deflector helps. and yes, the wipers dont help much to wash them off.

 

[USMC_4runner]

I had one on my 4th Gen and it helped a little but not a whole lot. Pretty sure it was more for protecting the hood from rocks than anything else as any bug of decent size still ended up on the windshield

 

[B'klyn_Mike]

Here's an oldie but a goodie! Auto Bug Shield Deflector - Bug Deflectors - Car Bug Shields - The Bug Shield Shop By Armadillo, Who are we ? It might look ugly, but it should work a little better than the newer type of shield at deflecting bugs over the roof. As for the front getting buggy, invest in a bug screen that fits over the front of the vehicle. Just remove it when the bug season is over like I used to do down in Florida years ago.

Mike :artist2:

 

[Cyclops]

I put the AVS deflector on, looks good, but way too low profile to do anything but protect the front of the hood from rock chips and bugs. The windshield still gets just as many bugs as it did without the guard.

 

[fins]

i put the avs deflector on, looks good, but way too low profile to do anything but protect the front of the hood from rock chips and bugs. The windshield still gets just as many bugs as it did without the guard.

+1...

 

[SunPilot]

I put the AVS deflector on, looks good, but way too low profile to do anything but protect the front of the hood from rock chips and bugs. The windshield still gets just as many bugs as it did without the guard.

Thanks Cyclops. I was wondering if the AVS would help. I am amazed at how many bugs hit this windshield...I wonder id there is some sort of glass treatment we can spray on to make bug removal easier

 

[philsey]

About the last thing you want to do is run the wipers to get rid of bugs, especially at night. I carry with me a faux chamois, a "Windex" sprayer, one of those mesh bug/sponge thingies, and a roll of paper towels. I just bite the bullet and clean the windshield when it gets ucky.

 

[Snooperstyle]

I put the AVS deflector on, looks good, but way too low profile to do anything but protect the front of the hood from rock chips and bugs. The windshield still gets just as many bugs as it did without the guard.

About the last thing you want to do is run the wipers to get rid of bugs, especially at night. I carry with me a faux chamois, a "Windex" sprayer, one of those mesh bug/sponge thingies, and a roll of paper towels. I just bite the bullet and clean the windshield when it gets ucky.

...sigh...:dammit:

 

[Maritimer]

I just put cheap but good summer washer fluid in, and run the wipers every few minutes. For a big strike I make sure I get it when it's fresh. Sometimes the bugs are sick, though, so if I were driving more than a couple of hours like that I'd run out of fluid for sure, so I guess I'd just have to carry the paper towel and Windex, or go to service stations whenever possible.

 

[BuckeyeGen5]

Invisible Glass, RainX, and RainX Windshield Wiper Fluid

I don't think "deflectors" will do much in way of preventing bug splatter but I do have a tip for making the aforementioned splatter easier to clean off. First clean the windshield with Invisible Glass and then apply RainX. Also fill up on the Green RainX windshield wiper fluid. I've found this combo to be great (until the next car wash).

 

[philsey]

I don't think "deflectors" will do much in way of preventing bug splatter but I do have a tip for making the aforementioned splatter easier to clean off. First clean the windshield with Invisible Glass and then apply RainX. Also fill up on the Green RainX windshield wiper fluid. I've found this combo to be great (until the next car wash).

Has Rain-X improved? I used it years ago and found that it put an odd sheen on my windshield that was just terrible at night.

 

[BuckeyeGen5]

Has Rain-X improved? I used it years ago and found that it put an odd sheen on my windshield that was just terrible at night.

The sheen is from not applying the RainX properly....First, make sure to apply it to a clean surface (Invisible Glass works great; Windex is terrible as it leaves a residue). Then apply small amounts of RainX, let it dry, and wipe clean until there is no residue. There should be no sheen (day/night). If there is a sheen it usually means you used too much which can be taken care of with the Invisible Glass.

 

[philsey]

"Invisible Glass" you say. I loves me some clean glass! Where does a fella get this stuff?

 

[Y2KSR5]

"Invisible Glass" you say. I loves me some clean glass! Where does a fella get this stuff?

AutoZone, Pep Boys type places. Been using it for years. Tint safe. Ive only used the aersol foam spray and not the liquid.

 

[Maritimer]

AutoZone, Pep Boys type places. Been using it for years. Tint safe. Ive only used the aersol foam spray and not the liquid.

It rocks. The previous owner of my 4Runner must've used some funky product on the windows because when I drove it home after buying it the sheen under streetlights was TERRIBLE and blinding. Invisible Glass in the aerosol foam is WONDERFUL. The best advertisement for it is my son. Without knowing what I was doing or why, he asks me after I cleaned my side window, "Why does our window look like there's no window in it?"

 

[Uneek]

Has Rain-X improved? I used it years ago and found that it put an odd sheen on my windshield that was just terrible at night.

Don't know if they changed the formula. I didn't get a sheen, but I don't like is after a few weeks, pollen and dust would stick to it which would hose off easily on untreated glass. On Rain-X treated glass, it required scrubbing. That's was annoying on the side windows. But what was more annoying was the windshield, when the wipers pass, it wouldn't leave the glass completely dry as it does on untreated glass. There would be small/fine droplets of water going across the glass. Super annoying.

Rain-X works great the first week or two when it's freshly applied and not having to use the wipers. But having to repeatedly treat and apply it on the windows every few weeks to a month wasn't worth extra effort. I'm using Klasse All-In-One on the glass, works just as good as Rain-X, lasts longer and doesn't have the annoyances that comes with Rain-X.

To me Rain-X is like Armor All, once you applied it, you have to keep on using it.