How Does Bug Deflector Work?

by | Mar 26, 2023 | Automotive | 0 comments

Every driver knows the feeling of washing the car, and the difficulty of cleaning that debris such as a tar or bugs on the car. Bug splatters should be cleaned by vigorous scrubbing, instead a safe bug remover cleaning liquid solvent needs to be used to clean the bugs off the car surface. Solvents dedicated for bug remover, pre-wax cleaner or spot treatment formula helps to loosen the insect remains before wiping the car clan with a microfiber towel. 

Bugs are quite harmful to auto paints. Removing them promptly is important and keeping them at bay is the best solution. Hence the bug deflectors were invented. Bug deflectors are the additional accessories the car owners install on their hood to reduce the amount of insects and other small rubbles that fly inside and around the windshields. Bug deflector helps in redirecting the insects and other small debris from the cars. This is done by redirecting the airflow that occurs across the hood of car.

How are splattered bugs harmful?

The splattered bugs on the car do more than actually making the car look crummy. It causes damage to the automotive paints especially if left on the car for a longer period.  The bug remains turn acidic and eats away the top layer of the car paint. We will not be able to remove the bugs immediately after every drive; hence preventing bugs fall on the car is the solution.

How does bug deflector work?

Now since it is difficult to clean the bugs from car after every drive, it is best to stop the bugs from splattering on the car. Creating an upstream of air with a wind deflector will sweep away the bugs up and over the vehicle.  The small acrylic strip across the hood of the vehicle creates slip stream for the bugs to get swept up in. The bug shield will also catch bug guts which is unavoidable. It is very effective and serves its purpose since most of the bugs will not be able to touch the vehicle.

Not all the bug deflectors are made same; it is not a one-size fits which matter. Each car has its own unique aerodynamics depending on the make and model. The flow of air over the hood of the each car is different. So the bug deflectors should be made differently to work well depending on the type of car. The effective bug deflectors are custom designed for the particular brand and model of the car. 

The deflector that is modeled using computational fluid dynamics software using data relevant to a particular model of the car is the best. Additional guarantee can be given to the deflector which has been tested for wind tunnel. The bug deflectors may not provide complete protection, especially when the driving at slower speeds where the diverted airstream is not strong to pull away bugs. 

Buying tips for bug deflectors

  • Always stick to the name brand of the deflectors and vent visors. The tips to remember while buying the bug deflector are:
  • Check for custom crafted for specific year, make and vehicle model.
  • Check for aerodynamic design with a sleek and low profile
  • Check for the ones crafted from aerospace grade acrylic scratch, crack and warp resistant
  • Buy one with on drill installation, with 3M taper or fasteners that can be used in the existing holes