Rain Guards – Enjoy Driving Through Unpleasant Weather

A rain guard may look like a useless upgrade to your vehicle’s exterior but this long piece of plastic can do much more than keeping rain from splattering inside of your car. The simplicity of weathershields allows them to almost isolate loud noises when going down the motorway like wind and other vehicles. They also help de-mist the windows and increase mileage as this way you don’t have to turn the AC on to cool down the inside of your car which in turn makes it spend less fuel.

You can also leave your car in a parking lot on a hot day and not have to worry about your vehicle being hot as hell when you come back. While no weather shield can completely eliminate noise and turbulence, it can at least make your ride more enjoyable with enough air entering the vehicle during hot summer days. All these things are great but you might think to yourself – What kind of rain guard do I need?

Stick-On

These weather shields are not only extremely easy to install but they also provide better coverage of the window channel. Stick on rain guards for cars pose no risk of scratching the glass nor do they interfere with the operation of the window. The removal process however can be somewhat more difficult than that for in-channel rain guards as they use double-sided tape which can leave residue. But with a stick-on guard you wont have to worry about it becoming loose or making rattling sounds after you’ve used it for quite some time.

How to Install Stick on Rain Guards?

Before using the double-sided tape that is usually provided with the rain guards you should check how they’ll line up. Then use either the provided alcohol pads (if any) or get yourself an automotive surface cleaner and clean the surface where the tape will be placed. Make sure you buff out any unpainted window mouldings using a light scuff pad before you clean the surface.

After the surface has dried out, peel of a bit of the double sided tape on both ends and carefully adjust the height and position of the guard (don’t touch the adhesive before you apply it). Place the guard above the window frame and press gently on the exposed parts of adhesive. Once you do that, start peeling off the rest of the tape liner and press firmly on the guard as you uncover the adhesive. Afterwards just press at the corners and the slowly apply pressure along the whole guard but make sure you do so with a clean cloth or by putting on gloves so you don’t smudge it.

In-Channel

With in-channel rain guards for cars you get a fairly simple installation which makes it easy to remove the guard from the window and they don’t leave any residue. These weathershields have a low-profile look and don’t protrude at all. But you won’t be able to avoid the glass scratches of the deflector or the loosening up of the guard after years of use. If you want a snug fit, you will have to bend and flex the guard which may break, if you apply more pressure than you need to.

How to Install In-Channel Rain Guards?

Like with a stick-on guard, first make sure you test-fit them so you are certain that you’ve got the right set of rain guards. Make sure the window channels are dry and clean (clean them using alcohol pads or the solution that came with the guards). Remember that on the front windows you’ll need to have the front of the guard running down on top of the sill and not into the door.

Put the window halfway down and slide the front end of the guard into the window channel. Once you have the front end of the guard in place insert the lip of the guard into the window channel and bend the guard towards you so you can slip the rear end of the lip into the window channel. There should be a gap of about 1.3cm at the top of the guard.

Starting from the front and working your way to the back, slide the lip into the window channel by gently pulling it down until you have it clear from the outside of the window and then just tuck it in. Once you have it in place apply a little bit of outward pressure to secure the guard. Make sure the deflector has been seated all the way into the channel.

Keep in mind that some in-channel guards have an adhesive strip (usually rear window guards do). In this case, you need to remove the back liner and fit the deflector into the window channel by turning it at a slight angle. Then just straighten it and slide it into the channel. After you fit your guards carefully raise the windows all the way up to secure them and leave the windows for the amount of time specified by the manufacturer. If there is no time specified then just leave them for 24 hours.