bgreen Report post Posted June 13, 2018 I have a tow car shield that I use on the front of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is a "vinyl" type cover with soft felt underneath. I have places on the front end where the clear coat has worn off and has to be repaired. Before having this cover, we suffered damage from a gravel spot on the road and had the front end painted some time ago. I am not sure if the tow shield is wearing the clear coat or if the new clear coat was just faulty in the first place. The tow shield does move a little when on the road and of course there is a lot of heat from the engine and rear exhaust. I am curious if anyone else has experienced any similar problems using these covers. Trying to determine if we are better off without the cover and take our chances with chips or use the cover and possibly damage the clear coat again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted June 13, 2018 bgreen, can you attach a photo of your coach and Toad connected, better visual. Also a photo standing back showing the rear axle on the coach. Some are close to the toad while others are not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted June 13, 2018 I guess, I just am lucky ! Been towing since 1985, with no Toad bra, of any kind and have had no damage to Toad's! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted June 13, 2018 I have seen some shields that attach to the tow bar and are clear from touching the car, that is the only type cover/shield that I will use. Carl a lot has to do with the backend setup of the coach, I think that's why Joe wants some pictures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bgreen Report post Posted June 13, 2018 Thanks for replies. I have attached pictures as requested. I do know I can't use the type of shield that lays horizontal across the tow bar as I have rear exhaust. I was trying to avoid using the big shields since they are cumbersome. This cover goes on easy and seems to do a great job unless indeed it is rubbing the clear coat off. The tow bar is a Blue Ox. I will look for some better pictures. I have the coach in storage several hours away. A side note...towed a 92 Wrangler for years behind a Dutchstar and never had any damage. Buy a brand new Jeep...first trip out and had rocks embedded all over the front from gravel patch I could not avoid. It is my wife's car and I am lucky to be alive!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bgreen Report post Posted June 13, 2018 This is probably better to see the set up. In the case of the gravel incident, the rear flap actually made matters worse. When I hit the gravel patch it was a dip so the flap hit the ground then basically flung the gravel up into the grill, hood and windshield. Still, that was a very unusual situation but my cover would have protected against that. My main concern is that of the clear coat issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted June 14, 2018 My first suggestion is to get rid of the rear flap. The main reason it is there is to advertise for the manufacturer. I think they do more to create a vortex that kicks debry up on to the toad. Next time you are passed by a coach with one/ at speed look at the flap. it is not hanging straight down but back at an angle from the wind. Any time you have a soft cover on a painted surface it is going to cause damage to the paint. There is no way to keep it from causing "Fretting" this will act like a piece of sandpaper on the paint. I am towing a 2014 CR-V since new and in about 25,000++ miles of towing, I can't find any abnormal damage from towing by debry kicked up by my RV. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
desertdeals69 Report post Posted June 14, 2018 Never use a rear flap. It take the rocks that are picked up by the tires and bounces back to the road and then it bounces back in the air and covers the whole front of the toad. Without the flap the gravel that is picked up by the tires is low enough by the time it gets to the toad it goes underneath it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted June 14, 2018 I only will use tire width rubber flaps directly behind the rear tires, I agree that those rock shields are really rock throwers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted June 14, 2018 His rock shield is also too low! Same as mine, when I had the Allegro Bus 2011, I got rid of it and every time I went to Red Bay, they tried to give me a free one! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted June 14, 2018 9 hours ago, kaypsmith said: I only will use tire width rubber flaps directly behind the rear tires, We have these behind all tires (including steers) and the rock guard, that rock guard is so heavy (I have a scar to prove its weight ) if anything i'd bet it decreases MPG's on ours. The tire side of it has stone damage so its doing something. We have only ever towed Jeep Wranglers, none have ever showed any signs of stone damage in either coach. Last coach had what looked like a Hula skirt hanging off the rear bumper for a few years, I removed it and ran with nothing, still no stone damage, but the drive axle was 11.5' from the coach bumper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted June 14, 2018 Yep. Classic on Class C and A gas engine! I have seen longer than 11.5'...had a 12+ on my 1973 Landau, 26' Class A! Did not tow back then....ride really sucked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TimeTraveler Report post Posted June 16, 2018 Mercedes Body Shop Mrg now working for Hendrix Motorsport Team told me about the clear they use on Aircraft.It is hard to buff after sprayign so you want conditions just right. Might be the same as they use on Semis now? Then there is one made of silicon carbide . Ferrari used it on some parts of some cars, at least I think it is the same. One applied you won't buff it. Talk to a good Boy Shop or Aircraft paint supplier. 1I would like to find out the information myself and how it works out. Get rid of that bra. Even if $1,000.00 or $2,000.00 it would be worth it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted June 16, 2018 The product is Imron from Dupont is a pure urethane not an acrylic urethane, hard as the bricks of **** and almost impossible to do anything with once fully cured. No you do not want it on the car. It is not friendly when repairs need to be made. Pay twice once to install/spray it and again to get the stuff off. Terribly toxic to spray. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted June 16, 2018 Imron, Haven't heard that names in years. If I remember is was a rage back then. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted June 17, 2018 My 1987 Barth was painted with Imron, no wax needed....just soap and water! I used diesel fuel on a rag, to wipe the front....no bugs! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TimeTraveler Report post Posted June 17, 2018 Imron preceded the newer paints first termed fifteen year paints and since improved, Urethane based I believe. I mis read and though he was talking about front of his coach. The Silicon Carbide stuff sounds like a winner, if I could find someone who knows about it...if I ever have time to round toit which will probably not happen. Protecting the front of the car, if they till make it, 33m spray on after masking and it stays on for a longtime. Peel it off like saran wrap. It is supposed to be tough enough to prevent dining the paint by most anything. Another option is similar to the 3m and other films to put on the car by someone with patience and skill. Porsche wants a lot, don't remember the figure. It comes of like that applied to front of coaches but supposedly a lot easier. A Good Detail center or high end auto Dealer shop should be able to help. I wish I ad it on front of our little AMG....and something on the windshield. Anything on the road goes into the grill or over the hood onto the windshield. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted June 17, 2018 I have thought about the dip your car paint product as a protector for the front of car protector. My grandson is in to this stuff very heavily. You can paint the product over the present paint job, with any color you like, it looks great. when he gets tired of the new color, he simply peels off the dip your car, the original finish is undamaged, then he will apply a new color. I am thinking about painting a nose bra onto my car just see how it will work out. You can google the product. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donaldrfiske Report post Posted March 1, 2020 Have a class A coach with rear flap going to start towing a toad soon should I leave the rear flap or remove it?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted March 1, 2020 I have ours on and have for 6 years, no issues. What do you have for a toad? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted March 2, 2020 Don, just make sure it's set high enough not to drag at ride height. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donaldrfiske Report post Posted March 2, 2020 13 wrangler jk thanks guys for getting back to me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted March 3, 2020 13 hours ago, donaldrfiske said: 13 wrangler jk thanks guys for getting back to me You should be fine, our flap is low but not dragging, never had anything hit our Wrangler. Id run it and revisit this later. You could have some turbulence back there that would cause an issue. Look for road debris resting on the bumper when you stop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
