ZL1 Rock Guards - Buy the correct hardware before installing

[Motorknut]

Thanks. Maybe I’ll dig them out of the trash and buy some new hardware. I’ll attribute my comment to spending over an hour on one wheel for now and check back in.

Pick up some #10 stainless steel screws instead, much better match to the oem screw you are replacing. And won’t rust.

I find the provided standoffs good for the bottom 2 screws. A slightly taller one for the top screw would allow the guard to sit more flush with the fender line. But I’m not sure I want the guard to have that much contact with the painted sections anyway. They curve slightly inwards when installed.

I think ZL1 didn’t go with the deluxe version material cos the thicker material won’t flex enough for the curve of our wheel arch + the recessed wheel well points.

i only wish i installed my set sooner. I sat on mine (took my time buying tools) and ended up with some tiny chips on my front fender. Now, I don’t have to curse every time I hear rocks rattling. Tran Hai’s YouTube installation video was really helpful for me since I didn’t take the rear wheels off.

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[Nocturnal LE]

Pick up some #10 stainless steel screws instead, much better match to the oem screw you are replacing. And won’t rust.

I find the provided standoffs good for the bottom 2 screws. A slightly taller one for the top screw would allow the guard to sit more flush with the fender line. But I’m not sure I want the guard to have that much contact with the painted sections anyway. They curve slightly inwards when installed.

I think ZL1 didn’t go with the deluxe version material cos the thicker material won’t flex enough for the curve of our wheel arch + the recessed wheel well points.

i only wish i installed my set sooner. I sat on mine (took my time buying tools) and ended up with some tiny chips on my front fender. Now, I don’t have to curse every time I hear rocks rattling. Tran Hai’s YouTube installation video was really helpful for me since I didn’t take the rear wheels off.

So you actually find a longer stand-off is necessary for the bottom screw? Hard to find consistency in people's experiences

 

[Motorknut]

So you actually find a longer stand-off is necessary for the bottom screw? Hard to find consistency in people's experiences

I think its really personal preference. I don’t want the guard to be all pressed against the fender edge, so I’m happy that the primary contact points are minimized against it. My friend wanted to 3M tape the guard to his fender to avoid any sign of gap.

I’d say get some spare spacers handy, and you can decide what you prefer when you do your install.

 

[polaris]

The standoffs were too long on my passenger side but fit perfectly fine on my driver side with no gap. They were all the exact same length. I think it also comes down to the tolerances of one's car as well.

 

[Suggs.OR]

I thought they were good for what they were. Nothing about them though made me say "wow i have to buy these for ever car" but they are mud flaps so didnt expect that in the first place. I ended up removing them though because they were scraping on the wheel with it being lowered.

 

[Munkeeboi]

These are all function over form. For me, they were a great value for the price for the protection they give.

 

[FlynnZero]

I put some spacers on and figured I’d do the ZL1 rock guards as well. I was super disappointed, flimsy plastic, wrong screws, bushings too long.

The factory screws have a very coarse thread. The ZL1s are not. The bushing is too long and barely gives you enough thread to work with.

Put one on, immediately removed it due to the cheap quality and threw them all away.

Overpriced junk… in my opinion and experience of course.

Put mine on 4 weeks ago. No fit up issues.

 

[spta97]

I installed these over the weekend on my g/f's Supra.

I agree - they provide good protection but are overpriced for what they are. They should be $30.

Screws in the back are more narrow than the OEMs but didn't pose an issue. May upgrade to SS bolts down the line.

For the install:
- Front's fit nice but those pins are a pain as you have to hit them pretty hard and try not to bend them. Rubber mallet was not working well so I went to a small head metal hammer.

- Backs would have been sooooo much easier with the wheels off but I was lazy and it was raining. It was hard to get my big hands in there to tighten the screws enough so I could use my SkewDriver (buy one if you do not have it - I've been using the same one for almost 20 years now and it is my most frequently used tool).

- On the backs, I noticed several people stating the "sleeves" were not the right length. Keep in mind, likely due to the smaller screw, and especially with the tire on, you can screw them in not perfectly strait. This I think leads to unwanted alignment issues.

- I ended up redoing the driver's side rear as the passenger rear came out better.

- With the rear wheels on, I found it better to start the bottom screw then rotate the flap to the top as there was more room to work on the top and middle.

- Despite getting pretty good alignment, there were still minor gaps on the rears (see pics below). Perhaps this is where other posters are trimming the sleeves?

- Despite some cursing (due to me not taking off the rear wheels), and the cost (should be half), they worked out very nice and seem to be doing their job. Moreover, they virtually disappear into the car - and this is on white. On black they are probably invisible.

- Due to lack of other options, I would get them as summer tires pick up rocks like an ice cream cone picks up sprinkles when you dip it in the bucket at Carvel

 

[Okvilln]

I had similar fitment issues. Fronts were good but their R&D department needs to spend more time dialing in the rear fitment.
Stock screws on the rears are #10-16. The package came with #8-32 screw which is a finer thread, so the thinner screw doesnt “bite” into the fender liner hole. You can pull it out with a bit of force. Secondly, the spacer is too high for the middle screw so it bulges out in the middle like the poster above.
I’ll need to shave down the middle spacer by a few mm and purchased #10-16 x 1-1/2” hex screws black powder coated and made for outdoors:
Simpson Strong-Tie SD10112DBBR50 Outdoor Accents #10 X 1-1/2-Inch Hexa Head Black Powder-Coat Connector Screw, 1-1/2" https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XYBC1Q7...t_i_1X9XB01YTVFQWM8Y0JX9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[spta97]

Thanks for posting the screw size.
Do you think the powder coat will hold up? Is there such a think as a stainless steel screw bolt that is black?

on my bmw I have black screws on my mud flaps and they get pretty beat up.

 

[Andrew4Supra]

Front's fit nice but those pins are a pain as you have to hit them pretty hard and try not to bend them. Rubber mallet was not working well so I went to a small head metal hammer.

~ Yes I agree the plastic pins were a pia.

After screwing around with them (bending)... I elected to head to ace hardware and purchased small metal dowel pins (perfect fit) and they easily tapped in place with a small hammer. Very secure.

 

[spta97]

~ Yes I agree the plastic pins were a pia.

After screwing around with them (bending)... I elected to head to ace hardware and purchased small metal dowel pins (perfect fit) and they easily tapped in place with a small hammer. Very secure.

Great idea!

I guess I could have also used the punch I used to push them out. Duh.

 

[pittperson]

Ok. So I went back with a level head and the right hardware (i.e. #10 1.5in screws) and all is good. I get the same slight gap that everyone else seems to get. I'm thinking about getting the heat gun out to see if I can clean it up.

 

[Dooo]

You will have issues with the rear rubbing when running bigger tires. I am running 295/35 on the rear and had the top screw pop out yesterday. I will have to take the rear flaps off and see where it's rubbing and dremel it out... Now I also need to run to the hardware store to find a similar plastic spacers...

 

[spta97]

Ok. So I went back with a level head and the right hardware (i.e. #10 1.5in screws) and all is good. I get the same slight gap that everyone else seems to get. I'm thinking about getting the heat gun out to see if I can clean it up.

Patience always wins

For the gap, I don't think a head gun will resolve it. It's not that it cannot bend, but it appears to be the screw sleeve is pushing it out.

I'm thinking filing down the sleeve will do it but please post back what you end up doing and how it works out.

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