F
FrgMstr
Guest
I bought a set of front and back stone guards for my 2005 SRT-10 from John at PartsRack this last week. Shipping was prompt, price was astronomical 
(but I knew that going in), and customer service was very solid. At no time did he attempt to touch me inappropriately. Even when I asked about a more economical guard materials I was given an alternative but chose to go the expensive route....because I thought they would look effin cool. And I was sort of right. I mean from a utility standpoint, I could have fabbed my own out of HDPE on a CNC machine but there is no way they would have looked like John's do.
A bit of back story. I am a very new Viper owner. Just put new wheels and rims on the Viper and soon as I drove the new Kumho XS tires across a parking lot when it was about 55F outside I could hear the debris flying forcefully into the side sills and rear fenders. I plan to drive the car a lot of hard miles the next couple months so I decided that a full set of 4 mud flaps / stone guards were needed. Honestly, I am not sold on the "look" overall, but I am a utilitarian sort of guy so I know these have their place.
Showing the car for the first time to a gear-head buddy friend of mine tonight, he stated, after asking, that he actually never noticed these on the car, which I will mark heavily positive.
On to the parts.
Guards came in packed very well. You could shake the box and hear no movement. Kinda like a lap dancer, but in very very good shape. I like that...anyway. Parts were wrapped in tissue paper (which seemed sorta girly, but I still appreciated it) then wrapped in small bubble wrap, then wrapped again in big bubble wrap, around the entire 4 parts. 10 out of 10 on packaging.
There are screws included that you will need to fasten these on. You get 7 when you need only 6, (7 is always better than 6...ask your wife) so an extra is always a good thing. These fasteners are taped on the end of the packaging on the guards. If you miss these and throw these away, you are an idiot, and probably should not be working on the car on this most simplest of projects anyway.
Here is a front guard in all its glory. Finish on these things was above and beyond my expectation. That said, this is the first "real" carbon fiber part I have ever held in my hand. It felt like very smooth machined titanium...which I have held in my hand before. Should you wish not to install this on your Viper, you have will now have a very handy and light weight blunt force trauma weapon.
Here is a picture that represents the finish on these parts. It is for lack of a better word, effin beautiful.
One of the rear guards did have some odd looking residue left on it. The picture is after I wiped off all I could. I don't know much about carbon fiber, but you this will soon be covered with a screw and road filth so I did not much care. If it comes apart right there, well, I got pictures buddy, and a good lawyer!
I had a full set of comparison pictures, then I realized that all you ******** know what a Viper looks like without mud flaps, so I ditched those pictures and went right to the finish.
And one artsy picture to finish off with.....
Should you want to see bigger resolution pictures you can hit this directory and click through them. Actual car pictures start with picture #6.
Installation:
Putting the things on was not hard at all, but it was not as easy as I thought either. I am sure your mileage may vary.
Fronts: I jacked the car up and turned the wheels to give me room to work.
The fronts were harder to install than the rears.....well the drivers front was harder to install than the all the other combined. Using the longer supplied screws, I was still having a hard time getting the screws started. I ended up getting an awl to pull the holes into better alignment. At one point I truly thought that I was not going to get the bottom screw started, but after enough "awl-ing" and enough force applied on the fender liner I got it started. Once started all was a breeze. The other front went on fine.
Backs: I jacked the car up for the back installation as well, but I would have been better off getting off my lazy ass and pulling the tires...but I am effin lazy, so I did not. Now you probably know a "stubby" screw driver is a tool you need, but in the case of the backs, I did better using a 18 inch long screw driver for the middle screw. Again, your mileage may vary.
Now John put on the invoice that I should put the rear guard on loosely then start tightening from the top to the bottom. Well this did not work out for me at all. This left a huge gap between the bottom trailing edge of the fender and the guard even trying to hold it up flush. I did the bottom first, fastening it on very tightly while I forced the guard up to the fender making the fender take the shape of the guard. I am not a weak man. And carbon fiber does not bend, so if your fender is not the same shape as the guard, you will need to make this happen. Again, your mileage may vary. But starting at the bottom and making the fender take the shape of the guard then tightening to the top worked out well for me.
The Bottom Line
Where they stupidly expensive? Yes.
Did I buy these anyway when I knew there were alternatives? Yes.
Do they look 100X better than the alternatives? I have to think very much so.
Will these guards provide the protection I want? I would have to say yes.
I don't think these guards detract from the Viper, but I don't think they really add anything either. Standing back and looking at the Viper, I don't see a loss of lines or detail. I don't see big mud flaps on my damn Viper. When my gear head buddy said he did not notice these, that was the best thing I heard. I am not a "carbon fiber guy" and could care less about the "dress up" nature of these. (Yeah I see some of the nutty crap you guys put on your cars in carbon fiber and I appreciate it, because then I do not look so effin out of my mind standing next to you.) So again, I am glad they blend enough with the Viper to "not be seen." They are kinda like children now that I think about it. Good to clean the yard, but don't come talking to me!
My concerns about these guards is, "How durable are they? Will they look like ass after getting road debris blasted for a few thousand miles? Will I feel a loss when I paint the carbon fiber with a rattle can in my garage? Is there anyone here dumb enough to buy them after I partially destroy these?" Dunno, but I guess time will tell.
I am happy with my purchase and feel like I got what I paid for....well not really, but anyone that pays $600 for mud flaps probably deserves a certain amount of screwin'. And as long as my wife does not find out I spent 6 bills on mud flaps, I satisfied with the buy.
Kudos to John at PartsRack.com for great customer service. You can buy your own stone guards here.
(but I knew that going in), and customer service was very solid. At no time did he attempt to touch me inappropriately. Even when I asked about a more economical guard materials I was given an alternative but chose to go the expensive route....because I thought they would look effin cool. And I was sort of right. I mean from a utility standpoint, I could have fabbed my own out of HDPE on a CNC machine but there is no way they would have looked like John's do.A bit of back story. I am a very new Viper owner. Just put new wheels and rims on the Viper and soon as I drove the new Kumho XS tires across a parking lot when it was about 55F outside I could hear the debris flying forcefully into the side sills and rear fenders. I plan to drive the car a lot of hard miles the next couple months so I decided that a full set of 4 mud flaps / stone guards were needed. Honestly, I am not sold on the "look" overall, but I am a utilitarian sort of guy so I know these have their place.
Showing the car for the first time to a gear-head buddy friend of mine tonight, he stated, after asking, that he actually never noticed these on the car, which I will mark heavily positive.
On to the parts.
Guards came in packed very well. You could shake the box and hear no movement. Kinda like a lap dancer, but in very very good shape. I like that...anyway. Parts were wrapped in tissue paper (which seemed sorta girly, but I still appreciated it) then wrapped in small bubble wrap, then wrapped again in big bubble wrap, around the entire 4 parts. 10 out of 10 on packaging.
You must be registered for see images
There are screws included that you will need to fasten these on. You get 7 when you need only 6, (7 is always better than 6...ask your wife) so an extra is always a good thing. These fasteners are taped on the end of the packaging on the guards. If you miss these and throw these away, you are an idiot, and probably should not be working on the car on this most simplest of projects anyway.
You must be registered for see images
Here is a front guard in all its glory. Finish on these things was above and beyond my expectation. That said, this is the first "real" carbon fiber part I have ever held in my hand. It felt like very smooth machined titanium...which I have held in my hand before. Should you wish not to install this on your Viper, you have will now have a very handy and light weight blunt force trauma weapon.
You must be registered for see images
Here is a picture that represents the finish on these parts. It is for lack of a better word, effin beautiful.
You must be registered for see images
One of the rear guards did have some odd looking residue left on it. The picture is after I wiped off all I could. I don't know much about carbon fiber, but you this will soon be covered with a screw and road filth so I did not much care. If it comes apart right there, well, I got pictures buddy, and a good lawyer!
You must be registered for see images
I had a full set of comparison pictures, then I realized that all you ******** know what a Viper looks like without mud flaps, so I ditched those pictures and went right to the finish.
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
And one artsy picture to finish off with.....
You must be registered for see images
Should you want to see bigger resolution pictures you can hit this directory and click through them. Actual car pictures start with picture #6.
Installation:
Putting the things on was not hard at all, but it was not as easy as I thought either. I am sure your mileage may vary.
Fronts: I jacked the car up and turned the wheels to give me room to work.
The fronts were harder to install than the rears.....well the drivers front was harder to install than the all the other combined. Using the longer supplied screws, I was still having a hard time getting the screws started. I ended up getting an awl to pull the holes into better alignment. At one point I truly thought that I was not going to get the bottom screw started, but after enough "awl-ing" and enough force applied on the fender liner I got it started. Once started all was a breeze. The other front went on fine.
Backs: I jacked the car up for the back installation as well, but I would have been better off getting off my lazy ass and pulling the tires...but I am effin lazy, so I did not. Now you probably know a "stubby" screw driver is a tool you need, but in the case of the backs, I did better using a 18 inch long screw driver for the middle screw. Again, your mileage may vary.
Now John put on the invoice that I should put the rear guard on loosely then start tightening from the top to the bottom. Well this did not work out for me at all. This left a huge gap between the bottom trailing edge of the fender and the guard even trying to hold it up flush. I did the bottom first, fastening it on very tightly while I forced the guard up to the fender making the fender take the shape of the guard. I am not a weak man. And carbon fiber does not bend, so if your fender is not the same shape as the guard, you will need to make this happen. Again, your mileage may vary. But starting at the bottom and making the fender take the shape of the guard then tightening to the top worked out well for me.
The Bottom Line
Where they stupidly expensive? Yes.
Did I buy these anyway when I knew there were alternatives? Yes.
Do they look 100X better than the alternatives? I have to think very much so.
Will these guards provide the protection I want? I would have to say yes.
I don't think these guards detract from the Viper, but I don't think they really add anything either. Standing back and looking at the Viper, I don't see a loss of lines or detail. I don't see big mud flaps on my damn Viper. When my gear head buddy said he did not notice these, that was the best thing I heard. I am not a "carbon fiber guy" and could care less about the "dress up" nature of these. (Yeah I see some of the nutty crap you guys put on your cars in carbon fiber and I appreciate it, because then I do not look so effin out of my mind standing next to you.) So again, I am glad they blend enough with the Viper to "not be seen." They are kinda like children now that I think about it. Good to clean the yard, but don't come talking to me!
My concerns about these guards is, "How durable are they? Will they look like ass after getting road debris blasted for a few thousand miles? Will I feel a loss when I paint the carbon fiber with a rattle can in my garage? Is there anyone here dumb enough to buy them after I partially destroy these?" Dunno, but I guess time will tell.
I am happy with my purchase and feel like I got what I paid for....well not really, but anyone that pays $600 for mud flaps probably deserves a certain amount of screwin'. And as long as my wife does not find out I spent 6 bills on mud flaps, I satisfied with the buy.
Kudos to John at PartsRack.com for great customer service. You can buy your own stone guards here.
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