Home made wind deflector

[wayne R]

About a month ago, i decided to make my own  wind deflector, reason was really not money cost but,
the ones i have seen seem to be all plastic and black,and i also dont like the shape of most ive seen on ,line.
Made mine out of stainless, and polished aluminium rods and alloy fly screen mesh,available all at your Home Dept,
our Bunnings.
All for a total of $100 US, our $150. and i am very happy,and the funny thing that happened is i thought
i would have to do the bottom parallel one behind the vertical one, and its fine with out it,when driving at  70mph,
a little brease, but just fine.  regards Wayne.
PS ,Any body want tips on bending and fitting metal rods,if interested just let me know.

[wayne R]

Another photo.
Double click,  to show bigger photo---does for me, may for you.hope,.

[JamesL]

Looks lovely
Someone will want the dimensions and details of how you fixed it to the soft-top well lid

[Garry]

Wayne,


Can you give us a bit more detail on how you fit the deflector to the vehicle.  I have a clear perspex shield but I dont like the way it is fitted to the soft top box as it also marks the kindy seat that it sits on as well.


The photo is with the shield fitted but hard to see but the only photo I have at the moment.


Garry

[Pawel66]

I think I see it is fitted to the hard top achor points, correct? Can you specify how you did that? What parts yo used?

[wayne R]

Sorry all, i am at a car club meeting here in Ausy, 8.00pm at night,
so will take some photos, etc tomorrow and post them on,regards.

[Pawel66]

Thanks!

[wayne R]

Hi , firstly i have just noticed in last few months, my camera has a black spot near bottom,so sorry,probably time to renew.
Sorry for delay,re fitting my wind deflector, so i will show photos ,then try and explain how i fitted it.
I am not saying its the best way ,but it works very easy for me and i like the look of it,and i will mention a couple of
things that i would probably improve, if i did it again.
And yes Pawel you are correct,thanks James comments ,and Garry you will see from photos what i did,and my bottom rod clears
kinder seat by 7/8 inch.
Items used , 3/4 inch chrome curtain rod,bottom rail, 3/8 inch aluminuim rod for top rail,
2 white rubber  1 inch stool leg rubbers,that fit in to hole for hardtop, perfect with a slight push down.
 4 pack plastic  caps for end rods, few stainless screws, aluminuim   fly sreen mesh, piece of old leather strap or belt
attached to center  bottom rod ,then to end of  console., one small screw.
2  steel  3/8 inch springs about 18inches long for the bending of top rail,. pack of stainless flat rivets for holdind mesh to rods.

[wayne R]

A few more photos.
 The small 3/8 rod that enters the hole to hard top, is 3inches long and bent vertical  to enter whole, place plastic cap on this
so that it sits down inside on one of the steel convertible top arms,very strong  there and it does not move.
The the curve bend starts from above the  stool rubber to the curve that you want to do, by fitting special bend ing spring
inside rod,  will show photo later  how as i do not have a spare now.
I drilled a 3/8 hole through the bottom curtain rod ,so that the top rod went through see photos. held  with i scwew.
The small flat rivets holding mesh i purchased from a local leather horse  saddler.

[wayne R]

Photos
Lastly ,deflector almosts sits sits in there with out movement ,but it will  push forward a little,
Make  2 small pine wooden wedges 5/16 x 1x1/2 x 3 inchs long, they just sit down inside
next to rod, that stops movement forward ,pop them out ,when removing  deflector when not useing it.

[wayne R]

The only thing i would do next time, would be to put a little more  angle on the corner 3/8 rod so it matched the front windscreen angle.
I actually  sanded and polished the 3/8 rod ,but i should have  clear coated it., as it has started to tarnish all ready.No big deal as
the mesh covers it  any way.
The height of the deflector is 11inches, i would make it a littlr less 9.1/2---10 inches.    regards Thank you.
Will show spring bending tomorrow,using  a large tree trunk.

[Pawel66]

Great, thank you for sharing!

[114015]

Wayne...,
Very nice piece of work, indeed.

I've got 2 questions.
Yours is not foldable, isn't it? So, you have to detach it completely when you put the softtop up, correct?

2nd: You do not have a horizontal part of the wind deflector - covering the "behind seats area" from wind turbulence?

Neverthelesse,
nice work!

Best,

Achim

[Garry]

Thanks Wayne,


I gather that there is no soft top in the soft top hatch?


Garry

[wayne R]

Hi ,As i said yesterday will come back today, as i did not have a spare spring to show,just purchased one,
will return it today,only $12.00 each, ausy here at Bunnings.
Achim and Garry will come back to you soon thankyou.
You need about 77 inches in lenght before starting to bend top rod,.depending how high you do your deflector.
Push spring all the way in at one end of the rod , one end first,then take your top rod
outside find a approx 12inch tree trunk,and place it about18 inches from end on trunk,push  gradully on rod while moving
left and then  right until you obtain the angle you want, its very easy and not as hard as you think.
When you do the other end it is critical that you get the  curve in the proper place, so it matches the first end,
you can use a large piece of paper ,and mark first curve,then bend other end to match----i did not do that.
The small 3inch vertical end at bottom is easy to do with pliers or a suitable tool, until vertical.
Of course the spring stays inside the rod for good,and makes the top rod very strong.

[wayne R]

Last 2 photos----thank you.

[wayne R]

Hi Achim and Garry, yes Garry soft top is down fitted to car,next time you take your hard top of,
get a flash light look down into mount hole you will see the  soft top arms,that is where the rod sits ,very strong down there as arms sits on solid steel brace.
Achim you are correct mine is not foldable,and when using my soft top ,i lift it out and place it between front ,
and back seats at floor level---great.

Also as i mentioned in my  first forum at top of page was funny as i thought i would have to make a  second  deflector parallel,
but i did not do that as it is  fine with out, get a slight breeze ,but nothing like, when without the deflector.
I may try sometime attaching piece of mesh from bottom  chrome bar down to near floor, thats vertical.
Many thanks regards Wayne.

[teahead]

Very ingenious, but doesn't look like you can lay it down?