I used black plastic gutter guard and black zip ties to hold it on. I put it behind the bumper, looks almost factoy and blocks everything I want it to. Best part is the project cost me $3.00

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I did the same it came out great......looks good and price was right
Itchy

 

Same for me, but I opted for the aluminum gutter guard.
It was less than $2.00.

 

flatten HD gutter guard



How do you get the slight curve out of the metal HD gutter guard?

 

How did you install it?
where did you attach the zipties?

did you install it from under the car??

Thanks
Karl

 

very cool. I am going to do this tonight.

 

This stuff is great. I used over my headlights, over the license plate. It really looks cool. I havn't done it to my E.
I am in protest. The first thing I am doing is lifting and tires but I wait........................................

 

Got everyting from the depot.
The platic gutter guard was easy to bend I just stuck it inside the bumper between one of those slots. Then I rolled it out to cover the openeing and attached the top with zip ties then the bottom. The entire project took about 10 minutes. The hardest part was to get the square part on the zip tie hidden behind the bumper. All I had to do was twist them till it faced the back.

 

I tried this tonight and was not impressed

a rock or anything flying at high velocity will bend the plastic back and hit the radiator anyway.

Maybe the aluminum will be stronger. I will try this tommorrow!

 

Aluminum gutter guard, that what I used!

I purchased two pieces, but one piece is more than enough.
I put my on with black cable ties and cable ties anchors, they designed for outdoor use. I regretted that I didn't painted the screen black, it would look much better.

Project cost:
$1.79 Aluminum screen
$3.00 cable ties(black)
$6.00 cable anchors(black)

 

The plastic isn't going anywhere on my vehicle. Perhaps you purchased some thinner material.

 

I also went to Home Depot. I utilized a decorative metal screen. I cut it to size using tin type cutter. I then spray painted it black with Rustoleum and wire tied it on the outside not inside of face vs. behind it.

 

[quote:6bc59f4552="zarathustra"]The plastic isn't going anywhere on my vehicle. Perhaps you purchased some thinner material.[/quote:6bc59f4552]

It been a while since I purchased (HD)the gutter guard but it made of aluminum, it got two stainless clips near each corner. The gutter guard happen to be to perfect width and lenght, I believed airflow won't be a problem at all. Since it a stiffer material you have remove the bumper to install it, it look like it was OEM.

I was at Menards few week a go and saw some more screens, they'r not gutter screen. I didn't look closely but they might work too.

I guess plastic gutter screen will keep leaves and other bigger stuff out, but
plastic become too soft when heat is near.

Zarath,
Good luck with your DIY.

 

Good thing the platic gutter guard is heat resistent since it sits on top of most people's house's and bakes in summer time sun and doesn;t melt.

Im sure the amount of heat on the front end of the moving vehicle, in front of an ac condenssor, isn't as extreme as this NC heat on my roof top!

 

That the difference been sit on the roof top and traveling down the Interstate at 60-70 mph.

 

Yeah, I wonder what gets hotter.

 

Use whatever work for you!

I don't doubt you for a second that plastic gutter screen worked, my aluminum screen workout well for me.

I owned a 98 Dodge Stratus with the nose mask, there are section of that mask made of fine vinyl or fiber glass mesh, after 5yrs of service that all faded and all torned.

It a pain in the ass to take the Element bumper off to repare anything behind there, beside at the same time worry it being scracth or damage.

 

Yeah no doubt.......Im a big fan of not taking off that front bumper!

 

zarathustra, I got some aluminum gutter screen and i am going to try the bumper removal this weekend. The plastic, once I had it all attached, had some corners and edges where it could easily bend in if a rock hit it(on the very tops, corners and bottom)

I am going to lay down a soft blanket in the garage in front of my E and remove the bumper, attatch the aluminum and the put it back.

I will take some pics this weekend.

 

Yeah the corners were tricky.

 

The grill looks great...the bad thing is that I tried both Home Depots close to home and no luck........they carry white and also another aluminum.....in which state did you buy these guards....I was told that maybe here in MA....that type may not be availbale...and could be a regional thing...in any case great job and great post.......my search continues...

Hector

 

I got the black stuff and the aluminum in upstate NY

 

So let me make sure I understand. In order to use the black plastic gutter guard I do NOT have to remove the bumper? This sounds like the best way to go to me plus I love the look of it. So the corners are weak at 3 bucks for the job its not expensive to replace and that rock that hit it at 50+mph to break it is a rock that would have hit the ac condenser at 50 mph+.

 

No black plastic Gutter Guard at Home Depot in this area (NC) but I did find it at Lowe's.

 

You can get the corners tight.

The plastic grille serves it purpose very well.

 

I did the guard this afternoon, used the galvanized gutter guard from Home Depot for $1.50 and 10 black wire ties which I have tons of. Looks awesome, step back 10 feet and you can't even tell there are wire ties at all (put the big end on back side, harder, but worth it). It just looks like it was built that way.

Yes it would be nice to not have any wire ties visible, but how many people are really going to be looking that closely at the lower grill?