Splitter guards

[Palutz]

Wanted to get some opinions on the splitter guards ZL1addons sells on their website for our Z/28s. Is drilling required or are they attached through factory bolts? Do they work? I ask because I’m running in the same problems most Z owners find out about when driving around town. I hear the scrapping and I cringe. Need some input from owners with these splitter guards. Thanks

[Zslash28]

I had them on my first splitter. But I bumped a curb and damaged the splitter. Now, I just really avoid places with steep entry ways.

[craZed]

I've had them on mine for about 3 years. They are attached with sheet metal screws that can be screwed into the splitter without drilling. There are nine of them that you space evenly across the splitter, about 3/4" back from the leading edge of the splitter.

They will help only as much as the splitter will deflect. They allow the splitter to ride over low obstacles without scraping the splitter itself. The angle from the bottom of the protector to the leading edge of the splitter can be upwards of 25 deg, but the splitter won't deflect that much. It will protect against curb drains and speed bumps but anything sharper/steeper than that will begin damaging the splitter. Most of the damage I have incurred is from bumping the front edge against a curbstone. I do avoid steep inclines.

[Palutz]

Originally Posted by craZed

I've had them on mine for about 3 years. They are attached with sheet metal screws that can be screwed into the splitter without drilling. There are nine of them that you space evenly across the splitter, about 3/4" back from the leading edge of the splitter.

They will help only as much as the splitter will deflect. They allow the splitter to ride over low obstacles without scraping the splitter itself. The angle from the bottom of the protector to the leading edge of the splitter can be upwards of 25 deg, but the splitter won't deflect that much. It will protect against curb drains and speed bumps but anything sharper/steeper than that will begin damaging the splitter. Most of the damage I have incurred is from bumping the front edge against a curbstone. I do avoid steep inclines.

Driving my F350 work pickup daily dropped my awareness of curbs or steep inclines immensely ... driving the Z/28 around town is a complete different experience because I’m always looking for anything that looks too steep for that beautiful splitter. I might have to order some just for that extra protection.

[serviceguy]

In my own mind, they will protect my splitter. I've yet to find out if they will or not !

[hjdca]

For driving up and down 2 car driveways, you have to wait until the whole driveway clears, then, accelerate fast to the driveway, hit the brakes so you almost stop, then, turn all the way to one side and put one tire on the driveway until you get about 1/3 of the way up, then, swing the wheel straight and accelerate up as one of the back wheels is off the ground. With this technique you can get up and down almost any 2 car driveway. Mine is a daily driver and my splitter is in perfect shape. I also use the sto & go license plate holder and this will scrap before the splitter does, so, I get a warning.

Just make sure you have the patience to wait until the 2 car driveway clears and you can use the whole driveway. Also, spend some time to practice the technique so it does not take you forever to do it. I always accelerate hard to the driveway when clear to make sure there is nobody behind me following too close, that gives you a little more time to go through the technique to go up the driveway cleanly.

[SimonBelgium]

Originally Posted by hjdca

For driving up and down 2 car driveways, you have to wait until the whole driveway clears, then, accelerate fast to the driveway, hit the brakes so you almost stop, then, turn all the way to one side and put one tire on the driveway until you get about 1/3 of the way up, then, swing the wheel straight and accelerate up as one of the back wheels is off the ground. With this technique you can get up and down almost any 2 car driveway. Mine is a daily driver and my splitter is in perfect shape. I also use the sto & go license plate holder and this will scrap before the splitter does, so, I get a warning.

Just make sure you have the patience to wait until the 2 car driveway clears and you can use the whole driveway. Also, spend some time to practice the technique so it does not take you forever to do it. I always accelerate hard to the driveway when clear to make sure there is nobody behind me following too close, that gives you a little more time to go through the technique to go up the driveway cleanly.

To be clear:
You're driving straight towards the driveway, across the street, as it were? Then right before, make a hard right and roll the front left tire onto the driveway? Then straighten out till the front right tire is on, then turn hard left to straighten the car back out and get it onto the driveway?

[j o n]

Originally Posted by SimonBelgium

To be clear:
You're driving straight towards the driveway, across the street, as it were? Then right before, make a hard right and roll the front left tire onto the driveway? Then straighten out till the front right tire is on, then turn hard left to straighten the car back out and get it onto the driveway?

He's perpendicular to the driveway, 90*

[SimonBelgium]

Originally Posted by j o n

He's perpendicular to the driveway, 90*

That's the only way I really saw that working as well (tire extends from wheel arch to grab the driveway curb), but it sounded he was going straight for it

[hjdca]

Originally Posted by SimonBelgium

That's the only way I really saw that working as well (tire extends from wheel arch to grab the driveway curb), but it sounded he was going straight for it

Yes, you drive straight towards the correct side of the driveway until you get there, then, crank the wheel all the way, this will put you on an angle and only put one wheel on the driveway. Now, you are moving towards the wrong side of the driveway. Go up a few feet, then, crank the wheel all the way the other way to straighten out. One back wheel will be off the ground during this maneuver, so, you need momentum to carry you through. You end up going up the middle of the driveway, or hogging up the wrong side. If there is another guy coming down the driveway, you may not have room to execute this maneuver, so, make sure the driveway is clear before you attempt it. Once you get good at it, you can do it very fast and with a lot of confidence. When going down a steep driveway, just mirror the maneuver. go straight down until you get to the bottom, then crank the wheel to get only one wheel on the street, move a few feet, then, crank the wheel to straighten out. My Z/28 is a daily driver and the driveways are steep around here. I go up and down them all the time. My splitter is pristine.

[Gbland60]

Just my 2 nickles worth but why can't you just order the aluminum splitter extension and bolt it on the bottom side with it extending out in front a half inch or so.this was an option I considered or make you a template bring it to a Fab shop and have them fabricate you one . some drilling and fabing on you part may be involved but atleast the aluminum would be the sacrificing lamb and not the actual splitter

[j o n]

Originally Posted by Gbland60

Just my 2 nickles worth but why can't you just order the aluminum splitter extension and bolt it on the bottom side with it extending out in front a half inch or so.this was an option I considered or make you a template bring it to a Fab shop and have them fabricate you one . some drilling and fabing on you part may be involved but atleast the aluminum would be the sacrificing lamb and not the actual splitter

like this?
https://zl1addons.com/collections/sp...z-28-extention

[hjdca]

Originally Posted by Gbland60

Just my 2 nickles worth but why can't you just order the aluminum splitter extension and bolt it on the bottom side with it extending out in front a half inch or so.this was an option I considered or make you a template bring it to a Fab shop and have them fabricate you one . some drilling and fabing on you part may be involved but atleast the aluminum would be the sacrificing lamb and not the actual splitter

If you need a front license plate, then the Sto n Sho license plate works well. No drilling, no extra holes. It works with the existing holes and screws in the Splitter. If you get into trouble, you will scrape the Sto N Sho first before the Splitter. The license plate is removable, but, you still have the Sto N Sho aluminum tubes underneath the middle of the Splitter, so, they scrape first.

[SimonBelgium]

Originally Posted by hjdca

Yes, you drive straight towards the correct side of the driveway until you get there, then, crank the wheel all the way, this will put you on an angle and only put one wheel on the driveway. Now, you are moving towards the wrong side of the driveway. Go up a few feet, then, crank the wheel all the way the other way to straighten out. One back wheel will be off the ground during this maneuver, so, you need momentum to carry you through. You end up going up the middle of the driveway, or hogging up the wrong side. If there is another guy coming down the driveway, you may not have room to execute this maneuver, so, make sure the driveway is clear before you attempt it. Once you get good at it, you can do it very fast and with a lot of confidence. When going down a steep driveway, just mirror the maneuver. go straight down until you get to the bottom, then crank the wheel to get only one wheel on the street, move a few feet, then, crank the wheel to straighten out. My Z/28 is a daily driver and the driveways are steep around here. I go up and down them all the time. My splitter is pristine.

Thanks. I see you're in LA, whereabouts? I just moved down from the Seattle area to OC.