Splash Guards nad Rear Bumper... ... ...

[Atavio]

Hello everyone.

I purchased front/back splash guards for my 2010 RT.

Since I do not have a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts after removing the wheels, I deided to let the dealer install the splash guards.

Front splash guards installed well.

Rear splash guards, that's another story. Why?

Problem 1. Ok, go to your rear bumber at the point where the wheel well meets the rear bumper. Now, using your index finger, pull up or outward on the rear bumper (do NOT pull hard enough to damage the rear bumpr).. See that? You can almost REMOVE the rear bumper with your index finger!! So we should know by now that snagging that rear bumper on anything is going to result in the loss of a rear bumper.

Problem 2. Since the rear bumper is poorly secured, it can be pulled off and/or damaged easily, AND it also FLAPS and shimmies in the turbulence and catches air like a small parachute! After the splash guards were installed the mechanic did his best to explain to me that the splash guards WILL lead to the instabilty of the already unstable rear bumper, by catching even more wind.

What could I do, but test it out.

Hit 70mph on the read, aggled both side view mirrors down to see the rear splash guards, and marvelled at the lack of instability of the rear bumper ans the splash guards caught even more wind that the bumper alone. At 60mph, the shaking/shimmying of the splash guards stopped.

Could there be more? Yes! There are quite a few Dodge Journeys in my neck of the woods, so I tailed behind 3 of them (all without splash guards) and was apalled to see that the rear bumpers are shaking from turbulance as they scoop up huge amounts of air at any speed >70mph (I live somewhere where speeds are allowed in excess of 65 mph).

Verdict: The rear bumper on the Journey is a P.O.S., poorly secured, significantly increasing wind resistance, significantly contributing to poor fuel economy. Add splash guards to the rear, and you had better keep your speed under 60mpf for fear of your rear bumper being torn off by the turbulence created by the rear bumper.

What to do: lower the vehicle, streamline the rear bumper (custom), and secure the rear bumper (custom).

Anyhoo, the splash guards look nice. I won't be keeping uo with any other Dodge Journey's on the Autobahn though...

Atavio

Well, some of us like splash guards to protect our vehicles. If you drive >60mph

[dp360]

Problem 1. Ok, go to your rear bumber at the point where the wheel well meets the rear bumper. Now, using your index finger, pull up or outward on the rear bumper (do NOT pull hard enough to damage the rear bumpr).. See that? You can almost REMOVE the rear bumper with your index finger!! So we should know by now that snagging that rear bumper on anything is going to result in the loss of a rear bumper.

I just tried that. Seems pretty secure to me and I pulled fairly hard. The very bottom of the bumper flexes, but not what I would consider an unusual amount. What model Journey do you have and what splash guards did you have installed?

[RAV]

Installed the splash guards in the driveway in about an hour max.

Did not remove the wheels.

Do not see the issues you have - I also checked the rear bumper as discussed and don't see the problem.

Return to the dealer.

How much did they charge for the installation?

[Atavio]

2010 RT.

Purchased the splash guards from yahoo shopping.

I just tried that. Seems pretty secure to me and I pulled fairly hard. The very bottom of the bumper flexes, but not what I would consider an unusual amount. What model Journey do you have and what splash guards did you have installed?

[Atavio]

Well then, perhaps I'm not used to the quality of American made automobiles.

Installed the splash guards in the driveway in about an hour max.

Did not remove the wheels.

Do not see the issues you have - I also checked the rear bumper as discussed and don't see the problem.

Return to the dealer.

How much did they charge for the installation?

[email4walker]

Well then, perhaps I'm not used to the quality of American made automobiles.

It is not bad quality, it is a cost savings on our part and a safety issue. If you are rear ended, the repair cost will be cheap because of the way they designed it. They made it so in a minor fender bender it will do the least amount of damage to the whole car. If you look at other cars that you may consider "better bumpers" , if your rear ended, not only do they need to change the bumper, now they would have to look at the side panels and the trunk for damage. Think of it this way, it is like a race car. It is better for the bumper to rip off vs the bumper staying on and causing the car (and you) major damage, plus a lot of money. That is why the make race cars so they break apart in a crash, it is safer and cheap to fix. All automakers are doing it now. Go up to a really nice car (don't get caught) and give the bumper a good push, you'll see they are the same way. Underneath a car bumper is fiberglass and in some cases foam. The bumper may feel more rigid, but don't be fooled, it is built to be ripped off in a crash. Unless it is a pickup truck, the front and rear is plastic, foam and fiberglass. Believe or not, the more expensive cars use more fiberglass, foam and plastic so it can be lighter. A car that weighs well over a metric ton can't be fast. (look at the journey speed for example....)

[Gogitow]

If it helps you feel any better we had the mopar spash guards installed by our dealer. They did a horrible job the first time around and I had to complain about it. They reinstalled the splash guards and put them on right the second time.

This past winter we had 2 to 4 feet of snow and I thought the it would take the splash guards off for sure. Nope, they held up great both front and back.