Wind Deflectors

[joetiger]

I got a set of these about five years ago in a trade:

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_80/wind_and_rain_deflector_pair.html

I put them on my old Vanagon and didn't like the look (and never drove with them in) so they went into a box in the garage. I found them yesterday and decided I'd give them a try just to see if they actually do anything.

Lo and behold, they do look kinda funky but are fairly unobtrusive and they work really, really well. With the front windows cracked a couple of inches, they let in plenty of fresh air but without a bunch of noise and commotion. I haven't had a chance to see what they do in rain.

I thought that this might help anybody who might be considering them.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[50 Kafer]

A friends van had them and worked good, price is steep though.
_________________
John
1950 Kafer Deluxe (10/50)
1955 Beetle Deluxe (6/55)
1968 Beetle (11/67)
1982 Westy
1986 Cabriolet (6/86)
WTB Air-Camping roof top mount http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1499947

[targis58]

I love it specially during the rainy days. I can still leave the windows down about 3inchs without rain coming in.
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90 westy 2wd w/ TBD

[DAIZEE]

I've ordered a pair from Go Westy. They had a 1/2 price April sale which brought the price to reasonable and they are super!!!! Especially in rain but I like to drive with my window slightly open and they are great for that too.

Maybe Go Westy would extend their sale price. ps Go Westy's regular price is pretty well the same as a local NAPA et al stores.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[jmranger]

How do they install ? In the window "channel" ? If so, are you still able to fully close the windows once they're installed ?

Thanks,

JM

[DAIZEE]

Yes and yes and yes.

Yahoooooo I found out mine arrived. Can't wait. Like I said Go Westy had them at 1/2 price the month of April. They are absolutely GREAT!
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[joetiger]

I finally got to try them out in the rain. I'm currently back to being a dirty smoker, and it's nice to be able to have the windows down quite a bit and not get pelted by giant freezing cold Colorado rain drops.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[levi]

So sorry, I hated these.


Too tight in the channel with the window rolled up, and so they cracked of course, and a chunk fell off the end, and then wouldn't stay up, and now if you want a pair for free, they're alongside the highway in Santa Monica.

_________________
One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[joetiger]

Which highway? I'm always looking for spare parts...
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[levi]

Right alongside where I pushed out the ronal r9's, because they were only 15" and I "have to have" 16".

_________________
One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[advenus]

I love these. My front window seals are going and the make tons of noise at highway speeds. With these deflector installed it eliminates the majority of the noise (from the front area, I still have other creeks and moans)

[westynova]

Got mime from GW. Love them.
_________________
84 Westy
2010 VW Golf TDI Wagon
2009 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, Lifted and Locked

[RCB]

Missed out on the GW sale, have had mine for a few years. Like them a lot. If you find that they fit a bit snugly at first, you can allways take some 120 paper and sharpen the edge of them. Use a block of wood with the sand paper wrapped around it so you will be sure to get a smooth, flush and even sand job.

[SteveVanB]

I love mine also, My seals are shot so they don't really stay put. I used some double sided tape to hold 'em in. Work great in rain and they allow the van to vent during the day.
_________________
91 CARAT

[DAIZEE]

Got mine and they are hot hot hot!
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[RedDoor]

I just got my window wind and rain deflectors from Go Westy for my Westfalia. They came with 4 clips, and adhesive "tape" preinstalled in two locations along the upper edge of the deflector (The portion that would fit inside the channel).

And no instructions as to how to install. The Go Westy site has a video on how to install the guards on a Vanagon: but those guards have no factory applied adhesive, and there is no mention of the clips.

Logic tells me to insert the clips into the channels in the location where the adhesive tape is located on the deflector....but can someone confirm my assumptions?

You all were posting about this in 2010; now it's back to the future in 2016...
thanks anyone!

[unibagel]

I put a bead of silicone on the lip. then put the clips in on the backside. Rolled the window up overnight to let it dry...

[Steve M.]

[RedDoor]

Steve: so that I'm clear...are you suggesting that I should clean off the adhesive tape that came on the "guards" before I install them...because otherwise it will wear off on its own?
Sorry if I'm being dense...
Thanks for clarifying!

[Gnarlodious]

I found the included stickies didn’t stick for long and the plastic fell down the slots while driving down the freeway. Part of the reason is the channel on my van is so degraded that the outer surface just sloughs off leaving the tape unstuck. To keep them up I had to employ gobs of glue stuck onto the metal, not the fiber part. Slightly unsightly but its held up real good for a few years now.

Functionally my only complaint with the deflectors is that they are wind-noisy on the freeway. Power window on the passenger side helps make it tolerable.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit