anyone know if theres a trick to taking off hood protector?

have a 2011 with factory hood protector and decided to take it off for obvious reasons. the catch is its a company car so I will have to put it back on when i turn it in so I dont want to ruin it. The screws just turn and dont do anything, does anyone know if there is a trick to this?

 

Are you talking about the bug gaurd on the the hood? If so just loosen all the screws, then all the little clamps should just pop open. Once off however you will have serval spots with clear tape and 3 clear bubble that you will have to remove off the hood. Just took mine off a few weeks ago.

 

If it's a company car why don't you just leave it on? THey must of put it on there for a reason.

 

Sounds like the screws were stripped going in. I wouldn't mess with it seeing that it's a company car.

 

On a side note. When you go to put it back on you will have to get some of those clear spacers again from the stealership and some clear tape to go under the clamps.

 

The screws just spin that's the problem . They have plastic washers around them so wasn't sure if they snapped somehow

 

Got a pic of the attachment? They should be standard metal screws and if they're just spinning, they were stripped when the bug guard was installed. Try to get a flathead under the washer to apply the outward pressure while unscrewing. You might be able to get the threads to catch so you can remove them. You might have to go a little larger on the screws when you reinstall though.

 

It could be those plastic molly type screws, pry between the screw and washer to get the thread to catch. Then, some times you have to hold the washer as you back out the screw.

 

Called the dealer and the service tech said they have to be drilled out. Why have a screw head if you can't unscrew it.

 

wow, didn't see that coming... that sucks! Is it a rivet?

 

^^^^^X2 That's what I did. Not hard at all.

 

Ill try that first thanks

 

I just took mine off last week. it had 4 screws.. 3 of them came right off, I had one that wouldn't come off, I thought it was stripped. I kept working at it, using one hand to keep the bug shield tight against the underneath of the hood. It finally came off. The screw that was the hardest to get off, ended up being 3 times longer than any of the others. May be worth a try for you.

On a side note, the clips on the end of the bug shield scratched the hood worse than any rock chips it ever could have saved.. Picking up some touch up paint now..