Rock and bug screen

[Faststreak]

Before we head on our great trip to Alaska, I would like to put a screen or guard on my Ram 3500 to protect the front from rock and bugs. I haven’t found one that covers more than the grill. Don’t really want a heavy brush guard and that typically only protect from collision from animals. More concerned about rock and bug damage to paint. Suggestions?

[Homeless_by_Cho]

Grit dog wrote:
...
What part of Northern Cheeseland are you from?

75 miles north of Green Bay next to the Menominee River (Wisconsin-Michigan border).

The "Flocks of mosquitoes" is a term that the city folks who have only experience a few mosquitoes back home call them. The real term is "swarms" and you just learn to live with them. I haven't seen any ticks in Alaska so insect life is much less intense there than in northern Wisconsin, Michigan, or Minnesota.

LeRoy

[Grit_dog]

"The problem is that the chemical that is mixed into the gravel to retain moisture sticks to all the surfaces like the worst tar you ever encountered. It leaves a dark gray sandy residue on you vehicle that is next to impossible to remove. It has to be power washed off."

Typically it's calcium chloride sprayed onto the surface and yes it's sticky. They use it on the roads here on the wet side of the mountains in the winter and it's just as sticky as an ice melt as a dust pallative.
Good coat of wax goes a long ways to keeping it form sticking. In the winter, I shoot the bottom half of the nice cars with spray wax pretty much every wash, makes removal easy.

It's not as sticky as the "molasses" they use from the paper mills up there, but lasts longer.
What part of Northern Cheeseland are you from?

[SoonDockin]

I made the trip in 2014 with my class C Solera. No issues with rock chips at all. Thing was super grungy by the time I hit Alaska. I stopped in TOK and gave it a good washing. Don't recall seeing anyone with screens, but i was mainly focused on the scenery.

[Old_Days]

I have a FIA bug screen that I bought 6 years ago from Amazon, I love it.

[Grit_dog]

See my response on cumminsforum.

[Homeless_by_Cho]

I have been to Alaska a few times and found out a few things.
1) The mosquitoes are no worst a problem than northern Wisconsin. We have flocks of them during the day and early evening. Alaska has the same.
2) Their gravel roads a much better than the gravel roads in northern Wisconsin.

Mosquitoes are mosquitoes and they are an uncomfortable nuisance wherever they are.

Canada’s and Alaska’s paved roads suffer heavy frost heave damage in certain areas. For the most part, the roads are in very good shape. Both Canada and Alaska put red flags out next to the damage areas. If you stay alert, you have plenty of time and distance to slow way way down and simply drive across them. When they repair the paved roads, they re-grade long sections (quarter mile to several miles) at a time. They use “pilot trucks” to escort one way traffic thru the construction areas. Generally the pilot trucks go very slow so there is no issue with gravel/rock damage. The problem is that the chemical that is mixed into the gravel to retain moisture sticks to all the surfaces like the worst tar you ever encountered. It leaves a dark gray sandy residue on you vehicle that is next to impossible to remove. It has to be power washed off.

The gravel roads are well maintained and are better than most of our interstate roads; no potholes. There is hardy any dust coming off the roads because of the moisture chemical however some small grit is kicked up by your tires and hits the bottom surfaces of your vehicle. Good large mud flaps and full size running boards really minimize the problem. The gravel roads get fairly slippery when wet and the sandy dark gray muck gets splashed on your vehicle and it sticks very well.

Rock damage is a problem with any vehicle on any road. I don’t have any front protection on my truck but I do have large mud flaps and full length and full width running boards to protect the lower paint areas. The bottom areas of my running boards look like they were heavily sand blasted.

Have fun, enjoy the animals and scenery, and try to get the road muck off you vehicle as soon as possible after every rain.

LeRoy