does this matter - broke the air dam

[doctorJ]

While grabbing the edge of the hood yesterday during an oil change I must have squeezed the edge of the air dam/hood protector thingy and abuot 6 inches just cracked off of it. So I removed the rest. Does this thing actually do anything usefull? Seems like I heard that besides protecting the front of the hood from stuff it also diverted small debris into an airflow that bypasses the windshield - thus less little rocks hitting the windsheild. I'm just trying to decide whether to replace it or not?
thanks
JC

 

[Waggoner5]

Replacing it will be only a matter of preference. They did not ever do anything for me so I have never used one.
G

 

[nakman]

IMO, those are mostly for looks. They do protect the front curve of the hood, but I've run with one both on and off and haven't noticed a difference in dead bugs or rocks on the windshield.. In addition to complicating oil changes, they are also handy tree limb hooks, when backing up in the woods..

I thought mine looked too much like a "unibrow" so it's up on a shelf in the garage at the moment. HTH..

 

[ace10]

my $0.02 says it diverts more rocks into the windshield.

a couple of serious cracks later, and i ripped the freaking thing off.

 

[Rich]

Yes, it matters. You should have broken it off when you first got the cruiser. You are on now on the road to recovery.

 

[doctorJ]

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll try to rip off the one in front of the sunroof next time I change the oil.