'09 Honda OEM Hood Deflector, Review/Install Guide/Photos

[manxman]

My new OEM Hood Deflector came from Zeta Products, the U.S. distributor for Form Fit.

Form Fit makes the deflectors for Honda Canada dealers. No U.S. Honda dealers carry Hood Deflectors, and no U.S. makers of hood deflectors/bug shields make a deflector for the Fit. This is the only one, and it is wonderful. Bugs, rocks and road debris are blown over the car by the high pressure air stream that is created by this wing. The front edge is open, not sealed to the hood, so water and leaves run out the bottom and do not get trapped underneath to stain your paint. You can use a cloth to wash under the deflector during car washes. And you can esily remove it with five screws for clay bar/wax/polish whenever you want.

The deflector is made of thick, smoke colored acrylic. It is light gray on white Fits, brown/gray on Orange, black on Black, black on BBP, and light to dark gray on the rest of the Fit colors.

These are on sale now at Zeta Products. Don't let this deal get away.

The '09 Hood Deflector is significantly different from the previous model, which I also owned until a crash totaled my '07 Sport. The new deflector is molded to reflect the more angular, pointed, creased hood. The previous plastic clip mounts are now replaced with metal clips and large rubber stanchions that are 3M adhesive fastened to the hood. Overall, the new mounting hardware looks even stronger than before.

Here's a pic:


Paper towels were used to highlight the crease in the deflector, and to show the lack of contact between deflector and paint.

Installation is easy and the instructions are clear, but allow an hour in good weather. Wash the hood and dry it both top and bottom (under the front edge). At the exact center of the hood, measure up 10cm from the front edge and stick on the "Rubber Bumpon" (clear silicone rubber bon-bon shaped pad).


Then find the hole on the underside of the hood, dead center in front of the hood latch. Apply the strip of clear insulating tape to the underside of the hood, and wrap it around onto the top side. Then push one of the metal brackets over the tape and the hood edge, so that the hole in the bracket and the hole in the hood line up.

Push in the plastic expansion plug, through the bracket and into the hole in the hood, and screw in the sheet metal screw to lock the expansion plug in place.


There are two more metal brackets that attach to the hood the same way. They are located at the existing holes in the underside of the hood, 10" to the right and left of the center. Apply the clear insulator tape, brackets, plastic expansion plugs and sheet metal screws.

There are two rubber stanchions that are mounted to the right and left corners of the hood. They line up flush with the front edge of the hood, and you must tape them in place temporarily. Then you lay the deflector onto the tops of the two stanchions and three metal brackets. If the holes in the deflector and the corner stanchions do not line up, shift the stanchions with the temporary tape until all holes match. Then remove the deflector, and apply masking tape to outline all of the edges of the stanchions. Leave the outline tape there, and remove the stanchions. Use the supplied adhesive accelerator felt tip pen to coat the area inside the tape outlines with the accelerator.

Then peel off the plastic liners from the adhesive on the stanchions, and press the stanchions in place. Remove the outline tape.


Now, push a plastic expansion plug into the three metal bracket holes, lay the Hood Deflector on the brackets and stanchions, and attach the deflector with the black painted truss head mounting screws. You are done!

[zetaproducts.net]

Great DIY. The car looks nice........

[manxman]

Thanks Angelo.

Since bugs aren't much of a problem in the Fall/Winter, I guess the other '09 Fit owners are just going to sleep through your sale. You can anticipate more profit when they wake up in the Spring and your normal prices are back in effect. I will never be without a hood deflector on any car, especially my Fit.

For anyone just thinking about this mod, in the 1 1/2 years that I used the original OEM Honda Hood Deflector on my GD3 Fit, rock chips and bug damage on the front HALF of the hood were 100% prevented, and rock and bug damage on the rear hood, windshield and side mirrors were reduced by 50-75%.

The deflectors for the '09 Fits are even more aggressive in the upward angle of the wing, and I anticipate even less bug splats on the windshield with this one. Cloth/vinyl nose masks trap moisture and dirt against the paint, and cause paint fade lines from UV exposure on the unmasked surface. This does not happen at all with transparent hood deflectors. If you want the best protection for the hood and windshield, THIS IS IT.

[Fitlurker]

Nice write up.

Did you mean 10cm instead of 10mm from the front edge and stick on the "Rubber Bumpon"?

[manxman]

Originally Posted by Fitlurker

Nice write up.

Did you mean 10cm instead of 10mm from the front edge and stick on the "Rubber Bumpon"?

Thanks, and sorry- cm is right (3 1/2"). (Install guide now edited). I don't think in metric, particularly when I write. But I do follow instructions when they are written in metric. Considering your location, you would not have this problem.

[kamakurakid]

Originally Posted by manxman

Thanks Angelo.

Since bugs aren't much of a problem in the Fall/Winter, I guess the other '09 Fit owners are just going to sleep through your sale. You can anticipate more profit when they wake up in the Spring and your normal prices are back in effect. I will never be without a hood deflector on any car, especially my Fit.

For anyone just thinking about this mod, in the 1 1/2 years that I used the original OEM Honda Hood Deflector on my GD3 Fit, rock chips and bug damage on the front HALF of the hood were 100% prevented, and rock and bug damage on the rear hood, windshield and side mirrors were reduced by 50-75%.

The deflectors for the '09 Fits are even more aggressive in the upward angle of the wing, and I anticipate even less bug splats on the windshield with this one. Cloth/vinyl nose masks trap moisture and dirt against the paint, and cause paint fade lines from UV exposure on the unmasked surface. This does not happen at all with transparent hood deflectors. If you want the best protection for the hood and windshield, THIS IS IT.

I am living proof, the 2008 Fit hood takes a beating from rocks, salt and bugs. If I had a deflector on the front, my front hood area would still be in nice shape.

[manxman]

Originally Posted by kamakurakid

I am living proof, the 2008 Fit hood takes a beating from rocks, salt and bugs. If I had a deflector on the front, my front hood area would still be in nice shape.

Well, kid, if you buy one now, it will be harder for people to see the damage you already have on your dinged up hood.

[fwfbandit]

I'm sorry but please look at my clips on my pics. They do not fit on the correct holes on the 2009 Fit Sport (American)...Something is amiss...I have tried flipping the clips upside down but same result... Please I still need help... Thanks, FwF

[Setiweb]

Originally Posted by fwfbandit

I'm sorry but please look at my clips on my pics. They do not fit on the correct holes on the 2009 Fit Sport (American)...Something is amiss...I have tried flipping the clips upside down but same result... Please I still need help... Thanks, FwF

I just installed my today (in shaded temps of 105). The pic in the instructions is upside down. The smaller length with the round hole goes on the bottom. The longer length with the square hole goes on the top. The clips are too tight to just push on. I didn't have a rubber mallet, or rubber anything, to hit the clips with. So I used a claw hammer (everyone screams in terror!) But I did have a very soft wood paint stir stick I held between the hammer and clip and it worked out very well.

After a gentle pounding when I installed metal clips the only way I could get the bottom round holes close enough to the hood to add the expander clips (and get them to stay) was to pull upwards on the square hole side of the clip. That will pop out the square clips so put those in afterward. I recommend also putting a blanket or something to cover the engine compartment to catch the screws and clips you drop.

[zetaproducts.net]

We will stop selling the 09 deflectors until the manufacturer can address these installation issues. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Setiweb]

Originally Posted by zetaproducts.net

We will stop selling the 09 deflectors until the manufacturer can address these installation issues. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Also, the 2 rubber stanchions didn't sit flush with my hood. More like a little 1/8" (I'm guessing) below the edge of the hood. You can't see it with the deflector installed unless you open the hood and look.

[cbs1013]

Yeah i actually trimmed mine so it wouldn't overhang, other than that tho no problems. I DO have a rubber mallet for the clips.

[calrose rice]

I want one of these. Are they still on hold for selling them?

[FitDEEZ]

Looks good.. I might have to buy 1

[zetaproducts.net]

These are available for sale