Stoneguard necessary?

[thrasherdave]

I just ordered a Goldstream Crown "camper" at the Penrith show to tow behind my 150 Prado. It's obviously not a hard-core offroad trailer but I will be outback touring with it. The front of the camper looks reasonably well padded but there is no stoneguard. Should I get one, either from the manufacturer or aftermarket? I don't have the skill to make one myself should it be needed. It looks as if the big back door won't open fully even without a stoneguard.

Any hints and tips welcome as I'm new at this game having been a tent camper for 40 years.

DaveO

[earle]

The stoneguard is also to protect the back of your vehicle from rocks that get flicked up and bounce of your camper. Sounds like a stone-stomper might be the go as it wont get in the way of your back door. http://www.stonestomper.com.au/

[GU Rich]

Gday Dave,

It all depends where you intend on towing. If you looking at heading off the sealed stuff it would be something I'd add, I have seen plenty of rear broken windows, so its not only your trailer your protecting it is also the tow vehicle. there are altenatives to a stone guard fitting to a draw bar.
EG A stone stomper, checkout Bushmans Expanda thread in the My Camper Trailer section. He has one fitted to that.

Cheers
Rich

[Bird]

The stoneguard is also to protect the back of your vehicle from rocks that get flicked up and bounce of your camper. Sounds like a stone-stomper might be the go as it wont get in the way of your back door. http://www.stonestomper.com.au/

for those with Stonestompers, are they a PITA when you wanna access back of car 1/2dozen times when you stop for lunch?

What about grandad flaps, would they be a better option?

[earle]

I haven't got stone-stompers but I think they unclip quite easily from the bar attached to the vehicle. 10 second disconnect according to the website.

[Redback]

for those with Stonestompers, are they a PITA when you wanna access back of car 1/2dozen times when you stop for lunch?

What about grandad flaps, would they be a better option?

Yes Bruce very true, but if you have a Goldstream you would be sipping tea and scones at the table in the van, not the back of the car like us common folk

Baz.

[Bird]

Yes Bruce very true, but if you have a Goldstream you would be sipping tea and scones at the table in the van, not the back of the car like us common folk

Baz.

[thrasherdave]

Yes Bruce very true, but if you have a Goldstream you would be sipping tea and scones at the table in the van, not the back of the car like us common folk

Baz.

Not if its a Crown or a Storm - they are windups (if that's the expresion): too much work to get inside on the road.
 That's why I need to know about opening the back door of the Prado - to get at the fridge!

DaveO

[Chippy76]

I would say a stoneguard is necc ... even for a "road warrior" it just helps to stop stone chips and damage to the tow and tug. It is a precious investment, so why not look after it?!

Cheers Chippy

[Bird]

Go and price a new rear window glass.. You wanna stop stones smashing them at pretty much all costs.

[BigJules]

In short, yes, you need a stone guard. The Goldstream guard is pretty good, but can be enhanced. check out Goldie's thread, he added some factory mud flaps to the lower edge to make them fully effective.

[Nutto]

DaveO
I recently put a stoneguard on my camper, (see this thread http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=11200.0)
with good reason: I have a Hawk O/B (per my pic below) and a few months back (pre-stoneguard) I travelled out to a camp spot.  The route had 25km of dirt road  - took it very easy (60km/hr sort of thing) as I was mindfull of not having stone protection. a check in rear view mirror  - noticed a very clear view of the camper through the back window.    Even going slow, a stone still flicked up and bounced of the camper into tha back window, shattering it .   My window replacement was $270 (canopy window), but I dare say a prado 150 rear window would be a fair bit more than that
My suggestion:
Have a look at the frame I got made up for mine & note the measurements and get a metal fabrication place to make a frame for you.
Then it was easy to wrap some shadecloth around it (not too tight or stones just trampoline of it onto the car) and screw on some mudflaps.
In my opinion, these are a must to protect vehicle & camper when travelling on dirt roads at cruising speeds (anything above 60km/hr)

 
Nutto

[Disco EMU]

... or a cheaper option.

I've just added this type of guard for my jayco ... got the idea from GU Rich. Cost around $100 including bits n pieces.

Necessary? Yes ... if you want to save the back of the Prado from rock indents and perhaps a broken rear window.

Cheers

C

[D4D]

Get the Goldstream stoneguard and add some flaps like I did.

[earle]

Where did you get those mudflaps from D4D?

[Captain]

I have tried virtually every type of stone guard available and there is only one IMHO that works for both the camper AND the vehicle;

The large rear mudflaps on the vehicle create as many problems as they solve (raise diff temps, raise tyre temps, flick rocks up if flap too low, let rocks thru if flap too high etc...)

The camper mounted deflectors can be good for protecting the camper (depends on the design) but they all seem to be good at deflecting rocks back at the vehicle, so while the camper is protected the vehicle is not.

The StonerStomper is the only one I have found that protects both the camper and the vehicle. My camper has a good rock deflector plus mudflaps underneath, but I still required a stonestomper to look after the vehicle. It has the added bonus of keeping the drawbar free of any rocks too.



Access to the rear of the vehicle is easily maintained, either just lean into the elastic straps or unclip them, only takes a second to do so.

I have no affliation with Stonestomper, just a very happy customer  

Cheers

Captain

[Bushman]

for those with Stonestompers, are they a PITA when you wanna access back of car 1/2dozen times when you stop for lunch?

 nup no problem at all just undone 1 or 2 of the bungee cords, or if ya bit lazy just step on it, it'll stretch to the ground.

[JCOJ]

Another vote here for the Stone Stomper - they are EXCELLENT!!

[GU Rich]

I have tried virtually every type of stone guard available and there is only one IMHO that works for both the camper AND the vehicle;

The large rear mudflaps on the vehicle create as many problems as they solve (raise diff temps, raise tyre temps, flick rocks up if flap too low, let rocks thru if flap too high etc...)

The camper mounted deflectors can be good for protecting the camper (depends on the design) but they all seem to be good at deflecting rocks back at the vehicle, so while the camper is protected the vehicle is not.

The StonerStomper is the only one I have found that protects both the camper and the vehicle. My camper has a good rock deflector plus mudflaps underneath, but I still required a stonestomper to look after the vehicle. It has the added bonus of keeping the drawbar free of any rocks too.



Access to the rear of the vehicle is easily maintained, either just lean into the elastic straps or unclip them, only takes a second to do so.

I have no affliation with Stonestomper, just a very happy customer 

Cheers

Captain

Captain,

How did you find the Stone Stomper when you collected all that mud on the GCR trip this year. Did it sag much from the weight of the mud sticking to it?

Cheers
Rich

[Captain]

Hi Rich,

No problem at all, the pic below was about as bad as it got. While it does look like the far side is being drawn down a bit, the vehicle wasn't quite square so makes it look worse than what it was (but not bad anyway!).



Cheers

Captain

[GU Rich]

Cheers for that Captain, I have often wondered how they would fare in those conditions.

Cheers
Rich

[Cammo]

Hi

I am in the process of fitting a Stone Stomper to my Jayco Swan. Fitted the stone flap & bracket to my hitch a minute ago, will fit the trampoline section to the van on the weekend.

i figured any dirt or gravel road, roadworks etc can cause some damage so I look at it as protecting our investment. 

Regards

[D4D]

Where did you get those mudflaps from D4D?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-Plain-Black-Truck-Mud-Flaps-Mudflaps-24x18-B-0375-/390307751685

[Tim - Stratford]

Go and price a new rear window glass.. You wanna stop stones smashing them at pretty much all costs.

I needed the stone stomper on my whipper snipper.....$680 for a rear windscreen on the cruiser  - but then rang the insurance co and claimed my free glass replacement  - so I suppose in the end I did have a form of stone stomper 

Tim

[Prado BB]

I needed the stone stomper on my whipper snipper.....$680 for a rear windscreen on the cruiser  - but then rang the insurance co and claimed my free glass replacement  - so I suppose in the end I did have a form of stone stomper 

Tim

That's pretty unfortunate, bet you're glad you had free glass replacement.