Mesh on Air Dam
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 22
From: Western Australia (Australia)
We have a store here in Australia called SuperCheap Autos that sell the aluminium bumper mesh for $30 for a sheet that is about 1.2m long. I used the ones that I cut up before and measured with those and then inserted the whole length with the method described earlier. Because the piece is so long and aluminium, it slots in there and doesn't move. The vents on the side also can be done the same way (I found the driver's side a little loser for some reason, so it was the hardest to get to sit there).
Thread Starter
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 12,398
Likes: 455
From: GA
The best thing that people have done is to paint them. After some time, the AL mesh will corrode and the lustre will be gone. A pinted one is more permanent. Well my next one will be painted (I will take down and paint and put back on).
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 22
From: Western Australia (Australia)
I have had mesh on my previous cars and from my experience the black mesh & painted mesh has always chipped away and expose the silver / aluminium colour in various spots. I won't be painting this mesh. It will probably get to a point where it will no longer be "that" aluminium and I can always replace it later on down the track.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: TX
Thanks for the suggestion!
I just finished installing two pieces of black mesh gutter guard from a box store on my wife's RX350. Needed two pieces because the material was very stiff and it was impossible to snake one long piece around the tight turns. Looks nice! Of course, like many "risk management" measures, who knows whether the mesh actually avoids a damage situation. But it was a cheap enough preventive measure it was silly NOT to do it. Thanks to all for the pictures and step by step directions
Thread Starter
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 12,398
Likes: 455
From: GA
Time to ping this thread, another member suffered a punctured refrigerant line. Even before I bought the RX I have heard horror stories about this issue. Dealers can not apply warranty on a punctured ref line. Poor design perhaps?
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 37
From: FL
Do you feel there is a need to go back and revisit product availability for this?
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
From: Kansas
lexus rx330 galvanized soffit vent mesh
do you have any more of the mesh? would you be interested in selling some? would you be interested in cutting to size, prime, and paint it black since you might have extra paint.
dennis
dennis
All done!
I bought a small roll of galvanized soffit vent mesh which has smaller openings than the gutter guard mesh. The gutter guards at my local Home Depot were plastic and had relatively large openings. After cutting to size, I primed it with metal primer so that my final flat black coats (two) of paint would adhere. I followed mandyfig's instructions and things went well.
The only two slow-downs were 1) popping the two plastic clips off. I was afraid I would break them, and 2) threading the plastic wire ties back down through the mesh. I finally figured it out by sticking a finger under the mesh to help guide it back down. Whew! That's what took the longest.
I decided to put a wire tie on each rib (five, total). This would help keep the mesh in place better and would minimize any movement (read: rattles). Also, with my wire ties being black and thin, they are not really noticeable at all.
When it was all done, I had spent somewhere in the neighborhood of US$12-$14.
.
I bought a small roll of galvanized soffit vent mesh which has smaller openings than the gutter guard mesh. The gutter guards at my local Home Depot were plastic and had relatively large openings. After cutting to size, I primed it with metal primer so that my final flat black coats (two) of paint would adhere. I followed mandyfig's instructions and things went well.
The only two slow-downs were 1) popping the two plastic clips off. I was afraid I would break them, and 2) threading the plastic wire ties back down through the mesh. I finally figured it out by sticking a finger under the mesh to help guide it back down. Whew! That's what took the longest.
I decided to put a wire tie on each rib (five, total). This would help keep the mesh in place better and would minimize any movement (read: rattles). Also, with my wire ties being black and thin, they are not really noticeable at all.
When it was all done, I had spent somewhere in the neighborhood of US$12-$14.
.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: NY
This looks like a good idea. I will have to see what variants of gutter mesh my HD has and I think I would paint mine black as well and I wouldn't want it to stand out. After seeing the other thread with the hole in the condenser this seems like really cheap insurance.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
From: Kansas
i found some pre-painted galvanized roll. Anyone interested in pitching on the cost to get the roll.
http://www.twpinc.com/wire-mesh/TWPC...URE_PRODUCTS=Y
http://www.twpinc.com/wire-mesh/TWPC...URE_PRODUCTS=Y