In May of 2020, I made a video showcasing the ZL1 Addons Rock Guards for the Toyota Supra. Well, the other day I was doing some maintenance on the Supra and noticed that all of the hardware provided by ZL1 Addons to install the Rocks Guards showed signs of rust. This obviously isn’t good so I reached out and was told that there was a new set of hardware for the current product. To me, this means that the rusting issue probably isn’t an isolated incident in my case and is likely a known thing. In any case, if you purchased this item around the same time as I did, I would highly suggest that you go out and check the hardware that came with the Rock Guards as there may be some rust. If there is, contact ZL1 Addons to get a set of the new hardware. I got the replacement pretty quick and it was just a matter of changing things out.
Now, if you watched my original video on the Rock Guards, you’d know that I did the install without removing any of the wheels. There was enough space up front for conventional tools but the rear was a bit tight. I got the job done but the process wasn’t exactly streamlined as I didn’t have a tool small enough to fit in the rear space. I ended up just using a Phillips bit and a pair of locking pliers. This worked but it definitely added some time to the install. Since then, I picked up this MicroDriver toolset from Gearwrench and I’m telling you, this is the tool to get for this install if you don’t want to remove the wheels. The MicroDriver allows you to essentially get into any space where you can fit a 1/4” bit. This is great for this install and has actually helped on a few other projects. This toolset is a definite recommend for any DIYer.
After about 11 months, there isn’t a significant amount of rust on the old hardware and it’s really only forming around the two ends with the screw head getting the worst of it. But I should mention that since installation, this car has only been driven in the rain a handful of times so this may be a less extreme example of the rust situation. Still, this isn’t anything that we’d want. If you are seeing any rust developing, definitely work to get the hardware changed out ASAP before it spreads to the body.
For me, it was only a matter of contacting ZL1 Addons to get a free set of new hardware. The one downside is that the new hardware is silver instead of black like the original set. The new hardware definitely sticks out a bit and that’s kind of a bummer but if the rusting issue goes away then I’d be happy. Of course, I can just paint over the heads with some touch up paint and call it a day.
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