It’s no secret that commercial tracks can prove to be deadly in collisions with pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. That’s why many businesses and truck drivers have decided to adopt truck side guards to protect others on the road. However, choosing between custom side guards and truck side guard kits can be difficult. 

The key difference between side guard kits and custom truck side guards is that custom guards are the most compatible. That’s because they’re built to order based on a truck’s layout and dimensions to ensure a perfect fit. Side guard kits are pre-assembled and meant to be attached to commercial trucks. 

That means that you can’t guarantee a side guard kit will fit your commercial truck. Follow along as we highlight the differences between custom truck side guard and side guard kits. 

What Are Side Guards on a Truck?

Truck lateral protective devices, or side guards, attach to the space between the front and rear wheels of trucks. This prevents pedestrians, cyclists, and in some cases, cars from being swept underneath. Pedestrians are at risk for serious injury and death upon colliding with a truck, especially if it’s tall. 

A cyclist or pedestrian may collide with the side guard, but they won’t fall beneath the truck. Many people custom-fit side guards to their trucks to ensure a perfect fit. Others, however, buy and install side guard kits on their commercial trucks. 

Truck Side Guard Kits vs. Custom Guards

Truck side guard kits and custom side guards can both prevent traffic fatalities and boost cyclist safety. While they serve the same purpose, side guard kits and custom truck side guards vary in many ways, such as:

Accessibility

Truck lateral protective devices (LPDs) are built with truck accessibility in mind. Otherwise, they would prevent truck drivers and mechanics from performing maintenance. They are designed to be easily adjusted or removed to allow undercarriage access.

However, this is typically easier if your side guard is custom-made for your truck. That’s the only way to ensure it perfectly fits the space between your front and rear wheels. Custom side guard manufacturers use a truck’s features and dimensions during the design phase.

That way, they can accommodate for features that may make installation and removal difficult. Side guard kits don’t account for unique design features that could prevent a perfect fit. This ultimately hinders how accessible and adjustable side guard kits are. 

Cost

Truck side guard kits are slightly cheaper than custom side guards. For example, side guard kits start at around $2,000 before the cost of installation, which adds hundreds of dollars. Conversely, custom side guards can cost up to $3,000 including the cost of materials, construction, and labor. 

Keep in mind that the cost of a custom truck side guard varies based on dimensions and layout. The cost also depends on the type of truck, such as a sanitation truck or semi-truck. While kits are cheaper, you must still consider the installation process.

Kits come mostly assembled, but you must still install them. This sometimes requires trial and error because the kit may not perfectly fit your commercial truck. However, custom truck side guards perfectly fit the trucks they are built for. This makes installation easy. 

Efficacy

There isn’t any data to show whether custom side guards or kits are more effective. However, a truck guard is certainly only effective if it fits your truck’s dimensions. You can’t guarantee that a side guard fits your truck perfectly it’s fitted to your truck. 

In that case, it’s easier to trust a custom-fit side guard than a kit that wasn’t made with your truck in mind. It’s also easier to ensure your side guards fit all your needs if it’s custom-made. For example, some people look for special guards that protect cars, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

Some side guard kits can only protect pedestrians and cyclists because of how they sit. It’s easier to ensure a side guard can prevent cars from getting swept beneath your truck if it’s custom-built as you can request that. If you prefer kits, make sure to look for one that protects cars if that feature appeals to you.  

Availability

Both custom truck side guards and kits are widely available. That said, you can sometimes get a side guard kit faster than one that is custom-made. Side guard kits are typically stocked and ready to ship out when you order them.

Conversely, custom kits require preparation time as manufacturers must use your truck’s dimensions. This can cause a bigger lead time, but it depends on the manufacturer and how many orders they have. However, experienced truck side guard manufacturers have relatively fast turnaround times. 

Compatibility

Some side guard kit manufacturers only produce guards for specific types of trucks, like concrete trucks. This leaves you out of luck if you have a roll-off or sanitation truck. Each custom-made truck side guard is different as it’s fitted to your commercial truck.

Because of that, it doesn’t matter whether you have a concrete truck, semi-truck, or dump truck. The personalized nature of custom truck side guards means there is no limit to what truck they’ll fit. There is much less diversity when it comes to side guard kits.

That said, you can still find custom truck side guard kits meant for several types of trucks. It’s important to carefully read the dimensions and description before buying a side guard kit. There’s a chance that it may not be compatible with your truck’s design and dimensions. 

So, Which One is Better?

Custom truck side guards are more reliable than side guard kits because they’re guaranteed to fit your truck. While side guard kits are often effective, they aren’t made with your truck in mind, which can cause installation and accessibility problems. Custom-made side guards ensure the most protection. 

Trust Dur-A-Guard to Keep the Roads Safe

At Dur-A-Guard, our goal is to keep pedestrians, cyclists, and cars safe. In doing so, we’ve also instilled countless truck drivers with peace of mind. We achieve this by building custom-made side guards for dump trucks, sanitation trucks, concrete trucks, and roll-offs. Call Dur-A-Guard at (908)-688-0800 to maximize your fleet’s safety.