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Who Here Runs Without MudFlaps?

21K views 32 replies 25 participants last post by  ShowStop 
#1 ·
Do you guys find that if you run your trucks without the factory mudflaps that you get a lot more debris caked on to the sides and undercarriage of your truck?

I always have to drive through super-deep snow in mine and I find that my mudflaps sometimes drag or plow into the snow... particularly when backing up through deep snow, in my yard. I was thinking of just taking them off and not using any mudflaps. I was looking around at other trucks on the road today while driving and I didn't really see any other trucks on the roads at all with mudflaps except for Tacomas.

I'm just curious if you guys who have them removed find that your tailpipe and under-body of the bed and inside of the rear bumper take a lot of abuse from flung salt/dirt/rocks.

Plus.... it would be nice to be able to cover the car behind me in tons of snow if they are tailgating when the roads are completely packed in tons of nasty snow.

Hmm... Maybe I'll just take the rears off, that way I can keep the doors and front fenders safe from flung debris but at the same time be able to backup without the rear flaps hitting the snow.... since by the time the front mudflaps get to that spot when in reverse, the snow should already be packed down in that area from the rear tires already passing over that snow(unless I'm not backing up in a straight line).
 
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#4 ·
i had one of the rear flap's come back over the tire while backing up, one front one went by the wayside of tree branch. havent bothered to remove the others yet. guess i should it proly looks goffy now
 
#5 ·
I guess I should mention that this is for mostly not-hard wheeling, and daily driving. My hard wheeling right now is basically driving through the snow in the yards and over the nasty mound at the end of the driveway from the plow trucks plowing you in. We have about 4 feet of snow in our yard right now, with snowbanks over 10 feet high. If I do any intentional serious offroad shit(meaning planned summer mud driving and rocks), I'll just take them off beforehand, since they will probably rip themselves off if I didn't do it the kind way with tools.
 
#6 ·
You will end up with a lot more rock chips without the flaps on. FYI the front flaps have 2 of the holes precut so the bolts will slide right out, the 3rd hole is not (on a 2000). I think I am going to cut the 3rd hole on the other side so when I rip it off it will not tear the flap as much.
 
#7 ·
I would check your state's Automotive Inspection regulations.
In California - flaps are mandatory on the roads.
In Texas - who cares. :D
 
#11 ·
I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure that they don't really care about them in Mass... as surprising as that might seem, considering we suck with most laws.

I have been paying extra special attention to other trucks I've seen on the roads over the past few days and almost none of them have mudflaps. All of those vehicles can't be getting inspection stickers illegally.
 
#8 ·
My truck sucks without front mud flaps in snow... I get so much goddam slush build up on my door frame, and thats after my sliders block half of it. Seriously leave the front flaps on in the snow.
 
#9 ·
I run without mud flaps.

It's not much of an issue in SoCal, but when I lived in Northern Illinois, I would always make sure to put my mud flaps back on before the 1st snow.
 
#14 ·
My flaps were removed long back... after snagging and ripping the first one off backing up. :(

But I still have 'em...
just in case the LEO's in my state, go gaga, trying to make more revenue. :mad:

My rear quarter(s), just in front of the rear tires, do get pebble/sand blasted and that does booger up the paint surface there and along the rocker panels. Not terribly... but it's not getting better per say.

And so I should think to do... what I offer in suggestion.

For those that must run 'em...

I would think to cut them down, making them shorter in length.
While still presenting them as "in place".
Even a shortened flap would still offer a certain amount of deflection,
offer a reduction from tire interference, in that it is less likely to catch and fold, when backing up thru' chit.

of course it would be dependent on how tall yer junk sits...
and what sized tires ya roll, as to whether this might work or not.

Not sure whether this could pass any state inspections...
so don't cut... until you know. :2cents:

If by law and enforcement of that, I had to run a full length flap...

I'd think to use a bungee cord or something similar, to pull the flap{s} back enough to that they don't get sucked into the tire's tread and get tore off.

JM:2cents:
 
#15 ·
If by law and enforcement of that, I had to run a full length flap...

I'd think to use a bungee cord or something similar, to pull the flap{s} back enough to that they don't get sucked into the tire's tread and get tore off.

JM:2cents:
There's no way that a bungee cord would hold them in place when backing through snow though. Most of the snow here is usually heavy, wet or icey/frozen snow... and that stuff is strong enough to dent fenders and break plastic if you hit it hard enough and with enough speed.
 
#16 ·
I don't run them, but my front tires throw rocks and shit all over my truck so I can't say it was a wise decision. :rolleyes: I know the cops out here in AZ are strict about lifted trucks and mud flaps, but they seem to only pick on the ridiculously lifted trucks and mostly the 1Ton trucks. I've heard from cops that ALL 1Ton trucks need them. I've also heard them say if "X"% of the tire is showing, mud flaps are required.

I need to decide if I'm going LT or not so I can either get glass fenders or figure out a way to suck my tires in farther because the rock chips and constant dirt bath my truck gets is taking a toll on my paint. :(
 
#17 ·
A little cutting and zip ties:







Easy on/off, no worries

Let me relay an event that happened a few months ago.
I play part time at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Had a gentleman come into the store a little irrate. He was looking for bulbs and mud flaps. Long story short, he got pulled over for a tail light out. While writing Ticket, CHP noticed No Mud Flaps with Aggresive Tires and Tires Outside Finder Flairs? Yes, TWO more Tickets.

Now you'll Decide?

:2cents:
 
#19 ·
I tore off one of my front mudflaps on a large rock while backing down a steep, rocky hill just after I bought my truck new. I reattached it, but then bent the mounting for one of the rear flaps coming down off ledges in Moab a few months later. So I cut the front mudflaps shorter by four inches and made some shorter ones out of inexpensive rubber floormats for the rear. It's a compromise, to be sure, but at least I'm not losing/bending mudflaps and related hardware anymore.
 
#20 ·
If it's near stock height, you wont need mudflaps. Shoot, the Silverado's have shorter backsides and are as tall as a 3" lift and they dont need flaps!

The california law is very vauge when it comes to mudflaps. The law states that the vehicles body must afford adequate protection from water spray to the back of the vehicle.

That being said, I don't run flaps, even though I'd SAS'd and probably 6 or 7" over stock...
 
#21 ·
No flaps for me and my truck is 3.5" per side wider than stock in front. Ive noticed a little bit more mud flinging past the windows......that's a small price to pay to make the truck look better and not have to bend them back constantly after an off road trip. Ive had a few of the tax collecting extortionists behind me and havent been hassled so far....if they do ill just have to zip tie some naked lady flaps to it to get it signed off.



Cliffs: Mudflaps are gay.
 
#23 ·
re

I took mine off the new truck the 2nd day I owned it. I sold them for 180 dollars on ebay. I used said money to purchase a set of PIAA lights.... worked out well. :-D
 
#32 ·
Well to add to this, I don't run mud-flaps on my SAS'd 04 double cab on 37's but I have spray on bed-liner covering my rocker panels front to back and it helps with the rocks and debris being flung by the tires. However, I finally got pulled over by a CHP (who was obviously bored) and he was surprised that I was surprised that he pulled me over for that. While sitting on the side of the 60 frwy waiting for my fix-it ticket I noticed about 90% of trucks and 100% of jeeps passing by me had no mud-flaps. WTF??? I wasn't happy to say the least but I stayed respectful and polite.

Per suggestions on this forum, I have purchased a set of removable mud-flaps from Aries Offroad on Amazon. I won't keep them on my truck but I will keep the behind my back seat for future bored law enforcement officers. Just my .02 worth. and sorry for rambling.
 
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