Running Boards vs Mud Flaps

I bought a set of the OEM running boards. I like the way they look but for an adult, I have not found them to be terribly useful. They do seem to help keeing the rocker panels free of dirt, rock chips, etc.

The OE mud flaps do a good job. I don't care for the way they look. Any thoughts or experience if I were to remove the mud flaps and leave the running boards? The running boards would take a beating but would my rocker panels get beat up?

 

Anyone who drives their truck daily and who had removed their splash guards, do the rocker panels behind the front and rear wheels take a beating?

 

On my 2007...I never had boards. The area right before rear tires took a beating from all the rock salt hitting it and basically sand blasted the paint way. Your a little further south, might not be too much of an issue.

Theres salt on our roads a good 4 to 5 months a year.

Heres a pic of my 2007. My 2011 looks exactly the same now.

 

Thanks for the response TACOMA TRD. So did the paint get blasted away even with the splash guards in place?

 

I had mud flaps that were trimmed by the previous owner and there are a million rock chips on the rockers and rear fender flares because of it. Luckily it isn't too noticeable but I did put full length flaps back on.

 

There's some kind of paint available that will protect your rocker panels. I used it on my /76 Ford and it does a good job. If you call a paint supply shop they can probably help you. I hate the mud flaps, they get knocked off too frequently. Plus I smashed up my running boards on one side, they were not replaced.
Mark

 

I have oem running boards and NO front mud flaps.
One of my mud flap went MIA. I think I broke it of when I drove over a tree stump. The front wheel dropped off the stump and the smashed the mud flap.

Anyways, I have had NO problems with rock chips or any thing else due to not have the mud flaps there. The stock ones hang way to low and if you do any off road driving they will eventually break off.

As for the running boards, I never really use them. They are not low enough to make any real difference in helping you get in the truck. If they were lower the ground clearance would suck. In short DO NOT WASTE your money on running board. Get sliders.

 

Yes. always had the mud flaps on. I was thinking of putting boards on my 2011 to prevent this from occuring. Now I should say that I was running more agressive tires on my off road and flung bigger rocks.