Mudflaps Torn off... now what?

A few weeks back, I was out doing some pretty intense off-roading.. looking for a road/trail that didn't exist. Noticed a moment after I backed up onto a rock I didn't see, that I had ripped my driver side-front mudflap off. Put it into the back and continued on. Back at camp, I noticed that the other one was missing, also. I've heard them rubbing on all sorts of rocks/ruts I've gone over and I'm not surprised they're breaking off.

Question---
How much do I need the front flaps? Are those actually protecting my paint much? Is there another option that's perhaps flimsier or would sustain hits by rocks better. Is it best just to get another set of OEM or FauxEM ?

 

I can't tell you how many stock 2nd gens I've seen without front mud flaps or have mud flaps but they're hanging by a thread. Both of mine have bailed not from Off-Road use either. I don't have any paint chips from the lack of mud flaps but they did keep the paint cleaner when going through mud or muddy water.

 

I ripped mine off before the trails did

 

I took mine off to clear bigger tires. If you decide you want OEM ones, send me a PM. I'll sell you mine for real cheap.

 

I took mine of about a year ago and to be honest I don't think having them on really helped much they just always seem to be in the way, I hated hearing them rub and hit everything and I think it looks a lot better with out them any way. I have seen a lot of third gens without them as well.

 

Good post right here.

Mine came off to clear 285/75R16's and my paint looks fine. It has damage and occasionally you hear a rock whack something but most of that is from trees and stuff.

 

Mine always rubbed my tires, and I lost a rear off roading. Took them all off after that.

 

It doesn't matter much if it is floppy or not when it gets pinched between the tire and a rock or a dirt bank it will get ripped off.

 

The only paint damage I have is where the mud flaps used to be they left some marks in the paint just from being on there for a few years.

 

I run these on all 4 corners thanks to @DoorDing, wherever he many be....

$36 PLASTICOLOR 000543R01 Black Off Road Scene Easy Fit Mud Guard 11" - Set of 2

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Road-S...=1468531423&sr=8-1&keywords=11"+offroad+scene

 

I do miss the Ding!

 

The mudflaps actually do their job if you drive across lots of loose gravel or dirt roads. When I had 285's, I could hear rocks hitting metal and found some paint chips at the bottom parts of the doors and rocker panels.

 

The day I brought my truck home I took the mud flaps off and trashed em. Make the truck look stupid and low to the ground.

 

The ones I linked are a nice balance between protection/ looks/ and not getting in the way very often - and they're cheap if/ when you rip one off. I have them mounted with just the 3 screws from the factory flaps.

I heard rocks every day, even with the factory flaps. Now I have flaps and sliders with top plates.

 

Sliders with fill in plates would be my solution to no flaps.

 

I'm waiting on my sliders now to decide if adding the fill ins will help. Otherwise in considering 12" of vinyl along the bottom for protection.

 

Took off my fronts a while back since they were scraping in some parts of L.A. on paved roads (it took this city 29 years to screw up the timing on the traffic lights, god help us if they ever decide to start "fixing" the potholes and broken pavement in certain parts of town), not to mention on even light trail/fire road driving.

I haven't noticed much damage. There's a little more splashing onto the rocker panels (and less curling all the way up onto my own windshield if I hit a deeper puddle too fast), but i've heard a few rocks ping off the sliders on occasion.

If you're wheeling that hard around the Sierras, you should probably have sliders anyway, so don't worry too much about paint damage on the rockers.

 

Yeah... need to get the sliders soon. I've been lucky considering what all I've put this truck through.

 

Get some of those with the "sitting lady" on them. They are cool! JK I took mine off day one.

 

Get the fill plates as it will be more difficult and probably cost more to weld on later if your sliders are not bolt on.