Question for you beach goers out there...

Hey guys,

My wife and I are planning to take the Taco out for a long weekend on the beach in Hatteras,NC in a couple of weeks, our first time with her in the sand. I have the rather long factory mudflaps on my truck. I like the way they look and the fact that they do a great job of protecting the paint and running boards on the road where she lives most of the time and all but they do seem to be too stiff to give very much...My previous Jeep and Ranger mudflaps where much more flexible and never gave me any trouble in the sand.

I consider myself lucky that my Taco flaps came out unscathed after a trip to Uwharrie this summer when I simply forgot they were there but it was dry and I really did'nt do any of the real technical stuff while there.

I'm thinking that this trip I shoud take them off, any advice? If it's not an issue then I'll leave them on but they do seem easy enough to remove and reinstall...What's the word?

Thanks!
Ken

 

You might want to take them off. If you happen to bury the rear wheels, you will burn the right rear flap, or worse it could snap

 

^ that's IF you bury the wheels. As long as you stay floating and don't dig, your flaps will be fine.

 

Worse it will destroy your paint. I would take them off.Nantucket is one huge beach where a huge portion of the year round population drives tacomas, and the ones that see sand have them off 90% of the time.

 

Leave them on... you'll be fine. I take mine to CALO (just south of Hatteras) every year and have never had an issue. We drive on everything from the wet packed stuff at the surf, to the back roads behind the dunes. Just air down and go...

 

how will it destroy the paint?

 

If they get torqued around on a painted fender flair the edges dig into the paint.

 

Nomad,

I do plan on airing down, never did with the Jeep or the Ranger but the Taco is much heavier. That leads to another question...20 lbs cool?

Thanks,
Ken

 

I always drop mine to 15-16 pounds.

 

Nomad,

Awsome pic of your truck! I hope you have that sitting on your desk somewhere as a direct link to sanity!!!

So far, 16 lbs it is, with the flaps in place. Thanks for the very specific info, gotta love this site!

Thanks,
Ken

 

i'm currently at buxton (cape Hatteras). I'm cruising @ 20psi...Having no problems going anywhere I want to go in the sand. I had an issue with my flaps acting like a grader blade at ramp 30. So I took mine off to alleviate any larger potential issues.

 

I tore two of mine off at the beach. I never have to air down, I just keep it in 4hi. If you want to run it in 2wd, then maybe. It sinks like a rock in 2wd in the beach sand.

 

here is the whole thread on it:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/51353-easy-mudflap-trim.html

after trimming, have never had any problems with them

 

Dude,

How I would love to join you. Reminds me when I went to Grand Isle...

 

Airing down isn't just about traction. It also eases the strain on your transmission. "Floating" on top of the sand is easier on it than plowing through with fully aired up tires.

 

3 weeks and I'll be back there fishing that same surf! I can't wait!

 

You will enjoy this post regarding the difference between 32 psi and 15 psi on the beach: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/of...a-beach-4wd-32-psi-15-psi-see-difference.html

 

Here is another thread on beach driving (in Baja), http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/off-roading-trails/101909-deep-sand-baja-2010-tacoma.html

 

The only time I had a problem on the beach was with the front flaps because they are lower. I needed to back up to our spot to have the bed closer for fishing and getting items out and the front ones get caught in the sand and could snap off. I am cutting the front ones before I go again.

 

Thank you everyone for the great info!

I appreciate all the input and pics especially from the NC guys!

David, very cool pics of beaching on the left coast, amazing pictures of what must have been a really great time and for the links to the advantages of airing down! Very cool to see the actual before and after of airing down...all in 15 feet.

I have another week to decide but right now I'm leaning towards leaving them on uncut, going down to 16lbs and bringing the tools to remove the flaps if needed. She is raised 2.5 inches and I'm running 285/70/17's so the flaps fall well within the tire footprint but we'll see.

My past experiences at NC beaches in the fall have been that it's mostly a problem on the soft sand at the ramps getting to the beach, not once your'e out there. Might just use a different ramp, again we'll see...as that depends on how many turtles and Pipers are having "sex on the beach"!

Eventually I may cut down just the fronts (thanks skistoy) and leave all 4 of them on all the time. This should help with snow also, not that we get all that much snow here in the Piedmont of NC but we do get a fair amount in the mountains and the Wife and I go out there a lot too. Not sure yet but this trip should be a good test.

Thanks again all,
I will post pics in a couple of weeks!
Ken