How To: Mud Flap Fix

About a month ago while backing up in the snow I cracked one of my mudflaps. I got a price from the dealership of $89.00. No way am I paying that much for a mudflap. Because the mudflap was hitting my exhaust and melting I had to do something. So to hold me over until I can find a cheaper one I did some simple rigging... after was all said and done the flap works great, and did not have any play.
1. First remove the mud flap.
2. Get 3/32nd's drill bit, a drill, some safety wire (I think I used 20 gauge) and a pair of needle nose pliars.
3. You will make a series of three holes on the mudflap from where the crack begins and ends. But before that drill a hole where the crack ends to prevent from further cracking.
4. Drill all the holes necessary.
5. Loop the safety wire through the three holes, start where the crack began and go to where it ends.
6. Once you have all the wires through all the holes, twist the safety wire with your fingers. Then tighten the wire with the needle nose pliars. You don't have to twist too tight or the wire will break.
7. Cut the excess wire and bend in the remaining wire to make less noticable.
8. Install the mudflap and you are good to go.


I realize this isn't the most detailed thread, but it is really easy. Here are some pics.

 

more pics..

 

bump

 

Nice Writeup. I definitely will help people out, If their in your situation

 

ah awesome. You stitched it back together! I'm all for fixing whats busted instead of paying an arm and a leg for new parts. Wanna make a How To in order to fix the hole in my all weather mat?? (It can resist All Weather, but not my foot!)

 

haha

 

Nice write up and effort. I bet epoxy would work just as good too.

 

definitely on the smaller cracks..

i had tried epoxy, but it didn't hold, i think my crack was too big (can i say that?)

 

thats what she said!

 

I used ShoeGoo on mine holding up great. 2 years now

 

you think that might be good for a floor mat (wore a hole through with my heal)?



haha kiddin

 

My flap was competely broken in 3 pieces. I used a plastic epoxy and so far it's held up for over a month.

Had to do it when they want almost $95 for ONE FREAKING FLAP !!!!!!!!

 

I have 4 good mud flaps. They are a little dirty but other than that they are in great shape. I dont have all of the plastic clips because I broke a few taking them out. If your want one or all make me a reasonable offer. Oh yeah they are not the 4X4 flaps.

 

drifter 379, i'm good.. but thanks, i'm sure someone else will be interested!

 

IMO just leave them off. Those wires aren't going to hold them together forever.

EDIT: Sorry, but I just remembered some states require the flaps so I guess you did find a cheap and quick fix.

 

also if your flap is just starting to crack if you drill a hole or melt a hole with a soldering iron at the crack's current starting point then the crack won't be able to grow any further. that will work on ANY plastic. we used to do that on our RC car bodies, it works! i've also done the stitches before with zip-ties when doing quad and motorcycle plastics, but the wire would be stronger.

i actually have 2 irons in my toolbox, one for melting/welding plastic and one for solder- the melted plastic will kill the tip and no longer melt solder

 

I'll be trimming my tomorrow. I was hunting all day yesterday and these things hit on ever little bump. Won't last too much longer like that

 

X2!

 

Has anyone found good aftermarket rubber mud flaps for their Tacoma? Before I got my Tacoma, I had an older Ford Ranger with rubber flap. The advantage was, that when you went off-road they would flex--because they're rubber, not plastic. I have knocked off one of the plastic ones on the Tacoma simply by backing up into a curb.

 

^^^^^ THIS!!!!