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Mud guard advise...

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Ray M., Oct 14, 2015.

  1. Oct 14, 2015 at 7:45 PM
    #1
    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    I just bought a super clean 2002 Tacoma Prerunner that's just about perfect in every way, except that it doesn't have mudguards and the truck gets dirty behind each of the wheels every time I drive it.

    Official OEM Toyota brand mud guards are stupid expensive and I'm hoping there is a better alternative.

    Like maybe these for example:

    $50 Universal Fit Mud Flaps - Splash Guards - DeeZee - Black Composite - 4 pieces
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-F...DeeZee-Black-Composite-4-pieces-/390494720270

    Any thoughts?
     
    Ray M., Oct 14, 2015
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  2. Oct 14, 2015 at 8:15 PM
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    Rmodel65

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    Rmodel65 Yukon Cornelius

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    Rmodel65, Oct 14, 2015
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  3. Oct 14, 2015 at 9:16 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    Web page is not available.

    Thank you for your response. Please try it again.
     
    Ray M., Oct 14, 2015
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  4. Oct 14, 2015 at 9:24 PM
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    2004TacomaSR5

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    2004TacomaSR5 Nemesis Prime

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    I'd try to find OEM's for better prices, you can find them cheaper, never go through Toyota or the dealer, they want premium prices for EVERYTHING that has their name on it. Those ones you posted are made of composite so they will be stiff as a board, not very good on trucks if you get to scraping them on the ground at all they will snap off. The second gens have them and they have no give over speedbumps or rocks and break very easily. The OEM's they used on our trucks were made of rubber so they flexed and bent easily without busting off. Composite flaps belong on cars imo.

    A good example of dealerships being a total ripoff is this. I priced a catalytic converter for my truck at a dealership and it would have cost me $1200 to get one through them. I went to my local parts store and found the same OEM cat for $200.. Dealerships are crooks, stay away from them.
     
    2004TacomaSR5, Oct 14, 2015
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  5. Oct 14, 2015 at 9:25 PM
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    medic2230

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    medic2230 @Koditten Pirate Radio member #002

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    Look in the market place on here. They come up every so often.
     
    medic2230, Oct 14, 2015
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  6. Oct 15, 2015 at 4:58 AM
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    CodeSeven

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    CodeSeven Yo

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    Please try and be somewhat intelligent. Remove the "for" after "Com"....

    www.car-part.com
     
    CodeSeven, Oct 15, 2015
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  7. Oct 15, 2015 at 2:07 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    Thanks for the good advice. I did a little more searching and found a set of four OEM mudguards that are supposed to be good with my VIN number at a good price. I don't have them yet and only time will tell if they fit. I'll check back in and let you know when I install them.
     
    Ray M., Oct 15, 2015
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  8. Oct 15, 2015 at 3:44 PM
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    CodeSeven

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    CodeSeven Yo

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    which ones did you find?
     
    CodeSeven, Oct 15, 2015
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  9. Oct 15, 2015 at 7:12 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    Ray M., Oct 15, 2015
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  10. Oct 23, 2015 at 6:13 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    The plot thickens....

    The mudguards arrived and the front pair installed easily and fit perfectly. They're made of a fairly stiff but still flexible rubber compound. They're not as big as I'd hoped, but overall I'm happy with the product and grateful for the advice.

    But the back pair are clearly the wrong product!!

    Well, except they aren't.

    It seems that one of the two previous owners removed a large bracket that would hold the mudflap in place and double as part of the inner fender. I found a pair of brackets on eBay, so it looks like I'll be in business in a week or so. I'll report back.
    $104 Toyota Tacoma Truck 4x4 & Pre-Runner Factory NEW Rear Mud Flap Brackets w Bolts
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/171339933366
     
    Ray M., Oct 23, 2015
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  11. Oct 23, 2015 at 6:30 PM
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    keakar

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    keakar Well-Known Member

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    honestly for our trucks you are better off just going buy a sheat of diamond plate aluminum at the box store and make your own.

    the oem ones just flop around all the time anyway and don't look like much, rigid diamond plate ones would look and work 1000 times better
     
    keakar, Oct 23, 2015
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  12. Oct 23, 2015 at 7:36 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    Well, except that.....

    I had thought about that. Once the inner fender/brackets are installed I could get flat sheet stock for the rear mud flaps, but the fronts would be a problem as they are anything but flat or square and I don't have access to metal forming tools. I'm not a total klutz with tools and I understand how to deal with 3D objects, but it's just easier to buy OEM parts. And the rubber flaps are going to recover/survive from an errant curb, speed bump, tree limb, rock, whatever.

    In other words, while I agree with everything you just said, I'm going to go in a different direction with this. :)
     
    Ray M., Oct 23, 2015
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  13. Oct 23, 2015 at 7:51 PM
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    keakar

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    keakar Well-Known Member

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    keakar, Oct 23, 2015
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  14. Oct 23, 2015 at 9:09 PM
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    Willbeck

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    Willbeck Well-Known Member

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    Diamond plate would be hideous.

    I'm in the market for another set of mudflaps too. The OE ones look the best. Your best option is to troll craigslist. I've found them there for very reasonable prices. Most people selling Toyota parts on CL either know how much the part is worth, or have no clue. You want to find the latter lol
     
    Willbeck, Oct 23, 2015
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  15. Oct 24, 2015 at 9:15 AM
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    jkulysses

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    jkulysses Well-Known Member

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    First thing I did when I got my 98 was remove all 4 mud flaps lol. Those are always the first thing to get ripped off out in the woods which usually does some damage plus I'm not concerned if my 17 year old truck gets dirty behind the wheels. I ended up giving them to a member on here just made him pay shipping. I think I read that Husky makes some that fit okay.
     
    jkulysses, Oct 24, 2015
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  16. Nov 2, 2015 at 12:34 PM
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    Ray M.

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    Ray M. [OP] Member

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    This silly little project got a little more complicated than I expected it to, but I finished it.

    I bought the mud guards first, then figured out I needed inner fender brackets in the rear. The brackets I bought aren't exactly right, but close enough and I had to drill new holes in the mud guards. The first set of new holes weren't in the exact right place so I drilled some more. When the old holes fill up with mud nobody will ever know.

    Inside of rear fender showing where the missing bracket would be:
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/dsc08064.488116/

    Inside of rear fender with newly installed inner fender bracket:
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/dsc08068.488117/

    What it looks like now:
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/dsc08069.488118/

    Again, thanks for all the help and interest.

    Be careful out there.
     
    Ray M., Nov 2, 2015
    #16

Products Discussed in

Toyota Tacoma Truck 4x4 & Pre-Runner Factory NEW Rear Mud Flap Brackets w Bolts
$103.95
Universal Fit Mud Flaps - Splash Guards - DeeZee - Black Composite - 4 pieces
$49.95
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