Community Forums

willipaul · 09-18-2017, 06:06 PM

so, i have read many times from owners of many makes of coaches that removal of the mud flap brings great benefits.....always been leary of doing it....

less dirt and grime on toad.....

less paint / windshield chips.....

even a cleaner rear end cap on the coach....

i have never done it, with either my georgtown XL gasser and now the tiffin....

should i do it with the dutch star after i take delivery ?

will it really make that big a difference ?

Winemaker2 · 09-18-2017, 06:10 PM

Intetested in exactly the same topic.
Had a brush type guard on previous gasser and pleased with the results. ..read the same about stiff one pc factory guards and trying to decide.

Stuart W · 09-18-2017, 06:16 PM

add me to the list, I have also read bad things about the "billboard"

stang37 · 09-18-2017, 08:20 PM

I had the same concerns as you guy have. Read other threads about removing the mud flap but didn't. Decided to removed my mud flap after taking a few trips. My toad had no rock pecks before the trips, but many after the trips along with rocks at the bottom of the windshield. After removal no more pecks/rocks and the chassis battery area stays much cleaner. I purchased a new toad and left on a 4500 mile trip. No protector for the toad on the trip. I checked the toad often, and did find a few rock pecks on the lower facia areas. I don’t like rock chip at all but, these were no more than normal driving occurrences. We did have to drive a couple state highways under repair that were gravel. Glad I removed mine.

**TonyDi** · 09-18-2017, 08:26 PM

Being the type that believes if it was put on, there had to be a reason for it. I have not taken mine off nor will I. After 7 years I have never had a paint chip or broken glass. "If it's not broken don't fix it."

Stuart W · 09-18-2017, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyDi

Being the type that believes if it was put on, there had to be a reason for it. I have not taken mine off nor will I. After 7 years I have never had a paint chip or broken glass. "If it's not broken don't fix it."

I hear what your saying. Could it's purpose be advertisement? [emoji6]

britcon · 09-18-2017, 09:48 PM

While driving in Texas last year, had a passing car indicate a problem at the rear of the coach. Pulled into the next spot I could find. Turns out the left corner of the flap was dragging. It had been pierced / impaled by a chunk of 3/4" square steel about 30" long ( I think it had been the piece of steel that holds the mudflaps on a tractor trailer unit. Piece was sticking out the backside of the flap about 12" !
Thank goodness I had that flap in place ! Hate to think what that might have done to the front or underside of our Grand Cherokee. As it was, I reattached the hanger chain and continued on our way. Next campground, I took the flap off and beat the bottom angle iron back halfway straight. I will keep mine in place.

Stuart W · 09-18-2017, 10:47 PM

Wow britcon! Lucky it was in place.

Dutch Star Don · 09-18-2017, 11:02 PM

I HONESTLY can't give you an answer as to whether they work or not in protecting the toad. Personally, I like the look of them. I keep mine polished and adjusted to the correct height. On long trips, I use a product called Road Wrap (like thick cling wrap) and stretch a piece across the painted portion of my toad. On short trips, I usually don't install it. I have 35K on my coach and no damage, even small chips, to my toad(s).

I'm going to say something that may agitate a few, but if you're not guilty, it shouldn't apply to you. Many know I do a lot of fabricating and all my own work and repairs. With that said, I do a lot of work for friends. I've fixed the rear bumper on three different coaches that one friend has owned....just not good at backing. I've also removed and straighten out many a mud flap for friends that backed into curbs or crushed them in a campground. I find that many that dislike mud flaps is because they keep bending them. Again, this may not apply to any here. So take the results of this post with a grain of salt and do your own testing.

dennis45 · 09-18-2017, 11:15 PM

After picking stones out of the windshield well everyday and stone chips to the plastic air dam on the CRV during our Alaska trip. I removed my flap in Whitehorse, YK. Three years and about 15000 miles later, I have no stone chips, no rock deflector of any kind and no more rear flap.
All you need is a good set of flaps behind the rear duals set so they just clear with the air bags deflated.
The rear flap actually causes a lot of turbulence and each time it comes even close to the road, it causes loose material to be flung up and into the toad.

ByeTheWay · 09-18-2017, 11:24 PM

I removed mine and it works for me. I do have mud flaps behind the duallys.

Stuart W · 09-19-2017, 12:19 AM

Ok maybe a dumb question, the last 2 posts talk about mud flaps behind the rear duals, what happens if your a tag axle MH?

bruceisla · 09-19-2017, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart W

Ok maybe a dumb question, the last 2 posts talk about mud flaps behind the rear duals, what happens if your a tag axle MH?

I have a tag ... my mudflaps are wide enough to cover duals and are located behind the tag.

I removed the rear full width flap ... it would sometimes drag on a crowned road if the road had dips.

Happy now !!

smlranger · 09-19-2017, 05:33 AM

On our first long trip after getting this coach (with the full width rear flap wit CC logo), we drove about 20 miles on a road in Oregon that had just been re-paved with tar and gravel. When we stopped that night, I noticed many small chips in the front of our CRV. So, I removed the flap and cut about 2" off of it and put it back on (mine was not height adjustable). After doing that, we've not seen chips in our current toad a Ford F150. In terms of rock chips I think it has to do with the flap being far enough off the road surface.

I have wondered if removing the flap reduces the dust cloud created under these side radiator rigs.