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05-01-2015, 07:40 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 428
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Rear "NEWMAR" mud flap, field test results
Since owning my new 2014 MADP I have always had an excessive amount of dirt/sand on my pedal bikes on the towbar rack and my toad, even to the point of having to difficulty releasing the tow bar arms to unhook the toad (considerably more dirt/sand than on my previous coach with a rear mud flap)....I tried raising it as much as possible (only about 2") without noticeable change....last Sunday about 5 miles into a 300+ mile trip home, I came around a corner and had to straddle a "road gator", this completely destroyed the rear flap (field test), I removed the partially hanging and bent up rear flap....when I returned home and when I went to unhook the toad, to my surprise the bikes and toad were totally clean, given that the rear wheels have individual "mud flaps" to protect from throwing up stones, and I use a front protective shield on my toad, I do not intend to replace it....just sayin.
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2017 London Aire 4519
2021 Wrangler Rubicon JLU
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05-01-2015, 08:32 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: AB
Posts: 7,587
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Quote:
Originally Posted by resullivan
Since owning my new 2014 MADP I have always had an excessive amount of dirt/sand on my pedal bikes on the towbar rack and my toad, even to the point of having to difficulty releasing the tow bar arms to unhook the toad (considerably more dirt/sand than on my previous coach with a rear mud flap)....I tried raising it as much as possible (only about 2") without noticeable change....last Sunday about 5 miles into a 300+ mile trip home, I came around a corner and had to straddle a "road gator", this completely destroyed the rear flap (field test), I removed the partially hanging and bent up rear flap....when I returned home and when I went to unhook the toad, to my surprise the bikes and toad were totally clean, given that the rear wheels have individual "mud flaps" to protect from throwing up stones, and I use a front protective shield on my toad, I do not intend to replace it....just sayin.
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I can relate to your test.
During our trip to Alaska last summer I found my toad covered in small stones picked up from the road construction areas after leaving Ft Nelson, BC.
When we arrived in Whitehorse, our trek master suggested removing the rear flap. (Same as you, I had already raised it as much as I could to at least 5-6" off the ground). So I pulled it off and left it in the campground in Whitehorse with the understanding I could pick it up on the way back.
Well, the stone problem went away and I never did pick it up and do not have a full flap any longer. Just the two behind the rear duals. I find the toad stays cleaner overall without the flap.
For me the Jury is still out on the merits of the Kargard also as I believe it deflects stones off and into the back of the coach due to the hard surface of the material.
I had used a screen but because of the position of my exhaust, that did not work well either. What to do......
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2019 Unity LTV CB, pushed by a 2013 Honda CRV, BlueOx Baseplate, Aventa Bar & Patriot Brake
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05-02-2015, 10:12 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Medford, Oregon
Posts: 300
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Of course, we are in the business of making the mud flaps for the coaches, so we may be biased. We make them for both across the back, and for the wheel wells.
The wheel well mud flaps are definitely the first line of defense. They need to be within 4-6" of the ground, and wide enough to cover the whole width of the tires.
Regarding the rear mud flap...under normal conditions, it is that extra 20% that can be added for additional protection. It is not there just to stop rocks and dirt. In fact the dry dust will find it's way around the flat surface of the mud flaps both in the wheel wells and at the back, float in the air, and deposit itself onto the toad. The question is, how much more dust, rocks and mud would hit the toad if it is not partially stopped by the rear mud flap.
If the rear mud flap is not at least 4" off the ground when in drive height, the mud flap will come too close to the ground at times, and can create a wind tunnel effect that actually throws rocks at the toad, or hit the ground when on uneven gravel roads. There are several factors that affect this process including how far from the rear dually tires the back of your coach is, and how much cantilevering is happening at the back.
As far as the alligator in the road that destroyed the rear mud flap, what kind of damage might have happened to the toad if the mud flap had not taken that impact?
We have heard from several customers about how the mud flap has stopped things like loose 2X4 lumber from reaching their toad as well as the dead animals in the road.
We have our own 38 foot Dutchstar, and we tow a CRV. We use the mud flaps in the wheel well, and the mud flap on the back. The mud flap on the back has protected our CRV from getting the guts of a dead squirrel on it, and the tar from fresh road work. The bottom image shows a big chunk of dried tar on the mud flap, with a clean CRV behind. We also like how it looks. Ours is satin finished to keep from blinding any drivers behind us.
The Alaska roads definitely work best without the mud flap on the back, as confirmed by many that have taken that trip, so take it off before going on that trip. It is simple enough to remove and rehang when you get back.
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05-02-2015, 11:57 AM
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#4
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Administrator in Memoriam
Newmar Owners Club Retired Fire Service RVer's Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 25,898
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I agree that the rear flap needs to be at least 4" above the road.
I had to cut some off my flap to get it about 6" off the road and I never had any toad damage.
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Adios, Dirk - '84 Real Lite Truck Camper, '86 Wilderness Cimarron TT, previously 4 years as a fulltimer in a '07 DSDP
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05-02-2015, 08:04 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 3,469
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Add my name to the list of those who have taken it off.
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John and Mary Knight
2015 Newmar Ventana 4311 - wheelchair accessible
2015 Cadillac SRX Luxury AWD
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05-02-2015, 08:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ambler, PA
Posts: 2,853
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Algoma
Add my name to the list of those who have taken it off.
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Me too. Mine was curling up in one corner and so I took it off before a 2500 mile trip. The toad was MUCH cleaner after that trip, as was the tow bar and the rock guard. The coach doesn't look as cool without it, but I'm not replacing it.
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Larry & Cheryl Oscar, Louie, Ranger & Henry (our Springers)
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05-02-2015, 09:19 PM
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#7
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 24,063
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My Monaco came with a rubber mud flap and chrome logo. It worked well for the ten years we owned the coach.
After purchasing the Dutch Star, I realized that the rear flap was plastic. I have to take my flap off when I get home to back uphill into my parking spot. I quickly found that the OEM flap, made of plastic, started to look bad and easily deformed and stayed that way.
I bought a new piece of rubber from "DuraFlap", sponsors who posted earlier, and rebuilt mine. It looks nicer, is heavier, and stays in place better. I like the look of the flaps and I think they work well when properly adjusted and supported.
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Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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05-02-2015, 09:57 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Denton, TX, 76207
Posts: 2,160
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Has anyone measured engine compartment temperature with the back flap on and off? I am dealing with an unrelated temperature issue but was curious as to how airflow might be affected by the flap.
Thanks Steve
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Steve Pinn
2008 Newmar Essex-4514
2009 Honda CRV
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05-03-2015, 05:57 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 428
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DuraFlap....it is a given that you have much more experience at making mud flaps than I, as my experience with mud flaps consists strictly as being and end user of the product. From the three previous MH I have owned over the last 11 years, it does appear that the higher off the road, and the farther back toward the rear of the coach the flap is mounted, the less debris that is thrown up behind it ( on my previous MH the flap was mounted higher and almost to the rear of the coach) on my 2014 MADP it is mtd. much closer forward toward the rear wheels and much closer to the road. as an observation, when a MH travels down the road at hwy speeds, the air movement under the coach pushes the rear flap toward the rear of the coach at an angle somewhat past vertical, IMHO forcing the air downward on the surface of the road and likely creating a "vortex" effect boiling up most light debris off the road where it can be deposited/hit anything reward of the coach. ( I also observed that my rear cap was cleaner after driving w/o the rear mud flap) as far as how much damage would have occurred to the toad had not the road gator hit the rear mud flap first , I can only speculate, as the toad straddled the road gator as did the MH with no evidence of any damage, it is my belief that the only thing that hit the road gator was the rear mud flap, that I had already raised to the under side of the frame as high as possible. In conclusion, people that I have talked with that have removed their rear mud flaps have experienced similar results. IMHO, the greatest value of the rear mud flap is that of a moving "billboard" advertising for the MH mfg....but boy they sure do look good don't they
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2017 London Aire 4519
2021 Wrangler Rubicon JLU
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05-03-2015, 08:07 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 53
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Hey resullivan, I could not agree more with your statement that this is more for advertising than function. Not only does the toad collect rocks my chassis battery compartment gets trashed every time I travel, and I even sealed some of the bigger holes but left open enough for air circulation. Also when I dump air for leveling it gets stuck, bent under the exhaust muffler. When going down the interstate( I-10 ) the ruts from the heavier trucks are deep enough for this flap to drag all day. Well the advertising billboard is being removed today!!
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05-03-2015, 09:28 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1
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It sounds like that mud flap is or was too close to the ground.
Mine just touches the ground when i let the air out. It doe snot fly up behind the coach when I go down the road, it is about 65 pounds, and it hangs on the chains, so air is allowed to circulate a little around it.
I started with a hard attached style, and tht did cause me problems, but this one works pretty good.
Are the rocks coming from your tires? Do you have the mud flaps behind the duals?
I was reading on the Alaska trip postings that somene is developing a lifter for the rear mud flap. That sure will help with some of othe problems on this post.
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05-03-2015, 10:01 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 715
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I have taken it OFF 4 years ago and have never looked back.
Siggy
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Siggy & Ursula.
2011 Newmar DSDP 4020 , (No DEF, 07 emission),
FTL XCR Chassis , Cummins ISL 400 HP
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