MUD FLAPS FOR TRAVEL TRAILER

[TheGatherer]

This is the second TT that I have put mud flaps on for keeping the underside clean. I was able to screw the flaps to the inside of the wheel well on the last TT, not so on the new one. There being no wheel well I needed a way to hold the mud flap in position and when in Home Depot the light came on in my head... shelf brackets.. I bought a couple and installed the mud flaps,.. but that left and area above the 'flaps' so having a roll of flashing I cut a piece and screwed it in place. so I don't like the 'load range C' tires the dealer/manufactuer puts on the TT's and I bought Maxxis M008 'load range E' for mine. Putting the tires on I noticed the plastic cover on the outside of the tires wasn't far enough away from the tires to prevent rubbing (on the original tires also), so I built braces to hold it 'out' away from the tires and saw there was nothing above the front tire except the 'membrane' sealing the bottom of the trailer. I cut some of the flashing to cover the membrane and made a couple of shields for the front of the wheel well...
This is the shelf braket holding the mud flap..



This is the metal to make the 'wheel well'...



Front deflector...



..and another of the deflector...



Shelf bracket on the port side..



Front deflector on the starboard side...



The starboard side had to be larger to fit over a frame member, this is looking up...



Maybe I don't need mud flaps on the TT, but looking in the mirror when driving in a rain storm and seeing the water spraying out to the sides in pretty nice, and I had a flat tire on the starboard side on I-10 just East of El Paso last year and the flap kept the wheel trash from hitting the bottom of the TT...

I'm editing this to note.. after I posted it (same day) I moved the port 'deflector' rearward to the same distance from the tire as the starboard one... I just wanted to match them up...

[FLY_4_FUN]

What a good idea. I wonder how many rocks have NOT been thrown at cars behind you because of your mod. I really like it...and may just copy it. I really wish all vehicles came with mud flaps. Im sure its a cost savings but honestly why does a 4x4 truck not come standard with mud flaps anymore?? end of rant

Daryll

[TheGatherer]

Okay, after a 6k mile trip, I am making larger mud flaps... I'll cut them from a 'semi truck' mud flap. The ones I 'bought' are too flimsy and I want something larger and less flexible..

[TheGatherer]

The brackets I used have a brushed finish and are to the best of my knowledge stainless steel... I didn't paint them, but the washers are a good idea on attaching the 'flaps'... fender washers are larger and work real well on things like that..

[BarneyS]

I think he used stainless steel shelf brackets and not paint. At least that is what it looks like to me.
Barney

[RideSlow]

Picked up the shelf brackets, suggestions please for painting? Looks like the OP used some sort of metallic paint, figure I will have to rough up the surface of the brackets to get good adhesion. Will be using stainless steel screws, nuts and bolts for fastening. (After looking around the net, found that some folks had problems with the mudflaps tearing away at the mount, so I will add some thicker washers or a flat bracket)

[Blazing_Zippers]

I'm just in the process of installing a set of flaps on the new 5th wheel. The rig has Ground control 3.0 jacks and they are really close to the tires, and right in line for all the road junk to be thrown on them. The 3.0 brackets have several holes in them and are pretty stout--so I used some medium grade corners brackets and bed liner to make the flaps. I also used liquid tape on the electrical connectors to ensure any mud and water wouldn't corrode the connections.
Now that the brackets and flaps are all built, if the rain stops, I'll bolt them on.
See ya out there.

[eDUBz]

Awesome!

[Minermark]

Deflectors and running stainless, you sir are my kind of guy!

[Tango__AE7UI]

That is definitely thinking outside the box.
Well done!

[RollandB]

Awesome idea and nice work!

[Calicajun]

Nice work.

[RideSlow]

TheGatherer, thank you for the great idea, I have been trying to figure out a way & you nailed it.

[ScottG]

Nice job!
Been thinking about doing something similar for years but never got around to it.