Mud Flap -- Full Coach Width

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Ultimate Freedom

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
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5
I was checking under the coach today and noticed that the connecting links that hold the full width mud flap across the back were just about worn in half. This is the flap that usually has your coach name on it. I removed the flap and will install all new hardware. I was a little surprised on the weight -- I'm guessing the weight at around 50 to 60 lbs. -- This could really do some serious damage to your coach or tow vehicle. You might want to check your coach.

Best Regards,

Bill
 
Hey Bill - welcome to rvforum!  That's a good head's up - what year is your UF?  I'm moving this post to Motorhomes so everybody can benefit from your discovery.
 
Good information. I'm also wondering if the mud flap is really necessary. It's a pain trying to make sure that it doesn't get dented by the hitch or caught in a bad position when leveling sometimes. I also wonder if it might at times drag on the ground and throw up gravel on the towd.

Ultimate Freedom said:
I was checking under the coach today and noticed that the connecting links that hold the full width mud flap across the back were just about worn in half. This is the flap that usually has your coach name on it. I removed the flap and will install all new hardware. I was a little surprised on the weight -- I'm guessing the weight at around 50 to 60 lbs. -- This could really do some serious damage to your coach or tow vehicle. You might want to check your coach.

Best Regards,

Bill
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Jerry,

We have never had one on this MH, a 2001 DSDP, took and itook it off our previous MH.  I do use a shield on the car that attaches to the hitch with the Jeep but never with the Saturn.  No problems and only minor dings.  I get more driving on gravel roads than I do without the mud flap.  I do have small ones immediately behind the rear tires as well as the front on the MH.

I think they are a waste of money and are incomvenient to use with no real advantage, but that is me.  :)
 
Jim Godward said:
Jerry,

I think they are a waste of money and are incomvenient to use with no real advantage, but that is me.   :)
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Jim:

Speaking as another who doesn't have one:  Yeah, but they sure look nice. ;D
 
When my driver drove over a muffler and tailpipe from a large truck, I heard a loud whack. When we (eventually) stopped, I was expecting to see the front of the Suburban smashed, but instead the rear flap was bent (actually, straightened out from prior damage), and the foot of one jack flipped 90 degrees. I hate to think what the damage would have been without the flap.
 
Tom said:
When my driver drove over a muffler and tailpipe from a large truck, I heard a loud whack. When we (eventually) stopped, I was expecting to see the front of the Suburban smashed, but instead the rear flap was bent (actually, straightened out from prior damage), and the foot of one jack flipped 90 degrees. I hate to think what the damage would have been without the flap.
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I'm not sure how much protection the guardian shield I have would give in that case.  I think the skid plates under the Jeep would keep things like oil pan, gas tank and differential safe but who knows.
 
Jim,

I'll keep our bent and re-bent flap  ;D
 
Tom said:
When my driver drove over a muffler and tailpipe from a large truck, I heard a loud whack. When we (eventually) stopped, I was expecting to see the front of the Suburban smashed, but instead the rear flap was bent (actually, straightened out from prior damage), and the foot of one jack flipped 90 degrees. I hate to think what the damage would have been without the flap.
Click to expand...

We drove over an entire tire carcass (road alligator) going into Tuscon a couple of years ago and like Tom's experience, I think our flap saved the Jeep from more damage (dented the Jeep's fender and broke a marker light.)  I've had all 40 pounds of the flap off recently and beat it back into shape.

I think a major downside of the flap is it digging into gravel when you go over a dip and flipping up rocks into the toad.  When we went to Alaska we used a Roadmaster Tow Guardian (the plastic thingy that mounts on the front of the towed vehicle) - bad mistake.  Rocks flipped up by the mud flap were hurled into the tow shield and then flung into our rear cap.  We must have had a dozen-twenty dings or chips in the cap.  The tow shield sits in our shed, never to be used again.
 
If I recall correctly the Roadmaster shield is vertical when installed on the car.  There are others that have a slantdownward, (\car), so that the debris is reflected down and not back or up.  I have not had your problem with our shield as it slants down.
 
Jim Godward said:
If I recall correctly the Roadmaster shield is vertical when installed on the car. 
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Jim - correct, it is vertical which undoubtedly was a factor in the damage.  I think a skirt under the towbar is the very best solution - Roadmaster has a skirt product out now and I gave it a careful look-over at the Winnebago GNR.  Unfortunately our exhaust would most likely hit the skirt, so I forgot the idea.

Even with our tow shield, I still took a rock at the very bottom and top of the Jeep's windshield resulting two "L" shaped cracks of about 2-3" per side.  Our Horizon got a new passenger-side windshield and the Jeep got new glass at the Winnie factory on our return from Alaska.  Ironically we took the fatal rock in the coach glass while we were on our way back and in BC.  We had several chips by that time, though.

Sorry for a little thread drift here  :-[
 
john:

We have towed two CRV's with a Guardian installed for 120k miles combined and have never had damage to the cars or the motorhomes. That includes ur trip to Alaska two years ago.

We do not have a mud flap on the Tradewinds nor on the last m/h, a Pace Arrow.

IMHO the Guardian is great.
 
Sounds like if you don't have a 4-down toad, you don't need any of that stuff.  :)

I removed our hanging flap recently since half of it was missing anyway (came that way from the previous owner), and it was just the lightweight strand material that was more like a broom hanging down than a solid piece of rubber.  Looked decent but I'm not sure what purpose it served.  I had thought about putting regular truck mudflaps on the rear wheelwells if I can find some cheap.
 
Scotty,

I don't recall the price but I got 2 narrow ones for the front wheels at NAPA and was surprised at the price, much less than I expected.  I don't recall now but I thought it was reasonable.
 
Sometime you guys should try driving behind a motorhome that has one of those big 'ol gravel kickers.....bet you won't be behind it long!  We did, and have a nice momento on our windshield because of it.  ::)
 
John Canfield said:
You want a spare?  :D
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Thanks, I'll remember you when I drive off and leave it somewhere like I have so many other things. ;D
 
[quote author=Jeff]... when I drive off and leave it somewhere ....[/quote]

... or when it unexpectedly becomes detached while driving down the freeway, as something else did  ;D
 
Jeff said:
Thanks, I'll remember you when I drive off and leave it somewhere like I have so many other things. ;D
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:-[  I left a nice adjustable water pressure regulator (with gauge) somewhere in Virginia a couple of weeks ago  ::) :p
 
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