Mud flaps?

[lfhoward]

Hi Jeepers,

My TV is an '08 Jeep Liberty that is lifted 4 inches. I frequently tow my camper/cargo hauler trailer, and now that I have a few thousand miles on the trailer I'm noticing that there are indentations in the front aluminum skin from stones the Jeep is kicking up. I imagine it will be worse once winter weather arrives, because the front of the trailer will become caked in icy salty slush.


Build thread here: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581

Does anyone who tows with their rig run mud flaps? If so, what kind do you have, and do you like them? I think my lifted Jeep might look a little weird with mud flaps on it, but better that than damaging my trailer. What do you think? Anyone know of a solution that is specific to my model of Jeep?

Thanks for the input,
Lauren

[Wolfgang92025]

You mean like this....





In this picture you can see were I had knocked off a big chunk of ice/slush on a previous stop right next to the tongue box, were it is relatively clean.

The Jeep now has mudflaps.
This will be the first winter with them, so I don't know how well they will work.

[tony.latham]

I run all-season tires on my Tacoma and frequently tow Flash over gravel roads. I think the tread on the tires really likes to fling gravel and the front of our 'drop shows it.

I put together something like this that slips over my stinger hitch and secures with a bolt.



You can see a bit of them peeking out here:



Tony

[traysaw]

Teraflex just announced they are releasing a new mud flap for jeeps. I'm not sure what models they will fit but they will be releasing more information on them soon. They are supposed to be available in just a few weeks.
I am looking at them for my JK.

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[Tomterrific]

I like the idea of mud flaps. I've towed my trailer on gravel and in down pours and worried that the thin soft skin on the front was getting battered. I've seen a couple of WRX with flap extensions almost to the ground. It looks the part of serious so isn't funny looking at all. Those super flaps for the hitch would certainly do the trick! :-)

T

[Tomterrific]

Double post. :-(

[traysaw]

I'm really liking those Rock Tamers! It looks like they are about $250 for the system. Has anyone found them cheaper?

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[Tomterrific]

I admire inventive diy folks so I'm always trying to think like my heroes. You can find bed frames in the trash and they are a good source of tough steel angle. Use two of the angles overlapped at the hitch. Drill through both to accept a square U bolt that will fit around the hitch (or drawbar). Find a maker of conveyor belts for industry. Their scraps are a source of fabric reinforced rubber sheet for free. Use bolts and washers to secure the flaps to the angle iron. When you are ready to travel the tightening of the U bolt will hold both sides in position. TaDa! DIY Heavy Duty Rock Tamers for cheap. Note that I just thought this up and it might not fit your vehicle.
T

[Dale M.]

The rock tamers look like if a person is a bit handy with tools or welder they could be made for as little as scrounging parts...

The beauty of them is you don't have to have them on TV when not towing so there is no "aesthetic" issues...

Dale

[tony.latham]

The rock tamers look like if a person is a bit handy with tools or welder they could be made for as little as scrounging parts...

The beauty of them is you don't have to have them on TV when not towing so there is no "aesthetic" issues...

Dale

Mine is welded up from a piece of 1" angle. There's a 2" (?) piece of square tube with a 5/16" nut added to one side (It slips over the reciever bar). I bought a pair of $25 mud flaps from Amazon, mounted them sideways and cut them to length. Works well. Those $250 ones are over my budget.

T

[drhill]

Your home made rock tamers are a great idea. I have been meaning to try putting something together. I was thinking of using a rubber entrance mat of some sort from Home Depot. I might want to use some 3/4 pipe or conduit rather than angle iron so I can put a bit of bend in it to try and match the curve of the back bumper. I know if it sticks out much I will be hitting my shins on it. Every year I have been refinishing the tongue box and painting the fenders from all the sandblasting they get on the road.

[Socal Tom]

Your home made rock tamers are a great idea. I have been meaning to try putting something together. I was thinking of using a rubber entrance mat of some sort from Home Depot. I might want to use some 3/4 pipe or conduit rather than angle iron so I can put a bit of bend in it to try and match the curve of the back bumper. I know if it sticks out much I will be hitting my shins on it. Every year I have been refinishing the tongue box and painting the fenders from all the sandblasting they get on the road.

This is what they do in Australia.

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[halfdome, Danny]

I had Rock Tamers for a year or so and got tired of the hassles of putting them on and off my tow vehicles.
They would drag on some driveways.
Once one side got hooked on a building and got slightly bent.
The dings continued to appear on the teardrop so I sold the Rock Tamers for half what I paid for them and made a rock guard for the front of the teardrop (see my signature photo).
It's doing a great job, but any sort of rock guard won't stop rocks coming from right angles from other vehicles.
I feel this is a better way to go as far as price, convenience, weight & appearance.
If need be it can be removed in less than two minutes.
Danny

[drhill]

Danny - that is a nice solution. I have looked at pictures of your trailer tongue mounted rock guard before. About half the boat trailers in Saskatchewan use a similar rock guard. My problem is I carry bikes on the tongue. I spent some time in the garage today looking at my Equinox and with the short rounded back overhang I don't think a Rock Tamer would fit well or be very effective. If I know I am going to be on a gravel road for a good distance maybe I could wrap a mesh tarp around the bikes and front of the trailer. But most of the fender rock damage is from firewood gathering trips when the camper is off the trailer. I guess I need to stick with the touch up sanding and refinishing routine every spring. It really doesn't take that much time or effort.

[lfhoward]

Went with these. Thanks everyone for the input.