New Mudflap

Topic: New Mudflap (Read 1761 times) previous topic - next topic

New Mudflap

April 10, 2012, 04:46:51 pm

After seeing our headlight and tail light in person, it was clear that the old mudflap just wasn't going to cut it. We bought the new rubber, stainless overlay, and hardware from FOT today, $262.xx after MC discount. Steve reused the old bar stock and hanging links and we now have a new mudflap more befitting the freshened rear view.

Before and After

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We "freecycled" our old mudflap to Dave and Dolly

Michelle

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #1 – April 10, 2012, 05:03:10 pm

Well, now you've done it!
It'll be on our "to add" list for the next trip to NAC!.
As I said before, when the coach starts to look like Joan Rivers after all the facelifts, it's time to stop!

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #2 – April 10, 2012, 06:18:49 pm

Very nice....Makes the backend stickout

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #3 – April 10, 2012, 06:40:11 pm

Now that looks very, very nice. I'm jealous (in a good way)

Doesn't it just make you want to wash it every day?

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #4 – April 10, 2012, 06:48:12 pm

Me too.....damn it!

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #5 – April 10, 2012, 10:47:45 pm

They just had to change out the old damaged one. The new one looks great, and completes the new look so well.

I had looked at rock guards last month, and then again today. Walked out to see Steve and Michelle looking at their's, great timing for sure.

Grabbed this from the gate between service and Camp Foretravel, on the run, had hoped to catch them in a close up.

I took their old one to modify and make it fit my coach to replace my very damaged guard. We will post some before and after photos as well. I will need to shorten their damaged SS plate, and cut their rubber for my narrow older style needs.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #6 – April 11, 2012, 07:58:46 am

The nice flaps can sure get bent up/damaged, from what I see, my GUESS is due to poor mounting with too little play in the flex joints force the flap to get crunched during some leveling.
Why I like the method Xtreme used mounting my new small FT logo/flap, has lots of flexability, the coach would have to drop a lot more than the leveling range to come close to the damage area.
We all learn from others bad luck, if we are lucky.
Dave M

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #7 – April 11, 2012, 08:25:29 am

Quote from: Dave M – April 11, 2012, 07:58:46 am

The nice flaps can sure get bent up/damaged, from what I see, my GUESS is due to poor mounting with too little play in the flex joints force the flap to get crunched during some leveling.
Why I like the method Xtreme used mounting my new small FT logo/flap, has lots of flexability, the coach would have to drop a lot more than the leveling range to come close to the damage area.
We all learn from others bad luck, if we are lucky.
Dave M

You was not referring to my coach were you Dave

Every time I back into my driveway, that incline has to be hit just right.
This is my 3rd one and decided to leave it.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #8 – April 11, 2012, 09:49:12 am

Quote from: Dave M – April 11, 2012, 07:58:46 am

The nice flaps can sure get bent up/damaged, from what I see, my GUESS is due to poor mounting with too little play in the flex joints force the flap to get crunched during some leveling.
Why I like the method Xtreme used mounting my new small FT logo/flap, has lots of flexability, the coach would have to drop a lot more than the leveling range to come close to the damage area.

Yup - our original was 14" of rubber that was notched around the frame members at the top and very hard to move by hand. One of us always had to watch it during leveling. The new one is 9" of rubber and swings much more freely. In the photo I posted of the new flap, our curbside rear is just about squatted to be level and the flap isn't hitting.

After assembly and mounting, I think the newer flap has about 2" more clearance to the ground than the original.

Michelle

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #9 – April 11, 2012, 11:03:51 am

We have the "hula skirt" or "broom" model. It's not pretty, but it seems to be functional. It also helps to smooth out gravel in our driveway.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #10 – April 13, 2012, 09:37:25 pm

Quote from: J. D. Stevens – April 11, 2012, 11:03:51 am

We have the "hula skirt" or "broom" model. It's not pretty, but it seems to be functional. It also helps to smooth out gravel in our driveway.

Maybe I don't need that new tractor and boxblade after all!

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #11 – April 22, 2012, 07:25:31 pm

Quote from: Dave and Dolly Cobb – April 10, 2012, 10:47:45 pm

I took the old one to modify to make it fit my coach to replace the very damaged guard.

We will post some before and after photos as well. I will shorten the damaged SS plate, and rubber for my narrow older style needs.

Ahem - I believe there may be some photos available for sharing... I think others would like to see how nice it looks with your SS bumper....

Michelle

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #12 – April 22, 2012, 10:37:26 pm

Steve and Michelle were so kind to recycle and gift their mudflap to us, and I have finally gotten it installed.

Our before mudguard:

I reduced their old 14" to 12" on the table saw, and that cut off the damaged bottom edge and some of the bad end of the rubber. Then I shortened the length of the rubber for my narrower coach by cutting new end radius, and that removed the rest of the old damage. I removed my old bent angle iron mounting bar, that has been dragged over many low crossing. I shorten the angle several inches off each end, to keep the same hanging holes on the frame where I drilled larger holes for the new shackles. The old bar had been bolted up to the frame, and did not allow any flexibility when it struck the ground, and was bent at least 3" upward, 2" back, and twisted at each end. I was able to bend it straight with the bench vise, some flexing and a 5# adjusting tool, (hammer).

I cut the new rubber to match the required shape to fit my frame hitch area, and left the ends as tall as possible to reach up in front of the rear fiberglass shroud. Then I mounted the rubber to the angle iron, allowing for the new lower hanging height on the "D" rings, The "D" rings now allow the guard to swing back and up if the bottom hits the ground, unlike before when rigidly bolted to the frame. The total swing up is now higher than the bottom of the tailpipe which has gotten flattened as well.

I cleaned the rubber, and sprayed it with black bedliner to get a more even color and it looks like new when it dried.

I mounted the SS "Foretravel" onto the rubber. As the right end of the old SS had been also damaged, I shortened both ends and reshaped the the SS plate. All mounted up, it looks great, at 5', when standing behind the coach.

See all 11 photos here if you want.http://sailwing.smugmug.com/Coach/New-stuff

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #13 – April 23, 2012, 07:20:47 am

Dave , your refit looks great . With A shop , and some mechanical gitty up, it shows what you have done . " Hats off " Brad Metzger

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #14 – April 23, 2012, 07:40:28 am

Good Job, Recycling that you can see immediate results from.

Gary B

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #15 – April 23, 2012, 08:27:28 am

Dave,

Wow, great job and thanks for detailing the steps you used. Karma to you

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #16 – April 23, 2012, 09:49:48 am

Hi Dave,
That is a great job. Flap looks real good!
Raymond

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #17 – April 23, 2012, 09:52:34 am

Well, thanks for the kind comments. Kudos to Steve and Michelle for their old parts, and allowing us to take them to a great dinner in Nacogdoches as repayment. A huge thanks to Bill Chaplin for allowing me to share his shop, with a vast assortment of tools, and inside parking.

The old rigid mounted system just had to fail, and did, just a poor mounting design. Only lasted 19 years. The replacement of the guard was on the "to do" list from day one, and only took me a year to get to doing once I pulled out the tools, and had parts.

Also replaced again the ignition solenoid put in 12/11, but with a Blue Sea solenoid, per Brett Wolfe's thread.
Got a new fire extinguisher mounted in a bay, and reorganized and condensed things into one less box to free up bay storage. A good day working on the coach is better than any day at work. But FOT said they only charge a couple of hours to install new mudflaps, and I know I have many more hours in my project and modifications.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #18 – April 23, 2012, 01:27:08 pm

Another forum member, Karl Brenneman, uses a bungee to pull up the mudflap while backing into an area that might hit the flap. He attaches the two ends of the bungee to the mudflap and then loops it over the hitch receiver. This pulls the mudflap out of harms way. Karl mounted two eye bolts in the mudflap to attach the bungee. I'm going to give that a try this summer.

Update.... see the attached pic. This actually works very well, but would probably be better with a stronger black rubber bungee.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #19 – April 23, 2012, 01:56:40 pm

Here are a couple of pics of the lanyard I use to pull up the mud flap. Made from a couple of ferrules, 1/16" al wire and some stainless snap hooks. I leave the lanyard stowed on the tow cable eyes when not in use.

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #20 – April 24, 2012, 10:47:01 pm

Quote from: Dave and Dolly Cobb – April 23, 2012, 09:52:34 am

Well, thanks for the kind comments. Kudos to Steve and Michelle for their old parts, and allowing us to take them to a great dinner in Nacogdoches as repayment.

We were happy to find a new home for the mudflap, and Dave neglects to mention that in addition to dinner (at Auntie Pastas, yum!), he loaned us the use of his cordless drill and bits to remove the old mudflap, fit the new one, and helped hang the new one. He also gave us a "hatch" he bought at Lowes that will be used to modify our utility bay wall for access to valves and tank sensors.

ForeForum recycling/trading is a win/win!

Michelle

Re: New Mudflap

Reply #21 – April 25, 2012, 08:25:14 am

Still was happy to help and to get the old parts. Only someone with a small U-225 would have been able to rescue and use your casts off. Was amazed how the old parts seem to grow as we moved them from the back of your huge coach, to the inside of ours for the trip home.

That inspection hatch was the least expensive thing we bought at Lowes that day. Dolly is always on the hunt for plants and trees and we filled the little Saturn wagon again on this trip.

What was really more fun for me, was the chat on the parking lot about projects and up-grades, and seeing how others have done things inside and in the bays to their coaches. Getting to fix and help do things is fun for me.

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