Got the extra long mud flaps, but turns out extra long is not extra stiff. So a 70 mph wind will push the flap into the exhaust and (my guess is on a regen) things get HOTT! causing some melting.

But wait there is a FIX!


Duraflap extra long mudflaps installed



Opps, regen + highway = melt



The fix, couple of long springs wrapped around exhaust where the flap touches the flap



no more melt down...

 

Don, I'd complain to Dura-flap if I were you. If nothing else, just to let them know.

My factory-issued Ford flaps have not touched the exhaust or melted. I love the look of the factory dual-exit exhaust pipes and I'd hate to have to place a spring around it. Ingenious fix, though.

 

Thanks. Yea, gonna contact them tomorrow. With luck I noticed it halfway thru the trip, otherwise might have cut them in half almost.

So sat out in the parking lot of an ACE HW store down in Rockport Tx, no Home Depot or Lowe's there, staring at the exhaust thinking how to I fix this issue. Then headed into the the store and walked the aisles for something to jump out. Got down into the nuts n bolts section and there was a box of springs and said YEP, that will work and give me the stand off I need to protect against ReGen's...

 

Great idea for a quick fix

 

Look up Heatshield Products. They make tape that goes on headers, exhaust and other areas. Some of their stuff is sticky backed and you could cut a section to cover the tail pipe where the flaps come into contact. It would be harder to notice than the spring.

Otherwise, the spring is a great work around.

 

I'm just thinking. Could you put a strip of maybe 3/4" X 1/8" aluminum strapping on the flap to stiffen it? Securing it with the bolts that hold the flap. You could possibly use a acid stain to turn the aluminum black to match the flap. I use an staining acid like that for making stained glass windows. It turns aluminum very black and doesn't cost much, and doesn't wash off.

 

Will look into that...

Not sure Alum would be strong enough, the flaps are long since the rear end sits so high and I need the flaps to keep the junk off my 5th wheel.

Besides the springs get other folks to ask questions. Told a guy driving a Ram when I was at home depot yesterday that the spring tuned the exhaust, increased the exhaust velocity and added 15 lbs of torque at the rear wheels. He wanted to know where I bought it...

 

Silly Ram drivers.

 

You'd better patent this idea! There's going to be Dodges all over Texas with springs on the exhaust now.

 

Nah. They will use a coil of soldering wire........

 

FYI Don, my #4 egt sensor will read over 1200 degrees during regen on the highway. Strap a hot dog on that puppy.

 

WOW, no wonder it melted...

 

You wouldn't want to park in a pile of leaves during a regen. Wood starts to burn at about 350-450 degrees. In that case you'd need hot dogs and marshmallows.

 

This is no joke! I do field mowing; last year pulled my truck and trailer into the bottom of the field and unloaded my tractor. I was not paying attention to the fact that the truck was actively regenerating and I shut it down mid-regen. When I left, the hay under the truck had *browned.* Fortunately there had been a recent rain...if it was totally dry, my truck might have been an insurance claim...

 

There was a farmer in our area that had that happen to him. He didn't loose his truck, as he was unhooking the trailer and noticed smoke. I didn't hear what brand it was, just that it was a diesel that had just regened and he parked on a windrow.