Mud flaps/ Splash guards
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 312
Likes: 50
Mud flaps/ Splash guards
Hello to all. Just picked up my 2017 F350 Platinum last week and installed the factory Ford molded flaps. I went with them because I like the way they looked and the ease of installation. However, I can hear things still hitting the bottom of the truck or the power running boards. There are no paint chips yet, but they are something I definitely want to prevent.
Does anyone have any experience with these? Does the paint hold up? Am I just being overly paranoid?
Does anyone have any experience with these? Does the paint hold up? Am I just being overly paranoid?
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Yes I have lots of chips, I have the Gator mud flaps installed by the dealer. New tires are the worst for picking up rocks, they throw less rocks once the lugs are worn round a bit. I installed the 3M film and rocks go right through it. I was annoyed at first but starting to accept it. My area is bad for rocks on the road due to winter road maintenance. The non folding running boards would help. The worst spot for me is the flare in the bed at the rear wheel well.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 322
Likes: 3
From: Churchville, Maryland
Gatorbacks are great
I have the Gatorbacks on the rear of my 2017 F450 and absolutely love them. There no drill option works really well. They have a complete tutorial on YouTube for the install. They look great and they work even better.
As soon as the front flaps are available I will have them on there as well.
Enjoy the road. We do.
bigdon68
As soon as the front flaps are available I will have them on there as well.
Enjoy the road. We do.
bigdon68
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 781
Likes: 6
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
No matter what flap you get there will be chips. Just the way it is. Flaps do help a lot in prevention and also protect drivers behind you. In Canada mud flaps are a legal requirement of all vehicles. It's rarely enforced though.
3M is fairly good at protecting the truck. Something like bed liner is even better at protecting it but in the same sense your also loosing the look of fully painted truck.
End of day it's aluminum so should not rust and every vehicle gets rock chips if your on roads with rocks. Even slick tires throw rocks. Embrace it or hate it.
3M is fairly good at protecting the truck. Something like bed liner is even better at protecting it but in the same sense your also loosing the look of fully painted truck.
End of day it's aluminum so should not rust and every vehicle gets rock chips if your on roads with rocks. Even slick tires throw rocks. Embrace it or hate it.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 391
Likes: 3
I have the Gatorbacks on the rear of my 2017 F450 and absolutely love them. There no drill option works really well. They have a complete tutorial on YouTube for the install. They look great and they work even better.
As soon as the front flaps are available I will have them on there as well.
Enjoy the road. We do.
bigdon68
As soon as the front flaps are available I will have them on there as well.
Enjoy the road. We do.
bigdon68
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,358
Likes: 250
What I did on my '13 was get the Factory molded running boards(which offer the best protection IMO)then I added an L shaped piece of trim on the inside of the boards because I was still getting some small rocks going up through the small gap between the board and rockers. Then I added extensions to my mudflaps and then put two layers of 6" 3M clear tape on each side of the rear wheel wells.
I still get some small chips but nothing like I used to. My next thought is to just have the bottom of the truck sprayed with bedliner.
I still get some small chips but nothing like I used to. My next thought is to just have the bottom of the truck sprayed with bedliner.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 322
Likes: 3
From: Churchville, Maryland
Great- thanks
Mine look good but I will keep an eye on them. Many thanks.
bigdon68
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: BC, Canada
You are living in the land of little to no sand.....but your salt......OMG the salt.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
I have factory ones installed on my '17 and my '15 F150, they were part of the deals when purchasing the trucks. Compared to no flaps on the Ram we traded this is a welcome improvement and I live on a gravel/dirt road. Anything is better than nothing and I've tried all kinds of flaps over the years and even ones I thought (no way is stuff getting on the truck) it still does. The F150 is going on 2 years old in May and really has no major chips...ones it does are from stuff flying up from other vehicles (i.e. hood).
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 781
Likes: 6
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
The fact you are running factory tires means you don't have much mud, snow, gravel, or off-road a head of you thus the likely hood of chips are lower. Mud flaps should do the job if they cover your wheels.
If your running bigger tougher tires and going on gravel or have rough terrain then your getting chips pretty much no matter what. Just like if you haul things for work in bed of your truck. Need protection or accept that it will get beaten up.
If your running bigger tougher tires and going on gravel or have rough terrain then your getting chips pretty much no matter what. Just like if you haul things for work in bed of your truck. Need protection or accept that it will get beaten up.
New User
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Hello to all. Just picked up my 2017 F350 Platinum last week and installed the factory Ford molded flaps. I went with them because I like the way they looked and the ease of installation. However, I can hear things still hitting the bottom of the truck or the power running boards. There are no paint chips yet, but they are something I definitely want to prevent.
Does anyone have any experience with these? Does the paint hold up? Am I just being overly paranoid?
Does anyone have any experience with these? Does the paint hold up? Am I just being overly paranoid?