Stone chips
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 153
Likes: 4
Stone chips
I have a 2017 F350 Gas Platinum in Charcoal grey and has the factory Michelin tires and power running boards. I also have the ford plastic mud flaps that apparently do nothing!!
My truck just turned 15000km with zero off road, and zero gravel roads driven on.
I looked at my rockers tonight and wow there must have been a total of 30 stone chips, not all were really deep.... but they did mark the paint under there. Used touch of paint on all chips.
My truck is a dark color, so they really show up. I would hate to see what happens in a few years, after the salt dose its thing.
Are the tires the problem? or maybe I should get some longer mud flaps for the fronts. If I could.... I would deploy the power running boards to block some of the rocks while driving.
My truck just turned 15000km with zero off road, and zero gravel roads driven on.
I looked at my rockers tonight and wow there must have been a total of 30 stone chips, not all were really deep.... but they did mark the paint under there. Used touch of paint on all chips.
My truck is a dark color, so they really show up. I would hate to see what happens in a few years, after the salt dose its thing.
Are the tires the problem? or maybe I should get some longer mud flaps for the fronts. If I could.... I would deploy the power running boards to block some of the rocks while driving.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 11
From: California Mountains
You can
I have a 2017 F350 Gas Platinum in Charcoal grey and has the factory Michelin tires and power running boards. I also have the ford plastic mud flaps that apparently do nothing!!
My truck just turned 15000km with zero off road, and zero gravel roads driven on.
I looked at my rockers tonight and wow there must have been a total of 30 stone chips, not all were really deep.... but they did mark the paint under there. Used touch of paint on all chips.
My truck is a dark color, so they really show up. I would hate to see what happens in a few years, after the salt dose its thing.
Are the tires the problem? or maybe I should get some longer mud flaps for the fronts. If I could.... I would deploy the power running boards to block some of the rocks while driving.
My truck just turned 15000km with zero off road, and zero gravel roads driven on.
I looked at my rockers tonight and wow there must have been a total of 30 stone chips, not all were really deep.... but they did mark the paint under there. Used touch of paint on all chips.
My truck is a dark color, so they really show up. I would hate to see what happens in a few years, after the salt dose its thing.
Are the tires the problem? or maybe I should get some longer mud flaps for the fronts. If I could.... I would deploy the power running boards to block some of the rocks while driving.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 153
Likes: 4
The factory power running boards will not stay in the out position after speeds of 5mph.... maybe four scan can change this? I think I will look into longer front mud flaps, even though I hate the look of any mud flap on my truck... no choice I guess.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 153
Likes: 4
Thanks Joe...I checked it out, and I may just do that.
I made a mistake calling the area the "rockers" ….. took another look, its actually the bottom of the doors where they curve under the truck. There seems to be some kind of dimpled coating applied to the bottom of the doors, and then the factory paint. This is Fords way of making that area more stone chip resistant I guess.
So this area has rough dimples in it.... will a protective film still adhere well to this? anyone had Xpel done down there?
Thanks
I made a mistake calling the area the "rockers" ….. took another look, its actually the bottom of the doors where they curve under the truck. There seems to be some kind of dimpled coating applied to the bottom of the doors, and then the factory paint. This is Fords way of making that area more stone chip resistant I guess.
So this area has rough dimples in it.... will a protective film still adhere well to this? anyone had Xpel done down there?
Thanks
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,361
Likes: 250
Here's what I did but it won't work with your power boards. I have the fixed boards on f150 brackets so they for right to the cab, I took some 1/8" plastic sheeting and cut them into strips that would fit in between the brackets and stick out far enough to protect the bottom of the doors that curl under the cab.
Then I used automotive adhesive and self tapping screws to attach them to the bottom of the running boards. They eliminate any possibility of rocks hitting the doors and are barely visible with the doors closed.
I also have gator back mudflaps to help.
Only other options are to
Use mudflaps that go almost to the ground
Use a paint film like xpel
Spray the bottom with line x
Then I used automotive adhesive and self tapping screws to attach them to the bottom of the running boards. They eliminate any possibility of rocks hitting the doors and are barely visible with the doors closed.
I also have gator back mudflaps to help.
Only other options are to
Use mudflaps that go almost to the ground
Use a paint film like xpel
Spray the bottom with line x
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,824
Likes: 39
From: Boise
It's not the tires. My 2017 chipped so much worse than any other truck I ever owned. I was shocked after just 5k miles how chipped up my rockers were. I always figured it was the lesser quality paint on the alum SD's.
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Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 10,172
Likes: 1,376
From: Chaz
I did my painted front bumper and front bra. The dealer drove the truck 30 miles away to get it done (rural dealer). They had to turn it back because it was damaged that fast on the drive. Really was disappointed it took a few extra days to take delivery.
Anyway, impressed at 8,000 miles and no chips.
I want to do the rockers and tailgate next chance I get. Believe it or not I got a rock chip on the tailgate when I was driving around with it down. I saw one chip in the rocker but its low and not visible.
City truck. If you do any gravel roads definitely do something to protect the paint.
Anyway, impressed at 8,000 miles and no chips.
I want to do the rockers and tailgate next chance I get. Believe it or not I got a rock chip on the tailgate when I was driving around with it down. I saw one chip in the rocker but its low and not visible.
City truck. If you do any gravel roads definitely do something to protect the paint.
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