What Are the Types of Mud Flaps for Trucks?
Mud flaps, or splash guards, serve an important purpose, protecting your vehicle, other vehicles and pedestrians from getting hit by rocks or other debris churned up by your rotating tires. Picking the right mud flaps for your pickup truck or sport utility vehicle is a little more complicated than choosing between Yosemite Sam and the iconic mud-flap girl. They are made out of a variety of materials and are attached several different ways.
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Heavy Duty Rubber
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One of the most basic types of mud flaps on the market are made of heavy duty rubber, with either a straight design or a slight curve to accommodate the frame of your vehicle and wheel well. If they are a straight design and rectangular in shape, they are largely universal from truck to truck. Those with a more contoured design sometimes are specific to a particular make and model of truck, so be careful when making a purchase to consider what type of truck you have.
Molded Plastic
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Molded plastic mud flaps are considerably more make-and-model specific than their rubber counterparts. However, they usually can be painted to blend in visually with your vehicle and have a design that tends to follow the line of your truck's fenders and wheel wells. These usually must be ordered with your truck's year, make and model in mind. However, if you are looking to install mud flaps that do not stand out, these may be the best choice for you.
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Stainless Steel
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Stainless steel is an option for those wanting something more substantial than rubber or plastic, but who are seeking a metal that is resistant to rust and staining.
Aluminum Diamond Plate
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Most aluminum diamond plate mud flaps are a combination of aluminum and heavy duty rubber. The aluminum weighs down the rubber so that the lighter material does not fly back, defeating the purpose of having mud flaps. These can also have slightly more heavy duty hardware on them to hold them in place. You may find that rivets or larger bolts are necessary to install these mud flaps.
Removable
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Removable mud flaps attach to the back of your truck at the rear bumper and tow hitch. They are ideal for protecting items being towed behind your truck, and while they are removable, they don't need to be taken off. Removable mud flaps tend to come in one size, rather than for a specific vehicle.
No Drill
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Traditional mud flaps require you to drill into your vehicle, which has the potential to do damage by exposing that part of the vehicle to the elements and rust. No-drill mud flaps generally attach with a special snap or fastener, which can be quicker to install than other types of flaps.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of futureatlas.com
