Mud flaps

[dave burns]

Ok I'm looking for actual experience in whether or not you run the OEM style full width mud flaps. I just got back from Wyoming and my mud flap seemed to toss as many rocks as it stopped. I have heard people say they took them off and had less issues with debris, I heard people say they had overheating issues when removing them. I have heard others that would never take them off. I personally have always run them but the rear clearance on the KA is very low so the flap always seems to drag and be tight to the ground (no way to raise it any higher). the front of my trailer was just peppered with small rocks on the 2 lane roads on this trip.

 

[lostinfla]

I removed ours about 4 years ago. Originally, towing our white jeep, by the time we got to our destination it was gray with road dirt After removing the billboard, the Jeep stays clean. No issues with chips or damage that I can see. The "sign" now hangs on our back porch over the door.

 

[MapNerd]

I have run with mine for over 20,000 miles and never an issue. I do read about this a lot. I don’t know what kinds of roads everyone else is driving on but I stick to highways, interstates, the occasional state route. Sometimes a Harvest Host will have a gravel driveway but I go pretty slow then, less than 25mph. Front of the truck doesn’t have a single chip, Jeep never got one either.

…knock on hood

 

[scottramer]

I have had mine for 13k miles and never a problem with it kicking up rocks on my toad. But like you, on my London Aire it hangs low and my last trip going over a gutter it got caught at ripped one side off so I am looking at one from Duraflaps. I just don't like the look of the coach from the rear without one.

 

[redbaron]

I have run with mine for over 20,000 miles and never an issue. I do read about this a lot. I don’t know what kinds of roads everyone else is driving on but I stick to highways, interstates, the occasional state route. Sometimes a Harvest Host will have a gravel driveway but I go pretty slow then, less than 25mph. Front of the truck doesn’t have a single chip, keep never got one either.

…knock on hood

maybe its speed related. When I tow at 75MPH, I get lots of junk when that billboard is flapping. Removed the Billboard and no more junk.

 

[dave burns]

i usuall

I have run with mine for over 20,000 miles and never an issue. I do read about this a lot. I don’t know what kinds of roads everyone else is driving on but I stick to highways, interstates, the occasional state route. Sometimes a Harvest Host will have a gravel driveway but I go pretty slow then, less than 25mph. Front of the truck doesn’t have a single chip, keep never got one either.

…knock on hood

i usually travel that way but this trip I took mostly 2 lane trying to see more of the country I was amazed at the dust and dirt it kicked up vs larger more well traveled road.

 

[NWIP]

I removed mine before going to Alaska in 2019. I picked it back up at my nephews upon returning and raised it up so it didn’t drag going thru campgrounds. I plan on removing prior to going back to Alaska as the roads are rough at times causing more bounce. When I got the 2020 DS I raised it higher so it didn’t drag and no real problem.

I think it is a little dependent on ones travels, coach and what they feel is best.

 

[MapNerd]

maybe its speed related. When I tow at 75MPH, I get lots of junk when that billboard is flapping. Removed the Billboard and no more junk.

We tow our F150, typically at speeds between 65-73mph. Rare for us to hit 75.

 

[MapNerd]

But like you, on my London Aire it hangs low

This is a good point. Ride hide is set at the factory and can be adjusted by a chassis shop. Also, you might be able to raise it a bit if you can crawl under and use smaller links of a similar gauge. I’ve never adjusted mine but since these things are built from the ground up by humans, there is definitely going to be variance between coaches in terms of how high the billboard rides.

 

[Ken C]

Ok I'm looking for actual experience in whether or not you run the OEM style full width mud flaps. I just got back from Wyoming and my mud flap seemed to toss as many rocks as it stopped. I have heard people say they took them off and had less issues with debris, I heard people say they had overheating issues when removing them. I have heard others that would never take them off. I personally have always run them but the rear clearance on the KA is very low so the flap always seems to drag and be tight to the ground (no way to raise it any higher). the front of my trailer was just peppered with small rocks on the 2 lane roads on this trip.

Obviously a DS is different than a KA, but after 3 coaches and likely 150 - 175K miles of towing I have not had a problem with toad damage. I make sure the mud flap is at least 6 inches from the ground at ride hight. On my current DS one of the first things I did was to raise it one chain link. 25K later and not a single rock chip on the Jeep.