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Seeing a bunch of posts about really expensive mud flaps that seem less than ideal in addition to being quite expensive.
Here is a DIY approach that I have had on my Bronco for a couple of months now and I'm very happy with the results so far. These do require some fabrication. The trickiest part being the front flap mounts. I decided to make my mounts out of 3/6" A36 steel. (I called around and got a scrap piece for $25 from a local fabrication shop).
Here are the drawings for the mounts (front - the front's are "handed" so you need to make a mirror image as well - and rear):
Here you can see the front left mount being fitted:
I used the "horns" that Ford mounts the anti-intrusion bars into on non-Sasquatch models to secure my mounts to the Bronco. Ford handily left a bolt in the horn that I simply reversed and mounted from inside the horn through the mud flap mount. Note this requires an 18mm wrench which I did not ever have a need for prior to this.
Some grinding is required to fit the mount inside the horn but not terrible job to fit them.
Here's what the front looks like installed:
You'll notice towards the "top right" of the mud flap a bolt securing the top of it.
A few things to note. The mud flaps themselves are made of out very flexible rubber flooring. Specifically this stuff:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DCR5D5E/
in order to make the fronts conform to the wheel arch and flare I "reinforced" the rubber flooring with some thin sheet steel (I used a shit ton of rubber cement to sandwich them together). This does a couple of things. First as mentioned ensures the flap can take the shape of the flare and wheel arch and second enables bolts to be used to attach the flap to the mount and the flare securely (essentially acting as a giant washer creating a sheet steel -> rubber flooring -> steel mount / flare sandwich. The sheet steel only goes as far down the flap as the bottom of the mount so the everything below the rock rails / steps is flappy rubber flooring only.
How is that top bolt attached to the flare you ask? Nutsert to the rescue!
The "humps" that are located inline with the flare locks makes a perfect attachment point. Also not visible is I made a spacer for each side approximately 5/8" thick between the top of the flap and the nutsert to get the "look" right (see last pic).
Here's how it looks from the back:
The rears are much simpler. They are attached to a rear frame gusset. Just need to drill 2 holes in the frame (get a good drill bit!) on each side. You'll need to pull the wheels to do this. Also a little bit of trimming of the inner fender well is required. I used a coping saw to trim it (you only take 2" off the dangly bit in the middle).
Here's what the rear mount looks like:
Just like with the fronts, I used thin sheet steel to create a "sandwich" with sheet steel -> rubber flooring -> steel mount. These bolts are a bit of a bitch to get in not gonna lie but a little fiddling and they're good to go.
Here's the "I identify as a semi" view...
Pros:
About $150 all-in for all 4 wheels
Strong as shit - Act as anti-intrusion bars in the front
Flexible - literally... flappy mud flaps.
Looks - I think they look fine.
They work! - 100% less rocks thrown at the the Bronco and the guy behind you
Cons:
Somewhat involved fabrication
Need to add nutsert to flares
Need to pull rear wheels to drill holes for rear flaps
Need to drill holes in rear frame gusset
Need to use a tool to remove front flares
Not sexy... basic bitch mud flaps
Thanks for attending my TED Talk.
Here is a DIY approach that I have had on my Bronco for a couple of months now and I'm very happy with the results so far. These do require some fabrication. The trickiest part being the front flap mounts. I decided to make my mounts out of 3/6" A36 steel. (I called around and got a scrap piece for $25 from a local fabrication shop).
Here are the drawings for the mounts (front - the front's are "handed" so you need to make a mirror image as well - and rear):
Here you can see the front left mount being fitted:
I used the "horns" that Ford mounts the anti-intrusion bars into on non-Sasquatch models to secure my mounts to the Bronco. Ford handily left a bolt in the horn that I simply reversed and mounted from inside the horn through the mud flap mount. Note this requires an 18mm wrench which I did not ever have a need for prior to this.
Some grinding is required to fit the mount inside the horn but not terrible job to fit them.
Here's what the front looks like installed:
You'll notice towards the "top right" of the mud flap a bolt securing the top of it.
A few things to note. The mud flaps themselves are made of out very flexible rubber flooring. Specifically this stuff:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DCR5D5E/
in order to make the fronts conform to the wheel arch and flare I "reinforced" the rubber flooring with some thin sheet steel (I used a shit ton of rubber cement to sandwich them together). This does a couple of things. First as mentioned ensures the flap can take the shape of the flare and wheel arch and second enables bolts to be used to attach the flap to the mount and the flare securely (essentially acting as a giant washer creating a sheet steel -> rubber flooring -> steel mount / flare sandwich. The sheet steel only goes as far down the flap as the bottom of the mount so the everything below the rock rails / steps is flappy rubber flooring only.
How is that top bolt attached to the flare you ask? Nutsert to the rescue!
The "humps" that are located inline with the flare locks makes a perfect attachment point. Also not visible is I made a spacer for each side approximately 5/8" thick between the top of the flap and the nutsert to get the "look" right (see last pic).
Here's how it looks from the back:
The rears are much simpler. They are attached to a rear frame gusset. Just need to drill 2 holes in the frame (get a good drill bit!) on each side. You'll need to pull the wheels to do this. Also a little bit of trimming of the inner fender well is required. I used a coping saw to trim it (you only take 2" off the dangly bit in the middle).
Here's what the rear mount looks like:
Just like with the fronts, I used thin sheet steel to create a "sandwich" with sheet steel -> rubber flooring -> steel mount. These bolts are a bit of a bitch to get in not gonna lie but a little fiddling and they're good to go.
Here's the "I identify as a semi" view...
Pros:
About $150 all-in for all 4 wheels
Strong as shit - Act as anti-intrusion bars in the front
Flexible - literally... flappy mud flaps.
Looks - I think they look fine.
They work! - 100% less rocks thrown at the the Bronco and the guy behind you
Cons:
Somewhat involved fabrication
Need to add nutsert to flares
Need to pull rear wheels to drill holes for rear flaps
Need to drill holes in rear frame gusset
Need to use a tool to remove front flares
Not sexy... basic bitch mud flaps
Thanks for attending my TED Talk.
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