Front Splash Guards/Mud Flap will NOT fit with Running Board

[Bpkma]

I pulled my front end caps today and found these slotted openings where the cap clips in. I suppose you could expand those openings and leave a little tab. Curious if your guy did something with this or had a workaround.

I would love to see a picture of your final result with the guards and steps.

The body used an adhesive to glue the end caps on and two screws on the back side

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[John Auer]

I gotta believe, the aftermarket will come up with a custom solution once there are thousands of Broncos on the road. Simple supply and demand, and American ingenuity.

 

[j_anderson]

So, I just completed this tonight. I have a 2 door OBX with SAS. I ordered the basic flaps. Like a previous post mentioned, you can’t simply remove the plastic cap and trim the front edge of the board off because of how the plastic is fastened

Also, where the plastic cap Is bolted on the back side has these slip nuts. Cutting 1-1.5‘“ I think would be an issue.

With a 2 door, there are only two brackets and you cant simply slide the boards back and drill new holes because there is an opening to slide in the slip nut. So, I swapped sides and drilled 4 new holes and cut slip nut openings.

I put the passenger side board up on the driver side brackets and slid it back to the edge of the wheel opening. Then I took a sharpie and marked new holes In the board through the existing bracket holes.


Then I used a sheet of paper and pencil and scribed the hole and opening shape that needed to be cut.

Then lined up the hole opening with my marks I made earlier then traced the rectangle shape to beside each hole.

I used a dremel tool and cut wheel to cut my rectangle openings then drilled my bolt holes.


With the running boards off the vehicle, I was able to line up the mud flaps with the lower mount holes and use the sharpie to draw my trim line along the edge of the SAS flares.

I used a nice sharp razor blade to cut along my line. Once cut, I was able to install the mudflaps, bolt the running boards back on and was done. I drilled a 1/4” hole through the mudflap and into the front edge of the running board on each side and used a Christmas tree from the kit into each one.

It was dark when I finished up and I’ll get some better pictures tomorrow but this job will work just fine until someone produces a product that will work better. The way I modded this install is completely reversible.

Edit: Added more photos showing how I used the scrap pieces that were trimmed to reinforce and attach the top of the flap to the flare.

I used the scrap pieces that I trimmed off to fit the flap to the SAS flare.

I trimmed it down to this and cut a relief slice along the edge. Added double sided tape

Driver side with reinforcement piece added

Passenger side showing the piece I added. I used the metal clips from the kit to attach the outer edge of the flap to the reinforcement piece and another to attach to the flare edge. You'll have to use pliers and squeeze the clips together a bit to get them to a suitable size opening.. They are opened a bit too much for how I used them here.

The clips look a bit utilItalian but these flaps only need to last until Ford or the aftermarket release an affordable flap for SAS

I did add a second clip to the outer edge that isn't pictured below.

 

[JaxGtc]

Then lined up the hole opening with my marks I made earlier then traced the rectangle shape to beside each hole.

I used a dremel tool and cut wheel to cut my rectangle openings then drilled my bolt holes.

I used a nice sharp razor blade to cut along my line. Once cut, I was able to install the mudflaps, bolt the running boards back on and was done. I drilled a 1/4” hole through the mudflap and into the front edge of the running board on each side and used a Christmas tree from the kit into each one.

It was dark when I finished up and I’ll get some better pictures tomorrow but this job will work just fine until someone produces a product that will work better. The way I modded this install is completely reversible.

Congratulations, I think the results look great! Dealing with repositioning the clip nuts on the back of the cap is a big part of the job. Do you think heating a razor knife with a torch would make cutting the plastic easier than a Dremel?

Interesting that you used a fastener through the flap into the front edge of the cap. That should really provide some insurance.

Did you put the flap under the wheel well felt or on top of it?

 

[j_anderson]

Congratulations, I think the results look great! Dealing with repositioning the clip nuts on the back of the cap is a big part of the job. Do you think heating a razor knife with a torch would make cutting the plastic easier than a Dremel?

Interesting that you used a fastener through the flap into the front edge of the cap. That should really provide some insurance.

Did you put the flap under the wheel well felt or on top of it?

The mudflap plastic is very soft you could use a hot knife but it may get away from you!
I put the flap over top the felt wheel liner. I guess I didn’t even think about tucking it behind. Is it supposed to go behind?

 

[JaxGtc]

The mudflap plastic is very soft you could use a hot knife but it may get away from you!
I put the flap over top the felt wheel liner. I guess I didn’t even think about tucking it behind. Is it supposed to go behind?

The flap is definitely some soft plastic. I was thinking if a hot knife would work on the thicker tube step plastic where you have to cut the rectangular openings. I may give it a try and then drop back to the dremel if it is not providing results.

The instructions are not clear as to if the splash guard goes behind or in front of the felt wheel liner. I'm sure either way is fine. I have seen a couple now and both are on top. I would be curious to know how a DIO would do it.

 

[j_anderson]

The flap is definitely some soft plastic. I was thinking if a hot knife would work on the thicker tube step plastic where you have to cut the rectangular openings. I may give it a try and then drop back to the dremel if it is not providing results.

The instructions are not clear as to if the splash guard goes behind or in front of the felt wheel liner. I'm sure either way is fine. I have seen a couple now and both are on top. I would be curious to know how a DIO would do it.

The tube steps themselves are powder coated aluminum not plastic!

 

[RyanP]

I just did it cheap fixed on crash bar

did you try the cheaper version of the factory mud flaps? I see they don't fit with the rock rails, but is that also true for the factory side / tube steps?

 

[RyanP]

did you try the cheaper version of the factory mud flaps? I see they don't fit with the rock rails, but is that also true for the factory side / tube steps?

Never mind. I see that they don't fit with the rock rails or the tube steps. I have no clue how this stuff gets by all of the engineers.

 

[BroncoPQ]

did you try the cheaper version of the factory mud flaps? I see they don't fit with the rock rails, but is that also true for the factory side / tube steps?

No,.... just wanted some flaps asap!! before riding it. I will wait for the perfect oem fit

It doest a good job for now

Eric

 

[JohnnyBronco]

Rally Armor just got back to me they will be out soon. Some of the issues they are running into is all the different model. Plastic vs Steel bumpers, flairs for stock vs Sasquatch, rock sliders and running boards, etc.

Ask them what the heck a front bumper has to do with mud flaps mounted behind the tires. Not like anyone is attaching mud flaps to the front bumper

 

[j_anderson]

Ask them what the heck a front bumper has to do with mud flaps mounted behind the tires. Not like anyone is attaching mud flaps to the front bumper

They probably mean the rear bumper. If you option for the modular front bumper, you get the rear bumper in steal. If you go for the standard bumper up front, you get the standard, plastic-covered rear. They are different shape profiles back there. I'm with you though there are only a few combinations steel bumper with and without SAS, Standard bumper with and without SAS. you could stop there and let the user modify for rails or steps as they choose.

Or go all the way and design
For front flaps:
Steel bumper with SAS
no rails/steps
with rails
with steps

Steel bumper without SAS
no rails/steps (these already exist through Ford)
with rails
with steps

Plastic bumper with SAS
no rails/steps
with rails
with steps

Plastic bumper without SAS
no rails/steps (these already exist through Ford)
with rails
with steps


For Rear Flaps:
Steel bumper
Plastic bumper(these already exist through Ford)

Thats 13 total combinations of flaps. 11 if you only make what Ford hasn't.

Edit: Of Course, Ford could have averted much of this by just making the running boards and rails 1-1.5 inches shorter in the front to accommodate and making the plastic bumper profile the same or closer to the steel.

 

[Shacky4]

I keep checking back here to see if there is a good mudflap solution yet without having to cut my running boards. It really shouldn't be this hard.

 

[saf]

Did you actually order them and try? I have a badlands and am very curious.

I did. My Big bend, “blue beauty” front mud flaps definitely do not fit w running board. Im on here to find right modification to make them fit

 

[KANE COUNTY ILLINOIS]

I did. My Big bend, “blue beauty” front mud flaps definitely do not fit w running board. Im on here to find right modification to make them fit

I have a Big Bend with side steps, too! I'm waiting patiently! I hoping to put some PPF right behind the front wheels in the meantime!

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