Mud Flaps -- install all 4 or just the fronts?

[Deleted member 32220]

I hope you like the RokBlokz! I just installed mine this past weekend...we'll see how they hold up. I initially installed all four flaps to the letter of the instructions, but the next day, I decided to experiment with the front ones, swapping the brackets from side to side. Doing this actually seemed to improve the stability of the flaps for me, as well as reducing the "buzz factor" where the upper edge of the flap rests against the fender flare. Plus, this swap repositioned the front flaps more perpendicular or "square" to the body surface of the vehicle than they were initially. I have the smaller tires of the standard Badlands, and even with the brackets reversed the whole flap assembly is at least flush with the crash bars, so I have no interference issues.

I completely understand your thinking on this. Turning mine around. They are on an angle trying to be flush w/ the flare. Yours are square w/ the body and it’s such a thin flap it looks fine with the small gap. They should re-write the instructions!

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[JT58Bronc]

I plan on going with just the fronts- going with Mabbet.

 

[Limecreek]

The fronts are to protect my Bronco and the rears are to protect vehicles following me.

 

[sgraing1]

Fronts only. Going to add rears.Not in a hurry for them.

 

[Razorbak86]

Okay I’ve decided to get mud flaps to help with paint protection and friggin dirt splatter. Anyone go with just front flaps? I’ve got a Non Sqch Badlands. Gonna go with rokblokz Just wanna see pics or advice on all 4 or just front.

That depends… are you a giver (front & rear flaps), a taker (front flaps only), or an anarchist (no flaps)? Some people just wanna watch the world burn.

 

[Bocapilot]

I hope you like the RokBlokz! I just installed mine this past weekend...we'll see how they hold up. I initially installed all four flaps to the letter of the instructions, but the next day, I decided to experiment with the front ones, swapping the brackets from side to side. Doing this actually seemed to improve the stability of the flaps for me, as well as reducing the "buzz factor" where the upper edge of the flap rests against the fender flare. Plus, this swap repositioned the front flaps more perpendicular or "square" to the body surface of the vehicle than they were initially. I have the smaller tires of the standard Badlands, and even with the brackets reversed the whole flap assembly is at least flush with the crash bars, so I have no interference issues.

Is the closeup pic after the bracket switch? Looks good

 

[BroncoPls!]

Front only, rokblox

 

[KIILew]

Is the closeup pic after the bracket switch? Looks good

Indeed it is a closeup of the "after bracket switch". And here is an image of the same flap before...

At first glance, there appears to be little difference. However, RokBlokz instructs you to place the whole assembly against the fender liner. In my case, this made the flap(s) rest in a somewhat twisted position so that the inner flap surface was not parallel to the tires tread surface, or - for that matter - the crash bar. The brackets have slotted holes allowing some fore and after adjustment with regard to the crash bar mounting bolts, but I decided to just swap and reverse the orientation of the brackets, then move them rearward to the degree allowed by the slotted holes and flush with the leading edge of the crash bar. So now, after swapping things, the mud flaps are essentially parallel with both the tire tread surface and also the crash bars.

The main advantage for me, beyond the slight cosmetic advantage, was affecting the area where the flap contacts the fender flare so as to reduce vibration potential.

Here are before and after views of the bracket placement. In the top (before) image, the flap contacts both the inner and outer edges of the flare, which lead to a vibration issue. Reversing the orientation of the brackets rotated the flap just enough to avoid contact with the inner edge of the flare.

 

[Bocapilot]

Indeed it is a closeup of the "after bracket switch". And here is an image of the same flap before...

At first glance, there appears to be little difference. However, RokBlokz instructs you to place the whole assembly against the fender liner. In my case, this made the flap(s) rest in a somewhat twisted position so that the inner flap surface was not parallel to the tires tread surface, or - for that matter - the crash bar. The brackets have slotted holes allowing some fore and after adjustment with regard to the crash bar mounting bolts, but I decided to just swap and reverse the orientation of the brackets, then move them rearward to the degree allowed by the slotted holes and flush with the leading edge of the crash bar. So now, after swapping things, the mud flaps are essentially parallel with both the tire tread surface and also the crash bars.

The main advantage for me, beyond the slight cosmetic advantage, was affecting the area where the flap contacts the fender flare so as to reduce vibration potential.

Here are before and after views of the bracket placement. In the top (before) image, the flap contacts both the inner and outer edges of the flare, which lead to a vibration issue. Reversing the orientation of the brackets rotated the flap just enough to avoid contact with the inner edge of the flare.

Thanks buddy. Much appreciate it. Now I’ll know what to do when they arrive

 

[KIILew]

Thanks buddy. Much appreciate it. Now I’ll know what to do when they arrive

You're quite welcome. This adaptation might not be beneficial to others, but with my particular vehicle and situation, it seems to work.

 

[OJS NV]

Made my own mounts that fit in the front rail, paid $15 bucks for the flaps from auto parts store and used some old scrap metal I had laying around. Run fronts only and they work great, been hammering them on rocky desert trails in AZ for months. No dents or scratches from debris kicking up.

 

[Boreal]

Rekgen Trophy Flaps, Front Only! I was hoping to reduce the door dingers on gravel roads and it did exactly that! About 98% less rock impacts ~ give or take. Still some mud up wash, but It’s meant to get dirty

 

[RideEmCowboy]

I need fronts and backs for the highly trafficked, deeply rutted & muddy ranch I work and board at. Fronts for my doors, rears to be a good citizen for cars following close behind.

I was able to use the $50 Ford OEMs on the rears, but Ford had to bail on the fronts: I have three constraints that make it hard to find fronts:

• OEM sidesteps (not rock rails)
• nonSAS (so crash bar is in place)
• not handy w/ tools and don't own any body-shop type equipment--we have a great body shop, will let them do it

After hours of research on B6G, the wider web, and vendor sites (and thanks to all of you who responded to my DMs), I'm going with the Rokblokz fronts. Pricey, but peace-giving of mind, and it's my birthday this month.

Ali from @rokblokz customer service was great, and significantly influenced my decision to go w/ RB.

I'm attaching my table with photos and links to vendors, forum posts, and other reference sites. (Note: the numbering in the table got munged up going from Word, which doesn't recreated links in Adobe, to Pages-->pdf w/ links)

 

[Bocapilot]

all four installed. Happy with results. Daily driver

 

[Stampede.Offroad]

... Plus, as badly as we are all concerned about windshield chips from rocks, I want to pay it forward.

Kind of disturbing how many are just installing the front for their own protection and basically telling everyone else to go **** themselves by not installing the rears.

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