What are Mud Flaps?

As you are driving down the road, do you ever loo k around you?  Do you focus just on the road in front of you?  First of all, that is dangerous…stop it.  You should keep your attention on the road, yes…but you should also be aware of what is around you and what the other drivers in the area are doing.  This is the best way to stay safe on the road. 

But, I digress.  My whole reason for starting off that way was to see if you pay attention to the other vehicles.  If you do, then sometimes you may also notice what types of vehicles there are or even if some of the vehicles have different accessories or personalizations than yours does.  These can be things like cargo racks, running boards, KC lights or even mud flaps. 

So what exactly is a mud flap and why is it important enough to be writing about?  That is a very good question.

Definition

A mud flap can be defined as a piece of rubber, polyurethane or even aluminum that is placed behind the tire on a vehicle in order to block some of the rocks, gravel, mud and other debris from the road that is picked up and thrown by the tires. 

The definition alone is why they are important.  They protect not only the vehicle that they are on but also the vehicles on and off the road behind them.  When rocks and other debris are thrown up into oncoming traffic they could hit the windshield of the vehicle behind you and not only break the windshield, but also could actually cause injuries or even accidents.

Types

So are all mud flaps the pain black pieces of rubber that you frequently see in the backs of 18 wheelers?  The short answer is no.  To elaborate a bit, like I mentioned before, they are made from different materials.   The type of material used to make them will alter the look by itself.  Beyond that these flaps are almost endlessly customizable.  There are various flap manufacturers who will not only make your flaps to your specific sizes and shapes, but they will also put any type of customization that you want on it.  This can be anything from a company logo to a school mascot to everything and anything in between.  They can either stamp the designs on the flaps, heat emboss them, use stainless steel cutouts or even airbrush them.

I hope that in reading this article you have learned what a mud flap is along with the purpose of them.  Maybe you also learned that you can get exactly what you want.  One last thing though, they are available for every budget.  

Custom Mud Flaps

When you decide to get mud flaps put on your vehicle was the fact that they are highly customizable a factor in your decision?  If it was, then this article is for you.  If not, read on anyway and you might find that the options are more numerous than you may have thought.

Mud flaps are a great accessory to put on your vehicle.  Not only are they able to be fully customized, they are also beneficial not only to you but to other drivers behind you on or off the road.  They keep mud, rocks and other road debris from being thrown up and back from the tires.  Also, when driving conditions are wet, they cut down on the amount of water thrown up and back from your tires. 

A lot of people might think that these only have applications for big 18 wheelers.  This is not the case.  You can have them custom made to fit any car or truck.  They even come for motorcycles believe it or not!

Flap-Art

Flap-Art is a company that custom designs flaps for you.  They offer three basic styles which can all be personalized to your specifications.  The three categories are hot stamp, reflective and stainless steel accented weights.  Let’s go over these a bit now. 

Hot Stamp

Mainly you will see these types of flaps on commercial vehicles.  It is a quite easy way to advertise your company and if you order 15 or more sets then your price drastically drops per pair.  These come in either rubber or polyurethane and each one has 3 different thicknesses that you can choose from.  When you order these you can have anything that you desire stamped on them. 

Reflective

This type of mud flap is ideal for individuals or even for smaller company fleets.  They can be emblazoned with your company logo or anything else that you request.  The way they do this is to take rubber flaps and then put reflective film in the design of your choosing on them.  When that is done they emboss them with heat.  You get amazing color and extreme visibility that is even great at night. 

Stainless Steel Accented Weights

These are awesome for lifted vehicles.  The material for the flap itself is polyurethane of 3/8’’.  They take the stainless steel and laser cut it into the design of your choice.  Then they fit them onto the flaps in whatever position you prefer.  The stainless steel acts as a weight to hold the flap in a down position.

This is an example of what just one single customizing company can do to your mud flaps.  There are so many more out there that I truly didn’t have the time or space to write about them all.  You can imagine the possibilities though.  

What Types of Mud Flaps are there?

We have all seen mud flaps.  They are on just about every 18 wheeler that we see on the road.  They can also be found on construction equipment as well as various trucks, SUVs and some cars on the road.  If you have seen these before then you probably noticed that they tend to be all different.  Yes, they have different designs on them and that is one of the ways in which they are different.  Yet, there are other ways in which they differ too.  Today we will take a few minutes to look at not only different designs on them but we will also look at the different types that are available to you.

No Drill Mud Flaps

This particular splash guard is made by MacNeil WeatherTech.  It is made from a thermoplastic material using a digital fit technology.  They are black and can be customized after purchase.  You fasten them with a new technology called “Quick Turn hardened stainless steel fastening system”.  In fact, it is said that you can even install these while the tire is still on the vehicle!

Husky Custom Molded Mud Flaps

These are manufactured by Husky Liners.  They are sold as a set of two and include all of the necessary mounting hardware.  They are constructed from thermoplastic material and are black.  You can get these either for the front or the rear of your vehicle.

Dee Zee Universal Splash Guard Mud Flap

These are awesome because they will fit your vehicle no matter what it is.  These will also fit wither the rear or the front of the vehicle.  They are sold as a set of two and include the mounting hardware.  Made from thermoplastic, they are 19’’.

Lund 930 Series Single Wheel Mud Flap

These are pretty cool because they are the most stylish ones on this list.  They are made from aluminum and have a Brite anodized finish.  They are also sold in a set of two like everything else on this list.  They also come with all of the hardware you will need to mount them. 

Customizing

This is the fun part.  Are you aware that you can get any of your flaps customized?  You can.  You can get anything put on your flaps that you want.  This is a way to advertise your business, support your fave sports team, shout your love to the world or anything else!  What a great way to personalize your vehicle!  You can either get them customized where you purchase them or take them to an airbrush shop.  You can even purchase them with designs already on them.  It is all up to you so go crazy with them!

Where to buy Mud Flaps Online

When you are ready to buy a set of mud flaps where do you go to purchase them?  You can definitely check at your local parts house.  Let me ask you this though, if they do indeed have mud flaps there in stock, will they fit your vehicle?  Beyond that, will they customize them?  One more thing…are they the type that have to be installed by drilling or are they the no drill type?

These are all questions that you will need to know the answer to before you start shopping.  The reason is the cost of gas, the amount of time that you will spend chasing them down, and the mounting frustration that you can experience from not being able to find what you are looking for.

The Solution

There is definitely a solution for all of these issues and it is actually a simple one.  The solution to those issues is to shop for your mud flaps right here on the internet. 

When you shop for something on the internet you will be able to save gas because you aren’t going anywhere.  You will save time because you will find what you need as quickly as you get results for your search and you will save frustration because the process is so incredibly easy. 

I will give you a head start though and go ahead and tell you a few of the places where you will be able to get your mud flaps.  If you cannot find exactly what you are looking for at the places I will share with you then just run a quick search with your favorite search engine and you will have plenty of other options.

Big Sites

There are a few of the larger, more well-known sites that carry mud flaps.  Try eBay or Amazon.  You can also try Wal-Mart.  You can get mud flaps at all of these places.  They will mostly be standard universal flaps though. 

If you want custom flaps read on.

Smaller Sites

The smaller sites might not be as well-known but they will probably be the ones you will have to turn to in order to get exactly what you are looking for.  You can try sites like Flap-Art, 4 Wheel Parts, 4Wheel Drive Hardware, WeatherTech, CARiD, StylinTrucks and even Custom MudFlaps.  All of these sites have mud flaps in various sizes and styles.  They will be made from a variety of materials and will be either the type that does not require drilling for installation or the type that does.  They will also be able to customize them for you.

I truly hope that the information I have provided will help you in your quest for the perfect mud flaps.  At least maybe it will save you some time, money and frustration!

Which Mud Flaps Work Best for You?

When you decide to put mud flaps on your vehicle there are a few things that you should know.  First you should know the benefits of attaching mud flaps to your vehicle.  Next you should know about the types of mud flaps that are available to you.  You should also know if you will install them yourself or have someone do it for you.  Finally you should know if you want them customized and hat type of customization can be done.

That is the purpose of today’s article.  We will take a few minutes to look at each of these factors and try to steer you in the right direction.

Benefits

The benefits of adding flaps to your vehicle are actually more than you may think.  You probably already know that they will aid in preventing mud, rocks and other road debris from flying at the vehicles behind you.  Are you also aware that in inclement driving conditions they can aid in visibility not only for the drivers behind you but also for yourself as well when you look in the rear view mirror?  It can.  Those are a few of the benefits.  Which other benefits can you think of?

Types

There are probably more types of mud flaps or splash guards than what you are aware of.  Most of them have to be installed with drilling, but there is one type that is a no drill installation.  You can get them for single tires.  You can get flaps that stretch across the entire width of the vehicle.  You can get them made from thermoplastic, aluminum, rubber and other materials.  Which type and material do you think is best for you and your vehicle?

Installation

This is a very easy installation to do if you have the tools to do it.  If you don’t have the tools or you don’t have the confidence and knowledge to do it safely and correctly yourself then please have someone else do it.  The entire process should not take more than an hour for 4 tires.

Customization

People are always customizing their vehicles and why should you be any different?  Mud flaps are endlessly customizable.  You can use them to promote a business, school or sports team.  You can put your loved ones names on them.  You can even get them already with designs on them.  It is all up to you and your personality.

All in all the decision about which mud flaps work best for you is one that only you are qualified to make.  The things that we covered here today should all factor into your decision but beyond that, it’s totally your call.