Extended front mud flaps?

[MarkHyde]

Hi All, has anyone any idea how I might get extended front mud flaps to fit to cycle wings? Has anyone experience of fitting them, would they actually help prevent some stone chips or mud being thrown up the sides of the car? Many thanks in anticipation. Mark H.

[paul richards]

Mark

Opinion on mudflaps is divided. You'll find people who think mudflaps spoil the look of the car and would never fit them. I suspect also that these people don't use their car much. Mudflaps will save lots of stone chips and help stop the car getting mucky. I'd definitely recommend them.

Fixing them depends on how your wings are fixed to the stays.My mudflaps are sandwiched between the wingstay and the wing using the big head fasteners which already hold the wing in place. You can do likewise if your wings are secured by bolts. If wings are bonded to the stays, you can either bond mudflaps direct to the wings or bond big head fasteners to the wings and use these to secure the mudflaps.

You simply need some suitable material to make the mudflaps.

One of the LADS had some conveyor belt material which we all cut up and used. Others have bought material used for mudflaps on rally cars. It's simply a question of keeping your eyes open for suitable material. I'm sure someone will be along shortly with some suggestions.

[wjblundell]

Hi Mark,

I got hold of some 5mm thick rubber material which has a fabric reinforced centre from a supplier near Middlewich in Cheshire and cost about £8, Its much stronger than plain rubber. I have just fitter longer ones so you can have the old ones if you want them. They were fitted between the stays and wings with the standard domed caphead bolts and nuts so might need redrilling to suit.If you see Paul at LADS, I can give them to him to pass on or BM me your details if you want them.

Cheers

Bill

[rj]

It'll get stone chips in the gravel trap even if mud flaps are fitted.

 

http://rj.dk/D2X_0562_1red.jpg

 

 

Edited by - RJ on 20 Feb 2013 15:19:09

[MarkHyde]

Paul, Many thanks, Bill that's very kind of you, I'm away for a couple of weeks but will contact Paul at LADS If that's OK, it's much appreciated. RJ, what's a gravel trap? 😜 Many thanks gents.

[Titanium7]

Hi Mark

 

I have had extended flaps on mine since it was built in 2009. Yes it does stop a lot of the stone chip damage but you still get some. If your paint is still good I would strongly recommend protective film down the side of the car and rear exposed arches.

You tend to get more chips if you have certain types of softer tyres and also if you follow other 7's all the time!

 

Mine are made from 5mm rubber (of which I have plenty of the roll left). They are attached using the following method. A Strip of aluminium was formed into the inner curved shape of the wing and then the rubber was pop riveted to the ally strip. The ally side was then bonded to the inner side of the wing with sikaflex or similar. They have been there for four years now without ever falling off.

 

Martyn

[SLR No.77]

Quoting Rex: 

Maybe my mudflaps don't look so great, but I think they may have saved my marriage.

😬

 

Stu.

[Andy Harris]

Mark - I'd definitely recommend mudflaps. I live down a half mile long unmade road which after the rain we've had this last year has deteriorated badly. It's full of potholes full of muddy water. Even the slowest trip down the road left the seven coated in thick mud.

 

I bought the mudflap sheet from eBay (search on "mudflap material" and you get to a car rallying supplier who sell 4mm thick material in various colours. Only £16 and free delivery). It's thick enough not to flex at speed but pliable enough to fit snugly inside the cycle wing. I made mine the same width as the wings and the bottom of the flap is about 4cm off the ground. They don't affect clearing speed bumps etc. I stuck them to the cycle wings with Tigerseal.

 

I drove down the same muddy track several times last weekend and the car still looks like it has been valeted - no gravel hits the sides or rear wings at all and not a single bit of mud.

 

The only downside is that the whole job only cost £20 plus a day's work. I could have saved the hundreds spent on Armourfend as I think it is now redundant (except for anything thrown up by cars in front).

[Ivaan]

On my old BRG cvoloured car, I cut up an old pair of green wellies, doubled the thickness up, then stuck the "flaps" on with superglue

 

Never came off 😬

[MarkHyde]

Many thanks for all your help and advice, I now have Bill's old mud flaps which I will be attaching in the near future thanks to advice from Peter and Paul at the LADS monthly meeting on Wednesday evening.

[combine]

Mudflaps are a very good idea if you live in a mucky area of horses/folks carting muck/single track roads meaning getting mucky again - hate muck on my little 7 !