Mudflaps

[SLR No.77]

 

I've been asked a couple of times recently about the mudflaps I've fitted to my Caterham so thought I'd post up the details.

The flaps I've used are "Demon Tweeks Universal Mudflaps" ... they're sold as a pair but only one's needed for the 7 so enough to do 2 cars which makes them a bargain. I dislike the look of the longer 15/16" cycle wings but having just spent a small fortune having the car painted and paint protection film added I decided mudflaps on the short 13" cycle wings would add some further protection, or at least give some extra piece of mind!

I pondered on how to attach them for a very long time, most suggestions involved fibre-glassing them to the wings but I didn't want any possibility of the mudflap then ripping the wing off, so I finally decided they'd be mounted directly to the wing stays instead. It's a reasonably heavy material to work with so realistically they need bolting on to be secure, quick search on ebay came up with an M6 threaded version of the Bighead fastener which looked ideal. 

I cut the supplied mud flap in half and rounded the corners, then drilled through both the flap and the wing stay, I didn't have holes in mine but I guess a lot of cars already have the holes drilled. Easy job then to bolt the flaps in place, the Bigheads are stainless so stainless washers and locknuts under the wings should hold back any corrosion. I worried about fitting them accurately and at the right angle but in reality once the cycle wing is back on they just fall into place and follow the contour of the bottom edge of the cycle wing.

Finally I bonded the cycle wings on to the stay, front as normal and at the rear directly to the Bighead fasteners using Sikaflex. The flaps clean up easily when washing the car and can be manhandled pretty roughly due to being attached directly to the stays.

Altogether a very cheap and easy job and worth considering if you're having new paint.

Stu.

[DJ.]

Sorry, duplicate post.

[DJ.]

They are very neat

I'm very glad I fitted mine, they keep the car much cleaner and drier in wet weather. If you look closely, they are working well in my icon. I mounted mine to the glass fibre, but your idea is better and puts a lot less stress on the wing.

Duncan

Here's a larger version:

[Wrightpayne]

Stu,

Your car looks stunning - love the blue / carbon combo!

My wings are bolted on anyway so should be simple to do.

Ian

[TomB]

My wings are bonded on and they’re not coming off any time soon. So I’m gong to sikaflex the mudguards direct to the CF wings & hope they stay put!

ps I’ve also just thought I could use the other spare mudguard material to partly protect the underside of the rear wing, at the lowest part under the lights where most stones hit.  

[David aka Blue7]

I used something similar some years ago.  I saw some chat on Demon Tweaks about using 2" industrial velcro to attach the flaps, which was something the rally guys preferred.  It had the advantage of being easy to attach and no silicone of bolts required and if you lost one it was easy to replace.  The velcro lasted a couple of years but to be honest the flaps were not that effective against surface dressing.

Last year I changed the carbon wing protectors and "recycled" the old carbon to make some mudflaps.  This time I have used stainless steel black jap. nuts & bolts to secure them and added some appropriate graphics .  They still don't prevent us being showered by top dressing and some guys have commented that they need to be longer but if they are too close to the road they just look ugly.  Good looking car Stu

 

[SLR No.77]

They look good 

[Stewart Collier]

Tom, my wings are bonded. I bonded two bigheads onto the wings and fixed the mudflaps on those. So far, so good. S

[TomB]

Whats the advantage of sikaflex-ing big heads on, then cable tieing flaps to those, rather than a bead or two of sikaflex directly on the wing/ mudflap?  

[SLR No.77]

Tom, there's different types of bighead fastener, these are the ones that work better for mudflaps (whichever method you use) rather than the type designed to be used with cable ties:

 

[Stewart Collier]

Thanks Stu, those are the ones I used. I'm not sure if there is an advantage. It's the way I chose. I bonded the bigheads below the wing stay. I drilled small holes in the flaps and married them to the bigheads. I did put Sikaflex on the flaps as well and the large stainless washers and a lock nut. I guess it was a belt and braces approach. One thing worth mentioning is not to be tempted to have them too long. I was told that someone did and when they reversed the flap went under them wheel ripping the wing off. S

[SLR No.77]

The reversing issue was definitely a concern having done it in a Mini in my youth (cue long time ago!).

I had been planning to bond to the bottom of the wing as you've done and kept putting it off, it was only when I was rebuilding the car that I realised that going straight to the stay would likely be easier and safer for the wing. My wings are the original 2x2 twill CF wings that have been difficult to get hold of so I've been keen not to take any risks with them.

Stu.