Extended rear mudflaps/Rear window protection

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:48
ThreadID: 21997 Views:11163 Replies:8 FollowUps:18
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Thre of our four vehiclesbleep tered their rear windows whilst on our journey last year. We were all trailing camper trailers and it appears that stones are flung back from the vehicle onto the trailer and then bounce forward so damaging the rear of the vehicle. Before embarking this year I hope to put in place some preventative measures. Living in Perth and owning a 2001 Prado I am interested in advice &/or contacts to construct an extended rear mudflap to cover the width of the vehicle and be fixed behind the standard mudflaps &/or protection for the rear windscreen. Your assistance would be appreciated.
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Reply By: Member - Landie - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:55

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:55
Hi Ross

Try these guys, works a treat!

http://www.obiesoutback.com.au/

Cheers
AnswerID: 106349

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:40

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:40
Yep, I agree with you on this.
Bought a set for the Jackaroo, (large & small rear doors) cost was about $220 odd.

bleep tered the main rear window on a previous trip and the replacement cost would have been $1500+ if the Insurance Company didn't cover it.

I don't think you can have enough protection.

My camper trailer (not part of last trip) has a mesh stone barrier but I believe this is more to protect to camper.

I have also manufactured a full width rear mud flap but haven't worn it into battle yet. That is happening in a couple of weeks time.

In the meantime Obie's Rear Window Saver is certainly a worthwhile investment and just maybe, the only one you need.

Attaches with Velcro fasteners so you can remove it between off-road excursions, or when you are not towing anything.
Bill


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Follow Up By: Member - Landie - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:32

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:32
Hi Sandman

I just leave mine on fulltime these days, and agree with you on the trailer mesh, it helps, but you still need the last line of defence.

Obie's for the Landrover was $130 some time back.

Good luck
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:06

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:06
I agree that the Obie gizmo (I don't have it fitted) would protect the windows......but what about the stone damage to the other parts of your back door/s? I have seen vehicles towing trailers over many klicks of gravel roads and the rear doors are a real mess from stone damage.

I don't really have a problem with mine in any case as the Ultimate's pointed nose cone deflects stones very well. However, as there are a lot of stones hitting the underside of the camper, I decided recently to fit a set of 3 large truck-sized mudflaps across the back. These are mounted to a piece of angle (1.8m long....as each mudflap is 600mm wide). I used 4 x 4" hinges to mount each flap; these are welded to the angle iron. The angle is then bolted to the 2 lugs that hang down from the rear of the chassis on the GU. The idea of the hinges is to allow the flaps to swing through 180 degrees (fore & aft), thus they can't get caught up or ripped off etc. Works for me.

Cheers

Roachie
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Reply By: Vince NSW - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:56

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:56
Best and cheapest is the old beer carton stuck to the rear window with gaffer tape.
I have tower my camper for over 25,000 km and it works. Tried all the fancy stone guards and spent hours & lots of $, but now use cardboard again.
They do have beer in cartons dont they, I hope so as we will be over there in Sept.
Vince
AnswerID: 106350

Follow Up By: Alan S (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:59

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 13:59
Vince

LAst year in the pilbara i saw some one using bubblewrap. I suppose because you can see thorugh it.

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Reply By: Member - David 0- Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:12

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:12
I would not recommend and extended rear mudflap across the entire vehicle, hese pick up stones from the centre of the road, as the road is usually higher in the centre, especially two-track "roads."

Make a deflector to fit the front of the trailer. it should be angled downwards to deflect stones down. Fit cardboard to the rear window.

AnswerID: 106352

Follow Up By: Leroy - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:30

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:30
And just to add to the deflector, use shade cloth that is attached to the frame with cable ties. And don't have the shade cloth taught, because you the cloth to absorb the impact of the rocks.

Leroy
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 07:33

Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 07:33
Disagree,

Angled mesh deflector on its own does not work.
That is what I had on the off-road trailer I was towing along the Birdsville track when the rear window went.
Perhaps the stone bounced off the frame of the deflector.
The stone (about half the size of your little finger nail) was still embedded in the window, so it doesn't take much to bleep ter it.

I also don't subscribe to the old beer carton either, unless the weather is completely dry. As soon as it gets wet, you end up with a soggy mess that just falls to pieces, then you are back where you started.

The beer carton is good however to tape to the inside to support the bleep tered window glass and stop it from falling inside the vehicle. This and some pieces of strategically placed duct tape "held" mine together for the rest of the trip, plus a couple of weeks afterwards, until it could be replaced.

Bill


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Reply By: signman - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:27

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:27
Or a sheet of 'corflute' - thats the plastic corrugated material- same idea as the beer carton but won't deteriorate when wet. Stick it on with proper Duct tape. Either get some from your local signshop- or even reuse some Real Estate signs. you'll only need the 3mm stuff.
AnswerID: 106354

Reply By: jackablue - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:29

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:29
I'm fiddling with this at the moment.
link text

I didn't want one right across the back as stated about stones flicking up. I also wanted it to be quickly removeable when at base camp, this way not ripping it off doing day treks. I haven't finished yet so don't tell me it's too long or the exhaust is in the way.

Cheers

Jackablue

Ps. I also have made up a deflector on the trailer & will be putting something on the rear windscreen.
AnswerID: 106355

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:43

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 14:43
G'day Jackablue,

Thinking of doing much the same thing. Have the rear window protector and stone guard on the trailer. This follows discussion in a previous post.

Broke a rear window once and cost me $700, really don't want to experience that in a remote location so going to be triply sure.

How did you fix yours to the vehicle?, thinking of utilising the shackle holes to mount a bar.

Kind regards
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Follow Up By: jackablue - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:36

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:36
Beatit Qld I got a section of steel sleeve the same as the towbar sleeve and welded the cross bar to it.
link text
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FollowupID: 363381

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:41

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:41
Like the looks of that (I like KISS and that's about as KISS as it can get)! That's a fine weld as well. Hope you don't mind if I copy that?

Kind regards
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Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:23

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:23
Jackablue ,
I'm confused ! ( nothing new ) . If the sleeve goes into the tow bar to hold the cross bar for the mudflaps , how to you put the tow bar on ?
Thanks ,
Willie .
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FollowupID: 363403

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 19:10

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 19:10
Willie,

This sleeve as pictured fits over the tow bar tube that generally has space between the hitch reciever and the towball plate welded to it.

If that doesn't make sense then I can draw you a pciture.

Regards,

Stuart M.
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FollowupID: 363419

Reply By: flappa - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:17

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:17
There is no one guaranteed solution.

A stone guard on the trailer will prevent SOME rocks hitting the vehicle and windows , and protect MOST of the trailer.

Bigger mud flaps one their own will stop MOST rocks , but usually get ripped off in offroad situations.

Windows protectors do just that , but doesn't do anything about all the stop chips on the paint from hitting the rear of the vehicle.

Its probably about combining a few things to give max protection.

My favourites would be stone protector on the trailer , and window protector.

Would stop most stones hitting the vehicle (stone chips) , but , if one did get through, the window should be protected.

For my use , the over size mud flaps would be a PITA.
AnswerID: 106366

Follow Up By: John - Qld - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:31

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 15:31
Also to really complete the package - try the Scratchpro paint on stuff on your rear door metal.
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FollowupID: 363378

Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:30

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 17:30
Hi Flappa,
The 100% solution is to use the same design rock deflector as Trak Shak make for their campers . The normal style rock deflector shade cloth extends out from the two metal arms and goes all the way to the back of the 4WD and is attached to it by elastic ropes so that when the car turns it does not tear it to the crapper .
It works perfectly .
I had a big "all the way across " type mud flap and as David O said , it swept up rocks from the crown between the two tyre tracks . I am not sure that Roachie's idea is all that good either as if the flaps are hinged , I think they might swing back in the air flow and let rocks come up .
Cheers ,
Willie .
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FollowupID: 363406

Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 23:25

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 23:25
G'day Willie,
Mate, I was concerned about how far the flaps would swing back too; and they do....the faster I'm going, the more they swing back. On the hwy @ 100klm, they're sitting about 45 degrees. On gravel, I'm usually travelling a bit slower. Certainly, if the track is so bad that it has a definite raised hump in the middle, I'm unlikely to be going over say 60klicks. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's all relative.
When I am going quickish on gravel roads, any rocks I spit back are likely to either hit the flaps and be deflected downwards, or if they are on a low enough trajectory to go underneath the flaps, it is likely they will go straight under the camper anyway.
I have thought of putting a piece of steel along the bottom edge so the additional weight will assist keep them hanging down closer to the ground, but haven't bothered with this yet.
Cheers
Roachie
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FollowupID: 363482

Reply By: Member - Banjo (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 19:13

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 19:13
Re prior comment - its one thing to save the window, but the paint is an expensive factor too, if the panel gets dinged seriously. My philosophy has been to let the stones "have their freedom".... let them fly out from underneath and then deflect them away.... a big flap to block them seems counter productive - where do they go ? My first camper had a modest deflector, made by the manufacturer who didn't go camping I expect ! With a broken rear window on the BV track, I made a new larger deflector, full width, nice and high, hinged for swinging away when camped and set at 45°. All fine after that. Now, with the new Campomatic, the plan has changed a bit, but the stones are still allowed their freedom. Point taken re the cardboard - might do that too, as an added measure - can't see out the back anyway, when packed !
AnswerID: 106401

Reply By: Member - Tony B (QLD) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 21:54

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 21:54
Hi Ross
Been down the some road mate..
We tried the TRAMPOLINE on the front of the camper angled both up and down but if it didn,t break the window it peppered the crap out of our pait job.
So now I got a piece of good black shade mesh in a square, got a local upholsterer to reinforce the edges and fixed it to the outside corners of the 4x4s rear bar
then attached the other corners to the widest part of the trailer with stretchy straps so you can still turn.it hangs under the draw bar but is held tight by the straps.
So far this setup has been exellent as any stones just continue to bounce under the trailer.
AnswerID: 106446

Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 23:31

Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 at 23:31
Yep, that's a good set-up too. Some of the blokes in our 4x4 club have a similar set-up, but go one step further. They have mounted removable steel posts about 6" high at the outer ends of their rear bumper bar. They attach the shade cloth to these using pulleys (about 40mm diamter) and the stretchy cord goes in one piece from one front corner of the trailer, to the pulley on the bumper, across the top of the tow bar to the pulley on the other corner of the bumper and then back to the other corner of the camper. The pulleys allow the whole thing to equalise when going around corners and works well for them.
Cheers
Roachie
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FollowupID: 363484

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 07:53

Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 07:53
Nope, disagree again boys.

I had one of those in my arsenal as well.
The problem was, when I left Mungerannie, the first 50 kilometers of track was MUD and the trampoline, had I had it mounted, would have sagged down to ground level and been ripped off, or worn away.

Any, or all of these devices have there uses in given situations but few of them work in all.

Yes, the vehicles paintwork can be peppered with little stone chips, but this wont stop, or spoil your holiday.

But let me assure you, when you have a bleep tered window (even if its still sort of intact) and its raining and you come across a decent section of corrugated road, you quickly assess the situation and ask yourself, "do I really want to go there?"

I still think a window protector is singularly, the best insurance against a potentially spoiled holiday. Anything else is cosmetic insurance.

Hmm..that reminds me. I still haven't reached Coongie Lakes.
Must go up to Innamincka again:-)))
Bill


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Follow Up By: jackablue - Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 08:32

Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 08:32
I've also drilled holes in the end of my bar attachment to accomodate this also.
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Follow Up By: Member - Banjo (SA) - Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 09:06

Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 at 09:06
Indeed Sandy - you can't go to Innamincka too often and Coongie is great - mind you, it can be damned freezing up there if the wind comes off the lake, and you can't have a fire !!
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