Thick black rubber stuff for mud flaps

Thanks Wim. Sounds like a trip to Brisvagas is required. No Clark Rubber stores on the Gold Coast.

Hi Norm, Google 'blackwoods' they have a branch in Tweed heads, I ,m goin to the one up here for the same thing. I,ll be in Broome early May with a tinnie if u can go earlier? I see your goin a bit later, is it set in concrete?? We might be able to catch up.... cya
Phil

Thanks Howard and Phil. There is a Blackwoods at Southport. Gave them a ring and they have the stuff in 1200mm width. I'll need to have a join to cover full width, but not a problem.

Phil, pity but our dates are now pretty firm. Travelling as far as Broome with friends and we have confirmed dates, including booking in Broome from 5th June. Bugger.

Also some Bods recckon it flicks the stones up from the hump in the centre of the track!

Interesting points. I'd have thought there is still plenty of air flow. The air just gets deflected out the sides. Flap is well to the rear of any running gear. I'm no expert, but that is how I see it. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

SKP, fair point. I'll be positioning the bottom of the flap about 4 inches off the ground. Yes, it will fit the ground at times, but I'm picturing that only flicking stones up a foot or so. They would have to flip up a lot more to hit the trailer at an angle that would then bounce onto the rear paintwork or window of the 4B. No guarantees in life, but I think it is a positive move.

In any case, it is all risk management. A bit like the occasional stories of air bags causing death or serious injury. I'm sure it has happened, but no reason not to use them. They save many many more times the lives they cost.

Hi Norm C,

I have a full length rubber flap that is made of conveyor material and sat ~2" off the ground. After much travel on gravel roads, it was a waste of time IMHO! See my rig pic for my van and it still had big dings higher than my vehicle on the van front - and thats WITH the flap on.

Never had a problem with heating, cannot see how that would cause a problem.But if you do go ahead with a flap style, make sure the rubber is heavy duty as the light weight ones simply fold up with wind pressure.

While I haven't used one, I reckon the stone guard on the adventure trailer is the way to go.

Cheers

Captain

Thanks Captain. I've been looking for a pic of the the Adventure stone guard. Looks good and should work well. From the pic, there seem to be a couple of practical issues. Have to take it off / roll it back to the CT to put jockey wheel down, for example.

I'll have a think about whether I can use some ideas form it.

Guess you can only do a certain amount with this problem. I've got a reasonable stone guard on the CT. Thought I'd add the full width flaps to the 4B, then in real bad areas, cover the rear window. Short of the Adventure style, or staying on the black top, not sure what more I can do.

I guess if we didn't want any stone chips at all, we wouldn't be getting off the black top as much as we do.

Thanks

Norm C

Hi guys,

We've got the Adventure stone guard between the Triton and our Coromal Silhouette and it seems to work a treat. On our Oodnadatta, Litchfield, Kakadu, Uluru trip we covered 11,000km without incurring even one stone chip or dent to the front of the camper. To fit the jockey wheel to the A-frame it is simply a matter of ondoing two spring clips.

Or just be like me and drive a ratty 15 year old Paj towing a 25 year old Jayco and not worry about the chips. Still cover the rear window but just patch the chips with black paint to stop the rust.

Cheers

Pete

time waster, is that the one that has the 'shade cloth laid flat ( horizontal) from the front of the CT right across the drawer bar to the back of the vehicle?

I've never seen it, but have seen a description. Concept sounds good, but I can't picture how it joins to the vehicle and allows for turning and getting to the back of the vehicle while CT is connected.

If I have the right one, can you describe this for me. Better still do have some pics?

Norm C

Yes Brian, but I want to protect the paint on the back of the Pretty Blue Hilux as well. We are heading for some country that paint job wasn't designed for.

Norm,

Heres another thought; on page 159 of issue 90 Australian 4WD Monthly mag is a product review of Scratch Pro

There is some guff on the net as well at this address. It may be worth looking into.
Just a thought.

That's interesting Bros. If they are too long, I guess the flaps run along the ground and kick up stones themselves. I thought about 100mm off the ground. Sound about right?

Why do you say too rigid? I had imagined the more rigid (within reason) the better. Do you think it is so that when they hit the ground, they bend rather than kick up stones?

Norm,
How did you attach the 50x25 bar to the 'Lux? Is it at the tow bar area, or back in a bit under the back.
I've tried a couple of ways to attach a piece of 50 x 50 angle with 12 4" hinges attached.....these were used to hold 3 RM Williams large truck mudflaps, which were just about the right width (maybe a couple of inches too narrow, but very bloody close). I attached the angle to the 2 tie-down lugs on the back of the Patrol's chassis, but the outer ends on each side were prone to being bent up when I traversed REALLY gnarly country (rough, dry river beds etc). I had them on when we did our trip across the Simpson and they worked well.
Anyway, glad to read here at the end that you seem to have a satisfactory result and I wish you all the best for your travels.
Cheers
Roachie

Roachie, I took the pretty chrome rear step off ages ago and had some protector bars welded onto the tow bar. There were a couple of easy spots in the supports for these where I just drilled a hole. Put a D shackle through the hole. Drilled another hole in the 50 x 25 and put another D shackle through that. Linked the shackles together. The flaps are therefore well back just about under the extreme rear of the vehicle.

Follow? Pretty simple as long as you have somewhere to drill and attach the shackles.