Mud flaps

[wemtd]

I'm installing a pair of front mud flaps to cut down on debris and dirt. (Ok, I'm just lazy and getting tired of having to clean my car every week).

I've tracked down some bigheads fastenèrs for mounting, but would like to know what others have used for flaps? What works for you? And more importantly what hasn't worked?

 

Cheers

[slomove]

For years I have used fiber reinforced hard rubber truck flaps from the auto store. They are big enough that one such truck flap makes two for a Seven. They can be cut to size with tin shears.

 

However, I think they don't actually make much of a positive difference. Although my flaps go down to less than an inch above ground, they are somewhat flexible and the air flow lifts them up a bit. That allows small rocks to be ejected from the surface to slip under the flaps anyway and hit the rear wings and indirectly the cockpit.

 

What is more annoying, some of the rocks that do get caught by the flaps tend to bounce around between tire and front wing and get ejected forward. Some of them make their way onto the bonnet or, once again into the cockpit.

 

Since my wing stays broke on the last summer trip I have been driving for a few months without any front wings and I tend to believe I had fewer debris in the cockpit than any time before (hard to prove scientifically, though).

 

Anyway, I have the wings back on now and the flaps are still attached. Probably too lazy to change anything.....

 

 

Forgot to mention....they have a serious disadvantage anyway. It happened twice to me that while driving backward I hit a curb or a fist size rock at the side of my driveway. The flap was then clamped between the obstacle and the tire and dragged down the entire wing, bending the wing stay. So, be mindful of this when you use flaps or make sure the fasteners will disengage.

Edited February 24, 2012 by slomove

[Dave W]

I have mud flaps that clear the ground by about 3". There is a definite reduction in the stone chips in the spats and fender. But I still have a lower band of about 4" that gets a lot more sand blasting on the spats. Probably about 2" ground clearance to the lower edge of the flap may be the ticket. I just made them to a lenght that I thought looked the best if flaps can look good? Dave W

[powderbrake]

What is more annoying, some of the rocks that do get caught by the flaps tend to bounce around between tire and front wing and get ejected forward. Some of them make their way onto the bonnet or, once again into the cockpit.

 

 

I had the same problem, only it was much worse with the mud flaps, you could see the rocks shooting out from the top of the tire. I removed them after one drive and a cockpit and face full of rocks.

[pi7ot]

I use a couple of pieces of ABS plastic that the circle track racers use for Air Dams. It is purchased by the linear foot and comes in all sorts of colours.

Cut to size and have two holes drilled to match the dimension of the rear most front wing mounting studs.

They do a good job of directing stones which eventually are trapped between the side panels and the bottom frame rails in the engine compartment.

 

m

[Klasik-69]

I got tired of getting blasted with gravel while driving on the track. At one point, some of the rocks actually made my left forearm bleed. So I got some aluminum fenders made by an outfit in California that makes customer aluminum, steel or stainless steel fenders. I chose aluminum and had the fenders made to about a half circle, then attached them so the rear would be about 3" off the ground. I bought a couple of truck mud flaps and cut the material to the size I needed and attached them to the bottom of the fender using 3 ss 10-24x3/4" machine screws, fender washers on the inside of the flaps and small ss washers on the fender, held on with ss lock nuts. I fashioned them so they barely clear the ground when pointing straight ahead. They will rub a little on the ground when the wheel is turned in. No more gravel spitting out at me. However, this is for the track only so the looks don't mean much. When running on the street, I put the original CF wings back on and try to not drive on roads with heavy gravel.

 

I also think the kind of tires you use may have a lot to do with how much stuff they pick up and sling. For street use I use the Toyo Proxes T1R and they don't pick up too much stuff. The Hoosier SM6 race tires pick up everything along the way.....sand, gravel, squirrels, small farm animals :banghead:

[wemtd]

I attached a pair of stainless BigHeads fasteners to the inside of my fender using epoxy. The universal rubber mud flaps I picked up at the parts store are disappointingly flexible.

To keep busy I cut and attached 1/8" lexan to test out flap shape and length.

These prototypes are proving more flexible than I’d anticipated and may just work well. Unfortunately I’m still waiting for the salt to be washed off the roads to test these.

 

cheers

[ayseven]

Nice!

[speedwagon]

my s1 fenders come down to about 8" off the ground in front, I don't like the look real well, but I do not get the rocks thrown forward and it has seen some gravel roads at speeds fast enough to smooth out the washboards, my fiberglass buggy with higher cut fenders just heaves rocks and mud out the front so you can drive into it. those s1 fenders are looking better all the time.

[Austin David]

I'm also experimenting with flaps.  Some light notes here as things progress.  The platform is a newish Caterham, Duratec (360S).  I'm using recycled rubber material, about 1/8" thick.  I've cut two 8x8" squares, and VHB-taped them to the back inside of the cycle wings.  They are pretty flexible.  The RHS is long enough that it could hit the primaries, but has not yet been an issue on a few test-rides around town (50mph max, mostly much less).  Significant improvement on gravel kick-up.  Anecdotally it sounds like less pinging, and empirically I'm picking less up out of the seat (and my shirt / face).

 

If this configuration becomes permanent I may extend the material to fix to the cycle stay, and tap a few screwholes on there for a more permanent mount -- and to offload some pressure from the fiberglass.  I'll also round off the corners, of course

[panamericano]

Thanks to all who helped me find ball joints for the Birkin.  When I got it back, I went to the alignment shop.  No problem, it rained a bit of a cloud burst while I sat in the car watching, but then stopped.  On the drive home (1.5 miles, low speed) the roads were still very wet, and the wheels threw up water , dirt, gravel, crap, etc.  It seemed less to me than I would expect.  Turns out the mechanic (God love him) put the fenders on L to R, so the pointy end was at the rear and the straight cut end at front.

 

So, the question is, do I care?  The lowest point is some few inches closer to the ground towards the rear, less in the front.  I did not see anything thrown forward, but also low speed.  Seemed like better protection to the rear.  Would the higher front fender cause more air stress on the fender? ?  Does anyone know he real reason for the angled cut to the front? 

[MV8]

Style points is my guess. I'd flip them back around and maximize the rear coverage by adding classic motorcycle flared flaps with snaps on the outside of the fender or chrome acorn nuts. I like the body mounted long swept fenders. More effective, less unsprung weight and more reliable long term but more drag/lift. 

 

The cycle fender front drag is less if you can keep the airflow off the top of the tire, since the top of the tire is going the wrong way and traveling twice as fast. Lowest drag would be open rear, fully covered front.

[IamScotticus]

The up swept front edges mimic the rear wing fronts, and add a few points for style.   I would have the rear square for coverage/flaps.

The 7 is always a brick.  I would worry less about turbulence and do more to keep the parts from flying off.