Where to find and how to mount rally style mud flaps??

[Whittie]

Hey Folks,

 

Not sure where this fits, so I figured I'll put it here.

 

I'm looking for some rally style mudflaps for my car, but have looked to no avail and cannot find them. I've seen lots of people running them on tarmac cars and especially rally cars, but not sure if there are zed specific ones floating around?

 

I want the biggest ones I can get to keep stones off the new paint job on my car, but also looking for close-up pics of how to mount them securely. The weight of stones hitting the flaps I can imagine would be quite a lot and I don't want to damage any panels fitting or securing them, any tips?

 

Cheers

[dat2kman]

Have a cruise around the bmsc forum, Brindabella Motor Sports Club, Australias biggest rally forum, should be info on suppliers there, and car pics.

Commn is to use a number of pieces of alloy angle say 15x15 mm, screwed onto panels a few inches behind, then cut sheet to profile f body panel, use a bit of 15 mm flat on other side and sandwich the sheet.

Comes in many bright colours too.

Reason for mounting back a bit, is to stop the flap from getting caught up in tyre on reversing.

My 120Y has big truck flaps mounted back, with "Datsun" painted on.

[DAZDA]

Unless there is a requirement in the rules of your category, I wouldn't run the rally style mudflaps.  They ruin airflow under the car, only stop some of the stones, and look terrible IMO.  Instead you can buy clear sheets of plastic material to cover your paint.

 

http://streetwrap.com.au/vehicle-paint-protection-for-4wd-classic-cars-new-cars-and-motocycles/1870

 

http://www.ozishield.com.au/

[Whittie]

Intersting post there Dazda.

 

I wasn't aware that there would be significant aero disadvantages, although it does make sense now that you've pointed it out. There is no requirement in any category, it's a road car. The main driver is that I actually quite like the look and considering that the wheels stick out past the doors, I was looking for an option to protect the entire side of the car. I will be using that clear sheeting in a number of key areas, but was thinking of using mud flaps as a second barrier to stones. Might be time for another thread in the Aero section over on hybridz.....

 

I'll find some more photos, thanks datman, and make up my mind.

[DAZDA]

I should clarify, the bigger the mudflaps are and the stiffer the material the more they affect airflow.  In the WRC the teams even started trying to use them to manipulate airflow out from under the car (since they have to have mudflaps), but I think the FIA may have stopped this practice...

 

If you do decide to go with them, try to angle the section of mudflap under the sills so that it encourages the airflow out from underneath.  From an aero point of view, you're actually better off having some kind of small flap in front of the wheels (a lot of new cars have this now) to help move the air before it reaches the swirling air around the wheels.

 

At least this is my very basic understanding and I could easily be wrong. 

[dat2kman]

If you really want mudflaps, the East African Safari Z's ran a pair of forward facing sheets of rubber attached to lower front scuttle, to deflect mud and water from coming up and over the screen/car through rhe bogholes.

 

Other cars Escorts mainly, ran very wide arched body flares, with  only 6" wide rims, to stop mud/water from washing up and over the car.

 

The pretty brightyly coluored urethane sheet is quite thin, and can flap about.

Some rally cars fit a strip of sheet to underside, a little in front of rear tyres to stop rocks/stones flicking up around inside of rear brakes, and protect hard brake lines.

 

If going to fit a tank and front sump guard, fit in between the tank and the sump a bit of sponge foam rubber, to stop the odd stray sharp stone from lodging in there. Why? 'cos if one does, and then you hit hard, the sharp little stone can puncture the metal tank, or sump. Been there done that. PIA!

 

[260DET]

For aero purposes, if you are not going to use flares then the profile of the tyres that stick out past the guards should be covered eg with alminium strips attached around the guard openings. Any way you look from straignt on the tyre treads should not be visible because rotating wheels create a lot of drag if they are directly exposed to air flow, particularly from the front.

 

Such strips will also of course protect the paintwork to some degree.