Can I keep my front mud flaps AND add sliders?

[farmerjon]

This may not matter to some, but I paid $80 for my front two OEM mud guards after I took my running boards off:

And that is a small fortune to me, I invested in them because I drive on gravel and I don't want to ruin my paint... if I take these off and get sliders, then the gravel will be all over my sides, right?

Is there a way to keep the mud flaps AND have sliders? or will that leave a gap where the rocker panels are vulnerable? Thoughts?

Thanks, guys.

 

[NachoPitt]

You can still run sliders and a mudflap - most don't because about the time you need the sliders, the mudflap will have been ripped off. It all has to do with where the slider is mounted. If you are using the sliders as a HD running board, you will be fine.

 

[farmerjon]

If I add sliders, it will be to protect the rocker panels, obviously. if I had sliders, I would upgrade the kind of wheeling I try in the 'Runner, so that's true, the flaps would come off... perhaps I could take them on and off, there is only like two screws and a pin...

I really need a DD T4R and a wheeling T4R...

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

I vote they be removed..

I felt the same way. Bought these mudguards from the dealer when the truck was still 2WD.

After 4WD, they kept getting in the way. Had to take them both off on a wheeling trip.

 

[fish0281]

You can get sliders with filler plates towards the front to act as mud-guards... That's one of the reasons I want to get some, the side of my truck collects a lot of road-slop pretty quickly! Right now, my rear fender has about 6" of stuff collected on the lower portion from Denver's recent snow tease.

 

[TCMach]

x2 on the filler plates. Check out Bandit Runner's sliders here. This would help your rockers tremendously. Also I would tell you to keep the guards until you get your sliders welded on. I know with my sliders even if I did a filler plate I would still get my rockers messy because there is a gap between the slider and the end of the wheel well. So I would say get the sliders on and then trim the mudflap down as much as you can while still getting coverage for your rockers. That way you wont have trouble 4 wheeling and still will get coverage for your rockers.

 

[Hepar]

I have sliders and front flaps. They will stay there as this is my DD and there are a few places around here with high budgets (lots of police) and not a lot of crime, so they like to nab you for any little thing they can.

 

[Bandit Runner]

x2 on the filler plates. Check out Bandit Runner's sliders here. This would help your rockers tremendously. Also I would tell you to keep the guards until you get your sliders welded on. I know with my sliders even if I did a filler plate I would still get my rockers messy because there is a gap between the slider and the end of the wheel well. So I would say get the sliders on and then trim the mudflap down as much as you can while still getting coverage for your rockers. That way you wont have trouble 4 wheeling and still will get coverage for your rockers.

Thanks for the mention. I really do like my filled in sliders.

 

[TCMach]

Thanks for the mention. I really do like my filled in sliders.

Not a problem. I aspire to have my truck as cool as yours someday! You should let me borrow your headlights....permanently :naughty:.

 

[farmerjon]

Thanks guys... I might try trimming them or just bring the slider as close as possible to the mud flap...

I'm a tall guy and I disliked the running boards, as I'm of the awkward height (6') of where the boards just get in the way. so I would probably like to tuck my sliders in very closely... would the filler plate still do any good?

 

[TCMach]

6'3" here so I know what your talking about. And as long as your sliders stick out past the door they'll help. Rocks get thrown up by your tires so they only need to be as wide as your tires to stop the majority of the rocks. You'll never stop them all but the majority should be stopped. Also my sliders stick out quite a ways and even with my lift they don't get in the way so you may not need them tucked as much as you think. Food for thought!

 

[farmerjon]

6'3" here so I know what your talking about. And as long as your sliders stick out past the door they'll help. Rocks get thrown up by your tires so they only need to be as wide as your tires to stop the majority of the rocks. You'll never stop them all but the majority should be stopped. Also my sliders stick out quite a ways and even with my lift they don't get in the way so you may not need them tucked as much as you think. Food for thought!

That might be a really good rule of thumb - have them stick out as much as the tires.

You're staying that they don't get in the way even with the lift? what does the lift have to do with running boards or sliders rubbing when one gets in or out? I'm probably missing something obvious lol.

 

[TCMach]

I mean just like get in the way. Hit your legs on them when you try to get in or when you try and get out. I know I thought they could be a pain in the butt when your trying to get out of the truck if they stuck out to far but they haven't been a problem for me at all!

 

[madbomber08]

x3 or x4 on filler plates. I don't have sliders, but they act like running boards in the respect that they protect the rockers and bottom half of the doors. Honestly, I don't know why one would get sliders w/o plates. I rarely ever go offroad and my 4runner is stock, but the rockers and bottom half of the doors are pitted badly enough. I don't know how regular offroaders keep their rockers in good shape with the see through sliders, I really don't.