When Should You Add Mud Flaps to Your Vehicle?

You have a cool new ride that you can’t wait to take for a drive in the hills. You know it’ll be able to handle streams, mud, dirt, stones and more. That’s awesome, but mud flaps are a must unless you relish the idea of risking damage to your vehicle (OK, you don’t! No one does). Here’s the scoop on these invaluable flaps and when to add them.

Add Mud Flaps If You Drive Often in Nature or Bad Weather Often

Nature is rugged, messy and sometimes brutal, and the long and short of it is: You need mud flaps no matter what. You especially need them if you do stuff involving dirt, mud, gravel, snow and rocks, for instance, if you:

• Live out in the country
• Live in rainy, snowy or muddy areas
• Work on farms or building sites
• Travel often, especially for long distances
• Love outdoor recreation such as hiking, kayaking and fishing

Flap installation is not just about keeping your vehicle’s undercarriage as clean as possible. These flaps dangle down to keep debris away from your vehicle’s fender wells and tires. They offer another level of protection for both you and the drivers around you. 

If You Care About Protecting Your Vehicle

What types of scenarios can result if your truck, car or SUV lacks the flaps? Glad you asked! Here are common examples:

• Dents from rocks and damaged paint chips (not always easy or cheap to repair)
• Rust from dirt, oil and various road chemicals that collect on your vehicle after paint chip damage occurred
• Sand and dirt on your windows blocking visibility to the point even the wipers do not help (irritating in the best of cases, and in the worst-case scenario can result in car accidents)
• Snow buildup on the vehicle (can lead to accidents)

If you don’t have mud flaps, expect your car to need maintenance more often and for it to cost more. Basically, get the flaps no matter where you live and whether you prefer to stick to city roads or country lanes.

Even If You Think It’s Too Late

Some guys don’t bother with getting flaps because they figure their vehicle is messed up enough already. They challenged it in all sorts of terrain without realizing the benefits of flaps, and now the vehicle is already damaged and not looking that great.

It’s not too late! Promise. Get those flaps. You prevent future damage, and any bit of protection goes a long way if or when you resell your vehicle. Your car’s undercarriage and panels will thank you. Plus, having the flaps on your vehicle makes roads safer for the drivers and cyclists around you. They’ll have less debris hurtling onto their cars and bikes.

Have Mud Flaps Installed Today

Unless you know cars, get a technician to install the flaps. They can fall off if not affixed properly, plus some vehicles lack the holes for easy installation.

Now that you know why mud flaps are important, be sure to equip your off-roader or truck as soon as possible. Check out our list of other must-have vehicle accessories, too!