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SteveH · 12-07-2012, 07:19 AM

What dznf0g says is true, and of utmost importance. Also, if you intend to do any traveling on gravel roads such as you WILL expereince in the construction zones on the Alaska Hwy, you also need a flap between the DuraFlaps. This is because the front tires of the tow vehicle also throw up stones, and they will go between the DuraFlaps and pepper the middle of the front of your Airstream.

Even with these flaps, you will get stone dents on the Airstream unless you conver the front of it with some sort of padding, and I found the tent sleeping bag pads from WalMart efective, available, and cheap. It takes at least two pads and some duct tape to cover the front of the trailer below the window stone guards.

With this system on my second Alaska trip, we received no damage to the trailer.

NRose · 03-25-2013, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Those Dura Flaps are nice ones, but IMO you need the flap as far rearward as possible. Check your angle of attack...an imaginary line from the point of contact of the tire with the ground. Now run that line upward until it meets the bottom of the flap. Now extend that line to the AS front. I believe you will find several feet exposed to potential rocks from the banana wrap to about midway up to the windows.

Tire tread pattern is a huge contributor to how much flying rocks you get as well.

Actually with my DuraFlaps being only 7" off the ground, they have stopped all the rocks. Plus, they are protecting my truck as well.
When I tried the hitch mud flaps they were too low to the ground and were throwing rocks at my tow vehicle. Make sure you keep yours at least 4" off the ground to avoid that.

dznf0g · 03-26-2013, 08:25 AM

I believe in having both......and yes, the Rock Tamers (hitch mounted) should be no less than 3" off the ground AFTER HITCHING UP. Any less clearance and the turbulence in front of, and around the flap will pelt the corner protectors with the small pebbles. Any more than 4" and the lower wrap gets pelted directly from the tire throws. At least that has been my experience. Since finding the 3 - 4" sweet spot, I have worked the dents out of the corner protectors and painted the wraps......very little new damage since.

iowaroots · 04-01-2013, 08:30 PM

Setting up my new Rock Tamers on a 2013 F150. Just how wide do you recommend they are. I am guessing but thinking they need to be at least 2" outside the sidewalls of the rear tires on the truck. Any ideas from you experienced Rock Tamers?

I watched a You-Tube of them going down the road. They do drift up a bit from wind resistance. That being said, do they need to be say 2" above the ground when stopped so they do not go any higher than 3-4" while traveling?

dznf0g · 04-01-2013, 08:42 PM

My experience is: about 3" loaded and hitched up. Any less kicked up small stones from the turbulence around the flap. I have found adjusting the width all the way out offered the most protection.

cwf · 04-01-2013, 08:45 PM

Agreed, dznfog!

PharmGeek · 11-08-2013, 08:09 AM

Saw a little ding in my neighbors new AS from a rock in tow - now will be considering mud flaps to mitigate such risk

With the PP hitch on my 2010 ram 2500 - will Rick tamers be doable - how would I attach - I would leave them on all the time as the truck is almost entirely for towing

dznf0g · 11-08-2013, 08:14 AM

Pharm,

I KNOW it is difficult with a new, perfect AS, but the rock guards and corner protectors are there to be sacrificial damage takers. Those first dents will be hard for you to accept, but they really are character marks and you will begin to accept them, over time.

The corner protectors will eventually get to a point where replacement may be desired, but the Rock Tamers delay that point in time by a great degree. I wouldn't tow without them.

ghaynes755 · 11-08-2013, 08:31 AM

Pharm I saw photo of the Rock Tamers on a PP on the forum. The person mounted them to the what I will call the tilting part of the hitch. It is 2x2 and stuck up above the horizontal hitch piece. They work great. Have them had them on my Yukon and now my Sierra. Don't have an AS (yet but close) and with a standard hitch left them attached and simply hung the RT's, Hitch and Ball as a unit on the wall in the garage. Not sure about that with the weigh of the PP.

PharmGeek · 11-08-2013, 08:43 AM

Cool - I've read now a bunch of threads on the subject - like these rock tamers - they do not cover the center but - not sure about all products that cover all the way across some think it "overkill" - others say otherwise

The cost of the ones all the way across are prohibiting me from feeling great about - i figure I could craft something onto the middle of rock tamers if I get rocks up from center

PharmGeek · 11-08-2013, 08:46 AM

Also - I read that folks got these for 167 bucks - don't see em on amazon and 274 on website

PharmGeek · 11-08-2013, 08:48 AM

Whoops never mind - found on amazon but 223 bucks

dznf0g · 11-08-2013, 08:48 AM

Got mine here: $199

Rock Tamers 00108 | Hitch Mud Flaps | Cruiser Accessories

PharmGeek · 11-08-2013, 09:09 AM

Black Monday perhaps - may call the company at some point today - I'm almost to Philly - flying up the east coast - visiting the in laws

What's the difference between inlaws and outlaws?

Outlaws are wanted - blazinga - I kid - love em

John&Vicki · 11-08-2013, 09:17 AM

I come from the world of Porsches, restoring them, hot rodding them, racing them, so I'm well acquainted with slippery slopes. I can see the syndrome is alive and well in the new to me Airstream world.

We have a nice shiny Aluminum trailer. We don't want any rock chips or dings in the skin. So we have protectors mounted on the trailer.

But wait! We have to protect the nice shiny protectors. So we mount mud flaps on the TV.

But wait! We have to protect the protectors protectors. Exhaust could damage the rubber mud flaps so we mount heat shields.

I haven't read anything about the need to protect the protectors protectors protectors yet, but I imagine it's being worked on.

Whew! And I thought I had left slippery slopes behind.

Poppy

dznf0g · 11-08-2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdmaestro

I come from the world of Porsches, restoring them, hot rodding them, racing them, so I'm well acquainted with slippery slopes. I can see the syndrome is alive and well in the new to me Airstream world.

We have a nice shiny Aluminum trailer. We don't want any rock chips or dings in the skin. So we have protectors mounted on the trailer.

But wait! We have to protect the nice shiny protectors. So we mount mud flaps on the TV.

But wait! We have to protect the protectors protectors. Exhaust could damage the rubber mud flaps so we mount heat shields.

I haven't read anything about the need to protect the protectors protectors protectors yet, but I imagine it's being worked on.

Whew! And I thought I had left slippery slopes behind.

Poppy

Yeah....not so much....silly you!

ROBERT CROSS · 11-08-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdoane

As you can see in the pictures, you should use Rock Tamers on GM products, and the other brand on Fords. ...snip....

Not true-so at all...whatever works for you, these do great for us.

Bob

Royce · 11-08-2013, 09:41 AM

The Rock Tamers have been good for me but they are a little heavy and I will be selling them. Keep in mind they attach to the stinger, so by the time they are bolted to the stinger on an WD hitch it can be a load to carry. I will build their replacement.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 11-08-2013, 09:45 AM

Hi, you are going to get dings no matter what you do unless you just park your trailer. I put mud flaps on my Lincoln and bubble wrapped the entire front of my trailer for my Alaska trip. My segment protectors are dinged, my rock guard got a spider crack in it, and rocks got past the mud flaps and stuck into the bubble wrap. [new dings everywhere] It's going to happen; I only recommend that you wait a few years before you take your new tow vehicle and new trailer to Alaska, but you still need to do it. [bucket list]

Also my freshly repainted tongue and hitch got gravel blasted.

dznf0g · 11-08-2013, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royce

The Rock Tamers have been good for me but they are a little heavy and I will be selling them. Keep in mind they attach to the stinger, so by the time they are bolted to the stinger on an WD hitch it can be a load to carry. I will build their replacement.

This works well for me. Just roll it up under the vehicle and slip it into the receiver. Also doubles as a great storage unit. Will post a winter storage pic later.