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Old 04-11-2021, 08:38 PM   #1
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Mud Flaps?

Interested if anyone is using mud flaps, e.g., Rock Tamers, to protect rocks hitting your Airstream? If so, interested which ones you use. I have 19 foot Caravel. Thx!
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Old 04-11-2021, 08:52 PM   #2
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My first set was the Rock Solid brand. I just bought a set of Roctection and will try them as soon as I get the trailer out of storage. The flaps are twice the thickness on the new set, as compared to the Rock Solid brand.
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Old 04-11-2021, 08:55 PM   #3
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Installing mine in the morning before I leave on a 4 hour trip. I will let you know how it goes.
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Old 04-11-2021, 08:56 PM   #4
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Rock Tamers/formerly NK (Enkay) seem to be popular. I used the original Enkay's for a number of years. They do a decent job but have a tendency to funnel stones and fine grit through the center. I finally gave up messing with them. Now I just accept the AS stone guards for what they are and consider the hits as character. My TV has a good set of extra long (14") mud-flaps. Not as good as the Rock-Tamers but they are better than nothing.
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Old 04-11-2021, 09:35 PM   #5
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Rocktamers
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Old 04-12-2021, 01:08 AM   #6
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Now I just accept the AS stone guards for what they are and consider the hits as character.
I agree with this. The Airstream has rock guards for a reason. Their point is to get hit with rocks. For the cost of the reduced MPG of running something like Rock Tamers, I figure I can afford to replace my rock guards every few years if I decide they look too dinged up.
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Old 04-12-2021, 03:21 AM   #7
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Welcome to the forum, Ann.

FYI there have been a variety of "mud flap rock guard" threads/posts through the years:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mud+...=airforums.com

These two threads are fairly recent:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f29...ds-213133.html
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...on-212804.html

FYI
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Old 04-12-2021, 05:14 AM   #8
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I agree with this. The Airstream has rock guards for a reason. Their point is to get hit with rocks. For the cost of the reduced MPG of running something like Rock Tamers, I figure I can afford to replace my rock guards every few years if I decide they look too dinged up.
Have you priced those rock guards?
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Old 04-12-2021, 05:34 AM   #9
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5 years on Rock Tamers and still love them
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Old 04-12-2021, 06:00 AM   #10
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Welcome Aboard👍

TowTector for full width coverage, and flaps, 17yrs SFSG.👍

For RICH....$

Bob
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Old 04-12-2021, 06:09 AM   #11
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Thanks Bob . . . interesting video at your link, especially about the effectiveness of the fiber barrier vs. a hard surface mud flap.
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Old 04-12-2021, 06:17 AM   #12
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Thanks Bob . . . interesting video at your link, especially about the effectiveness of the fiber barrier vs. a hard surface mud flap.
Yep...I do like the new aluminum frame and exhaust options also.

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Old 04-12-2021, 06:55 AM   #13
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TowTector for full width coverage, and flaps, 17yrs SFSG.👍

For RICH....$

Bob
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Looks like an effective product, but how do you hook up the trailer's safety chains with all that "stuff" in the way? How much weight would this add to an already very heavy 2½" Blue Ox Sway Pro receiver hitch assembly? Just trying to picture handling all this mass. Thanks.
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Old 04-12-2021, 11:09 AM   #14
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Have you priced those rock guards?

Yes, they’re around $1100 for a pair. Most people see around a 2 MPG decrease when running “aggressive” mudflaps such as Rock Tamers. Truck towing efficiencies vary, so let’s assume your initial mpg is 14 and you drop to 12 MPG running rock tamers. The price of fuel varies a lot over the years, but lets use $3/gal. By those numbers I calculate it costs about 3½¢/mile to use Rock Tamers. $1100 ÷ 3½¢/mile = ~30,000 miles to pay for a new set of rock guards (technically segment protectors). YMMV
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Old 04-12-2021, 03:36 PM   #15
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Looks like an effective product, but how do you hook up the trailer's safety chains with all that "stuff" in the way? How much weight would this add to an already very heavy 2½" Blue Ox Sway Pro receiver hitch assembly? Just trying to picture handling all this mass. Thanks.
It's never been a problem hooking things up.
Reach thru and attach what needs to be attached, they are not solid.👍


,kruyhIKJUMAG FB,NLSAQ QUOTE "By those numbers I calculate it costs about 3½¢/mile to use Rock Tamers. $1100 ÷ 3½¢/mile = ~30,000 miles to pay for a new set of rock guards (technically segment protectors). YMMV

Good guess, I guess.
Consider...they are already running thru broken air.

Kind'a like when I put the boat on the Burb's roof, I expected less but MPG actually stayed the same and even improved slightly in certain windy conditions.

Bob
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Old 04-12-2021, 04:17 PM   #16
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Yes, they’re around $1100 for a pair. Most people see around a 2 MPG decrease when running “aggressive” mudflaps such as Rock Tamers. Truck towing efficiencies vary, so let’s assume your initial mpg is 14 and you drop to 12 MPG running rock tamers. The price of fuel varies a lot over the years, but lets use $3/gal. By those numbers I calculate it costs about 3½¢/mile to use Rock Tamers. $1100 ÷ 3½¢/mile = ~30,000 miles to pay for a new set of rock guards (technically segment protectors). YMMV
Well, I didn't see anything close to a 2mpg decline! I believe you're off by a factor of 10.
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Old 04-12-2021, 08:52 PM   #17
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Well, I didn't see anything close to a 2mpg decline! I believe you're off by a factor of 10.
I don’t know for sure but I kind of agree with you. We’re 17k lbs, mud flaps don’t seem like they can affect much at that point.
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Old 04-12-2021, 09:27 PM   #18
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Air resistance is much more important than weight when it comes to fuel efficiency. Weight is nearly irrelevant on level ground. That boat on the TV roof helps because it shapes the slipstream to bring it up to the level of the airstream roof, helping or at least not worsening the overall air resistance. Many semis have the same sort of thing.
The bottom of your TV and trailer are already at approximately the same height however. Air flows fairly well straight under both. Until you stick a giant flat wall of a set of Rock Tamers in there. There’s not a clear consensus about how much of a fuel efficiency effect that has, but most of the threads I’ve read where people have tried to measure it in a somewhat scientific way (vs just anecdotes) all seem to see around a 2 mpg drop.
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Old 04-13-2021, 07:23 AM   #19
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Air resistance is much more important than weight when it comes to fuel efficiency. Weight is nearly irrelevant on level ground. That boat on the TV roof helps because it shapes the slipstream to bring it up to the level of the airstream roof, helping or at least not worsening the overall air resistance. Many semis have the same sort of thing.
The bottom of your TV and trailer are already at approximately the same height however. Air flows fairly well straight under both. Until you stick a giant flat wall of a set of Rock Tamers in there. There’s not a clear consensus about how much of a fuel efficiency effect that has, but most of the threads I’ve read where people have tried to measure it in a somewhat scientific way (vs just anecdotes) all seem to see around a 2 mpg drop.
But wait...the width of the two tires reduces the direct 'obstruction' even more.

Then again I obtuse, we don't even use the RT's.


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Old 04-13-2021, 08:48 AM   #20
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I looked at my segment protectors and discovered a few dings on the street side and none on the curb side. I don't take the trailer off of paved roads so I concluded that the dings didn't come from me, but rather other vehicles passing. Rock tamers won't stop those.
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