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04-11-2021, 08:38 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
2021 27' Flying Cloud
Greensboro
, Georgia
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 13
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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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04-11-2021, 08:52 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1994 34' Excella
Warren
, Manitoba
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,244
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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.
__________________
ACI #7394
2012 GMC 2500 HD Duramax Denali
1994 Excella 34'
1987 Limited 34', 1976 31', 1976 Argosy 22' Gone to new homes
Hensley Hitch
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04-11-2021, 08:55 PM
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#3
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Freedom
2023 30' Classic
Dallas
, TX
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 586
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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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2023 30 Foot Classic
2022 Ram 3500 Dually
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04-11-2021, 08:56 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Airstream - Other
Airstream - Other
North Central Texas
, USA
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,003
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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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04-11-2021, 09:35 PM
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#5
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Overkill Specialist
Commercial Member
2020 30’ Globetrotter
2014 23' International
Dadeville
, Alabama
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 4,516
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Rocktamers
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04-12-2021, 01:08 AM
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#6
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4 Rivet Member
2018 30' Flying Cloud
Anchorage
, Alaska
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 439
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RivetED
Now I just accept the AS stone guards for what they are and consider the hits as character.
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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.
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04-12-2021, 05:14 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,655
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AKNate
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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Have you priced those rock guards?
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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04-12-2021, 05:34 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2015 30' FB FC Bunk
Ayer
, Massachusetts
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,114
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5 years on Rock Tamers and still love them
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04-12-2021, 06:00 AM
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#10
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 19,977
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Welcome Aboard👍
TowTector for full width coverage, and flaps, 17yrs SFSG.👍
For RICH....$
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
"You don't know where you've been until you leave, enjoy life" RLC
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04-12-2021, 06:09 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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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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04-12-2021, 06:17 AM
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#12
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 19,977
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OTRA15
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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Yep...I do like the new aluminum frame and exhaust options also.
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
"You don't know where you've been until you leave, enjoy life" RLC
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04-12-2021, 06:55 AM
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#13
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4 Rivet Member
2018 28' Flying Cloud
Clayton
, Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 400
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS
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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.
__________________
Erik & Carol
Clayton, Georgia
AS: 2018 Flying Cloud 28 "Baby Zeppelin"
TV: 2017 Ford F250 Lariat w/ Blue Ox Sway Pro
AIRForums #126944 WBCCI #1297
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04-12-2021, 11:09 AM
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#14
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4 Rivet Member
2018 30' Flying Cloud
Anchorage
, Alaska
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 439
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
Have you priced those rock guards?
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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
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04-12-2021, 03:36 PM
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#15
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 19,977
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Baby Zeppelin
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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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
🇺🇸
__________________
"You don't know where you've been until you leave, enjoy life" RLC
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04-12-2021, 04:17 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,655
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AKNate
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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Well, I didn't see anything close to a 2mpg decline! I believe you're off by a factor of 10.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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04-12-2021, 08:52 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2015 30' FB FC Bunk
Ayer
, Massachusetts
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
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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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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04-12-2021, 09:27 PM
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#18
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4 Rivet Member
2018 30' Flying Cloud
Anchorage
, Alaska
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 439
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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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04-13-2021, 07:23 AM
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#19
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 19,977
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AKNate
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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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.
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
"You don't know where you've been until you leave, enjoy life" RLC
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04-13-2021, 08:48 AM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,620
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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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