Rock Tamers vs Protect-A-Tow vs Towtector

[ITowSilver]

I was all set to order the Enkay Rock Tamers, but decided to search this, and the RV Net forum, one last time. The result was that I found two quite different products that are new to me. What do you think of them?

The first is Towtector Shield (http://towtector.com/index.html), a grass skirt affair that attaches to the hitch in a manner similar to the Rock Tamer. It extends completely across the TV. The website makes a big issue of filling in the gap between the wheels, which they claim accounts for most of the rocks. Does this make sense? The price is $279. for my Chevy 2500HD.

Now for something completely different. The Protect-A-Tow (http://protectatow.tripod.com/trailers.htm) is a a PVC coated polyester mesh that attaches horizontally between the TV & TT just underneath the hitch. The big idea here is that kicked up stones hit the bottom of the mesh and are deflected back down. The price is $190. Although the web site shows it used with a TT, I wonder if it would conflict with anti-sway hitch bars.

Do either of these different approaches impress you?

Thanks for your thoughts, Sam

[wahoonc]

Sam,
Before you plop down your hard earned $$ take a look at This Thread Johnhd made a set for his truck.

Aaron

[Mike Lewis]

Sam---I just bought and used the Enkay Rock Tamers. I can't speak for the others but I really like the Enkays so far. We pulled about 2000 miles without a sign of a dent or ding. There are two things that sold me on them. One is they are adjustable in height and second I can remove the flap portion without removing the entire ball mount. By loosening two allen screws you can slide the flaps off. If I were going to do it all over again I would go with the same thing again. Pieman
Ps: Blue Ox also make a rock and mud guard

[Alumaholic]

After thirty years of towing travel trailers, I finally did something about the self inflicted gravel damage, and I owe it all to a thread on this forum!

I was all ready to spend some big $$ for segment protectors for our '76 Sovereign, when my wife and I decided to restore this one on a budget. That's when I read about Enkay Rock Tamers on this forum. It made so much more sense to make a one time investment in premium mudflaps than to spend money on segment protectors for one Airstream after another.

I am delighted with my purchase. Never have I been so thoroughly impressed by design, engineering, quality, and completeness. Installation takes about an hour due to requirement to cut the flaps and drill holes.

They work like a champ. No more dings.

Ken
Albuquerque

[2airishuman]

hi sam and other rock dodgers...

i've followed some big mohos with the skirts......and at speed they lift and flutter...lots of gaps

they look great pulling though the rv parks at 20-30 mph...but my rock slinging experience suggests driving in gravel slowly isn't the issue....rock embeded in tire tread, launching at 65 mph....is the issue

the skirt that goes under the hitch/tail/trailer area...is nice and if i was going up the alcan hiway....i'd add one of those to a full array of stuff....

johnhd's look good.....and if he lived nearby, i might have worked a deal for the 2nd set....

the nks are sublime....

at 75-80mph (unhitched) they are still pretty vertical....and driving in rain....it is amazing to see how much stuff they stop.......even animals....

see this thread....which shows how effective they are....and 'happycampers' has another brand...

http://www.airforums.com/forum...dflap+critters

as others have noted the materials and design....are top notch...flexibility to rotate...move outward-inward; up-down and remove the arms is great.

get the dually width and you will have lots of area covered....

with a superduty 4x4 which rides pretty high....i still had to trim 2-3 inches off the flaps which are very large...and heavy...the embedded metal plate at the lower edge is what keeps 'em down at speed....

i have 2 regrets related to the nks.......

1. i waited 4 months to order.....so my lower shields were already dinged up...before i got the nks...
2. i found them on the cabella's web site....at the best price after mine arrived from the factory....

cheers
2air'

[SilverRanger]

Thanks 2air,

I was on the fence about getting the Enkays, but your roadkill thread sold me. There are still a lot of gravel roads around here, and all of the possums seem to be suicidal.

[azflycaster]

2air
Good tip about Cabella's. $199.99 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...171&hasJS=true

[cosmotini]

I ordered from Cabella's back in December thanks to 2air. They're still in the box in my garage. I already have a few good dings in the stainless rock protectors on the trailer.

Dennis

[ZoominC6]

After seeing Vajeep's Enkays, I ordered my own from Cabela's, installed them and have driven 1K miles with them this month and no dings on my trailer. With another 1200 miles to go, I look forward to more of the same. I have a feeling these things are the ticket and time will tell. Stay tuned.

[ITowSilver]

Thanks for your thoughts, all. Today I ordered Rock Tamers from Cabela's. (As well as a Henlsey Arrow from Themselves.) Now I need a local machine shop to mortise the Rock Tamer bracket so it will fit the Hensley stinger.

Sam

[davidz71]

Sam,
Just take the center hub, the stinger and your truck to the local machine shop and let them take a few measurements. They will need to slide the hub on to see where and how much to relieve the metal. Don't let them take too much off the hub because you want it to just fit rather than have extra clearance.

[ITowSilver]

Thanks, Craig. I've also copied the pix you posted and intend to take them to the machine shop so there can be no question as to what is needed.

Sam

[vajeep]

Sam,
I have the Hensley/Enkay rock tamers and I did not have to do a thing to our "stinger" the fit is tight, but it works great! Just check your set up before you go to a machine shop!...
Ps make sure you are hooked up and have your usual load in your trailer and T/V before you cut the flaps... I made ours a little longer( just about 2" off the road)

[ITowSilver]

I appreciate the caution re. rushing to the machine shop before trying the fit and getting everything set up before trimming the flaps. Truth is, I'm inclined to plunge in too quickly.

Sure wish the q-steer was still available. Very jealous.

[SilverToy]

Hello all -

So here is my question. My AS has the Segment protectors/ Rock guards on it - they appear to factory mounted. They work well as evidenced by the many dings in them and zero in the panels.

Do I need to get the Enkay's or is that just more weight? and redundancy? Of course there is always the 'Toy' and 'Cool' factor to consider...

No wait, I have the 'Toy' and 'Cool' factors covered since I already pull an AirStream!!!

But I could get the Enkays with the SS weight cover add on's, with the TT name laser engraved on them!!!! Wow, would that look BOSS!?

But seriously, do I 'need' these??

Thanks for your thoughts.

Axel

[ITowSilver]

You're right about more weight, and they are redundant, but I hope the Rock Tamers will minimize dings everywhere on the AS, including the rock guards. Although the rock guards appear to be sacrificial, I would hate to have them looking too bad; and I would especially hate to pay for replacements. No idea how much they cost, but my guess is a lot.

If gonzo mud flaps like the Rock Tamers protect the factory installed Rock Guards, which protect the aluminum shell... I wonder if we can find something to protect the Rock Guards?

Cheers, Sam

[flyfisher]

I've had Enkay's for several years, making trips across the US every summer. While I would not want to be without them, and also have large mudflaps permanently attached behind every wheel on my truck, I do still get some minor dings on my trailer.

I'm sure part that's at least in part due to the fact that I drive a 4x4 F250 with heavy cleated tires, and Montana, in particular, where we spend much of the summer, repairs a number of their roads with tar and gravel.

So, my take is that the Enkays are great but not infallible.

John

[ITowSilver]

In my first post of this thread I noted that the Towtamer people claim most of the debris comes between the tires. Perhaps that explains why we still get dings when Rock Tamers are installed. I ocassionally see a 10 wheel dump truck with two mud flaps filling in the area between the standard wheel flaps.

Sam