I was at school today and me and my friend were walking up to my 05 Access Cab V8 SR5 and he jumped out and said..." you havent taken off the mudflaps yet?" I looked at him like he was crazy and told him i never thought about it. So we end up sitting there looking at the side of the truck for a good 5 min in the parking lot debating if it would look better with them off. The truck is pretty much stock except for the tinted windows. I figure they dont do that much since i only drive to school and about 15 miles to work every day. What do you guys think?
And they do way more than you think. Any small rocks that get caught in your tire's tread and slung out will hit a chip your paint without the guards. Also, any new pavement will leave tar spatter all over your truck.
I was at school today and me and my friend were walking up to my 05 Access Cab V8 SR5 and he jumped out and said..." you havent taken off the mudflaps yet?" I looked at him like he was crazy and told him i never thought about it. So we end up sitting there looking at the side of the truck for a good 5 min in the parking lot debating if it would look better with them off. The truck is pretty much stock except for the tinted windows. I figure they dont do that much since i only drive to school and about 15 miles to work every day. What do you guys think?
I think its illegal in California to remove the mudflaps, but I think the tundra looks much better with them removed. BTW I removed mine, and I get a lot more crap all over my truck.
I think its illegal in California to remove the mudflaps, but I think the tundra looks much better with them removed. BTW I removed mine, and I get a lot more crap all over my truck.
I was going to say you are going to get a lot more crap along the side of your truck if you do. I have 285s that sit nicely in the fender wells and ther mud flaps catch all the mud and crap getting swung back. Plus I believe if you take them off, assuming you have the over fenders the truck would look like it is broken.
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2003 Tundra Imperial Jade TRD offroad Performance modifications
2.5 Camburg C/O w/ King 14" 600lb springs, Skidrow Automotive Skidplate
285x75x16 Goodyear Wrangler ATS, 16x8 Ivan Stewart Wheels
4.30 ring and pinion gears, Stock exhaust w/ Magnaflow 18" muffler, TrueFlow filter, Superlift TruSpeed Cosmetic modifications
Debadged, De-decaled and De-labeled sun visors
Pace Edwards Retractable Cover, Toyota Sport Grille
TRD radiator cap, TRD oil cap
RS 3200 Plus Upgrade Modification wishlist
TRD or JBA titanium headers
JBA or possible custom y-pipe
TRD supercharger
IPT valve body mod
Custom Offroad Bumper
Demello offroad sliders
rear disc conversion
Moonroof and power sliding rear window
Where does it ever end
take em off, you can always screw em back on. No harm done, just your time and labor. It's how you feel about it, stop worring about what others think.
keep them on, I had to take mine off from my 01 access cab because my tires would rub at full turn, but let me tell you they do protect more than we all think. Boy would it piss me off after I had just washed it really nice and there were water puddles up and down the streets from people watering their lawns or washing their vehicles, the tires would spit up everything and dirty the whole side of the truck, especially on turns. Keep them on. They are there for a purpose. Or not! lol..........it's your choice.
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2004 Tundra doublecab SR5 4x4, TRD package, 2.5" Swayaway/Racerunner coilovers, 18" moto metal 951c with Nitto Terra Grapplers, K&N filter, Wet okole front and rear custom seat covers, A.R.E. Bed cover, TRD 3rd brake light cover, custom viper alarm, Gold plated emblems. CPS Westin Bull bar, Westin Driving lights, polished Elliptical bumper grill.
Still to come: custom dash kit, JBA headers, exhaust,and eventually custom paint. And whatever else looks appealing!
Leave-em on, a year or two from now when your friends are getting their rear quarters repainted you’ll be happy. Sand and stones thrown up by the tires will pit and grind the paint off eventually.
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2005 Tundra 4X4 access cab.
K&N drop in filter
custom exhaust
Bazooka sub woofer (makes the stock JBL sound good)
LEAVE 'EM IN PLACE!!! The chance of the tires kick-up road debris is already present! Taking into consideration, how thin AND cheap (IMHO) Toyota paint is in general, you're only asking for trouble, by removing your mud guards!! Just take a look in the Tacoma forum, at how many complaints there are, about road debris ruining the rocker panels on several of those truck, to point of having to have them repainted!!! And... that's even WITH the mud guards in place!!!
Hmmm... come to think of it, maybe that's "why" Toyota put mud guards on their trucks, in the first place?!
__________________ 2004 SR5 Double Cab 4x4 w/TRD Pkg. Mods to Date:
16" 5 Spoke Brawn Enkei Wheels, Keyless Entry, Line-X Bed Liner, Challenger Running Boards, Husky Floor Liners, Bug Flector II (painted to match), Colegan Bra, Borla Dual (Side-Exit) Exhaust System, 2" Wheeler's Coil Lift, TRD Add-A-Leafs Mods to Come:
265/75/16 BFG A/T's, Possible Mods:
Seat Covers, 3M Clear Bra (hopefully... just cost so friggin' much!)
I had my 2005 DC off road package repainted by Toyota and I have only had it since October of 2004. Only 7000km on it. The paint is exterlely thin and Cheap. I have actually added larger mud flaps to my truck and am looking at full running boards to stop anything from hitting the rockers. Toyota did repaint mine and replace the rear fender flares as they were chipped up and they also 3m taped the entire rocker front to back. Looking at the truck with those large fender flares (off road pkg) I don'e even understand how debris gets by them flares???
Quote:
Originally Posted by TundrastruckDave
LEAVE 'EM IN PLACE!!! The chance of the tires kick-up road debris is already present! Taking into consideration, how thin AND cheap (IMHO) Toyota paint is in general, you're only asking for trouble, by removing your mud guards!! Just take a look in the Tacoma forum, at how many complaints there are, about road debris ruining the rocker panels on several of those truck, to point of having to have them repainted!!! And... that's even WITH the mud guards in place!!!
Hmmm... come to think of it, maybe that's "why" Toyota put mud guards on their trucks, in the first place?!
I had my 2005 DC off road package repainted by Toyota and I have only had it since October of 2004. Only 7000km on it. The paint is exterlely thin and Cheap. I have actually added larger mud flaps to my truck and am looking at full running boards to stop anything from hitting the rockers. Toyota did repaint mine and replace the rear fender flares as they were chipped up and they also 3m taped the entire rocker front to back. Looking at the truck with those large fender flares (off road pkg) I don'e even understand how debris gets by them flares???
I hear ya' (Ropegun_1) I bought the running boards for my DC, right from the start, for that VERY same reason... !!
Seems like you got a REAL DEAL out of this "paint issue"! Repainted... AND... 3M clear on all the rocker panels?! Your dealership must like you a WHOLE LOT!!!
That 3M clear bra is hopefully, in my NEAR future, for the entire front end of my DC as well as the rockers.
__________________ 2004 SR5 Double Cab 4x4 w/TRD Pkg. Mods to Date:
16" 5 Spoke Brawn Enkei Wheels, Keyless Entry, Line-X Bed Liner, Challenger Running Boards, Husky Floor Liners, Bug Flector II (painted to match), Colegan Bra, Borla Dual (Side-Exit) Exhaust System, 2" Wheeler's Coil Lift, TRD Add-A-Leafs Mods to Come:
265/75/16 BFG A/T's, Possible Mods:
Seat Covers, 3M Clear Bra (hopefully... just cost so friggin' much!)
Hey Ropegun, what kind of larger flaps did you get? I think the stock ones are pretty dinky and want larger ones...especially once I put on the BF A/T's which throw rocks like crazy. I've been looking for some and aside from the generic fit-all ones I haven't been able to find any I like from truck outfitters or Raven.
Take them mudflaps off the truck. That's my take on this subject. I personally think the Tundra looks cleaner without them and looks alot better. I go offroading with my truck and where I go there's alot of debris and rocks (Ocotillo Wells). And know what, I just look at the paint and the rocker panels of my Tundra just a sec. ago and it seems fine to me.
Hey Ropegun, what kind of larger flaps did you get? I think the stock ones are pretty dinky and want larger ones...especially once I put on the BF A/T's which throw rocks like crazy. I've been looking for some and aside from the generic fit-all ones I haven't been able to find any I like from truck outfitters or Raven.
The larger flaps that I added were an ABS type plastic (universal fit) as they don't make anything for these trucks yet and I wrapped them up under the fender flares and they also hang a bit lower than the factory ones. They in a sense add about an 1 1/2" to the flares. The repainting didn't come super easy, the dealer initially told me that they don't warranty rock chips. In my opinion this wasn't normal wear and tear so I sent a letter to Toyota Cananda and within a week the dealer advised me to bring my truck in as they were going to fix it. Can't wait fo the runnign boards though. I ordered the STULL full stainless board should look great (big bucks though). I will try and post a picture later.
Seems like most the folks saying leave 'em on are NOT from CA while those saying take 'em off ARE from CA. I think here in CA we are spoiled, not really much rain and mostly freeway driving. Those up north, or where it rains a lot, or where salt/sand is spread on the roads in the winter are wise to leave the mud flaps on. Seeing you're from Orange County, I say take 'em off. It looks better with 'em off, and being in CA you don't have as much to worry about if you take 'em off. /Mike
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2001 2WD Silver Tundra: 4x4 TRD springs, Daystar 1", Carson AAL, red/blue Bilsteins, 265/75 Revo's, IS kit(minus bumper) and rims(hand polished), RF851X amp, Alpine HU, JL 6.5"XR comps, Qlogic with JL 8W3V2 subs. 185k miles and counting......
2005 Silver Sienna LE with 12" Overhead DVD
Tundra Looks Better W/O Flaps?
Plus I believe if you take them off, assuming you have the over fenders the truck would look like it is broken.
Just take a look in the Tacoma forum, at how many complaints there are, about road debris ruining the rocker panels on several of those truck, to point of having to have them repainted!!! And... that's even WITH the mud guards in place!!! 
!!
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