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Mud Flap

Yahoo Message Number: 1611
We are leaving for Alaska in about two weeks. This will be our second trip there. On our trip in 2000 we had debris, mostly gravel all over the toad, piled up on the wipers, on the roof and even on the trunk.
We were the slowest rig on the road so it can't be attributed to speed. When we returned I read in the CC publication that CC travelers to Alaska should remove the big solid CC mud flap to help prevent this condition. They said the mud flap creates turbulence.
Have any of you tried removing the mud flap? If so did it help?

Paul S.
97 Intrigue

Re: Mud Flap

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1618
Paul,

I don't have any experience with the mud flap removed, but I will offer an alternative solution that may work:
The mudflap likely adds to the turbulence because it helps create the air vacumn directly behind the coach. That low pressure vacumn is constantly being filled from all sides, creating turbulence and "sucking" in debris from the TOAD's tires and the coaches tires.
That debris got airborne from the tires (TOAD and coach) and the smaller, lighter rocks and dust particles are swept into the low pressure area and collects on the wipers and windshield. My bet is that you get ALOT of small rocks & sand but didn't get any larger rocks (eg. the size of a nickel or quarter).

Removing the flap allows air from underneigh the coach to fill the low pressure air "void" and reduces the amount of air from elsewhere.
It will also allow the larger rocks to kick up onto the TOAD. In removing the mud flap, you may end up with a worse problem from the larger rocks.

I would look into the air deflectors you may have seen on the back of a Chevrolet suburban or Ford Explorer, above the rear doors. This deflector is forcing the clean air from the topside of the vehicle to fill the air vacumn. Alternately, a fabrication shop should be able to construct a nice deflector of Stainless steel that could be mounted using a good 3M Marine-type bedding compound (found in a marine store)to avoid drilling into the fiberglass cap. Heck, even a crude pc of plexiglass bent to shape and temporarily strapped in place with duct tape or bungee cord may solve the problem while your underway to AK.

BTW, I did have a 33' 5th wheel and periodically a gas can in the bed of PU would fly up and hit the rear slider window whenever I hit 70MPH! It was caused by this same air turbulence. I ended up buying a nice air deflector and the problem disappeared.

regards,
Bill

'95 Intrigue #10005

Re: Mud Flap

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1619
I had my mud flap removed by vandals ( not at my request) just before a 4000 mile trip, so made the trip without one. No turbulance in any situation, and not a mark on my toad.