You have likely seen SUVs and trucks with mud flaps on the back tires before. Have you ever wondered if your SUV needs them?
Having mud flaps on your SUVs rear tire can be a great addition to your vehicle that helps it last longer. But, is it necessary for all SUVs to have them on the vehicle?
Although mud flaps are not required on SUVS, you should install them because of the many protections that they provide while you are on the road. They help prevent debris and dirt from getting to the important parts of the vehicle, keep all rocks and gravel from hitting the vehicle, and keep the frame from getting rusted from water hitting it.
If you don’t know how much these mud flaps can do for your SUV, keep reading, as we will discuss the positive effects mud flaps can have on your vehicle.
We will also give you some more information about the different types of flaps and how to choose the right one for your SUV.
What is a Mud Flap?
For those who don’t know exactly what a mud flap is, it is a rubber or plastic piece that is attached behind the rear wheels of a vehicle to protect the undercarriage of the car while also keeping mud and dirt from getting all over your wheels.
You will normally see plastic models on smaller cars because they don’t require as much movement as larger vehicles and the plastic material is durable enough to protect a car.
It is more common to see rubber mud flaps on large trucks because the thin, flexible material covers more area and fly upward so they don’t hit to tires while at high speeds.
Benefits of Having a Mud Flap
There are several reasons why installing a mud flap on your SUV will benefit your vehicle.
From helping the tires to stay cleaner to keep the frame of the car intact, having a mud flap is always better than not having one!
So, here are some of the major benefits that come with using a mud flap on your SUV.
#1 Protects Undercarriage
The undercarriage of the car has sensitive areas that, if hit, will affect your car. If a rock were to strike the gas tank, you might end up needing to get a tow home!
This could be a terrible thing that will cause you to have to pay a good chunk of money to have it fixed. Having a mud flap can help protect your vehicle’s undercarriage from these types of incidents by being a barrier.
This will keep the underside of your SUV and all its sensitive areas safe from damage and provide more protection from large particles that are in the road.
#2 Saves Your Paint
When you are driving, rocks and particles on the road can fly up and chip the paint around the bottom of the car. If you take a look at the paint around your tires, you will likely find that there are small areas where the paint has been chipped away.
This can be prevented by having mud flaps on your rear tires that keep the rocks or pieces of gravel from hitting your car and chipping off the paint.
Over years of owning your SUV, you could begin seeing larger and larger sections of paint being chipped off, and you will eventually want to fix the area with a touch-up paint job.
This will cost you money that you shouldn’t need to spend. Having a mud flap doesn’t cost much and can help save you more money in the long run.
#3 Low Cost Option
Getting your SUV fixed or painted by a professional will cost you a good chunk of change, but buying mud flaps only costs a few bucks. They will protect your vehicle in multiple ways and help save you money down the road.
As a low-cost option, even people who are on a tight budget will be able to afford them and provide more protection for their vehicles.
Also, because the materials that these mud flaps are made of are long-lasting and durable, you will not have to purchase a replacement pair for quite some time. This makes them a good value choice that will last a long time so you don’t have to spend money on replacing them often.
#4 Prevents Rust and Corrosion
Much of a vehicle’s body is made up of metal parts, whether they are in the engine or the exterior of the car. Because metal is prone to rust, it can be a major issue when water, snow, and ice come in contact with those parts.
If your SUV has mud flaps, then you can help save your car from having to deal with rust or corrosion from weather conditions. The flaps will help keep water, ice, or snow from getting under the car and rusting any of the metal.
This will make your car more durable and keep all the parts on the vehicle strong and sturdy. This will also help to fend off corrosion that is caused by water and moisture.
#5 Protects Your Tires
Your tires take on a lot of stress when you are driving, and keeping them in the best condition possible will help them last longer and will save you money. Tires are not always cheap, and you will need to eventually replace them, no matter what.
So, it is in your best interest to keep your tires well taken care of. However, you also need to ensure that the wheel well is in good shape as well.
Having mud flaps on your tires will provide protection for your tires from particles in the road, especially for those who live in rocky areas, and it will also act as a barrier between the rear tires and the wheel well.
This will give your tires and wheel well better protection so they are not damaged by something in the road flying up and hitting them. As a plus, they also help to keep your tires cleaner.
Should Your SUV Have Mud Flaps?
Overall, it is a good idea to have mud flaps on any vehicle to help give you extra protection while you’re on the road.
However, if you go off-roading or live in an area where the roads are rocky or made of gravel then you should absolutely purchase mud flaps for your SUV.
This will save your SUV from unwanted damage to multiple areas of the vehicle while also keeping your tires from getting popped by a large rock or piece of gravel.
Your tires and undercarriage are more likely to get damaged in these types of areas, so you want to have extra protection as much as possible.
However, even if you don’t live in an area where you think you would need mud flaps, they are still a good thing to have on larger vehicles.
With the protection they provide for different parts of your SUV, you can save yourself a lot of money on repairs and touch-ups just by having these simple mud flaps.
Types of Mud Flaps
There are two main types of mud flaps that you can purchase for your SUV. The first is a plastic option that is more solid and rigid. These are typically used for smaller vehicles like sedans because they don’t require as much coverage.
Also, the plastic material could get caught in large tires while driving at a high speed, so this is often designed only for smaller vehicles. If you have a small-sized SUV that doesn’t need much coverage, then this might be a good choice for you.
The other type of mud flap is the rubber option that is commonly seen on semi-trucks and large trailers. These offer more movement so that the flap flies out of the way of the large tire.
This keeps the flaps safe from getting torn off when hitting the tire, and they are super easy to clean. They are also waterproof so if you choose to hose off your SUV, you can clean the mud flaps at the same time.
Final Words
If you have an SUV and have been wondering if you should add mud flaps to the back, you should know that it is a great option for you that will offer better protection for your vehicle and tires.
They are easy to clean and are not an expensive addition, so you will not have to fork over a handful of money.
SUVs can come in different sizes, so you will need to decide if you need the plastic or rubber option of mud flaps. This decision should be based on the size of the SUV and shouldn’t be a tough choice to make.
Having mud flaps on your SUV is always a good idea, and when you have the right material option installed, you have the protection that your car needs.
If you have noticed any paint chipping, damage to the underside of the car, or rusting metal parts, then it might be time to get mud flaps to help prevent further damage.
