Finding the Right Mudflaps for your Truck

Many truck owners take extra steps to protect the looks and integrity of their dream vehicle. When you are worried about the smallest knock or blemish, these steps can be worthwhile since they can preserve the exterior quality and value of the truck altogether. While many people pay particular attention to body plating, if you don’t have a large budget to work with, something smaller might be the better option. For example, a good set of Colorado or Silverado mudflaps is always a great investment to keep your truck clean.

Mudflaps are the type of accessory that goes unnoticed while playing a crucial role in making your truck look great. By deflecting the dirt and mud your tires can kick up in poor driving conditions, the mudflap keeps the exterior cleaner.

What kind of mudflap should you buy? That is the million dollar question. Here are a few important considerations to think about when finding the right type of mudflap for your Chevy truck.

Why A Mudflap

A piece of plastic dangling behind your tires doesn’t look like it would do that much to protect your truck from long-term damage. While looks may be deceiving, a premium, high-quality mudflap actually does more than just keep the exterior clean in muddy conditions.

At the most basic level, a good mudflap deflects the dirt and debris away from your truck. As tires kick up more debris while driving on dirt or muddy roads, this debris can dirty up the exterior of the truck. If these driving conditions last for a long time, there could even be long-term wear and tear on exterior body panels from larger rocks and chunks of mud.

As a result, a set of mudflaps deflects the majority of this debris. In the long run, you will keep your exterior looking nice and free of major blemishes. Good mudflaps can also increase the visual appeal of the car, especially if you’re looking for a beefy, off-roading look.

Purchasing Considerations

Not all mudflaps are the same. While you can easily find some great budget options out there for your Chevy truck, premium Colorado and Silverado mudflaps offer more durability and customizability in the long run. High-quality mudflaps will do a better job of deflecting debris to protect the truck’s exterior and undercarriage.

When you are looking for a set of mudflaps to purchase, there are a few things you should take into account. First and foremost, all trucks are different and require different sizes of mudflaps. Even the difference between a Silverado and Colorado is enough to warrant making sure you have the right mudflap for your particular truck. Second, ground clearance will also play a role in the length of the mudflap you need. More ground clearance usually requires a longer mudflap to provide adequate coverage.

The length for the mudflap will help keep more debris from hitting the exterior of your truck. If you have a lifted truck or higher suspension, you’ll need a longer mudflap to provide this adequate coverage. Ideally, the end of the mudflap should be around the midsection of the tire. If you have larger tires, you will also need a longer mudflap to hit the spot.

The width of the mudflap is also important. Just like the length, the width will determine how much debris it can adequately deflect at any given moment. The type of tires you have will primarily determine the appropriate width of the mudflap you purchase. Ideally, the width of the tire and mudflap should be fairly identical.

Different Materials

Finally, you should think about the different types of materials mudflaps often come in. Different materials will provide different degrees of flexibility, durability, and performance. Some will be more budget-friendly than others as well.

For heavy-duty mudflaps, something made of tough polyurethane can be a good way for adequate debris deflection at an affordable price. Polyurethane is more flexible than harder materials, so the mudflap can bend and twist with the vibrations of the truck as it drives along rough roads.

For the ultimate amount of durability, something made of metal is the preferred option. Being more rigid, a metal mudflap will survive more abuse than common plastic and polyurethane versions. They tend to be more expensive and can be harder to install depending on the type of truck you have. Traditionally, support bracing is used to keep the metal mudflap from damaging the surrounding areas of the truck while in motion. Some support braces actually make it easier to attach and detach compared to polyurethane mudflaps.

Buying A Chevy Mudflap

If you want to know the mudflaps you purchase will work with your truck, the best route is to check out the mudflaps we sell here at McCluskey Chevrolet. We have a number of Chevy-oriented mudflaps for all of the trims of the Silverado and Colorado lines. We can even find special mudflaps of different lengths and widths to accommodate commercial and off-roading variants of these models.
Best of all, we make purchasing new Chevy accessories and parts easy. You can check out our website or come to the dealership to see what we have in stock in person, or even order your new Silverado mudflaps over the phone. If there is something we don’t have in stock, we can quickly order and have it delivered right to the dealership in a short amount of time. Our service staff is also on hand to help you if you don’t know specifically what type of mudflap or other accessories you need for your Chevy truck.

We can even help you if you do not have a Chevy truck. Our service staff does more than just Silverado mudflaps, and is familiar with a wide variety of different truck brands, manufacturers, and models. They can quickly take a few measurements for your ground clearance, tire size and width, and suspension height to see which mudflaps would work perfectly for you and your vehicle.

Come on down to the McCluskey Chevrolet dealership today to see how we can serve you and your automotive needs. A great set of mudflaps is waiting for you and your truck