Silverado Mud Flaps And Saving Your Truck

Sometimes, a pickup truck just doesn’t look complete without mud flaps. Those are the little panels that hang behind the rear tires. Depending on where you are from, they may go by a variety of names – mud flaps, mud guards, splash guards, splash aprons, etc. While the name may differ, the product is essentially the same. Some may be a little longer or shorter than another. Sometimes they bear the insignia of the truck they adorn, sometimes they have characters from pop culture on them. Yosemite Sam and Calvin seem to be among the more popular characters to have made this transition. Sometimes, you might see the silhouette of a lady on a mud flap. That is surely for the other drivers’ appreciation, and not for the pickup truck driver himself. If you are looking for Silverado mud flaps to deck out your Chevy pickup truck, you certainly have a wide variety of options to choose from.

Protecting Your Truck And Those Around It

Even more so than expression, mud flaps serve a useful purpose. Many pickup trucks, especially Silverados, have powerful engines that generate a lot of torque. They are useful for getting out, and staying out, of adverse driving conditions. These can range from places like mud holes, sand dunes, swampy areas and more. In order to get through and out of these sticky situations, these trucks have to literally power through the terrain and pull through to the other side.

In order to do that, they must disperse the mud underneath the truck. This will inevitably send the mud or other material flying out from under the tires at an extremely high rate. Without any kind of guard back there, this debris can go pretty much anywhere under and behind the pickup truck.

That may not seem like a huge deal, but these different terrains could have things like rocks and pebbles in them. When they are sent into the underside of the truck, especially at the high speeds generated by the truck’s tires, they could conceivably cause damage to the vehicle’s undercarriage. Any sharp object at a high speed can do some considerable damage to the undercarriage. While the vast majority of any debris thrown out from under the spinning tire will harmlessly splash around in the wheel well, any bit that could escape the safety measure of the wheel well needs to be taken into consideration.

Another thing to think about, when regarding the usefulness of these mud flaps, is that you may have pedestrians behind the truck, as well. For instance, say you decide to go out mudding or off-roading with some buddies one spring Saturday afternoon. You hit a hole that is deeper than you expect and you get stuck. It happens to the best, don’t worry. The most intrepid offroaders will typically have a truck winch that can pull your pickup truck out of the mud.

However, you might find that this is not the case. Your cohorts will then have to manually push your truck out of the mud. This is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. They will get behind your truck and push while you are behind the wheel. Naturally, as you are accelerating and maneuvering your truck to find the right traction, mud and other debris will come flying out from under the truck. You don’t want to cover your friends in this nasty mess. More so, there may be dangerous sharp rocks that can injure these people that are trying to help you.

How They Work

By putting mud flaps on your truck, you will greatly limit the amount of mud and debris that will come out from under the truck. This will not only keep your friends cleaner, it will also lessen the danger of sharp objects flying around back there.

Mud flaps are not just for the adventurous types. The United States is a diverse biodome with many different types of weather and climates. This country ranges from rainforest to desert to snowy mountains and back again several times over its massive landscape. Any one of these living and driving conditions can lead to adverse effects on your pickup truck.

Take snow, for example. Kicking snow or water up under your vehicle could potentially cause rust in the undercarriage. If you live in a desert climate, sand and dust could cause corrosion on your vehicle. These are not just eyesores, they will seriously depreciate the value of your truck, should you ever decide to trade it in. They can even compromise the physical integrity of the pickup and make it less safe on the road.

All of these potential pitfalls can be avoided by purchasing some nice Silverado mud flaps. They can be made from rubber, plastic or even metal. Rubber ones are probably the best, as they are more pliable and the easiest to clean off. These are the most commonly seen on pickup trucks and can be purchased virtually anywhere that sells aftermarket car parts. Plastic mud flaps are also a popular option for those that want custom mud flaps. These are often seen on trucks that have been lifted, as lifted trucks require larger mud flaps behind the wheels. They can be molded to fit any size or shape you want, as long as it is legal and road-worthy. Aluminum and stainless steel mud flaps are also available, although those are more often seen on big rigs and heavy duty trucks. They cost more than rubber or plastic, but are extremely rigid and easy to clean. Since they don’t move around much, if at all, simply taking a water hose or pressure washer to them gets them clean in a matter of seconds.

Types and Where To Find Silverado Mud Flaps

Mud flaps are a very common aftermarket item, as they are generally not included by the manufacturer. You can walk into any auto parts store, Wal-Mart or other retailer that sells auto parts, including here at McCluskey Chevrolet, and find a wide variety of them although you will most likely find rubber mud flaps as the most common selection. They can be had for a relatively inexpensive price, as well. The lowest will range from $10 for a set of the low end rubber mud flaps. However, you could also spend several hundred dollars on custom made stainless steel mud flaps, if you are so inclined.

Advancement in automotive technology, while usually reserved for interior features or engine designs, also extends to aftermarket products like mud flaps. Synthetic polymers have recently been used to create mud flaps that do not break, sail up or deform in extreme temperatures. Even these highly durable mud flaps can be had for less than $100, shipping not included.

Mud flaps are not an absolutely essential item. If they were, trucks like the Chevy Silverado would have them as a standard feature at all trim levels and body styles. They are, however, an additional help that can keep debris out from under the truck that wheel wells can’t always contain. As such, Silverado Mud Flaps can be had for a relatively low price and can be highly customizable for your particular pickup truck. You can add character and style to your truck, all the while adding security and safety for your own truck and even other drivers around you. No wonder they are one of the most popular after-market items for pickup trucks!