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Mud on the Door Sills

The Edge

New Member
Feb 3, 2010
3
0
Mud Flaps and Dirty Door Jambs

Hi Guys!
I recently joined the family with my purchase of #765! I absolutly love the car and am driving it daily! I have noticed however that the door jambs really collect allot of dirt and debris because of the way the front wheels kick up mud and throw it under the door which is not sealed around the outside as well as the inside. Of course I am working on a weather proofing seal idea but don't want to make any major mods to the car. It would seem that by just enlarging the mud flaps behind the front wheels alot of this debris could be sheilded from entering the jambs. I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this or has retrofit another type of mud flap to their roadster? Or if Tesla has a fix for this?

Thanks!!!
 

vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
40
CA CA
... I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this or has retrofit another type of mud flap to their roadster? Or if Tesla has a fix for this?...

!

Edgy idea. It just might work!

Will it look like a truck though?
:biggrin:
120x90_502-mud-11x19-yosemite_sam-051903.jpg
:biggrin:
 

mt2

Member
Aug 29, 2007
552
4
Chicago Area, North Burbs
I'd actually be concerned about how much mud flaps would decrease mileage. Funny how I wouldn't think twice on a gasser. Maybe something like a mud deflector might be more efficient.

Still, I kinda like the idea of those chrome reclining nude silhouette mud flaps on a Radient Red Roadster ...
 

The Edge

New Member
Feb 3, 2010
3
0
Thanks guys! but seriously I was thinking wider not longer. Have you had the same issue with the dirty jambs? Any fixes?
 

mpt

Electrics are back
Oct 15, 2008
1,746
197
Warren, New Jersey, United States
Re: Mud Flaps and Dirty Door Jambs

I understand that they did have a solution in the past that caused problems so was pulled and that they're still working on the new solution.

My concern is the damage that's occuring to the leading edge of the body at the back of the door at the bottom, I'm looseing paint.
 

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vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
40
CA CA
I'm always the dirty one. I too heard that some owner or owners were working on a fix (a long ago post in the owners forum). That paint coming off problem is not funny.
 

Webbie

Rather Senior
Nov 7, 2009
47
0
Boulder
Tesla tried adding a rubber seal to the bottom of the door, but it caused closing problems.
Maybe they didn't get the size right. I'm thinking about temp-gluing on a rubber strip that I can get off it it jams (that'd be jamming the jamb, wouldn't it?).
 

vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
40
CA CA
Tesla tried adding a rubber seal to the bottom of the door, but it caused closing problems.
Maybe they didn't get the size right. I'm thinking about temp-gluing on a rubber strip that I can get off it it jams (that'd be jamming the jamb, wouldn't it?).

What about gluing on a brush type seal? It is not waterproof or air proof but it might cut down on the rocks, pebbles, and some dust gathering.

I don't see any closing issues with it either.

try
Brush products to provide solutions to industrial and weatherseal applications
specifically
Industrial brush materials manufacturer, custom brush company, rotary bristle, fda approved brushes - New and featured products from Sealeze Industrial Brush.
 

Doug_G

Lead Moderator
Apr 2, 2010
17,877
3,337
Ottawa, Canada
The Roadster is a great car, and drives incredibly well in winter weather... except...

I'm sure by now everyone who experiences winter weather is well aware of the mess you get on the door sills every time you drive the car. It's bad enough after a rain shower, but winter roads covered in snow, salt, and sand are a recipe for a gross mess!

This would be just a nuisance for cleaning the vehicle, except that it gets on your clothes. One little slip in the entry/exit acrobatics and your clothes are a mess, and it's all over the interior too. One of the main reasons we're not regularly driving ours in the winter months is my wife doesn't want to deal with that.

Probably a complete seal isn't possible, but surely we can keep the gross mud off the door sill. What we need is some simple weatherstripping along the inside bottom of the door.

This isn't rocket science. Let's all push Tesla to come up with a solution for this!

Doug

P.S. I can just imagine what the car on Tesla's home page looks like when you open the doors...

allweather.jpg
 

Jaff

Active Member
Aug 15, 2010
3,135
318
Grimsby, Canada
I can imagine it Doug...there's a huge amount of snow / slush on the sills...very difficult to get in & out without wearing some of it.

I second the motion about asking TM to apply some engineering to this problem...Kevin's idea of extra paint armour protects the car, but not the occu(pants)!
 

vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
40
CA CA
Long ago on the Tesla owner blogs someone hinted a fix was in the works. They made it sound like it was them doing the work outside Tesla.

A second rubber gasket at the door was suggested by another but I don't know where it went.

Also you have to be very careful cleaning off the small rocks that stick there or they will scratch the paint if you don't have the star shield there.
 

Jaff

Active Member
Aug 15, 2010
3,135
318
Grimsby, Canada
True, I'm hopefully getting the additional paint armour installed on the sills next week...the build up is such that it must be cleaned off, but you need a light touch to avoid scratching the paint.
 

dsm363

Roadster + Sig Model S
May 17, 2009
18,278
151
Nevada
What is the real name for the Tesla Paint armor (I'm thinking about having more installed as well)? Is it a 3M product?
 

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