Mudflaps?

[G4WFT]

I'll apologise now for this being probably a very daft question!

When I picked up my M3P I noticed that, along with the charging cable and 13A charging kit, it came with a pair of mudflaps. What, exactly, are you supposed to do with them? I presumed they were for fitting to the rear, as the front wheels already have flaps fitted, but the method of fitting doesn't seem obvious to me.

 

[Gatsojon]

I’m sure others with direct experience will chime in but I think they are little extensions for your front ones rather than rears.

 

[G4WFT]

I’m sure others with direct experience will chime in but I think they are little extensions for your front ones rather than rears.

Yeah, having now found some installation docs online from Tesla, I think you're right. Thanks.

 

[LongRanger]

yes they are extensions to go Scooby-style

 

[akenham]

They're the splashguards - they're very easy to fit:

1) remove the hard plastic mudguards and clean them
- held by 2 plastic clips (gently pry up the centre with a small screwdriver and they pop out)
and a 10mm bolt under the rocker panels. Turning the front wheels gives good access.
2) peel the backing off the double sided tape and hook the splashguards on to the top and press down firmly.
3) refit whole assembly

I fitted mine a week ago as I live down single track lanes in the UK (lots of grit/stones/mud at the edge of the road that you can't avoid) and I'd read of people having serious paint issues in scandinavia and canada.

However....

the splashguards scrape on the road extremely easily - moderate braking, small bumps and undulations in the roads, moderate cornering forces, having 2 adults and 2 children in the car. I can't imagine avoiding this even if you drive extremely gently on the smoothest of roads in the UK.

So in summary the splashguards don't seem well designed - I'm getting enough complaints from passengers that I'm going to have to take them off - possibly I'll attempt to shorten them before abandoning them.

 

[OneTinyFish]

How's your paint holding up, akenham? I live down a single track too.

Could you recommend a set of mudflaps? Wondering if I should order Tesla or go for a third party (in hope they arrive asap!).

 

[M3noob]

How's your paint holding up, akenham? I live down a single track too.

Could you recommend a set of mudflaps? Wondering if I should order Tesla or go for a third party (in hope they arrive asap!).

Torque Alliance. Good ones delivered fast. I drive up a track. I wouldn't be without them. Or PPF.

 

[MrBadger]

Big thread - Mud flaps on Model 3.. worth it? - some info is a little dated though - the high tech world of mud flaps moves at an astonishing rate

Many people went for the generic Chinese ones - not perfect, but cheap if they need replacement - take a couple of minutes each corner to fit - I think there are Mk2 ones now which solve the top fitting issue with the fronts. I personally think the rear ones are very good.

Also worth noting, at a price, these ones seem like a good long term bet Mud flaps on Model 3.. worth it? - Rally Armor

For PPF, Xpel do a 'lower rocker kit' that costs around £400 fitted.

 

[OneTinyFish]

Torque Alliance. Good ones delivered fast. I drive up a track. I wouldn't be without them. Or PPF.

Done. Got red coloured ones.

While there I also picked up some all-weather interior floor mats, anti-kick door protectors, an invisible armrest organiser, frunk/froot bag hooks and some 3m ppf strips for the door edges.

I've got an appointment to book with the local xpel detailer and will look at getting the lower sills, bumpers front and back protected with film (after fixing the dog bite damage!).

 

[akenham]

They're the splashguards - they're very easy to fit:

1) remove the hard plastic mudguards and clean them
- held by 2 plastic clips (gently pry up the centre with a small screwdriver and they pop out)
and a 10mm bolt under the rocker panels. Turning the front wheels gives good access.
2) peel the backing off the double sided tape and hook the splashguards on to the top and press down firmly.
3) refit whole assembly

I fitted mine a week ago as I live down single track lanes in the UK (lots of grit/stones/mud at the edge of the road that you can't avoid) and I'd read of people having serious paint issues in scandinavia and canada.

However....

the splashguards scrape on the road extremely easily - moderate braking, small bumps and undulations in the roads, moderate cornering forces, having 2 adults and 2 children in the car. I can't imagine avoiding this even if you drive extremely gently on the smoothest of roads in the UK.

So in summary the splashguards don't seem well designed - I'm getting enough complaints from passengers that I'm going to have to take them off - possibly I'll attempt to shorten them before abandoning them.

Reporting back on the Tesla "splashguards" (these are the gen 2 version which uses the plastic pop-in fixings not screws, fitted at delivery by tesla with the optional/additional rubber full length mudflaps provided in the boot).

I fitted the optional full length rubber mudflaps to my car as I live on rural (gritty/muddy) lanes but was subsequently unhappy about the scraping noises when I crested small bumps or cornered sedately.

Above, I said I thought I was going to have to remove them or shorten them as they scraped on the ground too often to live with.

Thanks to the lousy rainy weather I've not got round to doing it and the guards have sorted themselves out and the scraping has almost stopped except in extreme cases where I'd expect it - they still look fairly vertical but I assume they must now flex (or have curved enough) to avoid scraping.

I think I'll leave them as they are until spring now.

 

[Jason71]

Done. Got red coloured ones.

While there I also picked up some all-weather interior floor mats, anti-kick door protectors, an invisible armrest organiser, frunk/froot bag hooks and some 3m ppf strips for the door edges.

I've got an appointment to book with the local xpel detailer and will look at getting the lower sills, bumpers front and back protected with film (after fixing the dog bite damage!).

Not sure those are any different to the ones you get on ebay for £15 from China
Vehicle Front Rear Red Splash Guards Protection Mudflaps For Tesla Model 3 16-19 | eBay

There used to be European sellers for <£20 but looks like they have dried up. The colour match on the Blue and Red used to be pretty poor a year ago. hopefully improved.
I have some white and they are pretty good
BUT
They can be ripped off by deep puddles and damaged by speed bumps so be careful.
AND
They are a little tricky to fit. The back ones are fine but for the front I found I needed a file and some padded tape to prevent them from rubbing on the paintwork

Even with mudguards you will find the area in front of the rear wheels gets abraded. Tesla now sell a PPF kit for here funnily enough. Most cars with flared arches come with that as standard

 

[akenham]

I've got the PPF film kit for the area in front of the rear wheels - haven't fitted it due to weather - as you say, my old car came with this fitted from the factory so Tesla are slightly taking the mickey charging for it and not fitting it.

 

[OneTinyFish]

I really don’t want to drive the model 3 now until I’ve got at least the flaps fitted.

 

[Neilman]

I really don’t want to drive the model 3 now until I’ve got at least the flaps fitted.

Will you be going for "bone-flavoured" mudflaps?

(more for the dog to get its teeth into)

 

[OneTinyFish]

Perhaps an ultrasonic / sonic alarm positioned near to where you park the car. Sure it will go off every time you park, but at least it might catch said pheasants in the act and discourage them.

 

[Jason71]

I really don’t want to drive the model 3 now until I’ve got at least the flaps fitted.

I wouldn't worry too much. They don't come as standard and so 99%+ model 3's have survived this long without them.
I know you see a few horror stories from Norwegen and Canadian winters due largely to grit i think but they are the exception rather than the norm. You will be fine for a few days. If you think though that they will actually help keep the car clean think again.
Before and after pictures from last winter both after a journeys of 130 miles starting with a clean car

 

[akenham]

OK just to add to the mudflap confusion ...

Caveats:
- I live in the UK in a rural location and the roads are muddy/gritty October to March so I have some concerns about scouring the paint behind the front wheels, based on model 3 reports from Canada. I've no idea how whether my case is extreme enough to be a problem.
- If I lived in a city/town I wouldn't worry about it at all and wouldn't fit mudflaps based on my experience below...

My model 3 came from the SC with fitted "splashguards" and optional long rubber mudflaps. I fitted these and after some annoyance with them scraping the ground (above) they settled down and seemed to be keeping the car free of mud.

So far so good.

Went to wash the car yesterday and noticed one of the plastic fixings was loose.

Looking closer could see stuff in the gaps between car and plastic mudguard mounts. Took the flap off and it was completely full of mud/sand/water (both sides).

The issue seems to be that the drainage hole at the bottom is very small and the gap between wheel arch liner and the mudflap is very big.


Others have seen this problem: Tesla All-Weather Kit: The Correction Is Worse Than The Defect

I also think holding wet mud against the car is going to be worse than being scoured by it, although neither is great.

I'm torn as to what to do next (aside from asking Tesla, who probably don't have a solution beyond the flaps they fitted) - I could:

1. try to modify the Tesla flaps by enlarging the drain hole (and/or adding more)
2. try to seal up the top a bit more
3. fit third party flaps
4. just take the flaps off / hope for the best / repaint as needed.

I can't see PPF as a solution in this case - it would help on the face of the rocker cover but the edge that folds over the wheel arch liner in the direct firing line from the wheel would still get sandblasted and I very much doubt it would stay fixed for long.

I've had one previous car that had metal round the wheel arch and it got sandblasted down to the metal with a similar response to Tesla's historic position (not our fault). My wife's BMW has painted metal in that position too and so far has no serious problems after one winter - the paint finish might not be perfect anymore but it looks unbroken.

 

[Medved_77]

OK just to add to the mudflap confusion ...

Caveats:
- I live in the UK in a rural location and the roads are muddy/gritty October to March so I have some concerns about scouring the paint behind the front wheels, based on model 3 reports from Canada. I've no idea how whether my case is extreme enough to be a problem.
- If I lived in a city/town I wouldn't worry about it at all and wouldn't fit mudflaps based on my experience below...

My model 3 came from the SC with fitted "splashguards" and optional long rubber mudflaps. I fitted these and after some annoyance with them scraping the ground (above) they settled down and seemed to be keeping the car free of mud.

So far so good.

Went to wash the car yesterday and noticed one of the plastic fixings was loose.

Looking closer could see stuff in the gaps between car and plastic mudguard mounts. Took the flap off and it was completely full of mud/sand/water (both sides).

The issue seems to be that the drainage hole at the bottom is very small and the gap between wheel arch liner and the mudflap is very big.

View attachment 597722 View attachment 597723
Others have seen this problem: Tesla All-Weather Kit: The Correction Is Worse Than The Defect

I also think holding wet mud against the car is going to be worse than being scoured by it, although neither is great.

I'm torn as to what to do next (aside from asking Tesla, who probably don't have a solution beyond the flaps they fitted) - I could:

1. try to modify the Tesla flaps by enlarging the drain hole (and/or adding more)
2. try to seal up the top a bit more
3. fit third party flaps
4. just take the flaps off / hope for the best / repaint as needed.

I can't see PPF as a solution in this case - it would help on the face of the rocker cover but the edge that folds over the wheel arch liner in the direct firing line from the wheel would still get sandblasted and I very much doubt it would stay fixed for long.

I've had one previous car that had metal round the wheel arch and it got sandblasted down to the metal with a similar response to Tesla's historic position (not our fault). My wife's BMW has painted metal in that position too and so far has no serious problems after one winter - the paint finish might not be perfect anymore but it looks unbroken.

I have the BougeRV flaps and they also have gaps between the flap and the bodywork.

I filled the gaps using adhesive draught excluder. It sits softly against the paint work and stops muck getting in the gaps.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RKVKYFX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[akenham]

I have the BougeRV flaps and they also have gaps between the flap and the bodywork.

I filled the gaps using adhesive draught excluder. It sits softly against the paint work and stops muck getting in the gaps.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RKVKYFX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Excellent - I'll give that a try on the standard flaps. I think I've seen you mention this come to think of it.

What do you think of the BourgeRV flaps? Would you recommend or are you indifferent?

 

[Medved_77]

Excellent - I'll give that a try on the standard flaps. I think I've seen you mention this come to think of it.

What do you think of the BourgeRV flaps? Would you recommend or are you indifferent?

Can't compare the flaps to others but I'm happy enough with them. Main criticism is if you want to take them off, the securing pins disintegrate.

With the draught excluder, attach it to the inside of the flap about half a cm from the edge. That way when the flap presses and the draught excluder compresses, you don't get furry bits sticking out of the edges.