Tesla OEM vs. RallyArmor mud flaps

[Wolfhausen]

The top is not clipped behind the fender trim.

 

[1plavs]

The top is not clipped behind the fender trim.

Before installing the mud flap I slid that part inside the trim and then added the screws afterwards. This is just how it ends up. I tried 2 sets of mud flaps and they all look the same way only on this side for some reason.

 

[Schulz1983]

Before installing the mud flap I slid that part inside the trim and then added the screws afterwards. This is just how it ends up. I tried 2 sets of mud flaps and they all look the same way only on this side for some reason.

Mine did the same thing. Ended up taking them off and putting the Tesla flaps on. Couldn’t get over that not sitting flush.

 

[jcanoe]

https://www.amazon.com/3M-VHB-5952-Automotive-Industrial/dp/B00MAQBPEM/

Amazon.com: 3M 4298 Adhesion Promoter, 3 Sponge Applicators: Industrial & Scientific

 

[1plavs]

I went through 2 sets and this ones from a different manufacturer even. I’m in SE WI and our winters are quite harsh.

My options are
-live with it

-Tesla flaps in front and 3rd part in back
(would that look weird). Here’s a pic of the ones in the back currently.

https://imgur.com/gmSnnsW

-Tesla flaps in front and ppf the rear panel area (not sure I like just flaps in the front though.)

-Rally Armor flaps

https://imgur.com/uw9nPQQ

 

[JerseyShoreMY]

Does anyone know why Tesla does not make an OEM rear mud flap? Might be the spray from the rear is not such an issue with the OEM finish trim.
As for the front, our OEM Tesla mud flaps fit with no gap. If there was a gap, we would have made the Mobile tech fix it.
See our prior photo of the OEM installed mud flaps on our MY.

 

[1plavs]

I ended up using some silicone and I kept it wedged for an hour. Turned out ok! Let’s see how it holds up.

I wonder how this will hold up with hot vs cold temps. I’m also wondering if I should do the same thing to the left side although that side isn’t having gap issues. the rear flaps seem fine.

I’m trying to avoid having debris and junk get underneath which will accumulate inside of the mud flap itself.

 

[suprax]

Anyone have this issue with their mud flaps and how did you make it sit flush?

Here’s what I tried with no success.
View attachment 693005

The Basenor brand ones which I have been posting comparison photos of in this thread, have a metal clip on each flap which secures very tightly the flap to the fender plastic. https://smile.amazon.com/BASENOR-Te...words=basenor+mud+flaps&qid=1628278262&sr=8-2

There is 0 gap on the flaps in that area and the metal clip is very secure, in fact it's difficult to remove the metal clip if you want to take the flaps off. I had to bend the clip in order to do so, and then bend it back after it's removed.

The Basenor flaps also don't have the large rectangle hole in them like many of the plastic clones do. It has a solid face.

 

[1plavs]

The Basenor brand ones which I have been posting comparison photos of in this thread, have a metal clip on each flap which secures very tightly the flap to the fender plastic. https://smile.amazon.com/BASENOR-Te...words=basenor+mud+flaps&qid=1628278262&sr=8-2

There is 0 gap on the flaps in that area and the metal clip is very secure, in fact it's difficult to remove the metal clip if you want to take the flaps off. I had to bend the clip in order to do so, and then bend it back after it's removed.

The Basenor flaps also don't have the large rectangle hole in them like many of the plastic clones do. It has a solid face.

Hmmm that is interesting. What about the rear bolt? Did you have to remove it? With these I didn’t.

 

[1plavs]

The Basenor brand ones which I have been posting comparison photos of in this thread, have a metal clip on each flap which secures very tightly the flap to the fender plastic. https://smile.amazon.com/BASENOR-Te...words=basenor+mud+flaps&qid=1628278262&sr=8-2

There is 0 gap on the flaps in that area and the metal clip is very secure, in fact it's difficult to remove the metal clip if you want to take the flaps off. I had to bend the clip in order to do so, and then bend it back after it's removed.

The Basenor flaps also don't have the large rectangle hole in them like many of the plastic clones do. It has a solid face.

In the long run I think I’ll either go with Rally Armor because they seem to have the best protection, but they’re just pricey.

 

[suprax]

Hmmm that is interesting. What about the rear bolt? Did you have to remove it? With these I didn’t.

Yes, I used WD40 and slowly removed them without issue. There's also an alternative method some use of slicing the plastic on the mud flap around the hole for the bolt, allowing you to put them on and only needing to remove the bolt just a tad, enough to slide the plastic under. But removing the bolts and installing both rear mud flaps took about 10 mins.

 

[1plavs]

Yes, I used WD40 and slowly removed them without issue. There's also an alternative method some use of slicing the plastic on the mud flap around the hole for the bolt, allowing you to put them on and only needing to remove the bolt just a tad, enough to slide the plastic under. But removing the bolts and installing both rear mud flaps took about 10 mins.

See I wouldn’t want to mess with that rear bolt so I will pass on those.

 

[ucsdsig]

See I wouldn’t want to mess with that rear bolt so I will pass on those.

FWIW, the bolt removal wasn't an issue for me. The bolt unscrewed easily.

 

[suprax]

FWIW, the bolt removal wasn't an issue for me. The bolt unscrewed easily.

Yeah mine went easily as well. Out of caution I just used WD40 and went a tad slower but in reality could have just unscrewed both of them in under a minute.

 

[MY2Ski]

This is the level of rear door damage I received before I was able to get the Amazon Mud Flaps and I replaced the front ones with the Tesla ones as soon as I could get them (~12k miles of which ~3k miles in snow). Also note that the front edge of the rear door was seriously eroded because it protruded slightly. The door alignment was the only issue that Tesla SC addressed and when they adjusted the door they also did some touch up paint to the door edge. The rear flare portion they said this was normal and did nothing. I got the PPF and touch up paint, but by the time I received them this is what I had, and at this point I felt that the PPF and paint will not help this level of damage. Most of the lighter streaks are clear coat/red paint damage that has not gone all the way through the red paint. My plan is to get a tough black trim strip applied from the door crease down on both doors and have it wrapped around the front edge of the doors. The commercial kits all have some setback from the edges and I feel I need full coverage up to and around the edge. The question is whether the mud flaps and the PPF will reduce the erosion enough to survive the next winter (and many more after that).

 

[SJROSSO]

In the long run I think I’ll either go with Rally Armor because they seem to have the best protection, but they’re just pricey.

Nice flaps for protection but horrible company to work with if you encounter any issues with their product. I find them to be quite snobbish.

 

[1plavs]

Nice flaps for protection but horrible company to work with if you encounter any issues with their product. I find them to be quite snobbish.

I mean I wouldn’t mind getting Tesla flaps up front, but it just looks odd to not have flaps in the back in my opinion.

 

[JerseyShoreMY]

I mean I wouldn’t mind getting Tesla flaps up front, but it just looks odd to not have flaps in the back in my opinion.

We have OEM mud flaps on our MY front only... looks and works fine.
No rear flaps since Tesla does not offer them.

 

[1plavs]

As an update on my previous reply, 2 posts above this one, I installed one of the Tesla mud flaps. I confirmed the difference in height off the ground, with the Basenor flap at 4.25" and the Tesla flap 2.5". This nets a 1.75" difference between the 2 brands of mud flaps. Interestingly enough, I can confirm what @jcanoe has found with his MY, in that the left (driver) side mud flap height is higher than the right side. On mine it's .25" higher.

The unlabeled photo shows how it looks with the Tesla mud flap up front and the Basenor one on back, and to be honest in real life you don't notice they are different unless you got down low and close. The other photos show how the flap looks from directly behind it, and then what the estimated spray area could be from rocks/debris under the front tire. If you compare that to the spray area of the Basenor mud flaps as seen in my previous post, it's quite the difference with the Tesla flaps greatly reducing how much of the door could be hit with stuff.

I'm going to stick with the Tesla flaps up front and likely keep the Basenor flaps on the back. I'm hoping we'll get some rainy weather soon so I can drive around and try to photograph and share the difference in the road crud that gets slung up between the left side (which still has the Basenor flap on) and the right Tesla flap side.

Did you end up leaving the Tesla OEM flaps up front and the amazon ones in the back?

 

[dduffey]

I tired OEM, Basenor, and A-Premium.

I ended up staying with A-Premium as it has the right balance of looks, price, and performance for us.