Back in August I purchased and installed mud flaps (the kind most of us have, like these -- at least I think that's the type most of us have).
I absolutely loved them. They looked great and they functioned well. In the three months I've had them on (and not having washed the car since), the sides of the car look much cleaner than a week or two without them before installing them.
I have an appointment starting tomorrow AM to get my car cleaned up and ceramic coated, so I figured I'd take them off so that they can clean and apply the coatings behind the mud flaps, then I'd reinstall them (I have a second pair of mudflaps because I mistakenly ordered two).
I have to say, removing them was one of the hardest things I've had to do on my Model 3 (and I've installed spacers, a spoiler, etc.). Those little clips that you use to hold them in place are an absolute pain-in-the-@$$ to remove, I actually hurt my elbow pretty bad in the process by slamming it against one of the wheels. They seem to be made for single-use, permanent attachment of the flaps. They don't work like the OEM ones where you pull out the center piece and the rest of it then comes out. These things are stuck in there real good. So there's no chance of reinstalling these if you take them off.
Secondly, there was so much dirt and mud behind the mud flaps (stuck between the mud flaps and the wheel well). I'm worried that this might cause corrosion. This makes me think that they should be removed occasionally to clean behind them. But no way to do that without completely destroying those fasteners and potentially damaging the wheel well liner.
So I had some thoughts... has anyone purchased a set of mud flaps that are easy to remove and re-install? Do they have better fasteners? I was also think that when I reinstall the new set, I might not use ANY of the fasteners and instead screw holes (you have to screw a hole in the font ones anyway). Unscrewing three screws on each mudfap would be a whole lot easier.
What do you think?
I absolutely loved them. They looked great and they functioned well. In the three months I've had them on (and not having washed the car since), the sides of the car look much cleaner than a week or two without them before installing them.
I have an appointment starting tomorrow AM to get my car cleaned up and ceramic coated, so I figured I'd take them off so that they can clean and apply the coatings behind the mud flaps, then I'd reinstall them (I have a second pair of mudflaps because I mistakenly ordered two).
I have to say, removing them was one of the hardest things I've had to do on my Model 3 (and I've installed spacers, a spoiler, etc.). Those little clips that you use to hold them in place are an absolute pain-in-the-@$$ to remove, I actually hurt my elbow pretty bad in the process by slamming it against one of the wheels. They seem to be made for single-use, permanent attachment of the flaps. They don't work like the OEM ones where you pull out the center piece and the rest of it then comes out. These things are stuck in there real good. So there's no chance of reinstalling these if you take them off.
Secondly, there was so much dirt and mud behind the mud flaps (stuck between the mud flaps and the wheel well). I'm worried that this might cause corrosion. This makes me think that they should be removed occasionally to clean behind them. But no way to do that without completely destroying those fasteners and potentially damaging the wheel well liner.
So I had some thoughts... has anyone purchased a set of mud flaps that are easy to remove and re-install? Do they have better fasteners? I was also think that when I reinstall the new set, I might not use ANY of the fasteners and instead screw holes (you have to screw a hole in the font ones anyway). Unscrewing three screws on each mudfap would be a whole lot easier.
What do you think?