Mud Flaps - anybody use them ?

[Jmart]

Thanks for the photos, they look great - I prefer the slightly more angular look of them. How well do they seem to be protecting your paint? Can't quite tell, but they appear to not stick out quite as far as the zl1 version.

Sponsored

 

[Mr. G]

I've had my ZL1Addons mud flaps for the better part of a month now, and they work really well! They actually seem to catch a decent amount of dirt/debris, and they look subtle enough that you can't notice them on first glance (you really have to look for them).

did you end up doing the rears without removing the tires? and install issues?
any hints to doing it this way.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Thanks for the photos, they look great - I prefer the slightly more angular look of them. How well do they seem to be protecting your paint? Can't quite tell, but they appear to not stick out quite as far as the zl1 version.

The fronts provide more "outward" coverage, and that design makes sense to me, the fronts are protecting more of the side of the car and have to account for the tire turning (that potentially could kick more debris up).

Most of my existing paint peppering you can tell would've been prevented had I installed these sooner. I don't have much, but what I do have is concentrated on the rear fender lip to about 1/2 out where these would definitely have protected.

I also don't have _nearly_ the dirt/mud/water being slung on the lower-front side and skirt area.

FYI, I'm running stock PP wheels with a 25mm/23mm spacer.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Thanks for the photos, they look great - I prefer the slightly more angular look of them. How well do they seem to be protecting your paint? Can't quite tell, but they appear to not stick out quite as far as the zl1 version.

A few more pics, specifically of the front, you can see how they have more coverage, how they mount:

 

[yomamma219]

So I got the full set of "Premium" ZL1 Rock Guards about 4 weeks ago. I installed the front ones right away since they are basically peel and stick. I really like the look of them as the plastic looks OEM and is really not noticeable on my black car anyway. They are definitely functional too. I especially noticed after I got my new wider wheels/tires I had to put the rear guards on as I was getting that rear fender *splash* and it stopped as soon as they were installed.

Unfortunately, about a week ago I noticed the driver side one was starting peel away in the middle of the adhesive 3M tape. The 3M tape wasn't peeling away from the body but rather the rock guard was peeling away from the 3M tape (so the 3M tape is still stuck on the fender). It is now basically being held on by the plastic trim clips only. I noticed this morning my passenger side is starting to do it also.

I am not trying to bash ZL1 in any way as it seemed like a good product from a very small company. Also I haven't called to see how their customer service is as I find making these calls annoying and tedious and generally hate doing it.

I was posting on here just to share the information and see if anyone else has had any similar problems or if anyone knows of a good solution. I am also now worried that the same thing will happen to the rear ones but I wont know until its too late because of how they get installed.

I am tempted to get some super glue and just put tiny amounts on the tape which is still stuck to the body and let that hold the flap to the tape.

Thoughts?

 

[OldKooT]

We have the ZL1 front guards also. They have only been on the car for 2 weeks (its a new 2017) but when installing them I did notice the tape was not pressed well against the flap. I installed them after letting the tape adhere with 75lbs of plate steel sitting on them overnight prior to installation.

My fix if it becomes a problem, is the same type of "tape" purchased from a auto body supply store. Followed by a bit more attention to adhesion when installing the replacement "tape"

We have a mile of gravel driveway, these have helped considerably keeping small stones off the paint.

 

[rs7337]

ive had the complete set of ZL1's on for a few months... they do work well even with 305/35/19 mt et street ss tires out back. no fitment problems here even with using a pressure washer to wash my car.

i do however wish they came felt lined so i dont have to hear the pebbles hitting them so much. i will be looking for a way to quiet them down

maybe several coats of rubberized undercoat???

Thoughts

 

[yomamma219]

Mine came with the tape preinstalled so I was somewhat surprised that it failed on the flap side. On the other hand the plastic is textured versus the smooth body worth so that doesn't surprise me as much.

We have the ZL1 front guards also. They have only been on the car for 2 weeks (its a new 2017) but when installing them I did notice the tape was not pressed well against the flap. I installed them after letting the tape adhere with 75lbs of plate steel sitting on them overnight prior to installation.

My fix if it becomes a problem, is the same type of "tape" purchased from a auto body supply store. Followed by a bit more attention to adhesion when installing the replacement "tape"

We have a mile of gravel driveway, these have helped considerably keeping small stones off the paint.

 

[yomamma219]

I am using the ZL1 "premium" version if you were ​asking me?

 

[LG23]

So I got the full set of "Premium" ZL1 Rock Guards about 4 weeks ago. I installed the front ones right away since they are basically peel and stick. I really like the look of them as the plastic looks OEM and is really not noticeable on my black car anyway. They are definitely functional too. I especially noticed after I got my new wider wheels/tires I had to put the rear guards on as I was getting that rear fender *splash* and it stopped as soon as they were installed.

Unfortunately, about a week ago I noticed the driver side one was starting peel away in the middle of the adhesive 3M tape. The 3M tape wasn't peeling away from the body but rather the rock guard was peeling away from the 3M tape (so the 3M tape is still stuck on the fender). It is now basically being held on by the plastic trim clips only. I noticed this morning my passenger side is starting to do it also.

I am not trying to bash ZL1 in any way as it seemed like a good product from a very small company. Also I haven't called to see how their customer service is as I find making these calls annoying and tedious and generally hate doing it.

I was posting on here just to share the information and see if anyone else has had any similar problems or if anyone knows of a good solution. I am also now worried that the same thing will happen to the rear ones but I wont know until its too late because of how they get installed.

I am tempted to get some super glue and just put tiny amounts on the tape which is still stuck to the body and let that hold the flap to the tape.

Thoughts?

Same exact thing happened to me- the tape began peeling off of the guard, not the car. It's pretty thick (had to hammer the 3 clips in when installing) and I saw it coming because of the surface the tape had to stick to.

I called John at ZL1 and he sent me more tape and 2 short and 2 long screws. He suggested I also heat the shit out of the tape onto the guard. I heated the new tape multiple times with a hair dryer and left it over night with 30lbs laying over it. Left it in the hot sun for a few hours too and pressed it down occasionally. It's on the car again and looks good so far- if it happens again I'm probably going to super glue it like you thought about or use those screws he sent and just forget about it.

Still pretty annoying, wish I just got the "non premium" guards...

 

[yomamma219]

I am wondering if on the premium ZL1 should modify the design a bit and give it a bit of a bend to match the contour of the mustang, or at least come close. I don't know what type of plastic they are but if anyone does do they know if it could be bent with heat like PC?

 

[LG23]

I am wondering if on the premium ZL1 should modify the design a bit and give it a bit of a bend to match the contour of the mustang, or at least come close. I don't know what type of plastic they are but if anyone does do they know if it could be bent with heat like PC?

They just need to make the surface better for the tape. That or just make it slightly thinner/more flexible. I know I can drill 1/8 and put those screws in but trying to avoid that- I think regardless the 3m tape at the edge will just eventually completely peel from the guard and just stick up collecting little gravel and dirt.

Still haven't done the rears and haven't seen if it uses 3m tape along the fender like the front but a bit hesitant now.

 

[Draklia]

I have an off the wall question. Seems like I've pulled my front wheel liners a couple of times already. I'm going to be puting a stereo system in and am planning on routing the amp power through the firewall behind the passenger front wheel well cover. Are these rock guards bonded to the wheel well liner or the steel fender flanges? Just curious if it makes sense to install them after my stereo job. Or do they allow for the liners to be removed without messing with the tape on the guards, if that makes sense.
Thanks.

 

[LG23]

I have an off the wall question. Seems like I've pulled my front wheel liners a couple of times already. I'm going to be puting a stereo system in and am planning on routing the amp power through the firewall behind the passenger front wheel well cover. Are these rock guards bonded to the wheel well liner or the steel fender flanges? Just curious if it makes sense to install them after my stereo job. Or do they allow for the liners to be removed without messing with the tape on the guards, if that makes sense.
Thanks.

The tape is on the fender only. The bottom of the guards clip in to the wheel well liner with the 3 factory plastic push pins.

 

[Souldriver]

Tried installing the front zl1s today. It spent most of yeterday outside in the ipdegree heat with some weight pushing the tape dosn. The passenger side had the tape in the wrong spot so theyre sending me a new one. Its sucks bc it was way off but only noticable once it was tabbed in

Driver side was much better but the tape pokes out little on the bottom. I plan on cutting this off.

Im surprised how much sand and grit is in those plug holes and in the little cracks and crevices. Speaking of the plugs i really really needed to smack them in with a rubber mallet.

Sponsored