Fix For Flaps or "Raise the Shields, Mr. Chekhov!"

[ARCHINSTL]

This tip is not exactly up with the "A" Series opus of gatemaster or Typrus' Webery Weave, or some of takza's stuff, but anyway...

I removed the 4 mudflaps with the idea of painting them (which was discarded when I realized how flexible they really were). I then discovered the buildup of wet crud behind the flaps and a couple of small perforations behind the left rear flap at the bottom of the panel. I removed the crud and sprayed Rust Reformer in the affected areas and also patched the perforated area.
Apparently the perforations occurred because a sealing plug had fallen out and permitted water to be kicked up into the "tool well." Fortunately, the car was from Nashville, where apparently salt is not used on snowy or icy roads, so damage was minimal. I had already replaced the many missing plugs with variously-sized rubber stoppers from Home Depot.

Someone had recently asked "...that since the 4WD has a protective shield on the right side wheel well under the filler tube, does the 2WD have the same under its filler tube, which is on the left side?"It seems that the shield probably saved the right side from its sibling's perforation. So - I just cut a protective shield from a disused large Tupperware lid and slid it under the flap's mounting screws, further secured it to the OE fender liner with Liquid Nail, and sprayed it black.

While examining the flaps, I noticed that they were reinforced under the mounting holes with a steel strip which was molded into the flap. These strips were rusty and quite corroded and had swelled the material quite a bit and permitted the flaps to pull away from several of the screws.
I then slit the flap, removed the strip and substituted one similar, but made from aluminum, which should eliminate the problem.
The strips were secured with Liquid Nail.
A caveat, however: The successful removal of the strips is really not as easy as one would think.
I would not think these flaps would survive on too many junqueyard queens.

A plus and a result is a final finding for four firmly fixed flexible flaps finely fitting fender flares ...
I would also suggest spraying the Rust Reformer into the big holes on the inside of the rear bumper and then sealing them with duct tape and spraying over that. I also used roofing cement on several smaller holes which could permit water and salt to penetrate.

Again - small suggestions, but anything helps, right?
Tom M.

[takza]

I use one of my favorite materials (not)....fibered roof cement...asphalt. I just bed the flap in a thick layer of this goop. Then after it is bolted down...I run a bead of this stuff from a tube of the same...along the gap between them and the body...then smooth it out with a finger. Beleive it or not...after it dries it can be painted...with latex house paint at least.

For any enclosed areas I use old ATF....spray (stream) it in there...close it up.

For a decent car with decent paint...best bet would be a thick bed of paintable caulk of some type?

But first some high quality primer on any rusty spots...after cleaning up the rust? By high quality I mean paint that costs at least $25 a qt.

These are just my methods found by trial and area...rust is a real danger here in Tibet you know.

[2manytoys4menow]

I had to take the mud flaps off my 84 because of the same rust issue . Luckily my car doesn't have any noticable rust but man the mud flaps were toast . I have yet to find a decent set at the bone yard so I thought I would make some out of some diamond plate aluminum . Give the ole terc some bling bling .

[takza]

I'm going to try making some for my truck out of scrap tire sidewalls...just need to avoid the steel belts. Going to try that is.