Hi Christian,
You wrote:
>>I'm looking for mudflaps to mount behind the pickup to protect the trailer
>>on gravel roads. Started off looking for those old "Idaho - the Gem State"
>>flaps, but there are none to be found. Have located two kinds that fit over
>>the stinger on the receiver hitch, one called "Rock Solid" (I think) and one
>>by RoadWings. Rather pricey, especially the latter. Anyway, I'm wondering
>>what other options might be available, or if you've had experience with
>>either of those brands.<<
You may or may not have heard this, but there are mudflaps and then, there are
mudflaps. As for
protecting the trailer on gravel roads, I quickly found my best efforts were sadly
lacking. Two
months in Alaska on gravel roads and traveling the detours while major highways were
being repaired
(always in progress after the frost heaves are identified each Spring) convinced me
that I'm not as
smart as I sometimes think I am.
Here's my unscientific take on what I suspect occurred during our mudflap saga. The
actual physical
dynamics may be described differently by others, but the end result was undenyable
when I looked at
the front of my trailer.
Those little, flat, gravel stones with razor sharp edges can actually fly (like
skipping stones over
the water) when kicked up by the tires on my truck. Plus, they can be maneuvered by
the draft of
wind behind my truck. How's that for pie in the sky thinking? That's only the
beginning.
Every day in Alaska, there was sufficient constancy of wind draft behind our truck to
aim those
little exacto knife stones directly at the front of my Airstream. Some stones were
more maneuverable
than others and could actually gain altitude as they were drawn like magnets to my
stone shield
where they imbedded themselves.
Then, there were the stones kicked up by the big trucks coming at me from the opposite
direction.
Their contribution was even better. These already launched gravel missiles were then
caught by the
upward and sideward wind draft from my truck. Those little buggers were exceedingly
maneuverable and
had a much longer flight path - directly into the side of my Airstream or even into
the windshield
of the vehicle following us too closely.
Because I'd heard about this phenomena before we went to Alaska, I had cut up pieces
of clear
plastic carpet (the kind with the little nubs on the bottom side) and taped them over
the windows on
the street side (carefully so as not to get tape on the aluminum skin).
Two months of heat and rain and cold is a long time for duct tape to hold, so by the
eigth week, one
piece had come loose and I blithely took off that piece of plastic carpet. Bad move.
On our last
day, one truck sent up a particularly intense squadron of flying gravel. Among that
group one was
one suicide pilot who crash landed directly into the recently uncovered window.
Eventually, I found
another window and replaced it ($300). The lesson learned comes back to the surface
each time I
start having a cavalier attitude about preventative maintenance. That faux pas will be
with me
forever.
What will I do differently next time? At least three things (probably others):
1 - more than one set of flaps behind each rear wheel (staggered),
2 - each flap will extend at least a couple of inches wider than the outside edge of
the side walls
on the rear wheels and
3 - a full width (no gaps) flap directly under the rear bumper and almost scraping the
macadam.
Bottom line. Even the cheap, flimsy mudflaps will do fine around town. If I plan to
travel in an
area where the gravel is round or has soft edges, then even the moderately costly,
more substantial
mudflaps will do fine.
But, if I plan to travel extensively where sharp edged gravel is the norm, then even
the most
sophisticated system may not protect me. When that concept (the last sentence) was
floated by me the
first time, I passed it off as nonsense. After all, I was a hot shot bright guy who
could figure out
anything and could create better solutions than even the most seasoned of travelers.
Wrong! Dead
wrong! When we go back to Alaska again, MAYBE I'll get it right. But, good enough
isn't.
Christian, it's your turn. Play with the concepts I've clumsily described and whatever
materials are
available to you. Who knows, you may come up with a winner. Show us your Airstream
when you come
back from Alaska. You are going to Alaska, aren't you? That Airstream of yours has got
to go to
every state in the Union. Part of being an Airstream owner is going everywhere, doing
everything and
having a lifetime of wonderful adventures to show for it. You knew that!
Terry
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