Thread: Melting Mudflap.

Mine only melted if I went over the speed limit LOL . I cut off the melted bit and it hasn't happened since. We drove 1200ks non stop a few weeks back with out any problems. Landrover told me they would just slow down and get my 9.87 litres per 100ks.
Mike

I understand it's only a problem if you're towing but I might be wrong

In our case we've only done about 5k so far in our 90 (LE MY13), that's a mix of highway and off-road - but none of it towing, and there's no sign of any melting going on.

I travel 140kms a day on the hwy - some of it at 110kms an hour.. the car has done 65,000kms and the mudflap has yet to melt.

never looked that hard at a 90 mudflap and exhaust..why the meltdown ..my 110 doesnt have that problem..both stick out the back..must be different I guess

to answer my own post went and took a pic of the def, now I see ..On a different tack my Suzuki had a out the side exhaust,when new.. but when I fitted new exhaust just ran it rear but inside the mud flap..is this a not possible with a 90? 2nd pic is the zook

Hi Guys,

Firstly, the problem is unique to Puma Defenders 90's, and then as Sue wrote not all of them. Secondly, its not a "dripping rubber" or "catching fire" melting at all, so it would cause no issues on long trips.

It is purely an aesthetic thing where it blackens up and deforms (on some cars quite a bit) with some pitting...

It appears to be a factor of the grade and consistency of the rubber used in the actual mudflap. My first set were rock solid and actually stayed bent (curved up) after a long drive at 110Km/h. Being in the exhaust flow all the time it did melt as described above. My second set (dealer replaced) was a bit better, but still not perfect as the alignment of the cut out was quite a bit different from the first set and it actual interfered with the exhaust's movement on its rubber mounts.

Couple answers:
Pickles, sounds like the later 2.2 have less issues (maybe better rubber?)...
Lagerfan, I tow very seldom and it still happens...
dawsey, yes (I've seen Td5's with this arrangement). The rear silencer is very close though and it will take some custom work...

Having looked at this and even considering an option like the Kahn vehicles (see previous post), I eventually opted for super soft 300Tdi 90 mud flaps as well as their brackets. Obviously UK mud flaps for a start don't have the ADR restrictions and 300Tdi didn't have cut out's in any case. The solution was to cut an slightly oval circular cut out in the flap as per the attached picture. The flap is now soft enough to bend at speed without getting all the way up in front of the gas flow, but the flap remains in place to do its intended purpose perfectly.

As with everything I don't suppose my solution is for everyone, but considering I bought 6 brackets (4 LHS and 2 RHS) as well as 6 mud flaps in the same fashion from John Craddock for $110 delivered, It's a perfect "out of warranty" solution for me. I bought them specifically for experimenting and this first set is by no means perfect, but I think the concept works and if I replace them again after the inevitable off road damage I'll do to them, it will be an easy fix...

BTW the bumperettes are Terrafirma and they are not compatible with any mud flap bracket (they don't tell you that on the web site) I've had to modify the mud flap bracket to suit, but I'll post separately on the install.

Cheers,

Lou

Originally Posted by Loubrey

Hi Guys,

Firstly, the problem is unique to Puma Defenders 90's, and then as Sue wrote not all of them. Secondly, its not a "dripping rubber" or "catching fire" melting at all, so it would cause no issues on long trips.

It is purely an aesthetic thing where it blackens up and deforms (on some cars quite a bit) with some pitting...

It appears to be a factor of the grade and consistency of the rubber used in the actual mudflap. My first set were rock solid and actually stayed bent (curved up) after a long drive at 110Km/h. Being in the exhaust flow all the time it did melt as described above. My second set (dealer replaced) was a bit better, but still not perfect as the alignment of the cut out was quite a bit different from the first set and it actual interfered with the exhaust's movement on its rubber mounts.

Couple answers:
Pickles, sounds like the later 2.2 have less issues (maybe better rubber?)...
Lagerfan, I tow very seldom and it still happens...
dawsey, yes (I've seen Td5's with this arrangement). The rear silencer is very close though and it will take some custom work...

Having looked at this and even considering an option like the Kahn vehicles (see previous post), I eventually opted for super soft 300Tdi 90 mud flaps as well as their brackets. Obviously UK mud flaps for a start don't have the ADR restrictions and 300Tdi didn't have cut out's in any case. The solution was to cut an slightly oval circular cut out in the flap as per the attached picture. The flap is now soft enough to bend at speed without getting all the way up in front of the gas flow, but the flap remains in place to do its intended purpose perfectly.

As with everything I don't suppose my solution is for everyone, but considering I bought 6 brackets (4 LHS and 2 RHS) as well as 6 mud flaps in the same fashion from John Craddock for $110 delivered, It's a perfect "out of warranty" solution for me. I bought them specifically for experimenting and this first set is by no means perfect, but I think the concept works and if I replace them again after the inevitable off road damage I'll do to them, it will be an easy fix...

BTW the bumperettes are Terrafirma and they are not compatible with any mud flap bracket (they don't tell you that on the web site) I've had to modify the mud flap bracket to suit, but I'll post separately on the install.

Cheers,

Lou

Brilliant, detailed post mate,...Thank You.
Not having our "90" yet?!!, I don't have a vehicle to compare with, but I like to sort out problems before I encounter them, if I can!
In your images, it looks as if the standard exhaust just about faces sqare on & almost touching, the rear of the mudflap?....Is this so?....'cause if it is, no wonder the rubber melts!!
Cheers, Pickles.

Hi Pickles,

It's not "proximity heat" that melts it as I don't think that part of the exhaust is actually warm enough to do so. You are however right that it faces squarely backwards and anything that should get in the way of the hot exhaust gas flow will have issues.

The OME LHS mud flap has a significant "cut out" in both the rubber and the metal bracket, so you really need to compare them next to each other to see the difference. Mine has absolutely no resemblance to the original arrangement any more as I actually think its the need for "stiff" rubber on the OME cut out that needs to maintain shape that caused the original issue.

Cheers,

Lou