Splash Guards

[Bill #5 Explorer]

Has anyone ordered and installed the mud flaps accessory? What is the view on whether they are needed to protect the paint behind the wheels from splash/road salt, etc? I ordered front and rear 2011 Ford mud flaps at time of vehicle purchased February 3, Mud flaps arrived week of April 11 and installed today. Mud flaps are nothing special. They may be contoured to fit wheel well but appear to be like most other mud flaps. Dealer installed mud flaps without cleaning wheel wells first. very disapointed. Have pictures but not sure how to post.

Mud flaps are mud flaps. Why should the wheel wells be cleaned? Time for a car wash.

I like mine. Doing the job.

 

[FordService]

Has anyone ordered and installed the mud flaps accessory? What is the view on whether they are needed to protect the paint behind the wheels from splash/road salt, etc?

Hey hey- Explorer Owner! Glad to see you have your Explorer and are already looking into keeping it clean!

This post is a bit outdated, however, if you are still interested in the mud flaps, take a look at the following sites. We may carry mud flaps/ splash guards that will work with your taste. You can use your VIN on some of these sites to find items that fit your specific Explorer.

http://www.FordAccessoriesStore.com
http://www.FordParts.com

I hope you are able to find your mud flaps and maybe other accessories you are interested in. If there is anything else I can help you find, please feel free to contact me via PM.

~Seni

 

[pwscott]

So I called my dealer and ordered splash guards for my new 2012 Ex LTD. $49 for front and $49 for rear, all black, no logo they tell me.
I called the Service Dept to have them installed and they told me (1) hour for the fronts @$100 and (1) hour for the rears. I told them I would get hem installed elsewhere as I was reading in our online community that people pay ~~$100 or less to get them mounted at their dealer and to just transfer me to the Part Department. While I am on with Parts the service writer yells over to tell the Parts guy to tell me it turns out it's just a 1/2 hour for each....so I will get them installed there for $100. Glad I pushed back on that one.

 

[peterk9]

So I called my dealer and ordered splash guards for my new 2012 Ex LTD. $49 for front and $49 for rear, all black, no logo they tell me.
I called the Service Dept to have them installed and they told me (1) hour for the fronts @$100 and (1) hour for the rears. I told them I would get hem installed elsewhere as I was reading in our online community that people pay ~~$100 or less to get them mounted at their dealer and to just transfer me to the Part Department. While I am on with Parts the service writer yells over to tell the Parts guy to tell me it turns out it's just a 1/2 hour for each....so I will get them installed there for $100. Glad I pushed back on that one.

I can't comment on price. I asked and got mine provided and installed as part of the deal on the Explorer. I can tell you that the rear guards on mine do have the Ford oval on them with Ford written inside the oval.

Peter

 

[clay slayer]

My first post, just bought my first Ford, a 2013 Explorer XLT, very nice.

I purchased the factory set of front and rear mud guards and will be installing them myself. I'm putting the front ones on today and will get to the rear ones probably tomorrow when I have the time to jack it up and remove the wheels.

Anyway, the instructions say to use a phillips head to remove the two existing plastic screws on the inside of the wheel well. Well, they feel more like push rivets instead of actual screws because they will not back out as I use the phillip screwdriver to try and unscrew them...they just spin and spin.

Am I missing something?

Thanks for the help and glad to be here.

 

[Dr Plastic]

You just turn them with a stubby screwdriver. I did have two that did not want to come out so I just yanked them out. I was able to install the rears without removing the wheels. I installed them and blind drilled the hole from behind the flap instead of the front.

 

[edub]

your pushing to hard. if you have spun and spun them, they will not back out. get a sharp hook tool and pop the center out enough to grab with needle nose. if all else fails, yank em'!!

 

[clay slayer]

Yanking them out should be easy, but the instructions say I have to re-use these screws. Yanking them out won't strip them and make them unusable?

 

[peterk9]

My first post, just bought my first Ford, a 2013 Explorer XLT, very nice.

I purchased the factory set of front and rear mud guards and will be installing them myself. I'm putting the front ones on today and will get to the rear ones probably tomorrow when I have the time to jack it up and remove the wheels.

Anyway, the instructions say to use a phillips head to remove the two existing plastic screws on the inside of the wheel well. Well, they feel more like push rivets instead of actual screws because they will not back out as I use the phillip screwdriver to try and unscrew them...they just spin and spin.

Am I missing something?

Thanks for the help and glad to be here.

Welcome to the Forum clay slayer.:wavey:
I see you have had a few responses already. I have the splash guards installed as well but had them thrown in and installed free as part of the deal.
Good luck and happy motoring.

Peter

 

[clay slayer]

Problem solved, went to AutoZone and picked up a pack of new nylon rivets. The overall fit of the splash guards is very good, not perfect, but very good.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[peterk9]

I purchased a set of front/rear Ford mudflaps for my 14 Explorer; Limited. They fit fine and look good. Install was a bit of a hassle though. You have to remove the factory fasteners from wheel well trim pieces. There are some push-in type and metal screw ones. The push in ones have Phillips head plastic screw to be backed out for removal. Couple came out easy; others were "stripped" so would not back out. I ended up breaking them to get out.
The metal screw ones have a very small hex head on them. It is neither 6 MM or 3/16". No size I had any thing to fit. I ended up having to use a cresent wrench on each to get out and put back in. You also have to drill a 1/4" hole in each mudflap to install another supplied push-in fastener. This is drilled into plastic so not the metal body. Instructions say to remove the rear wheels to install back ones. You don't need to do this if you have a short phillips screwdriver and use a cresent wrench. I drilled the other hole from the back of vehicle, not from in the wheel well as the instructions show. At the front, there are supplied metal clamp clips for the metal screws in 2 holes each side. To put these on you have to pry apart the wheelwell trim to put clips in holes in metal panel. When you do this you almost will have to pull trim piece out far enough so that a metal clip comes out of its hole. It is a pain to get this clip back in the body hole. I ended up pulling the clip off the the trim piece so I could get it into the body hole, then pushed trim piece prong into clip. Not near as easy as the ones on the 13 Escape.
I posted 3 photos at:
https://plus.google.com/photos/105402747214194191986/albums/5967000196629203425?sort=1
Have fun.

Your title needs some work. I was curious as to why someone installed 14 mudflaps.
As indicated in my PM, I have merged your thread with this one.

Peter

 

[peterk9]

Here's my 2013 XLT and I installed mine without removing any tires!

Do your rear ones have the Ford logo on them. It is hard to tell from your pictures. Mine do.

Peter

 

[Dr Plastic]

Yes it is a raised Ford logo, in color.

 

[awake33]

I'm curious if anyone has put mud flaps forward of the rear wheel well? I'm more concerned with debris getting on the rear door panels when going in reverse than anything that might get onto the hard plastic trim behind the rear wheels.

 

[peterk9]

I'm curious if anyone has put mud flaps forward of the rear wheel well? I'm more concerned with debris getting on the rear door panels when going in reverse than anything that might get onto the hard plastic trim behind the rear wheels.

I don't think I've ever seen that setup. Most people don't back up fast enough to throw dirt and debris into that area of concern. The wheel also mainly sits inside the body panel. I believe the rear splash guard's purpose is more to prevent debris being thrown up onto the vehicle following you although it also helps protect the area behind it.

Peter

 

[Wildcat_1]

Splash Guard / Mud Flap Installation - OEM

All

Considering purchasing these and installing myself. Ford seems to have for $80 for both pairs but dealers wants $130 to install on top of parts !

So with that said, anyone installed the OEM guards and know how easy/difficult it is and what is needed (Pics and instructions would be great). Not overly DIY inclined so the simpler the better

Thanks

WC

 

[Wildcat_1]

Any one have pics

 

[peterk9]

I just installed the fronts this weekend. Fit is good but there is about an 1/8" gap at the top but they hug the contour of the plastic trim below that. Does anyone else have a gap at the top when looking along the side of the vehicle? I can't figure out how to close that up. Any recommendations?

Your question was answered in the other thread you also posted in;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306439

Will merge the 2 threads.

Peter

 

[Wildcat_1]

Thanks Peter for merging. So is this gap caused irregardless of dealer vs personal install and has anyone come up with a way to make this more snug or effectively close the gap ?

Thanks

 

[croll326]

2013 or 2014 ex sport slash guards

Looking for pictures with splash guards. OEM or something else?