Mud Flaps / Splash Guards / DIY Pics

[JDraper]

It is an easy install. Just need a drill, a pair of needle nose pliers, a phillips screwdriver and a flat screwdriver. Fronts can be done without removing the wheels (just turn the wheels to lock) but the backs require wheel removal unless you have a 90° drill and screwdriver.

 

[Jrister24]

I purchased the slash guards & tried to install them myself. I have installed several items on several cars so I'm not a novice. The fit on my splash guards is horrible! The drivers front looks good but the passenger side has about a 1 inch gap between the guard & my truck. I also couldn't even get the splash guard to connect on the bottom. It almost looked like more an issue with the existing trim on my explorer rather than the splash guard. The bad thing is I already drilled a hole for the driver side guard, so now I'm driving around with 1 splash guard all red-neck style! I got so frustrated I didn't bother with the rear yet.

 

[rescue_31]

I installed mine today. Did in my drive way, with just simple hand tools and a 90 degree drill, just so i didnt have to remove the rear wheels.

Fit and finish is perfect, they hug the trim molding perfectly, i have one that has about a 1/16" gap on the drivers rear. Other than that they are perfect.

 

[paulfrank285]

I installed mine today. Did in my drive way, with just simple hand tools and a 90 degree drill, just so i didnt have to remove the rear wheels.

Fit and finish is perfect, they hug the trim molding perfectly, i have one that has about a 1/16" gap on the drivers rear. Other than that they are perfect.

good to know. by the way, what kinda "fasteners" you used? do the splash guards come with any "fasteners", screws? i just wanna see if there anything i can use to avoid any rust in future.

 

[rescue_31]

the fronts come with 2 screws and clips that they screw into, and you reuse 2 pieces of plastic hardware. The rears you reuse the screws that are there, the one plastic molle plug, and then drill hole for a plastic push pin.

 

[karipay]

Thinking of putting guards on mine. Do you need to have a special tool so you can install it without removing the wheels?

Thanks!

 

[JustB_Rad]

Thinking of putting guards on mine. Do you need to have a special tool so you can install it without removing the wheels?

Thanks!

You just need something thin (like a pick) to get the plastic anchors out. The center slides out, and then the anchor comes out after that.

 

[SilverBack14]

Thinking of putting guards on mine. Do you need to have a special tool so you can install it without removing the wheels?

Thanks!

If you are not drilling the extra hole per the instructions, a short screwdriver works here. My issue was the screw just turned w/o backing out. On the rear you can reach behind and squeeze the wings together to make it grab but the fronts I had to destroy 2 of them in the front to remove.

LOVE the way the splash guards look!

 

[rammer72]

I drilled the fronts Ford splash guards by just turning the wheels.
Drilled the backs without removing the wheels by marking the new hole location with a pushpin through the plastic and drilling from the rear.

I must admit that I am not really pleased with the fit of the fronts. Maybe I need to do some adjusting but they dont seem to match the plastic body moulding close enough for my liking. The rears fit much better.

 

[Shomare]

Mud Flaps / Splash Guards

I am attempting to install mud flaps (OEM) and there are several plastic retainers that need to be removed and reused.

I've encountered these before and they are fragile. I can usually turn the plastic philips head out of the other plastic washer like bit, but these won't budge.

I'm afraid that I'm going to damage them beyond use. It would be a lot better to have some spares around to replace them.

Anyone know where I can get some!

 

[JDraper]

Any parts store will have them. They're a common repair item.

 

[Shomare]

Couldn't find them at auto parts store but I did find them at lowes.

Thanks for the tip. Install went easy after the first fender. They were kind of gummed up but the rest came right out.

 

[KarmanExplorer]

Installing 14 mudflaps

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.

 

[mctee]

I installed my mud guards two weeks ago.
That hex head is 5.5mm and the machine screws work like a charm if you have the right size socket. That size might be a Canadian thing...

I think all of the Ford accessories i have purchased to date come with very clear instructions. I took a looks that the mud guards and went to local auto parts and bought a few extra of those 8mm push pins as they ALWAYS seem to get damaged.

Last week I installed the Ford 2" trailer hitch. (don't ask why I did not factory order...)
This took me a full 8hrs as I took my time and was being very careful not to break any plastic clips or scratch the bumper cover. Plus I have limited auto body experience.
Well worth the effort as the install looks 100% "factory" and the hitch comes with the two plastic bumper cover pieces and again clear instructions. All of the 3rd party hitches have approx a 4" drop and the receiver sits below the bumper cover.

Having a second set of hands, particularly if they have some experience on bumper cover removal, would have helped. I guess I saved $300 which was the best install estimate I found.

 

[KarmanExplorer]

well, now will have to look for 5.5 MM as have never heard of that size!! Thanks. Sure others will say thanks when they do this.

 

[Dr Plastic]

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

 

[Ridetherock]

my understanding is the rears involve drilling a hole and the fronts do not. for what ever reason the dealer only installed the rears on mine, so i have the fronts in the car now to install myself as soon as it dries up.

 

[breshi]

It's the fronts that require a hole drilled (one each side). DO NOT PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE. it is supper easy. Instructions are included with the flaps. If you can drill a hole and turn a screwdriver, you can do this.

 

[Wildcat_1]

Even on the rears ? I thought someone had said you may have to remove the wheels to do the rear flaps ?

Thanks

It's the fronts that require a hole drilled (one each side). DO NOT PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE. it is supper easy. Instructions are included with the flaps. If you can drill a hole and turn a screwdriver, you can do this.

 

[MFE III]

I was able to install the rears without removing the wheels.