[VAC] Re: Mudflaps

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Christian,

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
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net