So I knocked one more project off of my list last week before our RVing season really got started. I think I mentioned a few threads back about how I had been picking up some rock chips on the back of our coach and a few on the front of the Jeep, compared to past Jeeps where I hardly ever had a rock chip in the previous several coaches and over 100k miles of flat towing. On our previous Jeeps all I used was a tow bar and nothing more which resulted in very, very few rock chips, if any while being towed. This coach and Jeep combination has netted me more rock chips on the back of the coach and a few on the front of the Jeep than all previous coach Jeep combinations combined and then some. My wife and I are thinking about getting our coach repainted this coming fall/winter and I wanted to get this addressed prior so I didn't chip up an expensive new paint job on the coach.
Well I think I discovered the issue last year when the wife and I were off-roading in our Jeep on nothing more than a fire road during a mild rain storm. I detected some rocks being throw forward from the tires. I stopped and did some detective work and noted that the rocks were being flung forward right between my custom made bumper and the front of the fenders, and possibly just below the front bumper as there is a slight gap between the Roadmaster Tow Defender and the front bumper.
When my wife and I returned to our campsite, I did some measuring and ran to a local ACE Hardware at the small town we were in. I purchased some PVC pipe, unions, 90's and some screen door screen mesh. I mocked up a make shift rock guard and merely zip-tied it into place for the return drive home. I think that was the culprit because in that several hundred mile drive I had no more rocks up on the front bumper, cowling or hood of the Jeep and I detected no additional rock chips on the back of the coach.
I was determined to fabricate something that was a little more substantial and out of better products than PVC and screen over the winter but time got away from me and I decided tonight to hurry and knock out what I had envisioned in my head for the past several months.
Started with some 4"x .188" flat stock and a couple of implement clevis pins.
Plates cut and in the mill vise to be drilled.
I used some scrap 1" and 3/4" 304 stainless steel tubing that I had kicking around. The 3/4" will have the flaps secured to them and they will be a slip fit into the 1" square tube.
I picked up some 1/4" wire retained clevis pins from my local Tractor Supply Store. We have a new one here locally and I needed an excuse to go in. At least that is what I told my wife.
I also picked up a single ABS truck mudflap that seemed like it would do the trick quite well. It measure 24"x30" so I cut it down the middle into two 12" wide pieces then began test fitting to see how to trim them. I ended up so it hangs down right to where the Roadmaster Tow Defender stops so it should give full protection. The flaps bolted to the 3/4" stainless steel tubes and ready to weld in place.
The flat plate bolted to the crossmember bolts which are up high enough that they can't be seen from the front as they are behind the bumper yet also are in close enough to the frame so that they will not interfere with anything when the flaps are removed.
Pictures of both side after complete welding, painting and the brackets bolted permanently in place. Now all that I have to do is pull the clevis on each one and the flaps slide out when not needed and when hooked up to the back of the coach, simply slide the flaps into the tube mounted to the frame and slip the clevis pins in place.
Passenger side.
Driver's side.
View from the front after sitting it down on the tires.
This is DEFINITELY NOT the best looking mod that I have done to my Jeep, in fact it is quite ugly if I am being honest. Unfortunately it is a necessary one if I want to protect the paint on both the rear of the coach and the front of the Jeep.
They may be ugly but they are quick and easy to install and remove which means I will actually use them. I didn't want something that was bulky and cumbersome because I knew after a while I would not use it and then back to rock chips.
I hope this may possibly give anyone else an idea to either copy of improve upon if they are experiencing anything like I mentioned above. I know many, many people never experience rock chips on their toads but they more than likely are towing fairly stock vehicles and don't have as much unprotected frontal area and may not be running as aggressive tires in which won't be flipping up as much debris. I know my aunt and uncle had towed many times even to Alaska and had experienced hardly any rock chips with their stock vehicles and even ourselves had very, very few rock chips until the past 4 years of towing our modified Jeep.
Mike.
