Installation of Mudflaps

After receiving my mudflaps the other day, I read the instructions and to my dismay the instructions told me to remove the rear wheels to install the rear ones!

So, I got to thinking...what average Joe would want to/be able to remove the rear wheels...especially considering how critical it is that they go back on with the right torque, etc. Who wants to go down to the repair shop and pay someone to remove the wheels and if you get lucky, let you install them when it is up in the air? Or worse, pay them more then the flaps cost!

So I took it as a challenge to install them without removing the wheels...and guess what? 30 minutes later, they are installed!

Here is how I did it:

1. I held the flap in place and used a short self tapping screw and a long handled phillips screwdriver to screw through the first painted layer of plastic for both of the top two holes. I then removed the flap and used my drill with a 1/4 bit to enlarge the holes...getting them as straight as possible (keep in mind that this hole is larger then the screw that will go through it, so if it is slightly angled it will not matter). Go slow so you make sure to go through the back (black) plastic behind the painted surface.

2. Install the provided spring clips over those holes.

3. Install the mudflap with the top two screws. NOTE: If the screw does not pass through the back black piece of plastic, then the black plastic trim BEHIND the mudflap that runs all the way behind the car at the bottom (2006 model), will start to bow out from the painted part above it right behind the flap. If this happens, back out the screw remove the flap and try to re-drill that hole again, moving the bit back and forth sligtly to enlarge the back of the hole.

4. With the top two screws in place, you will now install the bottom screw. This is the tricky part (not really). I happened to have a tool from when I used to install car stereos, a 90 degree attachment for my cordless screwdriver. I believe you can get one at just about any home improvement store. Using a short self taping screw, and that 90 degree attachment on my drill, there is just enough room to squeeze it between the wheel and that hole...in fact the pressure against the wheel helps to start the screw. After drilling in that screw, I backed it out, and I then used the black screw provided with the flaps, going slow, making sure I passed through both layers of plastic. Once again, if that trim behind the flap bows out, you have not passed through that back piece of plastic. Back out the screw and drill it in again, slowly...or try use the drill bit again (it will be on a pretty severe angle, but will still help to enlarge the hole in the second piece of plactic. NOTE - DO NOT USE THE 1/4 BIT FROM THE TOP HOLES - Use a 1/8 bit).

5. I then crawled under the back of the car and installed an additional screw at the innermost point of the flap (not in the instructions, and no existing hole in the flap), to keep the inside of the flap from moving. I just used a short self-tapping screw for this...making sure to go slow with steady pressure to pass through the two layers of plastic.

All in all, this was very easy, took only about 30 minutes and looks exactly the same as when you remove the rear wheels!

Let me know if you have any questions!