Rock guards to save trailer / mud flaps or horse hair etc...

[Maverick800XRS]

Hey all

So i am looking at picking up some rock guards that would either hook to the ball mount on my truck while towing a trailer or anything like that, did some quick searches this morning and found the following which seem pretty good.

Really like the quick disconnect and build of these

Rock Tamers | Home
They look sturdy and the adjustability would be great, not sure if i like the bolt on to the ball mount or not.

Roadmaster Inc. - Tow Bars, Braking Systems & RV AccessoriesDecent

What are people using these days for this? what works and what doesn't? any suggestions?

Brand new trailer needs to stay nice as long as possible!, thin aluminum skin dents easy and rock chips just suck... Have mud flaps on the truck but they just don't get low enough and aren't wide enough, last trailer was peppered pretty good.

Thanks!

 

[Popsiclestand]

We are using a guard called the Rock Solid,It is made out of a hard flexible plastic. The problem with the two rock guards you listed as that when the vehicle is moving at a decent pace they blow back due to buffeting, thus rendering them useless for protection against rocks and what not. The Rock Solid remains protective at speed due to it's rigidity.

 

[250mark1]

I have the rock solid also seems to work good I made my own mounting holes so I could widen it out so that is wider than the tires on my super duty I also drilled 2 holes through the part that slides over the hitch and welded a couple nuts on so that I can tighten it up so it does not move only problem I see is that it blocks the stock trailer wiring plug (at least on the super duty) you could probably easily notch one of the plastic strips I had a fifth wheel plug and play pigtail from my last truck that I mounted in the left licence plate light hole

 

[Maverick800XRS]

We are using a guard called the Rock Solid,It is made out of a hard flexible plastic. The problem with the two rock guards you listed as that when the vehicle is moving at a decent pace they blow back due to buffeting, thus rendering them useless for protection against rocks and what not. The Rock Solid remains protective at speed due to it's rigidity.

I have had something similar to the rock solid with older trailers and wasn't completely sold on it. I did think about the flaps flying back and not doing anything but look good while sitting still but they are a pretty darn thick rubber and they have some backing to them, think a couple mention something about having braces or brackets to avoid this as well.

I have the rock solid also seems to work good I made my own mounting holes so I could widen it out so that is wider than the tires on my super duty I also drilled 2 holes through the part that slides over the hitch and welded a couple nuts on so that I can tighten it up so it does not move only problem I see is that it blocks the stock trailer wiring plug (at least on the super duty) you could probably easily notch one of the plastic strips I had a fifth wheel plug and play pigtail from my last truck that I mounted in the left licence plate light hole

MY trucks is up in the bumper but i know with my older truck and trailer it was under the bumper and the rock solid was in the way, ended up taking a whole saw to one of the panels to stick the plug through without having to move anything.

Not only finding which one you want to buy is tough but also a place to buy them... Hard to find anyone that carries what you want or competent enough to know what they're doing. Not to mention anything in Calgary is 40% more than anything u can get in the states... probably going to go with etrailer.com

Anyone else using something different?

 

[munhoez]

I seen a mudflap not to long ago that had louvers cut into it, it was designed to let the air flow thru and still block the debris. Might have been an aluminum plate, cant remember, it was on a semi.

 

[kidder17]

Here is my experience with Rock Tamers. They are a very nice looking and very well built but.................as per the instructions, be sure that there is a minimum of 3-4" clearance to the road when loaded. Initially I did not do this and when loaded the flaps where touching the road. On gravel there was a chit load of rocks spitting out everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I took out clearance lights and put probably 10 new stone chips in my tailgate. I have since trimmed the flaps so that I have at least the 4" of clearance when loaded and now when going down gravel all is fine.From what I can see, when the flaps are too low to the road it blocks so much air flow and actually creates a little cyclone effect underneath the truck and then accelerates and spits the rocks out the sides of the truck and between the flaps.