Most people think of a mudflap as just that – a mudflap. In reality there are a number of different types each with specific uses and advantages. A mudflap (also called a splash guard; although the term is more used for smaller vehicles with smaller mudflaps like those used pickups and SUV’s) is basically a rectangular piece of material attached to a vehicle to reduce road spray and provide protection for the vehicles traveling behind from objects that may be thrown up by the tires. All mudflaps are made of a proprietary blend of material. The most common being “rubber” which is actually a blend of rubber and poly. These are more flexible and used especially on any type of offroad vehicle such as dump trucks, cement trucks, tow trucks, logging vehicles, construction trucks, etc. Rubber flaps will curl or bend easily over any obstruction like a pile of gravel, logs, etc. Poly mudflaps are stiffer, tougher, and have a much more “plastic” feel to them. These are used on your typical urban semi trucks. They also have the ability to be made very thin – only 3/16” thick. These flaps are the most economical of any mudflap produced. Again – both of these flaps are a blend of rubber, poly, and a host of other colorants, stiffeners, and UV ray protectant to keep them from breaking down in natural sunlight.
It’s also important to consider the back side of mudflaps. A quality flap will have “anti road spray grooving” which is a repeating pattern of vertical grooves to channel roadspray back down toward the road. A completely smooth mudflap will create more spray. A third kind of mudflap are the aerodynamic mudflaps also called flyswatter mudflaps, or mesh flaps. These are made of a tough but flexible plastic material and are molded into an open grid pattern which greatly increases aerodynamic wind flow and can increase fuel economy of the vehicle. Always ask your vendor for proven third party verification for actual fuel savings before purchasing any aerodynamic mudflaps.