Splash Guards: Do or Don’t?

C2500Ryan · Dec 28, 2020

Morning gentleman,

This may be a stupid question, but I was wanting to get some input.

When I originally bought my C2500, it came without splash guards/mudflaps, and I was thinking the other day about purchasing some.

I know on my last truck, moisture found it’s way underneath the guard mounts on the fender and started to eat away at it. I want to avoid that if possible.

Do you guys view them as an essential? If you do, how do you avoid corrosion? I live in the rust belt, and want this truck to stay in good shape as long as it can.

Thanks,
Ryan

Nad_Yvalhosert · Dec 28, 2020

My '88 didn't come with any, and the rockers paid price.
My '98 Suburban and my '00 Denali came with OE running boards and the rockers of both trucks are in great condition for 200k of salty New Yuck winters.
Mud flaps, no. They dont do a thing to protect the entire length of the underbody.

SUBURBAN5 · Dec 28, 2020

Heres my .02. If I were you I get splash guards and mudflaps. My experience the splash guards do help protect the motor and manifolds a little. Matter of fact theres a old gm commercial about a 78 c10 vs 80 c10 driving in water with the hood off. The 80 had little water splashing in the engine compartment vs the 78 gen.
As for mud flaps. I hate the look. But after 23yrs 174k miles later my paint is chew up behind the tires. I'll try to snap pics later. So for that ima purchase some. But I want black oem style flaps.
Now both are just some protection. But if I were you I make sure the inner fenders arnt rusted and chew up. I bedlined mine and made sure it had a thick coat evenly before I put the flaps on. However I live in houston so rust is not really an issue here. Just something to think about

1ton-o-fun · Dec 28, 2020

In my Kentucky rust belt experience, trucks with running boards are always rusted out. Same as your previous experience with mud flaps. Too many crevices to get in and hide behind. You saw what it did before...it'll do it again.

1ton-o-fun · Dec 29, 2020

If there's a car wash near you or if you have a good hose and nozzle, I would do that more frequently in "salt season". I like the automatic ones that spray the underside because I'm too old/fat/lazy to lay down and do it myself.

thinger2 · Dec 29, 2020

If youre talking about the factory splash guards/spray shields you for sure want those.
These trucks have some fairly fragile plastic sensors and wires hanging out of them.
Up here in the PNW the issue is blasting through standing water at night when you cant see it.
A good run through a freeway pond at 60 mph can blow that stuff right off.
Not a big fan of mudflaps because of the mud and crud and pine needles that accumulate behind them.
You can get clear spray on textured "chip guard" that bounces the stones off of the paint and they also make a "peel and stick" film that does a pretty good job of protecting the rockers and lower quarters.
I think I got it from 3M but its been a few years so im not sure.
But, it still seems to be working

C2500Ryan · Dec 29, 2020

thinger2 said:
If youre talking about the factory splash guards/spray shields you for sure want those.
These trucks have some fairly fragile plastic sensors and wires hanging out of them.
Up here in the PNW the issue is blasting through standing water at night when you cant see it.
A good run through a freeway pond at 60 mph can blow that stuff right off.
Not a big fan of mudflaps because of the mud and crud and pine needles that accumulate behind them.
You can get clear spray on textured "chip guard" that bounces the stones off of the paint and they also make a "peel and stick" film that does a pretty good job of protecting the rockers and lower quarters.
I think I got it from 3M but its been a few years so im not sure.
But, it still seems to be working

Thanks for the advice. Would you recommend getting splash guards for the rear? I noticed my front has them from the factory, but was unsure if rear splash guards were factory.

Thanks,
Ryan

Cokeman95 · Dec 29, 2020

C2500Ryan said:
Thanks for the advice. Would you recommend getting splash guards for the rear? I noticed my front has them from the factory, but was unsure if rear splash guards were factory.

Thanks,
Ryan

I make inner fender well splashguards out of 1/4" rubber for these trucks. I use gm originals as patterns. I have an ad in the classifieds section.

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Cokeman95 · Dec 29, 2020

Some examples of the ones I make.

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thinger2 · Dec 29, 2020

C2500Ryan said:
Thanks for the advice. Would you recommend getting splash guards for the rear? I noticed my front has them from the factory, but was unsure if rear splash guards were factory.

Thanks,
Ryan

I dont really remember what they came with from the factory in the rear.
Ill check out mine when it stops raining up here.
Unfortunetly, that probably going to be in mid June!
The biggest thing is to pressure wash all of the nooks and crannies to keep **** from accumulating but in winter salt country that might not be possible.
My back east family swears by some **** called "fluid film" but we domt do that out here cuz we dont salt the roads.
And we dont salt the roads because, and Im not making this up...
The salt might run off of the roads and get into the water.
The ocean water.
The ocean salt water..
Yep, Seattle..

Splash Guards: Do or Don’t?

C2500Ryan

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Nad_Yvalhosert

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thinger2

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C2500Ryan

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Cokeman95

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