If you own a truck, you may have to install some extra equipment to protect your vehicle. Because your truck will have to carry goods or pull heavy objects when moving on difficult roads. So, some of these essential pieces of equipment will protect your truck and help you drive more safely.
In addition to some equipment such as a cover to protect the truck’s trunk, an anti-theft system, and equipment for the truck’s suspension system, the mud flaps are also a useful device for your truck. However, many motorists are still wondering about the fuel consumption when using a truck fender. Do mud flaps reduce MPG? What is MPG? MPG stands for Miles Per Gallon or the number of miles (about 1.61km) traveled with 1 gallon of fuel (about 3.7 liters). So, to find out if installing fenders can cause truck fuel problems, let’s find out the details in the article below.
Do Mud Flaps Reduce MPG?
The answer is YES!
You may not know it, but truck manufacturers are always trying to create designs that are as aerodynamic as possible. The reason is that the truck is not subject to much resistance from wind and external impacts, so the engine will work less. Because any air or resistance moving around the truck causes it to use a lot of energy to operate efficiently.
If you add some necessary accessories to your truck, they can increase the wind and air resistance of your vehicle. So, installing a truck fender will also create wind resistance for your vehicle. The wind resistance created by this device will cause the truck’s engine to use more fuel to push the truck forward. As a result, it will reduce the mileage per gallon as the truck moves.
So you may consider installing a truck fender because it will definitely consume more fuel than usual. However, the benefits of truck fenders are essential. It helps protect the wheel from sharp objects, shards of glass, dirt, gravel, or hard objects that damage the wheel. Especially, if you often have to drive trucks on roads with many obstacles and obstacles.
As you know, there are many small obstacles on the road and they will be stirred every time the wheel moves on the road. Although these obstacles are only sand, dust, snow, gravel, or mud, they will appear in all directions and continuously. So the fenders will act as a protective barrier and prevent debris from reaching the underbody of your truck. It not only helps to remove hard objects such as stone, glass, and iron that damage the chassis but also minimizes the risk of the truck chassis rusting due to dirt and the negative effects of the weather.
In particular, the larger the wheels of your truck, the more force the tires will generate and the faster the debris will fly. So, by law in many states, trucks of a certain size must use fenders to protect vehicles moving around.
How To Reduce Fuel When Installing Mud Flaps?
To minimize the wind resistance that fenders create for your truck, you need to keep them clean and regularly clean them. In particular, mud tends to build up in layers on the fender and create thick layers of mud. Therefore, regularly clean the fenders, especially when you often drive on muddy, dirt, or sandy roads. Because they will form a thick mixture and stick to the fenders.
Alternatively, you can look to choose from a number of fenders that match the size of the truck’s wheels to minimize obstructed airflow around. This product is called Eco-Flap. Their design is based on aerodynamics, so specially designed curves will allow more air to circulate around.
This curvature also reduces the amount of fluid that builds up on the fenders. Mud, snow, and other debris will hit the lid and slide sideways through these distinctive curves. From there, the debris will fall to the ground faster instead of sticking to the tarpaulin until enough weight is enough for them to fall to the ground.
Do You Need Mud Flaps On The Front Tire?
The job of mud flaps on the rear tires of the truck will help prevent debris or hard objects from being thrown into moving vehicles. However, fenders are of great benefit not only to the rear wheels but also to the front wheels. Fenders for the front wheels are also beneficial. They work to prevent chemicals from corrosive and damaging the undercarriage of your front truck.
Areas with extreme weather conditions such as too hot, too cold, or too dry air will all affect the elements on the road. It will cause the pavement to release chemicals like salt or melt elements that are harmful to truck wheels. Therefore, the front wheel fender will also protect the metal parts in the undercarriage and prevent rusting of the wheels.
Do I Need To Use Mud Flaps In The Winter?
If you’re using mud flaps as the name suggests, you’re missing out on some important benefits. Not only is it effective in preventing mud, dirt, or debris from entering the vehicle, but it can also change the direction of small rocks and snowdrifts on the road. So these fenders will help you deal with clumps of snow on the road and dangerous driving in bad weather.
Its mechanism of action is that the tires will spray snow back to the fenders, so the great will break before it hits the road. In addition, in winter, road experts often use chemicals to limit the corrosiveness of snow. So these fenders will keep these chemicals from damaging the underside of your vehicle. Consider installing a fender for your truck in the winter to prevent chemical and rust corrosion.
Do Mud Flaps Provide Complete Protection When Off-Road Driving?
Fenders are useful in removing and preventing road debris from getting under your truck. However, it only works to protect your wheels on normal roads with not too many obstacles.
Fenders can prevent gravel or rocks from hitting vehicles behind your truck. However, they will be small-sized stones or pebbles. When you drive on off-road or complex roads, you will encounter large pieces of debris or rocks.
If you drive in an area with a lot of mud, the mud will quickly adhere to the truck’s fenders. They will stick in layers and dry up when you move on a long distance. From there, the fender will create a large amount of drag and cause the truck’s engine to use more fuel to push the vehicle forward.
So, if you’re driving in off-road areas, be sure to wash the fenders before taking the truck out for the day. Don’t forget to check continuously and remove the dry sludge layer to minimize the pressure on the truck engine.
Summary
Fenders are useful in preventing dust, dirt, sand, debris, or sharp objects from hitting the underside of the vehicle. It also helps protect the undercarriage from harmful chemicals or rust that corrodes over time. The fender can be installed on both front and rear wheels. In particular, it is also effective in winter and ensures the safety of vehicles moving around.
The fender will also cause more fuel costs because it creates wind resistance while the truck is moving. So the truck’s engine will have to use more power to push the truck forward. To minimize fuel consumption, you should choose fenders with a special and superior design. Don’t forget to regularly clean the dirt on the fender to minimize the wind resistance it creates.