DIY: Mudflap Installation

DIY: Mudflap Installation

Published by nexus66
07-03-2005

DIY: Mudflap Installation

Let's start with the front ones since these are the easiest!

I'm afraid that this is pretty much a wheel off job, although it might be possible to do it with the wheel on, you'll find it a lot easier with the wheel removed. I started doing it with the wheel on, but ended up taking the wheels off part way through!

Once you've jacked the car up and removed the wheel, make sure that the area that the mud flap goes onto is nice and clean and dry. The mudflap has a section of double sided sticky tape which needs to bond onto the wing to make a good fit.

You'll see 3 little plugs on the plastic insert (circled below ), you need to remove the bottom 2. To do this push something small into the centre to push through the small pin (don't worry about where it goes - you wont need them and they'll end up falling out themselves), and then lever out the plug itself.

Now under the sideskirt there is also a plastic screw thing with a torx head, this also needs to be removed. It unscrews, so unscrew it!

Now you can test fit the mudflap (don't remove the backing tape yet!), and you'll see that the two upper holes on the mudflap can line up with the two plugs you've removed. And the little notch on the other side will fit in the gap between the wind and the side skirt.

Have 2 of the replacement plug/pin things ready and remove the backing tape from the inside of the mudflap. Now slide the mudflap into place and use the 2 plugs to hold it in the correct position. You can press where the tape is to make sure it sticks to the bodywork. Now push the pins until the end is flush with the head of the plug. And then screw in the large plastic screw underneath - don't overtighten, it's only plastic!!. (The mudflaps come with a large push in plug which I think you could also use underneath, but I decided to use the screw in one instead!)

Now the final hole on the inner wing needs a screw into the plastic. Take one of the black screws that came with the mudflaps, and screw it through the remaining hole! You don't need to pre-drill it as the end of the screw has a drill type end to allow it to cut through the plastic.

If you've taken the wheel off, now go and give the inside rim of the alloy a good clean!

Put the wheel back on, lower the car and admire your handiwork!

Do the other side in exactly the same way!

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By nexus66 on 07-03-2005, 05:26 AM

Now for the slightly more tricky back mudflaps...

(The pictures seem to be out of order, but you should get the idea!)

I'd recommend starting with the side opposite the exhaust - this is beacuse the exhaust side has a tricky little bracket which provides additional support. If you get the non-exhaust side done first it'll put you in a better position to understand the other side!

Again, I'd say remove the wheel to make life a little easier!!

Right - the rear mudflaps are two piece, so split them (mine arrived already joined! ) by pushing the pins through the plugs, only this time make sure and find and keep all the pins!!

First we need to mount the inner part. Remove the two 8mm bolts on the fuzzy inner liner, and put the inner part in place, securing it with the bolt you removed! This was a complete pain to do and requires you to really push the whole thing back to get the thread to catch! :mad:

Once this is in place, test fit the outer part. I found it easier to start with the bottom inside part and slide it up and round into place!

Remove the backing tape, and fit the outer part, using the plugs to hold it in the right place. Insert the pins and push them home.

Use the other bolt you removed to secure the top part of the mudflap to the inner lining. This is also a pain to get in place but persevere and you'll get there!!

Now finally use one of the supplied self tapping screws to secure the mudflap underneath.

Again clean the inner rim of your alloys, and put it all back together!

For the other side, the process is exacly the same, but instead of putting a self tapping screw in the bottom, you need to use the support bracket supplied. This bracket bolts on from the bottom and through the fuzzy lining with 2 bolts, and seems to press up on a mounting screw for the exhaust heat shield. This is a little hard to explain, but from the picture below, I hope you'll be able to figure out how it fits!

And you're done!

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Last edited by nexus66; 07-03-2005 at 05:53 AM.

By Jason on 07-03-2005, 08:56 AM

Terrific DIY writeup! Very clear instructions and pictures. Thanks nexus!

By mc68386 on 07-05-2005, 09:22 PM

Thanks for the writeup.
Two questions:
Did you use the special BMW adapter that I've heard is necessary for jacking up an E90? Or is that not really necessary?

Did you notice what number (size) Torx bit is required?

MC

By silverado on 07-06-2005, 02:14 AM

Great write up! Can you please post a few pictures from some distance that show the whole car? I'd like to see how this affects the look. Thanks!

By nexus66 on 07-06-2005, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68386

MC, I was lucky that my wife drives a MINI COOPER so I just used the jack that came with her car. It uses the same fitment as the BMW jack so that saved me any problems! Not sure what I'd have done with a normal trolley jack!

As for the Torx bit, I'm afraid I didn't use one! I just used a handy flat head screwdriver which fitted into the plastic screw (it saved me digging out my torx bits) - it isn't in tight, so there was no problem.

Silverado, I'll try when I go home tonight!!

By nexus66 on 07-06-2005, 03:23 PM

Silverado,

Here's some more pics taken from a bit further away. In all, I'd say the mudflaps are actually quite subtle, but that might have a lot to do with the car being black!!

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By Spaceman on 07-09-2005, 05:24 AM

Can you also post a pic of side view of the whole car with mudflaps? Just got mine today but still debating on whether to install them.

Thanks!!

By RedFireBeemer on 07-09-2005, 07:37 PM

I just put mine on today...

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By KillDork on 07-09-2005, 08:02 PM

What´s the idea with the black protection you´ve got on the front? Ruins the cars look...

#10

By RedFireBeemer on 07-10-2005, 01:31 AM

It' cause I do lots of freeway driving and I'm trying to save the paint from chipping, and the bugs that splat on the front end just wipe right off because the bra is treated with armor all. No more having to scrub the front end...

#11

By DJRobbGordon on 08-14-2005, 03:44 PM

Do these flaps actually do a decent job of keeping the mud of the sides of the car? Please advise.

#12

By nexus66 on 08-15-2005, 05:21 AM

Emm - they do a not bad job! Nothing's ever gonna give you 100% prevention, but they do stop a lot of harder crud - i.e. tar spots, little stones, etc, from getting thrown up onto the sides of the car!

#13

By UCe90 on 08-20-2005, 12:31 PM

Do you think these mudflaps will look good on Alpine White?

#14

By nexus66 on 08-21-2005, 03:10 PM

Mudflaps are definately a personal taste thing! There's no reason why they wouldn't look good on Alpine White, but some people really don't like them on any colour of car!

There are other black parts on the side of the car, so it's not as if the mudflaps are gonna be the only black you see on the side of the car! And they aren't glaringly obvious either, so they don't draw your eye to them!

I always fit mudflaps to help stop tar and other nasty things being thrown up onto the side of the car, but I like them, so hey-ho...

#15

By StewtheBassman on 10-07-2005, 09:26 PM

I think Alpine white NEEDS some black trim, mudflaps would be fine.

#16

By jomamma on 10-17-2005, 08:52 PM

Cost vs. Benefit -- Using a BRA for your car?

"It' cause I do lots of freeway driving and I'm trying to save the paint from chipping, and the bugs that splat on the front end just wipe right off because the bra is treated with armor all. No more having to scrub the front end..."

Great concept that has never worked... IMO.

The bra will hold dirt and moisture against your car; eventually "buffing" the paint away. Unless you take it off every weekend or so and clean and wax underneath a bra is silly to use. Then the clamps that are used to fasten the bra on will eventually break off. I highly recommend invisishield protection.

#17

By raykur on 02-07-2006, 03:47 PM

where do you get the mudflaps , and how much is it ?

#18

By Socom on 02-13-2006, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raykur

where do you get the mudflaps , and how much is it ?

at the Stealer and they're cheap.

#19

By ksfrogman on 02-13-2006, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedFireBeemer

I thought he was talking about the bra/bumper protection you had on your avatar. It does ruin the look.

#20

By FrankoQ on 06-08-2006, 06:44 PM

Thanks for the instructions.
I did not have to remove any of the front wheels or the rear right.
I did jack up the car for the rear left.
Yes those screws for the rear are hard to get in.

#21

By Asiann on 06-08-2006, 07:04 PM

Great DIY but no mudflats for me. I would rather put on clear film protection. No front bra for me either. I had mudflats befor and had them painted to match but they cracked later.