Forensic Rock Chip Analysis

[SuiteSuccess]

Noticed my trailer was getting a lot of rock chips on the rock guard.  On our last trailer we coated with Rhinoliner at a cost of $500 to correct.  Well, had a couple days camping with GeorgiaHybrid and our analysis began.  His truck is singled with mud flaps, mine tandem with mud flaps also.  In fact mine are barely off the road when my suspension is inflated.  When looking at the chips, they were mainly to the edges of the rock guard and angled out.  Our sleuthing seemed to point to the front tandem sending rocks angled down the center of my bed.  Well rather than spend $500, gonna try this at cost of $10.  Thanks to Rickeieio for the old conveyer belt. ( Extremely tough to cut).  Some angle iron and grade 5 bolts.  We will see🧐!

 

[HERO Maker]

You medical guys!!!!   Sounds like a great plan.  Lot's of motorhome buses have that wide of mud flap across their rear as well.  I think you guys sleuthed (sp) the issue!   Good job.

[noteven]

Don’t hang flaps too close to the road - if they can drag during normal flight they send everything lying on the road airborne. 

On Big Trucks with High Torque engines hauling Heavy Loads on gravel roads around here lotsa people run with the power divider locked to stop the accelerated rear drive axle tire wear as they spin a bit on the loose stones the front drives kick up.

Maybe your puller is spinning one axle in similar fashion kicking up stones😀

[SuiteSuccess]

23 minutes ago, noteven said:

Don’t hang flaps too close to the road - if they can drag during normal flight they send everything lying on the road airborne. 

On Big Trucks with High Torque engines hauling Heavy Loads on gravel roads around here lotsa people run with the power divider locked to stop the accelerated rear drive axle tire wear as they spin a bit on the loose stones the front drives kick up.

Maybe your puller is spinning one axle in similar fashion kicking up stones😀

Good point on the height.  Didn’t think about that. May need to trim a bit.  Also conveyer belt may be too stiff?  May need to re-think this a bit.  What kind of rubber are mud flaps made of (butyl, neoprene)?

[HERO Maker]

Carl, don't know that stiffness is a real problem!  See many truckers with stiffening metal parts hanging down with their mudflaps.

[rickeieio]

We've experience the same issues, especially on fresh chip and seal in New Mexico last summer.  Spent a lot of time under the camper nose with a black paint pen last winter..........

I know where that roll of belting is laying.  I think I'll play around with it.

[SuiteSuccess]

6 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

We've experience the same issues, especially on fresh chip and seal in New Mexico last summer.  Spent a lot of time under the camper nose with a black paint pen last winter..........

I know where that roll of belting is laying.  I think I'll play around with it.

Rick,

I ended up rolling it tightly and cutting with a compound miter saw.  Couldn’t get through it with a common utility knife.  Not the smartest plan I’ve come up with.

[Steve from SoCal]

I cut rubber belting on the table saw or band saw.     That mounted to the air bag crossmember?      The rubber should be off the ground a couple inches.   

Steve     

[noteven]

Ya if it is attached to the suspension it’s height above the road is constant except for tire sidewall flexibility.  2 or 3 inches should do it unless you do any gravel travel.

[Exile]

Probably can’t really be too stiff.

I’ve run a trailer with some plastic mudflaps you could use as an end table. 

 

[DesertMiner]

Did you have the same problem with the other trailer?

[SuiteSuccess]

Steve,

Yes mounted to the air bag cross member.  Is that a problem?  Will trim some inches tomorrow.

noteven,

Gravel only into campgrounds.  No off road for us.

DesertMiner,

Yes, hence the  $500 Rhinoliner rock guard.  Was going to buy one of those big bristle mustaches like the motor homes used for our receiver, but the old rock guard was so chewed up that Rhino seemed a better option.  Turns out it looked very nice on the old trailer and didn’t chip.  I notice several trailer manufacturers are starting to use bedliners as rock guards on the lower front.  Will probably go to the liner if this cheap fix fails.

[Steve from SoCal]

Carl,

 

The location is fine, as mentioned the height is constant mounted there so no worry about raising or lowering.     If you have a table saw try a 60 tooth trim blade.

 

Steve

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Hmmmm, I know where there are a couple old mudflaps.  I might do something similar as we're getting chips as well.  The DRV has a textured front area, but it's not chip resistant.

[SuiteSuccess]

1 minute ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

Hmmmm, I know where there are a couple old mudflaps.  I might do something similar as we're getting chips as well.  The DRV has a textured front area, but it's not chip resistant.

Jim,

Pretty easy project.  Just hard to drill when you can’t get up under the cross member.  The member doesn’t have a lip in the center so I just fashioned a hook there.  Also drilled some aluminum flat plate instead of the washers but I forgot and left them at home.  Will replace the washers with that.  Two 8” pieces of small angle iron for hangers.

[SuiteSuccess]

31 minutes ago, Steve from SoCal said:

Carl,

 

The location is fine, as mentioned the height is constant mounted there so no worry about raising or lowering.     If you have a table saw try a 60 tooth trim blade.

 

Steve

Thanks Steve.

[jenandjon]

I drive a ton of gravel roads with our farm trucks. I live on a gravel road.  I prefer to use a very heavy thick rubber mud flap or plastic. Plastic is my personal preference. But over time they crack and need replacing. The thin rubber ones just flap in the wind and don't do anything.

 

On 8/17/2018 at 5:08 PM, noteven said:

 

On Big Trucks with High Torque engines hauling Heavy Loads on gravel roads around here lotsa people run with the power divider locked to stop the accelerated rear drive axle tire wear as they spin a bit on the loose stones the front drives kick up.

😀

I NEVER run the power divider down the road on gravel. I don't know anyone who does. That is just unneeded wear and tear. Not suppose to go over 45 with the power divider locked in. I would never get anywhere at 45 mph.

[noteven]

Yes lots of people do not lock the power divider working on gravel around here too.

A power divider is a differential between the drive axles. You don’t keep it locked  when cornering on ice, or sharp cornering on good footing, or on curvy roads at high speed. I’m not sure how locking out a differential causes wear and tear travelling in a straight line on marbles. 

The unlocked people see rear drive tires wearing about 40% faster than front rear drive axle. Some rotate tires some buy new ones more often. 

The record I knew of was a brand new Peterbilt 600hp/2050 torques ISX GCWR 140,000lbs B tanker work running on about 40% gravel. ..20,000 miles to finish off the rear drive tires.

[rickeieio]

And kids can't understand why olde phartes have thicker wallets.......

My sons-in-law accuse me of driving like a grandpa.  Duh, I am one.

[SuiteSuccess]

Took suggestions.  3” off ground.  Top trimmed to not collect rocks on cross member.  Now to test results.  

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Carl-

Can you get a pic of the back side?  Where you actually mounted them?

[SuiteSuccess]

27 minutes ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

Carl-

Can you get a pic of the back side?  Where you actually mounted them?

Jim,

I’ll try.  The thinner flaps were already mounted from when I bought the truck.  They are mounted through the wall of my two rear storage boxes.  The cross member for the rear axle air bag rests has two flanges where you see the aluminum bars.  I drilled two holes in those and used 2” angle iron pieces 8” long mounted to the underside of those flanges.  Then just mounted the conveyer belt piece to that.  The center of the cross member has no flange so just supported the center of the belt with cable ties through drilled hole in belt.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

22 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Jim,

I’ll try.  The thinner flaps were already mounted from when I bought the truck.  They are mounted through the wall of my two rear storage boxes.  The cross member for the rear axle air bag rests has two flanges where you see the aluminum bars.  I drilled two holes in those and used 2” angle iron pieces 8” long mounted to the underside of those flanges.  Then just mounted the conveyer belt piece to that.  The center of the cross member has no flange so just supported the center of the belt with cable ties through drilled hole in belt.

Got it, thanks,