Sanity Check (Mud Flaps/Trim)

[rumor156]

Hello...

Today I removed the Mud Flaps and the trim which runs along the rocker panel on my 60 in preperation for a new paint job. Lo and behold, there was some rust lurking under both the flaps and the molding...I am going to be doing some body work before the paint job, but I just wanted to ask....Is there ANY reason why I would want to put this stuff back on once I redo the bad spots and paint her up? (I am in Wisconsin, where we love to salt the roads!)

Btw, is there anything else i should take off to prevent problems down the road?

Thanks everyone

Dan

 

[jjbodean1970]

remove your snake blinders and chrome rain gutter trim!

 

[rumor156]

Good Idea, chrome gutter trim comes off tomorrow...

But I have to ask, what the heck are "snake blinders?" (Why do I just know when you tell me it will be obvious, lol!)

Thanks again,

Dan

 

[jjbodean1970]

hey dan,

the "snake blinders" are the chrome trim pieces under the doors on either side, guess they were nicknamed by some texas owners! i found minimal surface rust under mine upon removal a month ago,

jeff

 

[dd113]

If you have the truck for a DD or light off roading I would keep the flaps on. They really do keep rocks, mud from getting all opver the truck body. Buy new ones after you fix the rust and seal them on with a silocon sealer

 

[Jman]

All that trim is gone on mine (except rain gutter trim)--no need to put it back if you ask me. Flaps do have some use, but I took those off too--don't do enough off road to justify them, and when I do, the hose comes out anyway.

 

[Cruisergreg]

If you have the truck for a DD or light off roading I would keep the flaps on. They really do keep rocks, mud from getting all opver the truck body. Buy new ones after you fix the rust and seal them on with a silocon sealer

One caveat to David's advice is that if you actually WILL be doing any rock crawling take 'em off. I saw a friend do some nice sheetmetal damage when he came down off a rock and ripped his off leaving some ugly distorted holes where the screws had been.

 

[tclndcrz]

i removed my flaps. all they did was hold water and mud against the body and create rust.

 

[DocB]

I like the look of a clean no trim truck.

 

[Doc]

Remove the mud flaps, and Rhino line the bottom of the rear quarters for body protection from rocks and debris at speed.

 

[WALoeIII]

Do you guys suggest I remove all the chrome around the windows? I have it on all three windows still - is there any draw back to removing it? It doesn't really match my truck.