To take off the mudflaps just remove the 3 bolts holding them on, and pull. The plastic grommits will pop out. It takes a bit of force, but there's really nothing there to damage.

The clear plastic is there to prevent your paint from getting chipped by stuff that gets kicked up by the tires. I'd advise against removing it.

 

I was going to say kick them off. But I noticed you don't want to damage anything, so, just unscrew them. And as Silver said, leave the plastic film on..

 

yeah, i removed the 3 screws like said. Then I used a flathead screwdriver to pry the rivets off. Very easy. Makes the truck look much nicer.

 

Billzebub,

What are you going to do with them ??

I need a pair of rear mud flaps. I snapped one off offroading. I need to shorten the next set I put on.

If your going to trash them e-mail me with your address and I'll send you a check for shipping.

Harry

 

why would you wanna take off the mud guards? :whatthe: they look sweet. crazy, i tell you, crazy

 

lol, taking off the mudflaps has always been the first thing I have done on every truck I have owned.. Regardless of tire clearance.

The more tire you can see from the rear of the truck the better IMO.....

 

I personaly think your crazy if you remove the flaps. They are there for a few reasons. If you care about your truck, that is not rusting, not getting water, mud, whatever you might happen to run over on the road, thrown at the underside of your doors, suspension, and everything else under your truck, then I would leave them there. I was really glad to see that Toyota has made a decent mud flap, it seems more strudy than most on this size of truck. If your stuck on looks go ahead, but I think your asking for lots of trouble.

 

I personaly think your crazy if you remove the flaps. They are there for a few reasons. If you care about your truck, that is not rusting, not getting water, mud, whatever you might happen to run over on the road, thrown at the underside of your doors, suspension, and everything else under your truck, then I would leave them there. I was really glad to see that Toyota has made a decent mud flap, it seems more strudy than most on this size of truck. If your stuck on looks go ahead, but I think your asking for lots of trouble.

I agree with you brother. :thumbup:

 

I took mine off becuase I had to. If I didn't, my tires would have done it for me. It looks better, and the protection they provide is minimal anyway, IMO.

If you think they'll prevent stuff from getting all over your suspension and underside when running around in the rain or mud, you'd be kidding yourself. Unless of course you only drive in a straight line :lol:

 

I personaly think your crazy if you remove the flaps. They are there for a few reasons. If you care about your truck, that is not rusting, not getting water, mud, whatever you might happen to run over on the road, thrown at the underside of your doors, suspension, and everything else under your truck, then I would leave them there. I was really glad to see that Toyota has made a decent mud flap, it seems more strudy than most on this size of truck. If your stuck on looks go ahead, but I think your asking for lots of trouble.

Well I agree with you but for different reasons. Apparently, people are having big problems with the paint chipping, even with mud guards and clear protective tape. Luckily, I have yet to have a problem, but I only have 3500 miles on it. Silver Mica paint made 5/5/05. I am starting to worry about it so removing flaps/tape is probably not a good option. I just saw 55 reasons truck with the larger tires and mud flaps removed and thought it looked nice.

My '99 Chevy Silverado that I totalled (RIP), didn't have any mud flaps or protective tape and it was six years old without any chips in the areas described by Tacoma owners. It only had one small chip on the hood from a rock and that was it. And it was black and still had a mirror finish after 6 years. I am starting to notice more and more older rusty Toyota trucks. I am starting to wonder if my purchase was a bad choice. I could have bought a Silverado ext cab 5.3L V8 Z71 for $24,400 with the employee discount and I bought the Tacoma SR5 Double Cab for $26,500. I was looking for a change, and although I never had any major problems with the Chevy, I had a few annoying things go bad, but fixed under warranty. Toyotas are supposedly very reliable. Also my wife is petite, and fuel was over $3 a gallon at the time so I went with the V6 Tacoma.

I got between 15 and 17 MPG in the Chevy. My last milage with the Tacoma was 14.8 mpg (I did use 4x4 one day due to deep snow and ice). This fall it always got close to 17 MPG and I drive almost all city. This winter the milage has gotten worse for some reason and I don't let it warm up long.

Anyway, thanks all for the advice and Merry Christmas!

Old truck (6 months before wrecking)

New Taco

 

the mudflaps look dumb IMO. i took them off a few days after i got it home, and it dosent help keep the water, dirt and mud off of anything better. the bottom stil gets wet in the rain! LOL

and even if it did keep the dirt off the undercarrage, im fine with that. its a truck, not a ferrari. its made to carry stuff and get dirty and thats what im going to do with it

 

The very first time you roll over a ten-inch tall rock, or through a ditch that is about that deep, your stiff, plastic mudflaps are going to do one of two things:

1. Break off anyway.

or

2. Break your fender flares.

I removed mine to avoid either of those possibilities.

These trucks aren't made out of wet newspaper. Man up and DRIVE them, you sissies! :

 

I use to drive a big rig with a guy who thought the same way as youl 10SE, he was always tearing the mud flaps off when backing over crubs, and stuff. Forget to get out and flip them over, anyway the Highway Patrol didn't hesitate to give him tickets for it either. I know it is equipment that by law you have to have on those trucks,( Peterbilts, Etc.) Probaly on our little play trucks it don't matter.

 

damn right an eighteen wheeler better have mudflaps, cracked windsheilds suck...if im behind one i either back off or pass them

 

I use to drive a big rig with a guy who thought the same way as youl 10SE, he was always tearing the mud flaps off when backing over crubs, and stuff. Forget to get out and flip them over, anyway the Highway Patrol didn't hesitate to give him tickets for it either. I know it is equipment that by law you have to have on those trucks,( Peterbilts, Etc.) Probaly on our little play trucks it don't matter.

you dont need mudflaps on a midsize truck.