To use Or not to use Rear Stone/Mud Deflectors

[sick472]

Aside from originality concerns...

Wouldn't a good set of mud flaps behind the rear tires serve the same purpose, if not better than the stock deflectors that live above the bumper brackets?

I will be putting mud flaps (potentially over sized for extra protection) on the old truck as I live on a, sometimes soupy, gravel road and like the idea of less places for crud to accumulate. The abstinence of these deflectors would also make it easier to hose out the what does get past the mud flaps and thrown up in the bumper and rear-most bed sill area.

Am I missing something here or am I thinking in good order?

The deflectors just don't seem to do much.

[uncle]

It’s more cosmetic than anything. Covers bumper brkts.

[sick472]

Good point Uncle! I can see the bumper brackets from above looking down between the bumper and tailgate even though the gap is only about and inch. I am thinking about two strips of aluminum (2-3" wide), maybe one long one, to make that air gap completely non-see-through.

These pieces would sit and bolt to the bumper brackets just as the original guards did, but be longer and fill it all in.

Anybody do something similar?

[special-K]

They do act as splash shields. If you don't run them and don't run mud flaps you will see the rear tires throw road spray and splash up through there. Mudflaps may serve the same purpose, though, if they are wider than the tires. For me, I find mud flaps make it hard to get a good washout. I wash out the rear quarters by hosing up from behind the wheel, over the wheel well, back of bumper, and around tail lamps. I see no reason not to run the splash pans with or without mud flaps.