Rocker protection opinions needed on this

Egroegart

I hope everyone doesn't mind all the questions I'm asking. Lol. I just love this bronco. I said I was done with mods but I forgot I have one last issue. I've read alot of others have this issue when lifted and bigger tires. I have the 3 inch rough country suspension lift and 35" tires and by the second day of owning it I had a big chip on the drivers side and another on the passenger side from the tires throwing rocks at it. I was so pi$ed. I immediately drove up to summit racing thinking I could just pick up mud flaps and install them right away. Yah right. They had one set which were like 500 bucks. I wasn't spending 500 bucks on mudflaps. I wanted something that looked nice but still reasonable in price. The ones for 500 looked like they could be on a semi truck. So I had to order them. I ordered the weather tech mud flaps. They're not bad. They stick out wide and cover the whole side of the tire. The problem is they don't go down as low to the ground like the 500 dollar semi truck looking ones. Lol. So here and there if it just works out perfectly the tires can throw a rock at the very bottom and still hit my rockers and chip them. So I've been looking at different solutions. I found this one which I think I like. I found a discussion on here from a year ago people talking about it but I don't see that anyone actually got it. It's sold on the Ford store and it's once again frickin expensive. 409 bucks for a couple pieces of plastic. But I do have 42,000 points which would make it that I only have to pay 200 and then there's an additional 15% off. So another 30 bucks off. So I would be paying basically 170 bucks for it. Which seems a lot better to me. I'm not completely sold on it aestesthetically but I am literally getting it not for the looks but to stop the rocks from. Hitting the bottom of the bronco rocker panels. And I think these would do the trick. The one thing I don't know if I like is they stick on with 3m adhesive tape. I know that tape is super strong and they will hold well. But I'm wondering if water and moisture will get inside of there and cause rust to start eventually? I've read that possibly my door skins are aluminum, so if that's the case I guess rust wouldn't be an issue. But what do you guys think? I think as far as protecting from rocks being thrown at the bronco these would work fine. But I'm not sure about what I think about how they look. They almost remind me of my first vehicle. A 1991 Plymouth Sundance and I added all kinds of plastic trim pieces like this because that was the thing to do in the 90's........but this isn't the 90's. Lmao. What do you guys think? Do they look ok? Should I just get them because i do know they are going to save my paint? And I'll have something else to make a post about here and share about. Sorry about the long post. I don't summarize well. I can't seem to get the picture to attach so I'll post a link to the ad. https://accessories.ford.com/body-appearance-kit-3-door-side-lh-rh-door-fender-rocker

MIGeezer

Based on the responses I will assume this is about mud flaps. Didn't have time to read the original novel written. :0) If it isn't then never mind.

I have the Gatorback flaps, front/rear. Yep they cost a bit more, yep you have an off road truck the tires throw mud and rocks, yep they work well, if you are into the hard off road stuff the lower flap slides off. Yep the attach using factory holes, no drilling required. But ya do have ta be able ta follow directions. Yep, like the old Fram commercial pay me now or pay me later. If you less the 40 never mind the last comment. You spent how much on the truck, how much will a paint job cost to fix all the rock damage? Kinda like buying a boat, don't buy it if'in you can't afford the gas!! My 2¢.

Eninty

Swap to passenger car tires.

Egroegart

I took your advice Eninty. My friend said it looks kind of silly with the lift now but no more rocks hitting it. Lol

Eninty

What's silly is buying an off road oriented vehicle and worrying about rock chips...

Egroegart

It's silly to want to take care of something that you just paid over 50k for? I guess I'm OK with being silly then. I was raised that the better you take care of something the longer it will last. I've never known anyone that welcomes rocks or anything else chipping and damaging their expensive vehicle that they worked hard to buy. That would also mean that all of these companies that create the parts to protect vehicles from getting chipped and damaged are silly too then. I was just trying to be light hearted with the picture because I thought you were being funny and joking around. That's an interesting view on it though. Thank you.

Eninty

I was just sarcastically trying to bring some realism to the situation. You bought an ORV, lifted it 3 inches and put 35" ORV tires on it. One would assume you made those modifications with the intent to off road your Bronco. When you off road it, it's going to get scratched, dinged, and possibly dented. So, worrying about paint chipping from rocks thrown from the tires really seems like a completely minor concern in the grand scheme of things if you intend to use your Bronco within its design purpose. Off-road tires pick up small rocks and stones, centripetal force flings them out of the tread blocks, that is just a fact of life. I doubt any mud flap design will completely eliminate that issue for you. If you get big enough mud flaps that do, then the flaps may just rip from the fenders when off-roading.

Someone suggested paint protection film. That's probably the best advice offered in the thread, other than getting tires that don't fling rocks from their tread. Another option is adding a Rhino Lining type of material to the lower cladding of your Bronco.

I hope you solve the problem to your satisfaction.