trike mudflap - no drill installation ?

[d.mehrl]

just curious if anyone has installed the front or rear flaps with a adhesive that worked good. Kind of scared to drill holes in a perfectly good fender !

 

[MHHillman]

The flaps come with a template and was very easy to drill. It took me no time at all to install

 

[keepinon]

I used a product called Goop Marine adhesive. It's the consistency of silicone, but when dry, damn it holds. I applied it to mudflaps/inside fenders in the evening & let it sit overnight. Been over a year, still holding.

There are many formulas of Goop, but the Marine formula is UV resistant. Been using it on boats & RV's for years.

 

[screwball]

Just a thought. IF you use an industrial super glue to avoid drilling holes, what are you going to do when the plastic mud flap wears out, cracks, or breaks off. If it were bolted on, you could unbolt the remaining piece and replace it. With some of the extra strength adhesives you are going to rip off the paint at least to get the stub off. Just a thought.

You should have seen the look on the faces of my neighbors when I took a jig saw to the roof of a 3 day old Dodge pick-up to install a sun roof. More than just a couple bolt holes if you screw it up

 

[0pini0nated]

I bonded an ABS black plastic splash guard to the inside of my front Freewheeler fender. Many things will stick to metal, but ABS is slippery, and it took a while to find something that would stick in the rain.

I cleaned the inside of the fender with solvent, then roughed up (sandpaper) the area of the splash guard to be glued. I used Loctite Epoxy Plastic Bonder and let it cure for 24 hours, before riding.

It's been three months, and no problem so far.

And YES Screwball, I agree ~ If I ever have to take the splash guard off, I'm sure it'll strip off the paint on the inside of my front fender with it.

 

[GoSlo]

Like you, I didn't want to drill the fenders,but mostly I didn't like the look of the bolts showing. I bought some special 3M double sided tape used by the auto industry to put the door guards and other things like that on cars. It adheres really well and is waterproof. Despite warnings from others that it won't stick, heat or water will make the tape come loose, etc., it's been on now for over two years and no problems at all yet. I did run a bead of caulk around the edges of the tape to help keep water out and so far have been really happy with the results.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[roadrunner1800]

You should have seen the look on the faces of my neighbors when I took a jig saw to the roof of a 3 day old Dodge pick-up to install a sun roof. More than just a couple bolt holes if you screw it up

Somewhat off topic here....but remember very well what screwball is referring to. I had a brand new 1979 Trans Am and didn't get the T Tops....but really wanted the rooftop sun window. So I bought a nice rooftop window at a car shop and then was almost in shock as I watched the installer sawing a damn hole in the roof...a huge hole for the window. I remember asking him just before he started "you've done this before right?" :AGGHH:

- - - Updated - - -

I'd like to know and the question is directed at the owners of the Roadsmith kits....is it a fairly easy job to install my own mudflaps, or better to shell out the money for the installer to do it....I want mudflaps for sure but it's not an important point for me what is written on them....seems to be another pricy option that could be done later after the conversion....provided the body doesn't need to be removed I'm not interested in doing that and I would want them mounted to a bracket not the fender

 

[Steve on 3]

Like you, I didn't want to drill the fenders,but mostly I didn't like the look of the bolts showing. I bought some special 3M double sided tape used by the auto industry to put the door guards and other things like that on cars. It adheres really well and is waterproof. Despite warnings from others that it won't stick, heat or water will make the tape come loose, etc., it's been on now for over two years and no problems at all yet. I did run a bead of caulk around the edges of the tape to help keep water out and so far have been really happy with the results.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Seems like a good idea. That double sided tape stays on even in the rain and through car washes. I like the mud flaps, just don't like the bolts. Might try the tape. Thanks for the idea

Steve

 

[GoSlo]

Seems like a good idea. That double sided tape stays on even in the rain and through car washes. I like the mud flaps, just don't like the bolts. Might try the tape. Thanks for the idea

Steve

If you decide to go this route, you could try what I did before installing them. I bought the 1/2" wide tape (comes in various sizes) and stuck two rows of the tape to top of the mud flaps and put a heavy weight on it for about 2 months. It was wintertime, so I couldn't put them on the trike until it warmed up a bit anyway. I did this just to ensure the tape was really stuck to the rubber. Then when it warmed up, I cleaned the inner fender area and stuck the flaps on. Make sure you have them lined up to where you want them to be before pressing them on. There's really no "adjusting" after you stick them on. The tape grabs hold and won't move. No worries about peeling paint or cracks in the fender from drilling. I'm pretty sure the paint on the inside of the fender back there isn't "finished", so if it does peel anything off, it's really not a problem.

Ridden through all kinds of weather with them and they haven't budged. +100°, well below freezing, heavy rain and a bit of snow.