Skid plates-mud flaps-air dams

[TOW'D]

Howdy gang,
 I'd sure like to get some mud flaps on the front of our '85 Golf
we live off the highway and have some dirt/gravel road to travel everyday.
The mud is spraying on the door hinges and lower part of the door-
 
What kind of flaps do you use?
 Any pictures?
How did they mount- sheet metal screws or what.
I've seen mud flaps that were just a little hard plastic lip sticking out - do they do the job?

I don't like the way the oil pan sits unprotected - do you guys have skid plates?

How about flexiable air damns- any pix?
thanks
hank

[Smokey Eddy]

Make your own! Be creative! Hahaha the only one ive ever seen was the jetta that IS my inspiration. It was a snowboarding road trip IDI and it had one of those steel cross check plates on the front to protect the pan. It looked pretty clean. I don't remember how it was mounted though.
A skid plate would be an interesting idea.

[jtanguay]

steel pans aren't brittle like the aluminum pans.. so mostly guys with aluminum pans get the skid plates, although the skid plates actually help keep dirt/salt/slush out of the engine compartment which is nice!  the problem being is that there is only mk3/mk4/mk5 plates being produced... a mk2 plate would need to be a mk3 plate with some modification... or build your own

[79rabbit4dr]

dang, I just read yesterday about someone who was form-fitting steel sheets to the bottom of oil pans. What he does is lay on a piece of steel, heat it up until it takes the shape of the pan, then welds around the edges. It's listed either on here or vortex. I just looked can't find it.

[Smokey Eddy]

That's a strange idea.
Welds the plate to the pan it's self?

An impact would still rip the pan out would it not? it would be awesome for preventing dings i guess but then all that force is on the pan bolts.

Sorry, where does he weld it to?

[zukgod1]

Just like 79rabbit4dr mentioned he just welds it to the pan.

Cuts it to a rough shape then welds, heats till its the same shape as the pan.

Yes IF you hit it you are transferring all that force through the pan into the engine/ trans motor mounts etc but there is a chance it would save you ass from emptying the oil out and destroying the engine .

I would rather have a skid plate but the pan idea seems easy enough really.

[TOW'D]

I think I'll just have to make a skid plate
I'd like a little room between the skid plate and pan
I've got some old stop signs that might be just right for the job
thanks guys
hank

[79rabbit4dr]

I've got some old stop signs that might be just right for the job

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

hmmm... i've got a "Handicapped Parking Only" sign I should try that with  :roll:  nah, i'll leave it hanging in the garage where the wife parks  :twisted:

[Smokey Eddy]

I think a skid plate provides the same protection as that guys oil pan mold idea but elliminated the risk of ripping the whole pan off - damageing mounts like dan said and so on.

And a skid plate would look sick! :twisted:
Street signs make awesome skid plates! uhhh i mean ....
I know nothing about all the missing stop signs. :roll:

[jtanguay]

I've got some old stop signs that might be just right for the job

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

hmmm... i've got a "Handicapped Parking Only" sign I should try that with  :roll:  nah, i'll leave it hanging in the garage where the wife parks  :twisted:

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[TOW'D]

I found a Men at Work 30"X30" steel sign
we made a 30*bend on one end --7" in
front bolts to the crossmember and bends up to just below the rad
back into the front lower a arm mount
I'll have to do some welding for the mounting brackets

I was looking over the inside of the wheel well to see how to mount mud flaps and don't like how the mud and rocks get thrown at the inner fender and door pillar.
Looks like to do the job I'd have to make a flap that sticks way in the well
 back at it tomorrow
cheers
hank

[FoXBoXRaCiNG]

$3 a pair, and even bought spares!