Missing Mud Splash Guards

[MrPaco]

I'm missing the mud splash guards on the driver's side front wheel well of my truck (2nd gen, 4x4), and would like to find a replacement. These are two plastic pieces attached with pins to the top of the well that keep the mud from getting into the engine compartment.

I doubt these are available new anywhere, but I'm wondering if maybe one of you has looked for these and found something that worked. I'm looking or one of these solutions:

1) Source for buying new replacements (unlikely)
2) A similar guard, made for another truck, that maybe can be rigged to work in this truck. They are some kind of plastic, so I figure they could be trimmed/bent as necessary to fit. Has anyone done this? Any suggestions on what to look for?
3) Someone who has a parts truck who'd be willing to part with these guards

For reference, here is the passenger side with the guards, and the driver's side without them

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Thanks

[geezer101]

I've got a similar problem but mine are perished. They appear to be made out of rubber. I think I'll be making them out of a sheet and cutting the profile to match.

[StarquestMan]

mine are cracking or missing too. i think its a common problem with these trucks and im sure all the ones that are intact will be difficult to remove without destroying them without carefully squeezing the clips from behind with pliers to release them this way you can use the good ones as a template. i plan on making new ones myself out of sheet rubber if i ever get around to it lol

[geezer101]

Even it it's cracked or split/missing sections, all you need is the basic outline and the push lug hole locations to be in the right place to make one. They could probably do with some alterations or improvements to make them work better.

[tortron]

Oh I wondered what those holders were for...

Some thin abs like the inner guards would be ok I'm sure. Maybe bang some out of sheet metal

[Chargerx3]

I have an extra set but won’t likely part with them. They are 4x4 specific.

[MrPaco]

I might attempt at removing the ones on the passenger side and making a template to make new ones out of rubber, probably spray them with undercoating to make them a little more rigid.

Charger, can you confirm that both sides, driver and passenger, are the same size/shape? I wouldn't be surprised if there some variations since the driver side has a lot more moving parts in that area.

[geezer101]

Cardboard, a sharpie and scissors = CAD template (cardboard aided design) :thumbup:

[StarquestMan]

my parts catalog lists 2 different part numbers for the front left and right halves but the back halves appear to be the same for each side.

[MrPaco]

I figured that'd be the case. Found the diagram on the service manual, looks like the front guards are the same shape for both sides, but the driver's has a cutout on it. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out....

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[Chargerx3]

I’ll see if I could grab you a couple pics.

[WarStryker13]

The driver's side has a cutout for access to the steering gear from the wheel well. Mine are mostly gone on both sides, if you do make a template I'd be interested in seeing pics or measurements.

[MrPaco]

I'm on it. I ordered some material and will attempt to replicate them. I just downloaded the latest version of Geezer's CAD program (pirated, of course), so should be a breeze.
Will report back as soon as I get somewhere.

[geezer101]

Great. Now my intellectual property is being freewared. That would cost me a whole $2.50 to develop :lmao:

[MrPaco]

I made a template of the front wheel well mud guards for 2nd Gen 4wd trucks, for anyone who wants to use it.

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* This template has three pieces on it:
- Driver side front piece
- Passenger side front piece
- The back piece is the same for both sides, just reversed
* 2wd trucks only use the front pieces (I think they are the same, but I'm not sure)
* There are back wheel guards as well, but they are not included in the template

Here's the pdf for anyone to use. You can take this to an Office Depot, or other print shop, and have them print it as a blueprint at 24"x36", it cost about $3.50 (don't print it as poster, that will be pricey). Make sure they print as "actual size" and not "fit to print" as that will change the size. I included an inch and centimeter scale so you can make sure it printed at the correct size.
If you need this and can't get to a print shop, DM and I'll email you a copy.

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Thanks to StarquestMan for providing the pattern for the one piece is was missing.

I ordered some cloth reinforced 1/16" sheet rubber and some 5mm pins, should be here later this week. I'll let you all know how it goes once I make the guards. I'll post all of this in the resources section once I test it myself, so that other can find in the future.

[StarquestMan]

Awesome im glad to help! I was looking at my new parts truck and noticed that it has the back wheel guards in tact. if you want I can send you a template in GeezerCAD if you want? BTW i think the 2wd trucks had different shaped front half splash guards but they used the same rear halves on the front wheels if i remember what the catalog said correctly.

[StarquestMan]

oh wait i see your service manual picture showing them like you said. thats strange? ill have to double check my cataloge.

[StarquestMan]

Ah it looks like 2wd trucks have the same rubber guards on both sides on the front but no rear guards. they list a different part number than either side of the 4wd trucks. both 2wd and 4wd, LB and and short bed all use the same rear guards for the bed. hope this helps.

[MrPaco]

I was looking at my new parts truck and noticed that it has the back wheel guards in tact. if you want I can send you a template in GeezerCAD if you want?

Thanks, my rear wheel well guards are in good shape, so I don't need at this at the moment. If anyone here needs them though, happy to make a template for those.

[MrPaco]

Ah it looks like 2wd trucks have the same rubber guards on both sides on the front but no rear guards. they list a different part number than either side of the 4wd trucks. both 2wd and 4wd, LB and and short bed all use the same rear guards for the bed. hope this helps.

I see, I assumed incorrectly that the front pieces would be the same on both trucks based on the diagram on the sevice manual. Then this template is useless for 2wd truck owners. I'll update the template to clarify (my OCD is mild, but still there) and uploaded it later. Thank you.

[MrPaco]

Finally got the material to make the mud guards. They came out well, here's the before and after:

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I posted the file, and sources for the materials in the resource center section of the forum, for future generations to find... here it is in case someone needs the info.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/7670-2nd-Gen-DIY-Mud-Guards-(4x4)?p=67746#post67746

Striker, let me know if you are still looking to make some for yourself. I have a couple extra patterns printed out, I'll mail you one if you want it.

[Atamis]

How did you print them out? Will a normal printer print it out in segments somehow?

[MrPaco]

I printed them at Office Depot, full size. You could do a test to see if they would printing sections on a regular printer, try the section with the ruler scale first and see if it prints real size. Just be aware that these are for 2nd gen 4x4, probably won't work on 1st gen (I'm guessing)

[geezer101]

I printed them at Office Depot, full size. You could do a test to see if they would printing sections on a regular printer, try the section with the ruler scale first and see if it prints real size. Just be aware that these are for 2nd gen 4x4, probably won't work on 1st gen (I'm guessing)

The guess would be correct. Everything seems to be smaller on the Gen 1 - some hatchet work would make it fit but it wouldn't be pretty...

[Chargerx3]

Nice work.