20' Series Protection to rear for unsealed roads

[Fallen]

Hi brains trust. Outback dual axle 2015 20.64-1 and I'm getting stone damage to the rear undercarriage of the van on unsealed roads. Mostly to the back of the rear bumper, wood base of floor and 3rd water tank. I have a stone Stomper up front and that is amazing at protecting all up to van wheels, but looking for help at the back.

Wheels are original size, as are mud flaps. We're about to do the great central road Perth to Darwin and a bit of the Gibb so want to get something sorted.

I have some left over heavy duty shade cloth that's enough to fold into 4 layers to act as a full length stone flap behind the rear wheels (but not close enough to touch them when reversing) - thinking of putting a weight along the bottom and metal wire stitch the lot, mount behind the 2nd water tank going around 400mm from the van base (similar to mud flaps). Thoughts on this or other solutions?

 

[Drover]

Try lowering your mud flaps but no lower than 50mm from ground or you they can end up rock chuckers, I just used a bit of angle to extend the bracket, they need to be reasonably firm, soft rubber or shade cloth no matter how many layers doesn't do the job, on other set ups I have used some old truck mudflaps picked up from side of road fantastic to cut down for a trailer or van mudflap .............. You can run a length of belt rubber across underneath or a series of old truck flaps off a bar just behind the wheels, again not too low or you will throw more rocks............ if you have chunky off road tyres will throw rocks and thats about their only claim to fame for vans ............ my grey water tank is exposed to rocks and I just fitted some 1.5mm alloy sheet in front to take the hits and all piping is covered with HW or Aircon pipe insulation... of course dirt roads means slow down as well as rocks aren't the only things that fly about....

 

[Fallen]

Thanks for the notes Drover. Will look at extending the existing mudflaps. I've got new tyres, non-agressive ATs so should be better than the original chunky ones. I'm also putting some gal in to protect the 3rd tank (other 2 already have this) and doing the pool noodle thing for pipes.

 

[Drover]

It's surprising how well the mud flaps perform when they are refitted better, the trick with all rock flaps is that they shouldn't hit the ground when you run a culvert for once they do they just become rock chuckers..... pool noodles may degrade quickly, I have even run some of my drain pipe inside just plain old pvc pipe, originally to stop it drooping to allow it to flow directly to my GW tank but I also use some Bunnings 22mm drain hose, $10 for 10m as cover for some of my lines when I ran out of insulation stuff, again has worked well for 7 years now... I also use it as my van drain hose as well, small easy to manage and drains well even when using the washing machine so no need for some 3" drain hose with cam lock fittings costly a squillion, patched with gaffa tape when I break it..... the odd bit of modified purlon or "C" channel as a gaurd for my diesel heater and other fitting that swing low.

..... what was once $10 is now $15.90 .... still good stuff..... https://www.bunnings.com.au/aqua-systems-22mm-x-10m-grey-water-diverter-hose_p3110319

 

[jazzeddie1234]

My mud flaps are standard so I clean the underside post trip and apply a couple of coats of house paint to protect from water etc.

 

[Hitting the road]

That is reminder to me Fallen, something too that I need to watch...stone damage. I don't plan to do thousands of k's on gravel roads on the lap, but there will be some for sure. I have covered some exposed pipes with extra padding, and checked that all others are secure.
All I currently have is a good stone guard with decent flaps on the draw bar, as well as having now fitted non chunky non rock throwing All Terrain tyres that are taller and wider than the standard tyres. I just haven't had the time to replace the standard Jayco mudflaps but I certainly need to as the new wider tyres will definitely see stones and rocks flicked past those stock skinny mudflaps. A problem I also do have is the tyres on the tug do project outside the guards a bit and tend throw a bit of mud and crap.
I will have to do something or may see lots of stone damage in the same area as you...

 

[Drover]

On my 14.44 I added a strip of belt rubber across the front about where the draw bar and chassis join up, I found this stop low flyers from the tug rattling around underneath and bashing stuff, had to do some measuriing so it didn't rock chuck in dipps, going by the scars on the rubber it worked well..... have thought of doing the same on Big Mal but mini stone guards in front of low hanging stuff seems to work and is easier to do .... I have a narrow sheet of 2mm protecting the heater fuel line below the fuel tank at the rear and it has taken quite a few hits even with my grey water tank being like a big stone guard behind the wheels.... I used chassis black paint on the underneath, seals the floor up nicely.