8v mud flaps DIY

**INYAUDI** · 12-07-2016 10:48 AM

So I've been meaning to write this up for a couple weeks now but here it is just in time for winter. This has seen two light New England snow storms and I'm glad this mod was done beforehand. As we know our cars love flinging dirt, water, etc at our rear bumpers especially with a wider track width. If you live in the rust belt I strongly consider this mod. I went into this wanting function but not wanting to rice up such a classy car. You be the judge. Haven't heard any negative comments on it yet.

Now to get into what you'll need:

-Rally Armor Universal mud flaps (Amazon ~$25)
-1/8" and 1/4" drill bits
-T25 Torx bit
-5mm Allen wrench
-Cardboard/foam board
-Sharpie
-M8x40 vw/audi self tapping screw OR #10-24 x 1" sheet metal screws at Home Depot (4)
-(with Home Depot screws) #10 washers (4)

-Trace the mud flaps on the cardboard.
-Cut.
-Now position it to your liking. Be sure to keep the cardboard steady for the next part.
-Without bending the cardboard up too much get the screws/clips to leave indents on the cardboard. These will your drilling points. (Front uses the larger drill bit)
-Do not move the cardboard yet. Trace where the fender and mud flaps meet. This will make aligning the other side of vehicle virtually unnecessary but I like to measure twice.
-Once you have those indents (7 total) you are set to drill. Be sure to note which holes belong to the rear (2 1/8" holes) and for the front (5 1/4")
-It helps to drill the rears simultaneously then do the fronts as well. uniform is key.
-Installing is straightforward but there are things to note. The clips in the front holding the fender liner can be removed by poking a 5mm through the center. Be sure to find the small piece of plastic that falls out. You will need those to tighten the clips. And for the rear the longer screws are needed.

Feel free to ask about measurements or clarifications, I probably missed something :p

Post your pics when you do this mod !

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Wr3ks_S3** · 12-07-2016 11:11 AM

Hmmmm, I'm in NH as well. I don't know if I can bring myself to put mudflaps on my S3 after having them on my wrx...lol

Good write up either way, I feel like I'm back on Nasioc already.

**INYAUDI** · 12-07-2016 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Wr3ks_S3

Hmmmm, I'm in NH as well. I don't know if I can bring myself to put mudflaps on my S3 after having them on my wrx...lol

Good write up either way, I feel like I'm back on Nasioc already.

I actually was told by someone that they liked how it wasn't really noticeable until they pulled up next to me where as on a lot of wrxs you can spot the flaps from a quarter mile lol. If you're in the Nashua area keep your eyes peeled so you can make the call! Audi has rally heritage so why not go for it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**INYAUDI** · 12-07-2016 12:11 PM

Some reference pics

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-07-2016 06:33 PM

I have a set of the flaps but haven't gone through with the deed yet. Any close up pics on how you attached the mud flaps to the fender well? How does it look, and can you use any of the existing holes/ clips on the car?

**INYAUDI** · 12-07-2016 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by FabianS

I have a set of the flaps but haven't gone through with the deed yet. Any close up pics on how you attached the mud flaps to the fender well? How does it look, and can you use any of the existing holes/ clips on the car?

I used all the fasteners that are in that area of the fender. The stock plastic clips in the front are very secure. The back ones are as well, but I did use screws from Home Depot. They can be painted black but I just left it as stainless steel. So far it has been tested against some snow,driveway scraping, and extended drives above 80. That being said the wind noise is minor. Pilot super sports make considerably more noise.

Sorry about the poor quality pics but..
The front mounting points are practically invisible. The back is clean and simple.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-08-2016 12:01 PM

I was considering placing the flaps between the fender liner and the fender, and trying to use some of the existing fasteners on the fender liners...make it look all sano.

**INYAUDI** · 12-08-2016 10:04 PM

Front hardware will work, back hardware needs to be twice as long. iirc it's an M8x10 self tapping screw. I searched on ECS and found oem screws in an m8x20 or 30. They are technically bolts because they lack the pointed tip which I've discovered makes catching the threads a lot easier. As for for tucking the flaps inside the liner there are 3 concerns you'll have to think about. 1) Will it fit, is there anything inside there that will prevent you from inserting it in properly? Side note : My flaps are touching the inner wall of the wheel well. You cannot insert them any deeper without cutting excess off. 2) Tucking it inside the liner will disrupt the tight figment of liner to fender. You'd create a gap at the edge of the flap that could potentially allow corrosion within the panel. 3) That gap will defeat the purpose of having a clean look. The way I did it is seriously clean as is. You can't make out where flap ends and liner begins. With my set up I have a slight tire tuck/flush stance, you can't see in the fender unless you remove the wheel. Absolute worst case scenario is you wasted $25 and half an hour because you don't like the look.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-09-2016 06:32 PM

So the self tapping screws go through the fender liner yeah? You'd likely have a bunch of holes if you decided to take them off, correct?

**INYAUDI** · 12-10-2016 10:35 AM

Nah nah they go into the stock holes, even the oem screws are self tapping. The mod is completely reversible

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-10-2016 02:39 PM

Ahh, perfect!

**K2jer** · 12-10-2016 04:04 PM

I made a set of carbon ones.

**INYAUDI** · 12-10-2016 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by K2jer

I made a set of carbon ones.

That's awesome. Are they somewhat pliable?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-12-2016 05:58 PM

Are the self taping screws metal or plastic? I'd like black metal ones for durability if possible.

**INYAUDI** · 12-13-2016 09:09 AM

Yes they are metal. Only the front fasteners are plastic and I can tell you they are plenty strong. I hit a chunk of hard snow and it held up just fine. I saw only stainless and zinc coated screws at the hardware store but give a quick spray and you'll be set

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**INYAUDI** · 12-13-2016 03:33 PM

Update on screws:
For the rear, top 2 screws (1 per side) are the 1"
Bottom 2 are the 3/4"
Total cost ~$2

**A4_kamil** · 12-14-2016 07:57 AM

I like when i have snow all over the car

itll buff out if i get some scratches.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**FabianS** · 12-14-2016 11:08 AM

I have Xpel covering my rocker panels and half way up my doors, but little rocks still seem to damage it, so I'm adding some flaps. I may have to trim mind down a bit to fit closer to the body and not be too close to the ground. I went on a trip to my hometown out of province on the weekend, and they ended up getting a dump of snow, and my car got coated! I had snow all in my grill, and my rockers and wheel wells were plugged with snow, so much so it took $20 at the car wash to spray the car off before it was suitable to take through a touchless car wash. Hopefully the flaps help with some of this...