Good news, bad news and a mud flap question

[Geoff.D]

When I bought my s/h ICE there was a chatter coming from the front mudguards. It was due to the mud flaps being a little loose. Applying the rule "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" I accepted the chatter. However, it increased and one flap showed signs of splitting, so I drilled out the offending rivets and removed the flaps.

The good news is that the silence is wonderful. I'm surprised just how much more enjoyable the ride is without the road noise.

The bad news is that I can now hear every slight murmur. I've got a squeak coming from my rear end as I take corners at any sort of speed, and it's driving me crazy!!

I'm now faced with the question of how to have mud flaps without using the rather crude, in my opinion, method of a single rivet, or any rivets at all. I'm a lifelong addict to "alternative solutions" (some may use the term "bodge" here) in many contexts. So, my creative side is working overtime. I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar problem and has come up with a solution that works effectively and silently.

[nigelnightmare]

Without the mudflaps you'll find you get a lot more spray hitting you.

You can use nyloc nut & bolt fixing.

See here http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk/mudguards-a-possible-anti-rattle-modification/ for one possible method.

I used Araldite rapid on mine (let it set before bolting it up),last november and they're still silent.

^^^ They used evo-stick.^^^

HTH

[Geoff.D]

Without the mudflaps you'll find you get a lot more spray hitting you.

You can use nyloc nut & bolt fixing.

See here http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk/mudguards-a-possible-anti-rattle-modification/ for one possible method.

I used Araldite rapid on mine (let it set before bolting it up),last november and they're still silent.

^^^ They used evo-stick.^^^

HTH

That link describes my experience almost exactly, Nigel. Even to the point of being able to hear previously inaudible sounds. Thanks.

I'd thought about replacing the rivet with a bolt, or perhaps two as in this link. But I decided to think wider then this, for two reasons. Even stainless bolts do rust up and (by my experience) I will have to undo them at some time because the mudflats themselves did start to split. Secondly, a nut on the inside is quite proud and will restrict the clearance of the tyre..... and on the outside it looks ugly.

I like Araldite, so I'm thinking around its use to create a fixing system that does away with bolts altogether, and yet allows me to replace old flaps (which need not be the proprietary ones in from ICE). I'm open to suggestions.

[hercule]

I must have read that post from Auntie Helen, but it wasn't in my mind when I silenced my rattling mud flaps with exactly the same technique. For some reason the mudguards on my FS QNT have never been a good fit for the tyre profile (and it was no better before I fitted the front suspension) so the extra few mm the nyloc nuts take up is no real concern.

I've used bits of washing up bottles (Ecover is best for sound environmental credentials ) as effective mud flaps in the past, they tend to last longer than the rubber variety.

[Tigerbiten]

I found the top of a Sunny-D bottle almost the same shape as a rubber mud flap .....
Plus I could cut it longer so mud/muck doesn't get thrown up onto my trailers solar panel.

[hoarder]

I found the top of a Sunny-D bottle almost the same shape as a rubber mud flap .....

Sunny-D got banned, IIRC, for turning a child yellow ?
https://thetab.com/uk/2016/06/10/whatever-happened-sunny-delight-1810

Presumably it's still on sale in Washington, D.C. ?

[9494arnold]

Use a Stainless Domed Nut outside with a spring washer, very elegant.

[firedfromthecircus]

:D Use a Stainless Domed Nut outside with a spring washer, very elegant.

Spring washers like to bite in my experience and that would make a mess of a plastic mudguard without another washer in between. If you like the domed nut idea just use some medium strength loctite. Will stay put until you need to undo it.
I would probably go with zip ties though. Two, or maybe three pairs of holes with the thin cable ties. Neat, strong, colour coordinated, replaceable, cheap, light. What you got to say about that Mr Bontrager?

[[XAP]Bob]

I haven't had front flaps on for a long while....
Maybe I should revisit them - the weather is bound to turn vicious soon...

[swscotland bentrider]

Just made on for my DF tourer. used gorilla glue and a bolt. GG needs to be clamped while setting. Removed bolt and went on a 900 km tour. Still in place and solid and silent.

[Geoff.D]

Just made on for my DF tourer. used gorilla glue and a bolt. GG needs to be clamped while setting. Removed bolt and went on a 900 km tour. Still in place and solid and silent.

This is the way my thoughts are going. I'm a little concerned that the GG (of which I have no experience) or araldite will be rigid and not allow the end of the mudguard to flex, as it must do to some, small extent. If it can't flex there might be a danger of fracture.

I haven't discarded the idea of using two bolts. The suggestion from 949arnold to use domed stainless nuts on the outside is also reasonable. If I go this way, I'll probably fashion inner and outer washers (out of body filler) - one with a convex side and the other concave. Indeed, I might embed the head of the bolt in filler, before rounding it off into a concave shape.

I've noticed that the mudflats on my Morpheus tandem seem to be the same fitting to the mudguard, but are considerably longer.

Thanks for your thoughts, folks.

[nigelnightmare]

I've just checked mine "Araldite + bolt", no cracks or splits so I'd say the Araldite flexes enough.

With reguards to bolt clearance, the mudguards are adjustable.

You don't want them too close as stone chippings tend to get caught and that could split the mudguard.

I had this happen on my old DF tourer and once this happens it makes a horrible racket that nearly drove me insane over the course of a weekend ride. It was quiet in the wet but when it dried out it rattled & creaked constantly.

[fixedfixer]

Double sided sticky foam tape - sort of stuff they stick car registration plates on with is good. Has a bit of flex, stick like something to a blanket and can easily be removed with a thin blade in future. Araldite is good for some stuff but would be a devil to remove in the future. Hope this helps.

[Geoff.D]

I decided to glue the flaps on with Araldite rapid, and this is how I did it -
1. Put a flap in place.
2. Put cling film on the inside (convex) surface, and half fill the convex shape with plaster filler.
3. Place a short length of 25mm dowel lengthwise, inside the the convex shape....and sticking out a little.
4. Infill the sides of the convex shape and curve/blend the plaster towards the crown of the dowel
5. Put two cable ties round the mudguard and plaster/dowel plug. Gently put some pressure on, but without deforming the shape of the mudguard.
6. Let it all set, and then take out the plug, like a lolly on a stick.
7. Put a limited amount of glue on the flap at strategic places (I didn't coat the whole inner surface, so that some flexibility is retained)
8. Replace new cling film and the plug. Replace cable ties and tighten everything up so that the flap surface is pressed firmly against the mudguard surface, without distortion.

This sounds more complicated than it looks in writing. It was easy to do. The flaps are on. They're not vibrating around and are silent.

The proof of the pudding remains to be seen!