Do Fender Flares Protect Truck Sides Or Only Look Good?

[ak63]

Do fender flares protect the sides (or other areas) of a Silverado from stone chips, or are they only a styling accessory? Would GM or OEM eg Husky mudflaps provide similar protection? I'm asking because a GM front/read fender flare set costs nearly $300 but a Husky front/rear mudflap set costs $60. For $240 extra I'm not interested in my truck looking good!!

[99silverado1500]

If you want stone chips away from the back bottom corner, Mudflaps are nessicary. I never found fender flares to do anything BUT add rust to it, by keeping salt and water in between it. I never got a nick or scratch on the road from not having fender flares, but the kids ATV's and bikes love to scratch the side so as long as you dont have roudy kids you will never need fender flares or any other side protecting.

[04z71steve]

do you get your truck muddy on a regular basis, or live in a place where driving on gravel roads is everyday occurrence?

 

steve

[ak63]

do you get your truck muddy on a regular basis, or live in a place where driving on gravel roads is everyday occurrence?

 

I do drive on gravel roads several times per month, but not everyday. Those roads are also incredibly dusty. I doubt it will ever get really muddy, but it will be off-road in fields so will get some mud. From 99silverado1500's reply it sounds like the fender flares might just trap the dust and mud against the paint surface.

[brnr17]

i have fenderflares and mudflaps on my truck and it is very difficult to get it dirty .. ( I tried ;) ) ... you can find a set of GM fenderflares on ebay for around $160 unpainted. i like the look of them and they do give you a little added protection from doors.

[grimmysnr]

Fender flares came stock on mine and to be honest i never saw a use to them other than to look spiffy. If i want to scratch up my truck theres nothing those flares are gonna do to stop it. They cover up what 2% of the truck? That leaves the rest of the truck to get messed up? The bumpers or bed will get trashed before your fenders do. They look nice though.

[brnr17]

Fender flares came stock on mine and to be honest i never saw a use to them other than to look spiffy. If i want to scratch up my truck theres nothing those flares are gonna do to stop it. They cover up what 2% of the truck? That leaves the rest of the truck to get messed up? The bumpers or bed will get trashed before your fenders do. They look nice though.

they keep the tires from throwing stuff up at the side of your truck .. whether it's salt from the road or dirt/mud if you don't have them it will throw it up above the side molding ... mudflaps wont stop that .. they just keepit from throwing crap on the lower part of the truck ... they do have some function

[grimmysnr]

Fair enough, I guess up here in Alaska they put down mud and rocks for the winter. But theres no flare or mudflap that will keep any vehicle clean up here. Usually when i go off roading they never seem to do that much good. But i guess i since i havnt had a truck without them i wouldnt know any better. But in my time up here i have never encountered a light splash, its either one extreme or the other. My truck is also black, so its impossible to keep it clean.

[rjdyer]

I think they alot to the looks of the truck. especially when painted to match. , as well as protection. Can't do without protection these days. I plan on getting some for mine. I am also going to add some type of mudflap. Do the oem flaps work with the flares?

[RyanbabZ71]

I had something hit the corener of mine (Rock, shopping cart, car door???) and it took a small chip out of the plastic not to noticable but they do help I would have a nice ding in the metal if I didnt have mine.

 

Plus they look good in my opinion. Those are husky mudflaps have had them on for a little over 7 yrs now