Agreed!

 

Love my weathertech no drills.

 

Personal preference. Mud flaps were the first thing I put on my 2011 when I bought it used in 2012, plus window vent visors, Husky floor liners, and a F150 bug shield. Haven't done anything since. I prefer cleaner sides than not, especially in the winter & on unpaved roads. But that's just me. I've had flaps on my both my prior trucks (1986 Ranger & 2000 F150); can't imagine having a truck without them.

 

The hard mud flaps will protect your paint but are a danger to nearly everyone else on the road when you throw a rock. Rocks hit the plastic and deflect up,bounce down and get thrown sideways into oncoming traffic. They also act like parachutes.
Better flaps are the heavy duty rubber ones. They absorb energy thus rocks bounce far less. They also flex a bit giving you less wind resistance.

 

here is what I got on my fx4. I think they are gatorbacks if I remember right.

 

yep. Those are gatorbak's. I have the same ones (plain chrome plate though). They are great as they have a nice heavy rubber that has some give. Plus they can be mounted in a bit or out a bit if you have wider tires.

 

dump the exhaust, problem solved. Stock exhaust pipe looks like poo anyway, as do mud flaps. 3M clear bra if you want some added protection. Don't most f150's have the plastic paneling behind the rear wheels on the bed anyway?

 

Yes I would definitely opt for mud flaps. I like the hard plastic molded style myself.

 

I'd rather not have mud flaps, and I think that unless you routinely operate in a place where stray rocks are not an everyday possibility - like maybe mostly in the south (having grown up in Florida) - but since I moved the the upper midwest w/lots of rural driving, you simply have to have them if you're at all interested in protecting your paint/finish. Rocks are a daily issue for me at least.

Then again, others feel that a truck is a truck, and it's supposed to get dirty/be dirty/not be pretty. Both are valid viewpoints I think.

I've got Xpel film all over the front, and you can generally have it installed wherever you want. Mine came with film on the front edge of the rear bumper (on the sides), but that's it.

 

I got the same ones for Christmas but have not put them on yet. Still contemplating if I like them or not as I really don't care for the look of mudflaps on trucks but they help with keeping debris from hitting the rockers and and rear panel. After seeing the rust that developed on my old 2002 Screw below the rockers where it was clearly caused by crap being thrown from the front tires, I think I will give them a try.