Mud / salt / debris trap

[jwiedle24]

I'm hoping Husky comes out with their wheel well guards at some point. Wheel Well Liners & Wheel Well Guards | Husky Liners

I’m not too familiar with those and the coverage provided. But as others have said, mud flaps didn’t block it and the passenger side was aided by the storage cubby. I did notice when changing the reverse lights that the cubby was in front to help block. But then I looked underneath and the issue seems to also be lack of a cover underneath. The driver side is open with the muffler and the passenger side has a plastic panel covering the entire bottom area.

Driver side:

Passenger side:

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[Motorjunkie]

I have been on many muddy job sites recently, and to add insult I got trapped twice behind a brine spray truck, so my Mav was in need of a good wash.

I have a 6-foot extending wash wand with an adjustable head i use to spray under body wheel wells etc., and I pay close attention to the left rear quarter as it is open to the road below.

Today i could not get the water to run clear, so after rinsing the area for 20 minutes I decided to just pull the taillight and flush the area from above. The area was packed with mud, small rocks, and briny crud. Only took a minute to wash it out from above.

Folks in areas with actual winter weather may want to pull that drivers taillight and get that rear quarter cleaned out., and keep a close eye on it.

@Ford Motor Company needs to provide some protection here, a good part of what is cast off from the tire winds up slobbered onto the taillight and up inside that panel. Looks like an awesome recipe for corrosion sooner rather than later.

If you haven't, I encourage you to pull that taillight, less than a minute, and check it out.

Passenger side is rarely dirty at all as it is protected from the wheel well by the storage cubby - so I believe I will add another storage cubby to the drivers side soon.

Living in Northwest Pa., I plan to take mine apart as soon as I get it home. Proposed build week of 4/18/2022. I will rustproof it myself, add any inner fenders/shields myself, then put it back together. I am 63 and this will be my last new vehicle and I plan to make it last God willing. There has never been a design from any manufacturer that myself or anyone else could not improve on.

I have been on many muddy job sites recently, and to add insult I got trapped twice behind a brine spray truck, so my Mav was in need of a good wash.

I have a 6-foot extending wash wand with an adjustable head i use to spray under body wheel wells etc., and I pay close attention to the left rear quarter as it is open to the road below.

Today i could not get the water to run clear, so after rinsing the area for 20 minutes I decided to just pull the taillight and flush the area from above. The area was packed with mud, small rocks, and briny crud. Only took a minute to wash it out from above.

Folks in areas with actual winter weather may want to pull that drivers taillight and get that rear quarter cleaned out., and keep a close eye on it.

@Ford Motor Company needs to provide some protection here, a good part of what is cast off from the tire winds up slobbered onto the taillight and up inside that panel. Looks like an awesome recipe for corrosion sooner rather than later.

If you haven't, I encourage you to pull that taillight, less than a minute, and check it out.

Passenger side is rarely dirty at all as it is protected from the wheel well by the storage cubby - so I believe I will add another storage cubby to the drivers side soon.

My XLT Ecoboost AWD is due to be built 4/18/22. As soon as I get it home I will take it apart, rustproof it myself and add any inner fender/mud shield that Ford has cheaped out on. In Pa., you must take measures like this if you want your vehicle to last. I am 64 and plan to have the truck for a long time.

 

[7Litre]

Maine is much the same. I am hoping my Hybrid XLT is built and delivered before salt season starts later this year. I'll need the time to do my own prep for winter.

 

[LC48]

@jwiasked above if I have a solution installed yet, sorry not yet. I have been covered up at work and my Mav focus has been on getting the 10,000 mile service done, which I did 99% last weekend. This weekend I have been trying out a couple of new scan tools so I can get a solid trans temp reading, trans fluid level is the only thing I didn't get done.

For this problem I am still leaning on the heat proof fabric from Summit I linked earlier. Planning to use some OEM style plastic push pins so that I can occasionally pull one side down to inspect and make sure the fabric is working and not causing any other problems.

For now I wash the underside with my long spray wand each wash, and also hit it with soap to let it soak. The underbody overall was in great condition at 10k, I hit a few areas with fluid film but all looked new still, normal-normal.

 

[Drew11115]

I have been on many muddy job sites recently, and to add insult I got trapped twice behind a brine spray truck, so my Mav was in need of a good wash.

I have a 6-foot extending wash wand with an adjustable head i use to spray under body wheel wells etc., and I pay close attention to the left rear quarter as it is open to the road below.

Today i could not get the water to run clear, so after rinsing the area for 20 minutes I decided to just pull the taillight and flush the area from above. The area was packed with mud, small rocks, and briny crud. Only took a minute to wash it out from above.

Folks in areas with actual winter weather may want to pull that drivers taillight and get that rear quarter cleaned out., and keep a close eye on it.

@Ford Motor Company needs to provide some protection here, a good part of what is cast off from the tire winds up slobbered onto the taillight and up inside that panel. Looks like an awesome recipe for corrosion sooner rather than later.

If you haven't, I encourage you to pull that taillight, less than a minute, and check it out.

Passenger side is rarely dirty at all as it is protected from the wheel well by the storage cubby - so I believe I will add another storage cubby to the drivers side soon.

I noticed the same thing, the passenger side is protected with a plastic housing, it 's not part of the cubby though. I believe the drivers side is open because of the muffler, heat issue. I sprayed fluid film in there and will be installing mud flaps.

 

[Mymaverick2021]

I noticed the same thing, the passenger side is protected with a plastic housing, it 's not part of the cubby though. I believe the drivers side is open because of the muffler, heat issue. I sprayed fluid film in there and will be installing mud flaps.

Never thought about any heat issues with the muffler good call. Blocking off that compartment could have adverse effects

 

[nickmav]

I noticed the same thing, the passenger side is protected with a plastic housing, it 's not part of the cubby though. I believe the drivers side is open because of the muffler, heat issue. I sprayed fluid film in there and will be installing mud flaps.

do you think mud flaps are sufficient to prevent this issue for the most part?

 

[mcc63303]

do you think mud flaps are sufficient to prevent this issue for the most part?

Mud flap will NOT prevent debris from going up into the left side rear fender area. I have a thread for a shield I made, search "custom fabricated cover"

 

[LC48]

Just an update for anyone on the fence. I have not yet gotten under and placed the cover I mentioned or like @mcc6330 in his thread. Trusting my underbody wash was getting it done until then, but not so much.

On today's wash I decided to pull the left rear taillight and have a look, here is what I found - not terrible, but would be a problem if left, especially for folks in salted roads areas:

Looking straight down in light opening

Looking forward to wheel well

Back of light assembly

Not a big deal some may think, but remember this gets a spray down every other weekend at least when I wash the truck.....

 

[OleFordGuy]

below are some previous post on the same issue with their solutions:

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-panel-for-left-rear-underbody-opening.13177/

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/cubby-update.14107/

 

[desmobob]

Couldn't a simple, heat-resistant cover be cut from some aluminum flashing and riveted or bolted in place?

 

[xiaowei]

Couldn't a simple, heat-resistant cover be cut from some aluminum flashing and riveted or bolted in place?

Yes, I did this way, just a rectangle 8x12'' aluminum flashing panel will work, fixed by 4 screws with big enough washers.

 

[WNYEscapee]

Interesting find. Will have to keep that in mind if/when I get mine.

We had a full-sized truck in the shop with electrical issues with a rear lamp and with the tail lamp removed on the passenger side I could see the same recipe for future problems. All sorts of grit and mud getting sprayed up into that area which housed the lamp.

Of course, we're also in an area where road salt is used and see issues with numerous truck components like license plate lamps and trailer lamp connectors that all become affected by corrosion.

 

[Gatekeep]

I have been on many muddy job sites recently, and to add insult I got trapped twice behind a brine spray truck, so my Mav was in need of a good wash.

I have a 6-foot extending wash wand with an adjustable head i use to spray under body wheel wells etc., and I pay close attention to the left rear quarter as it is open to the road below.

Today i could not get the water to run clear, so after rinsing the area for 20 minutes I decided to just pull the taillight and flush the area from above. The area was packed with mud, small rocks, and briny crud. Only took a minute to wash it out from above.

Folks in areas with actual winter weather may want to pull that drivers taillight and get that rear quarter cleaned out., and keep a close eye on it.

@Ford Motor Company needs to provide some protection here, a good part of what is cast off from the tire winds up slobbered onto the taillight and up inside that panel. Looks like an awesome recipe for corrosion sooner rather than later.

If you haven't, I encourage you to pull that taillight, less than a minute, and check it out.

Passenger side is rarely dirty at all as it is protected from the wheel well by the storage cubby - so I believe I will add another storage cubby to the driver's side soon.

I Have a Line-X dealer near me who quoted me $1000 for the life of the vehicle protection. I'm in Massachusetts and have lots of salt. Line-X does all the city Department winter trucks around here. They take their time ( 2 days). They fog the frame tubes, remove the wheel wells coat the undercarriage also double coat everthig.

 

[skinnyboy]

Couldn't a simple, heat-resistant cover be cut from some aluminum flashing and riveted or bolted in place?

You ride a Desmo and want something simple ? I made a cover from an old rubber bed mat, bolted it to the square holes in the front of the opening and hooked it onto the lip on the bumper in the back. Ugly bodge, but it keeps the area clean.

Cheers.

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