Must Have Truck or SUV Mud Flaps

Let's face it: mud flaps and splash guards aren't the most exciting car part to talk about. The fact remains, however, that they can be as important as your bumper or wiper blades—especially if you have a larger vehicle like a truck or SUV. Mud flaps are important for the safety of cars and other vehicles around you, protecting them not only from mud, but from more dangerous road debris such as rocks and gravel, making them among the must have pickup truck accessories. When driving on the highway in excess of 60-70mph, your truck or SUV tires can launch bits of gravel at other motorists, potentially causing broken windshields and other hazards.

As if these reasons weren't enough to compel you to pick up a set of splash guards for your vehicle, you should know that you might be legally obligated to do so! Many of the United States have laws or regulations in effect for mud flaps, as well as other common driving mistakes that will get you pulled over.

Here are 10 excellent options for truck or SUV mud flaps, ordered from least to most expensive.

Not all of us are in the market for expensive, heavy duty, custom fit mud flaps. Even basic rubber mud flaps, like this universal set by Rally Armor, can go a long way toward protecting your vehicle.

Made in the USA of a "light-gauge polyblend material," these mud flaps are designed to fit on a wide variety of vehicles and come in two sizes. The larger size should fit on just about any truck or SUV, while the smaller size is suitable for less heavy duty vehicles like sedans, crossovers, or small SUVs.

Rally Armor splash guards are a great value regardless of which price bracket you're in. Conveniently, Rally Armor sells its mud flaps in full sets of four, so there are no surprises in the price if you want to cover all your wheels (most manufacturers sell splash guards in pairs).

Their middle-level offering is an excellent choice if you don't want to settle for the cheapest option. This model, however, is on the smaller side and is more suited to lighter vehicles. If you are more interested in truck or SUV mud flaps or more heavy duty protection, Rally Armor may not be the best brand for you. Luckily, there is a wide variety of mud flaps and splash guards to choose from, so let's move on!

The next step up in terms of price and quality are these custom fit splash guards from Dee Zee. These are much more heavy duty, featuring a classic diamond plate design, so if you're in the market for truck or SUV mud flaps, these are a great mid-level option.

At first glance, there is not a huge price disparity between these Dee Zee mud flaps and the previous Rally Armor models. Unlike the Rally Armor splash guards, however, Dee Zee mud flaps are sold in pairs, so you'll be paying twice as much if you want guards on all your wheels.

If you don't like the look of this diamond plate aluminum model, Dee Zee offers a comparable plastic mud guard for the same price.

If you're in the market for truck or SUV mud flaps, but you're worried about the installation process, these WeatherTech No Drill Mud Flaps may be right up your alley. These splash guards are designed with a proprietary mechanism that allows installation without drills or screws.

At this increased price point, you absolutely want your mud flaps to hold up to years of road debris wear and tear. The lower-end rubbers used in the less expensive splash guards on this list may not hold up as long as your vehicle. The higher price tag on mud flaps comes with higher quality materials like thermoplastic resin and, in the case of this WeatherTech model, a limited lifetime warranty.

The third and final iteration of Rally Armor's mud flap offerings ups the ante for quality. Molded from a urethane material optimized to withstand harsh conditions, this 4-piece set of splash guards is a heavy duty option for year-round protection from mud, sludge, and road debris.

Unlike the more user-friendly offerings from companies like WeatherTech, Rally Armor's Universal UR Mud Flaps are not easy to install. You'll have to do your own drilling and cutting to affix these splash guards to your truck or SUV. The tradeoff—for those of us willing to take on the undertaking—is more control over the application process. In other words, if you put in the extra work, you can create a more custom fit.

Rally Armor's Universal UR Mud Flaps come in two sizes: $104 gets you the set for smaller vehicles, and $130 will get you truck or SUV mud flaps.

These mud guards from Luverne provide a big leap ahead as far as durability is concerned. The addition of a stainless steel plate at the bottom of these mud flaps will provide heavy duty protection against road debris. These splash guards come in three different sizes, but even the smallest size is likely too large for most cars. These really are only truck or SUV mud flaps.

Luverne is kind enough to include all necessary mounting tools and accessories so you can affix these mud flaps to your truck or SUV without an extra trip to the hardware store.

These splash guards aren't as heavy duty as many of the other offerings in this price range. They are made of an unspecified rubber material, and there's no additional metal trim or stainless steel plate. However, this offering from Aries features one distinct advantage that warrants the price point: these mud flaps are removable.

With most truck or SUV mud flaps, a permanent fixture is not an issue and is, in fact, desired. However, if you find yourself wishing you could choose whether or not to bring your splash guards on a given adventure, these might be the perfect option for you.

Because of the unique mounting hardware, it's not apparent if these can be affixed to your front wheels. All of Aries's imagery only shows the mud flaps on the rear wheels only, so that may be the intention.

The remaining entries on this list are all from the same manufacturer, and for a good reason. Husky Liners really lives up to its name, providing some of the most heavy duty truck or SUV mud flaps money can by.

This particular model is the sturdiest you can get that still provides the means for a universal, custom fit. And you can trust it to be as sturdy as you need: this and the other Husky Liners mud flaps are covered by a limited lifetime warranty.

Combining the best qualities of the previous two offerings on this list, these Husky Liners Removable Pivoting Mud Flaps feature an adjustable and removable configuration without sacrificing the heavy duty, off-road-worthy construction. Again, these feature stainless steel plates and a limited lifetime warranty.

Depending on the uses you have for your truck or SUV mud flaps, you may not consider these worth the price point. You can trust, however, that these splash guards will be able to handle anything you have to throw at them.

The high price point of this final entry may scare you, and with good reason! These splash guards from Husky Liners are not your typical truck or SUV mud flaps. Rather than function as individual attachments above your tires, these mud flaps are part of a single unit that affixes directly to the rear hitch of your vehicle. This design allows a variety of heavy duty upgrades, including much larger mud flaps and a quick hitch-mounting system. Additional features include reflectors and large, stainless steel reinforcement plates.

If you drive anything lighter than a truck or SUV, you will be better served by one of the smaller sets of splash guards on this list. However, for those willing to pay top dollar for the most sophisticated protection against snow, mud, and road debris, these Husky Liners Hitch Mounted Mud Flaps are here for you.