Installing Gatorbacks flaps on a 2017 3500 DRW.

[vipers95]

I can see why you need there rear brackets to mount the real flaps on a DRW the weigh in at 12 lbs each. They are heavy on the bottom with steel molded inside to keep them from sailing and getting caught on the tires. They do not say in the instructions to bend the main metal which attached to the flaps. You have to do it to bend it to the curve on the body. You only remove two of the fender flair bolts on the outside bottom and reuse them. All other hardware comes with it so they say? They were short 8 washers, 6 nuts, 5 lock washers.

First you have to remove the wire harness with two push connectors behind the fender flair. That holds the metal bracket that actually holds the flaps and all there weight. If you have a angle drill with a snub nose 1/4" bit you do not have to remove the rear tires.
Here are some photos.
There is a big piece of plastic from the mold on the inner fender flair the you must remove first on the backside or the small bracket wont fit, you can see it ground down in the photo with the bracket installed.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Those look high quality! I'd probably remove the tires before installing...just for more access.

 

[CLynch]

looks good. I just installed Duraflaps on mine, easy peazy.

 

[truckmen]

I can see why you need there rear brackets to mount the real flaps on a DRW the weigh in at 12 lbs each. They are heavy on the bottom with steel molded inside to keep them from sailing and getting caught on the tires. They do not say in the instructions to bend the main metal which attached to the flaps. You have to do it to bend it to the curve on the body. You only remove two of the fender flair bolts on the outside bottom and reuse them. All other hardware comes with it so they say? They were short 8 washers, 6 nuts, 5 lock washers.

First you have to remove the wire harness with two push connectors behind the fender flair. That holds the metal bracket that actually holds the flaps and all there weight. If you have a angle drill with a snub nose 1/4" bit you do not have to remove the rear tires.

There is a big piece of plastic from the mold on the inner fender flair the you must remove first on the backside or the small bracket wont fit, you can see it ground down in the photo with the bracket installed.

WOW! Very nice! They'll shine nice for sure!

 

[mpaulson]

Now if you want to take it one step further like I did 4 years ago on mine, get some regular black gasket maker that you would use on you diff or transmission pan and put a nice big bead along the top of the flap in the wheel well on the tire side to prevent mud, water, road grime etc. from running down the pretty side of the flap from within the wheel well. My gasket sealer has stayed put so far for four years successfully and I don't get those annoying streaks of mud/muddy water running down the stainless side of the flap from driving in the rain or on a wet road etc. I always hated the run lines on the flaps, but no more.
Did the same on the front.
Mine didn't come with the bracket for inside the fender when I did mine. Mine had the stainless uppers on the "show" side that came down to be visiable and helped with the sailing potential.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Look good but seems like an awful lot of brackets.

 

[Jared Herzog]

Look good but seems like an awful lot of brackets.

I agree. They look sturdy. Mine are screwed to the liner. The benefit of that is if i back into a curb or dirt pile that pins the flap between the tire and other surface it rips the flap off without damaging the body or fenders. I would be careful not to have the tire try to rip the better attached ones off. They look rock solid though.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I modified my Duraflaps and raised them 2" since my dually rides lower with the Factory rear air ride.