Water spray is a nuisance for all participants in traffic. The splashing water from the tyres of a truck, causes rear-passing and overtaking traffic to lose visibility. This can create dangerous situations. To increase safety on the road, from 09 April 2011 it is required that trucks and trailers be fitted with anti-spray mudflaps.
An anti-spray mudflap is a rubber patch that drains at least 70% of splashing water and dirt from the wheels, giving the driver and other road users better visibility on the road. The mud flap requirements for trucks and trailers are outlined in European Directive 91/226/EEC on spray-suppression systems. But what exactly do these requirements entail? Which wheels should you fit with anti-spray mudflaps? What are the correct dimensions? And how should you fit anti-spray mud flaps? We answer these questions in this blog.
EU directive 91/226/EEC spray suppression
Motor vehicles from 7.5 tonnes and trailers from 3.5 tonnes (with a date of first admission from 29 October 2010) must be fitted with a spray-suppression system according to Directive 91/226/EEC.
What is a spray suppression system?
A spray-suppression system is intended to limit the spray of water thrown up by the tyres of a moving vehicle. The system consists, as appropriate, of; mudguards and mudflaps or side skirts, which are fitted with spray-suppression devices.Mudflaps must therefore be fitted with spray suppression. This spray-suppression device may consist of an air/water separator or an energy-absorbing device. In practice, all available spray-suppression devices are fitted as standard with energy-absorbing devices. These mud flaps absorb the energy of the splashing water, thus reducing the splashing of atomised water. So that is why they are called anti-spray mudflaps. Below you can see the difference between an ordinary mudflap and an anti-spray.
What are the anti-spray mudflap requirements?
- An anti-spray mudflap must be fitted behind the wheels of the front axle or front axles and behind the wheels of the truck's rear rear axle.
- Anti-spray mudflaps are attached to the lower part of the chassis, the loading surface or the mudguard.
- Anti-spray mudflaps must drain at least 70% of the splashing water.
- The mudflaps must be e-marked. Anti-spray mudflaps may not deflect backwards by more than 100 mm under the effect of a force of 3 N per 100 mm mudflap width, applied at a distance of 50 mm above the lower edge.
- The position of the mudflap must be approximately vertical. The lower edge of the mudflap may hang above the road surface to a maximum of 20 cm.
- For the rear axle it may be up to 30 cm, if permissible in view of the technical characteristics of the suspension (roll on/off ferries).
- Measured horizontally, the mudflap must not be further than 300 mm from the rear of the tyre.
- At least the entire width of the tyre tread must be covered by the rain flap.
- There must be no gap between the components of the system, such as the mudflap, mudguard and side shield.
Steered, trailing or non-steered wheels with mudguards
Anti-spray mudflap requirements in combination with mudguard single axle.
Anti-spray mudflap requirements in combination with two mudguards in multiple axles, where the distance between the wheels is less than 250 mm.
Anti-spray mudflap requirements in combination with two mudguards in multiple axles, where the distance between the wheels is more than 250 mm.
Anti-spray mudflap requirements in combination with tandem screen multiple axles, where the distance between the wheels exceeds 250 mm.
Mounting mudguard and mudflap rear view.
You can also buy mudguards with integrated anti-spray mudflaps. Then you no longer need to mount the mudflaps to your mudguards themselves. How convenient!
Requirements mudguards fixed axles or trailing wheels - without mudguards
When the distance between the tyres is less than 250 mm, you do not need to attach an additional mudflap between the tyres.
If the distance between the tyres exceeds 250 mm, you need to fit an additional mudflap between the tyres.
Rear view when mounting mudflap without mudguard.
assen of volgwielen
Anti spray spatlap bedrukken
Wanneer je je anti- spray spatlap een persoonlijk tintje mee wilt geven, kun je deze ook op maat laten maken. Voorzie ze van een opdruk, zoals je naam, logo of slogan. Hiermee heb je gelijk een mooie reclame uiting voor je bedrijf. Bekijk de mogelijkheden voor een spatlap op maat.Resources: Focwa and Rai vereniging
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