1. Optimize the design of the outer contour
The outer contour of the tyre gards has a key influence on its ability to prevent splashing mud and sand. First, the edge of the shield should be designed to be slightly curved outward and have a certain downward extension. Such a design can use the curvature of the edge of the shield to guide mud, water and sand outward and away from the vehicle body when the tire rotates at high speed. For example, the front edge of the shield is designed to be similar to the shape of a deflector. When mud, water and sand are thrown out by the tire, they can be scattered to both sides along the direction of the deflector instead of splashing directly upward onto the vehicle body. At the same time, the rear edge of the shield can be appropriately extended and slightly upturned to form a blocking barrier to prevent mud, water and sand from rolling into the bottom of the vehicle body from the rear. Through simulation analysis of different models and tire sizes, the optimal edge curvature and downward and upward extension lengths are determined to meet the protection needs under various working conditions.
2. Use appropriate materials and textures
Material selection and surface texture treatment are also important aspects to enhance the protection function. Select rubber or polymer composite materials with certain flexibility and wear resistance as the main material of tyre gards. This kind of material can effectively buffer and reduce the rebound splash of sand and stone when hit by sand and stone. On the inner surface of the shield, some irregular textures or grooves can be designed. These textures can increase the adhesion of mud and water and sand and stone when they contact the shield, so that they flow along the texture instead of splashing around. For example, using a texture similar to the tire pattern, when mud and water flow in, they will flow along the grooves of the pattern to the edge of the shield in an orderly manner and be discharged. At the same time, some frosting can be performed on the outer surface of the shield to reduce its surface smoothness and reduce the possibility of sand and stone rebounding to the body after impact.
3. Adjust the gap and angle with the tire
The gap and installation angle between the tyre gards and the tire need to be precisely adjusted. Too small a gap may cause the tire to rub against the shield during driving, affecting the driving safety of the vehicle and the life of the shield; too large a gap will greatly reduce the protective effect. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to control the gap to 5-10 mm according to the specifications of the tire and the driving characteristics of the vehicle. In terms of installation angle, the guard should be parallel to the rotation plane of the tire or slightly tilted outward. This allows mud, water and sand to be smoothly guided to the outside by the guard when they are thrown out. For example, on some off-road vehicles, due to the large tire size and complex road conditions, tyre gards with adjustable installation angles are used, which are adjusted according to different road conditions to achieve the best protection effect.
4. Add auxiliary protection structures
In order to further enhance the protection function, some auxiliary protection structures can be added to the tyre gards. For example, a circle of rubber mud curtains can be installed at the bottom of the guard. The mud curtain can further block the mud, water and sand thrown out from the bottom of the tire, especially when the vehicle passes through deep water or muddy sections, it can effectively prevent mud and water from splashing onto key parts such as the chassis and engine compartment. In addition, some small plastic baffles or brushes can be set on the outer edge of the guard. The plastic baffle can play a secondary blocking role when sand and stones splash, while the brush can brush off some of the sand and stones attached to the tire surface in advance when the tire rotates, reducing the amount of sand and stones thrown out, thereby comprehensively strengthening the tyre gards' anti-splash mud and sand and stone protection function.
