sroh

Hey guys,
I bought mudguards from Irontoad and tried to install this weekend per this thread.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ght=mud+guards

The one issue is that there are no existing holes in the rear tirewell area. So for the rears, I need to drill not just one hole into the plastic body moulding, but also two additional ones into the metal.

Has anyone installed mudguards on the 350? Do you know if there was a change made to the 350 where they removed the pre-existing holes?

Thanks for your help!

lok888

Not on my RX350 yet. But I installed mudguards on my '03 Camry (traded it). I don't understand why there is no pre-holes on the rear wheel well area.

dhamaka127

I was talking to my Lexus dealer and he said that if you get the ones that are made by Lexus they come with a clip so you can put the screw right in to the wheel well. He also said that you dont even have to take the tire off.

I personally have not ordered mine yet but i am going to be doing it soon.

I am going to order from... http://lexus.autowebaccessories.com/

Check it out. I also contacted them and they said that I will not have to drill...I would just have to screw it right in.

Let me know if you need more information...

lok888

I didn't take a closer look of my new RX. I am sure there are no pre-drilled holes in the rear wheel well area (like my Camry). The reason why we need to drill a pilot hole is for easy installation. I think you can fasten the screw right in.

sroh

This is the same Lexus OEM one that I purchased. Irontoad emailed me and told me I would have to drill.

Yes, it comes with clips, which should make it easier to screw in. I can certainly see how one could screw directly into the body moulding. This will work for the bottom (of three) screw. But are you saying that you can screw directly into the metal part of the wheel well? That would be great, although it sounds like that would be very difficult. Perhaps it's possible but much easier to drill first, as lok mentions?

In any case, take a look and let me know what you end up doing. I'll do the same. I suppose I can try screwing in directly, then drilling holes if that doesn't work.

Thanks again!

lok888

What's the instruction say? I don't have mudguards on my RX350 and not intend to get one. Anyway, I drilled a pliot hole (tiny one) on the wheel well area on my Camry first. It makes the installation like breezy. I didn't even use any supplied clips, just screw it in. Make sure you mark the hole with pencil before drilling.

Grumpa72

I agree with this statement. I don't know about the brand you have chosen but the one carried by Lexus just requires holding the mud guard in position, putting a pen point through the hole in the mudguard and marking your drill spot. There are NOT any predrilled holes or even indententations. However, all you are drilling through is the urethance portion. Then the spring clips get fitted around the hole you just drilled and the screw goes into that. Fourteen months later and they still look like new and do their job.

Gary

lvn098

Just did it myself on RX350, it's pretty easy, you'll have to drill 1 hole on front and 4 on rear, but they are all plastic, not metal. The instruction comes with the kit is good, just follow it.

dhamaka127

Who did you get the mudguards from?

I am going to order them from http://lexus.autowebaccessories.com/

pharmd72

I just successfully installed a set of mudguards on my RX350, purchased from irontoad. I too was a bit reticent about installing the rear pair (the front is a cinch to put on). The bottom two screws (the one that goes in from the bottom, and the first bottom screw inside the wheel well) clearly go into the black plastic molding. The top two screws looked at first like they might have to go into the sheet metal, but when I went to drill the pilot holes, they went straight through the painted bumper portion that wraps into the wheel well. There was no metal behind it to impede the progress of the drill. I simply drilled my pilot holes, then drilled the big holes, slipped in the spring nuts, and the rest was real easy. The only problem I had with the entire install is that since the mudguards are quite pliable, if you held the rear mudguards in place and put too much pressure on the guards, the holes will not line up with that wrap around "lip" of the bumper that you're supposed to drill into. As a result, I did follow rxdriver's advice and used the bottom spring nut to find the bottom hole. I used that as a "template" to the other holes by holding the guard in place and lining up the bottom hole with that spring nut, then marking the other hole locations.

The whole install looks scarier than it actually is, but I did not have to screw into any metal. The rear mudguards were the only pain in the behind, only because there are no real landmarks for your holes to go into. But once I got over my trepidation, it was no problem.

Lextranny

You need to drill some holes.....follow my thread.

Overall, it was pretty easy to install.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...light=mudguard