Anyone know about Weathertech mud flap's "protective film"?

I got my new 2023 SR5 and it came without mudflaps (!!!) so I got a set from WeatherTech. In the box they include a little envelope containing a small sheet of plastic film on a backing, so you peel the pieces of film off and stick them on, one for right side, one for left. I attach a photo, lying on the flap to show scale. The pieces are really small. (these photos are for the rear wheels)



And a closer view so you can see how small the little strips are that you peel off to stick on. These are the left and right side strips for the 2 rear flaps



The instructions were completely confusing - where was I supposed to stick them on?? The accompanying photos in the instructions were just as unhelpful. They kept sounding like I should know where to put them.

I ended up calling customer service, and I'm afraid the rep was just as unable to explain as the instructions. I finally got the idea that maybe she was talking about putting the strip of film on a painted surface, whereas the flap doesn't actually touch any painted surface. It would make sense to put something in between the flap and paint, to keep it from rubbing, but again the flaps don't touch sheet metal, there's a plastic fender liner that goes all around the inside of the rear wheel well.

I finally gave up and just decided to put them on first thing, and then try to find clarification. I can always take them off and put the film strips in if they need to be there and I can know for sure where they go.

So here's one last photo, with the rear driver side flap on, taken from behind, the closest piece of painted metal. Still there is a 1/16 or so gap.



I'm guessing that some Tacomas come without even the wheel well liner? So the flaps would mount against painted metal? But if that's the idea, I don't see how a tiny strip of plastic film could be meant to be put in between. The flap mounts against an area a bit bigger than my hand. How would that little strip be supposed to go between my two hands to keep them from rubbing?

So I still think it's reasonable to just go ahead and mount them, and they only rest against the plastic liners.

Any better ideas?

Thanks

 

I left them off, I don't really see what good they do.

 

Well, that's kind of my common sense conclusion, too. I wouldn't mind inserting them if I could find out where they really would correctly go. But I haven't been able to figure that out.

 

is that protective film for ants?

 

So what happens if you leave it off?

 

er ... umm .... huh?

 

Chafe strip?
Between the flap and the paint?

 

Far as I can tell that's what it's for. But (and I told the customer service rep) I just dont see how any part of the flap contacts any part of the paint. But the instructions (and the c.s. rep's repeated instructions) kept saying to put it there.

So I was just looking to see if someone here knows more about it than I am able to figure out. And it looks like the only thing to do is to common-sense ignore it and shrug.

 

At the 5:05 mark this guy put his on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGmI9UUYxc

There might be a small area that Weathertech thinks may be in contact. Don't have them so don't know.

 

I didn't install the rear protective strips because it didn't look like the mud flap would come in contact with the paint. That and the strips were way too small. I did install the front protective strips. I tried to center them as best I could and hopefully it will prevent the paint from rubbing or worse.

 

It's protective film for rats - like the ones in Castle Valley UT - after they chew up the wiring in the car, they tend to start eating the mudflaps and paint.