An apparatus is configured such that the outer shape of a shape memory material is transformed or changed to be enlarged or decreased in conjunction with vehicle speed and at that time a deflector 30 is actuated to move up and down to actively improve aerodynamic performance of a vehicle.

A mud flap system for a tractor is described. The mud flap system includes brackets that clamp or secure to a frame of the tractor. Lateral extensions engage to the brackets to support covers over a top surface of rear wheels of the tractor.

The present invention relates to a mud flap lifting system for raising and lowering a pair of mud flaps connected to a rear portion of a vehicle and suspended behind corresponding rear wheels of the vehicle, which is particularly beneficial for use on dump trucks. The lifting system raises the rear mud flaps to a safe position when the truck is reversing or on unstable soil or is dumping its load. The mud flaps may thereafter be lowered via an associated control switch in the cab of the truck so that the truck may travel from the job site.

A mud flap system for a tractor is described. The mud flap system includes brackets that clamp or secure to a frame of the tractor. Lateral extensions engage to the brackets to support covers over a top surface of rear wheels of the tractor.

The mudflap system with universal adapter is centered on a bracket. The bracket includes optional inserts that can be added or removed to change the size of the bracket recess. By changing the size of the bracket recess, a single bracket may be used on multiple sizes of ball mountthe ball mount being portion of the vehicle's hitch system that generally protrudes from the receiver, accepting trailer coupler to connect to the trailer. The bracket includes tab recesses interface with tabs present on the inserts. The tabs and associated recesses act to align the inserts with the bracket and prevent over-insertion, thereby preventing the inserts from falling out during assembly. After placement of an insert within the bracket, threaded fasteners are used to clamp the bracket to the ball mount and to hold the inserts in position.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a tire containment device securely mounted to an axle of a vehicle to contain shrapnel caused by a tire blowout. In an illustrative example, the tire containment device may include an axle bracket and a tire fender. The axle bracket, for example, may be mounted to an axle of the vehicle. The tire fender may, for example, have a substantially continuous containment cavity. In some examples, when the tire fender is coupled to a vehicle axle by the axle bracket, the containment cavity may extend over at least a top and an exterior face of an upper third of a diameter of a tire. For example, the containment cavity may substantially intercept shrapnel from failure of the tire before it reaches a body of the vehicle. Various embodiments may advantageously reduce damage to a body of the vehicle during a tire blowout.

A mud flap system for a tractor is described. The mud flap system includes brackets that clamp or secure to a frame of the tractor. Lateral extensions engage to the brackets to support covers over a top surface of rear wheels of the tractor.

A mud flap system for a tractor is described. The mud flap system includes brackets that clamp or secure to a frame of the tractor. Lateral extensions engage to the brackets to support covers over a top surface of rear wheels of the tractor.

An air guide for a vehicle having a pair of side members. The air guide includes a base member having a pair of opposing ends and a pair of attachment members configured to be coupled to the pair of side members. Each of the pair of attachment members are coupled to a respective opposing end of the base member for movement between a folded position, an unfolded position, and an attachment position between the folded position and the unfolded position.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a vehicle tire guard that retracts in response to a force. In one embodiment, the vehicle tire guard device includes a tire guard extending downward from a vehicle frame and a retraction system attached to the vehicle frame. The retraction system includes a spring-loaded wheel with circumferential interface elements to engage with and retract the tire guard responsive to a vertical force applied to the tire guard, a curved cam affixed to a planar surface of the spring-loaded wheel, and a spring-loaded rod biased against the planar surface. The spring-loaded rod and cam interact to prevent rotation of the spring-loaded wheel to retract the tire guard until the vertical force exceeds a threshold.