Fender flares & mud flaps are one of the most practical upgrades you can add to your 4WD, especially if you’ve fitted wider wheels or tyres. They help keep your vehicle protected from rocks and road debris, reduce the spray hitting cars behind you, and make sure you're staying compliant with tyre coverage laws. Whether you're building a tourer, a daily driver or a work rig, flares are a smart addition that combine function with a tough looking, clean finish.

What do fender flares actually do?

4WD Wheel Flares extend the wheel arch, giving you the clearance and coverage needed when running wider tyres or wheels with more offset. That extra rubber kicks up mud, rocks, and road debris. Without flares, it all ends up hitting the body of your 4WD. The job of a flare is to stop that from happening, keeping the side of your vehicle protected while helping your setup stay compliant with the added wheel & tyre offset.

They also help bring a build together visually. Especially when you’ve got a lift, big tyres, or other body mods. OTA Flare Kits are purpose-built for each vehicle, designed to match factory body lines while providing the extra offset needed for wider wheels, all with a finish that makes your vehicle stand out from other owners but looks like it came from the manufacturer.

Why fender flares are more than just cosmetic?

Sure, 4x4 flares look good, especially with larger, aftermarket wheels & tyres. But they’re built for a reason. When fitted properly, they:

• Help protect your vehicle body from debris
• Cover exposed tyre tread to meet roadworthy regulations
• Give you room to fit larger wheels and tyres
• Complete the look of your 4WD setup

If you’ve done a suspension upgrade or changed wheels, flares often aren’t optional, they’re what makes everything else work.

What are the legal requirements with larger wheels and tyres?

In most parts of Australia, if your tyres stick out past the guards, you're no longer compliant. Your tread needs to be covered, it’s as simple as that.

That’s why so many people end up fitting flares after a failed rego check or roadside inspection. A proper flare kit avoids the hassle and keeps your 4WD legal.

To go one step further, we also include mud flaps with our OTA kits. These ensure your wheels are covered from all angles, not just from the side, but behind as well. They help protect your 4WD, whatever you're towing, and other drivers around you.

With the added height of suspension lifts and the extra width of aftermarket tyres, OE mud flaps often fall short. Our extended, vehicle-specific mud flaps are made to suit both the flare shape and the added geometry of lifted 4WDs , ensuring full coverage and ADR compliance.

Why we include mud flaps with every flare kit?

When you fit wider wheels or lift your 4WD, it’s not just the sides of your vehicle that need protection, it’s what’s behind you too. That’s where properly designed mud flaps come in.

Unlike many flare kits that rely on your factory mud flaps (which often fall short once you've changed tyre size or ride height), our OTA Flare Kits include extended mud flaps that are purpose-built to suit the added offset and lift of modern 4WD setups.

They help:

• Shield your vehicle and trailer from rocks, mud, and road debris
• Ensure your tyres are fully covered from behind, not just the sides
• Keep you compliant with ADR regulations for wider and lifted vehicles

Our mud flaps are designed to integrate cleanly with each flare kit, no trimming, no gaps, no shortcuts. Just proper coverage that looks right and does the job.

Not all Fender Flares are equal

There are plenty of universal 4wd mudguards out there, but most don’t fit well, and some require dodgy trimming, poor mounting, or don’t look right on the vehicle.

OTA Fender Flare Kits are designed vehicle by vehicle. Whether it’s a Next-Gen Ranger, 70 Series or 300 Series LandCruiser, 250 Prado, each kit is shaped to match the body lines and mounting points of that specific platform. The result is a cleaner, tougher finish that looks like it belongs.

They’re made here in Australia, with durability and day-to-day practicality in mind — from the bush to the building site.

We also stock:

• EGR Flares – Australian-made, colour-coded, and robotically trimmed for a factory-level finish.
  
• Ironman 4x4 Flares – A tough, practical option ideal for work utes, tourers or anyone chasing solid coverage at a great price.

How hard are Fender Flares to install?

OTA kits are designed with real people in mind. That means no drilling, no guesswork, and no dodgy mounting brackets. We use the factory points on your 4WD and provide everything you need to get the job done at home.

Want to see how it comes together? Check out our Project 300 install video, where we run through the full process of fitting our 300 Series Flare & Mud Flap Kit.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmQikyp7waY

It’s a straightforward DIY fit, whether you're working in a shed or on the driveway.

Get yourself a Flare Kit

Fender flares do more than complete the look. They protect your 4WD, keep your setup legal, and allow you to get the most from your upgrades.

And when done right, with properly integrated flares and matching mud flaps, they’re a once-off job that’s built to last. If you're fitting wider wheels, lifting your 4WD or just want to keep things protected, a quality flare and mud flap kit is one of the smartest upgrades you can make.