Toyota HiLux flares and mouldings guide

One of the very first additions to any 4WD that heads off-road is a set of tyres.

Typically, these are bigger than factory offerings and sit a little wider, and the problem this creates is twofold: Tyres must remain within wheel arches to be legal, and the wider the tyre sits the more mud and debris is going to flick up and potentially land on the paintwork of your shiny new HiLux.

The solution is to add mouldings or flares, to ensure you remain legal and to protect your investment and enhance its style. Even without larger tyres, these simple yet effective accessories provide protection from damage caused by debris on the road. Plus, they give your HiLux a more rugged look.

• What it is: A protective barrier that covers the edge of the car's wheel arch or the lower portion of doors, which are common areas that can be struck by stones and debris that tyres can fling up.
• Why you need it: To provide a layer of protection to stop minor damage that can build over time and affect your vehicle's resale.
• Buying tips: Body mouldings will help protect your doors from debris but won’t do anything to solve legality problems with wider tyres or larger offset. Wheel arch flares will do both.

Here are four products we recommend. They’re intended as a starting point to give you an idea of what’s available.

JUMP AHEAD

• Toyota OE
• Maxliner
• PDP Performance
• TJM

Toyota OE body mouldings

Toyota body mouldings feature a sleek design and matte black finish. The mouldings will integrate seamlessly with the side of your vehicle, enhancing its profile and offering protection.

Specifications

• Material: Not specified
• No-drill: Yes
• Flare or side moulding: Side moulding

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Maxliner flares

Maxliner fender flares fit over the existing flares to provide extra protection against road debris and stone chips, making them ideal for off-roaders. The kit comes in a scratch-free ABS with a black texture.

Specifications

• Material: ABS plastic
• No-drill: Yes
• Flare or side moulding: Flare

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PDP Performance flares

These CAD-designed flares are a perfect fit, made from vacuum-formed, UV-stable ABS plastic. The flares are designed for an OEM-level fit, and they utilise the existing vehicle attachment points and specifically designed hardware. These flares will provide protection as well as the extra width required when fitting larger tyres.

Specifications

• Material: UV-stable ABS plastic
• No-drill: Yes
• Flare or side moulding: Flare

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TJM flares

For those with a tray instead of tub, these deluxe flares have a black-gel coat finish and suit Toyota HiLux narrow body (09/2015+) vehicles. TJM flares feature fibreglass construction with a smooth gel coat finish, or they can be colour-matched as required. These under-lip single skin flares protect paint from debris, sand and mud thrown up by the tyres.

Specifications

• Material: Fibreglass
• No-drill: Yes
• Flare or side moulding: Flare

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How we review products

4X4 Australia has been reviewing four-wheel drive vehicles and aftermarket products for more than 40 years.

When looking for the best accessories for your make and model of 4WD, there are some things essential to making sure you have the best off-roading experience.

When we compare products, here are some of the things we consider:

• Warranty
• Build quality
• Value for money
• Time and ease to set-up/install
• Weight
• Fit and finish
• How well it gets the job done
• What materials they’re made from
• Corrosion/UV resistance
• Coatings
• Compatibility with other accessories
• Compliance with ADRs and vehicle safety systems
• Country of manufacture
• Load ratings, to determine what's the best product across each price point.

We also consider user reviews and our own experience with these products to make sure our recommendations are for the best on the market.

Disclosure: When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. We also include products that we do not earn a commission from.

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