Mud flap lifting system

A method for lifting a mud flap comprising the steps of:

• a) providing:
• (i) a mud flap having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion extends laterally across substantially an upper half of said mud flap, and wherein said lower portion extends laterally across substantially a lower half of said mud flap, and wherein an upper edge of said lower portion is pivotally mounted to a lower edge of said lower portion relative to said upper portion about a hinge line between said upper and lower edges of said lower and upper portion respectively, and wherein said upper portion is substantially planar and rigid, and wherein said lower portion is substantially planar and substantially inflexible,
• (ii) a shaft mountable transversely across a rear end of a vehicle, and adopted to be mounted horizontally across the vehicle behind the rearmost wheels of the vehicle,
• (iii) an actuator mountable to the vehicle so as to cooperate with said shaft for selective rotation of said shaft about a corresponding axis of rotation of said shaft,
• wherein an upper edge of said upper portion of said mud flap is mounted to said shaft, so that rotation of said shaft by actuation of said actuator simultaneously rotates said upper portion of said mud flap, and wherein said rotation of said upper portion so as to raise said lower edge of said upper portion simultaneously and correspondingly raises said lower portion, wherein said lower portion hangs freely about said hinge line so as to maintain a substantially vertically downwardly disposed orientation as said lower portion is raised,
• b) rotating said shaft so as to rotate said upper portion and elevate said lower portion to increase the ground clearance between said lower edge of said lower portion and a ground surface under the wheels is increased, and to maintain said lower portion spaced apart rearwardly of the rearmost wheels of the vehicle.