Mud Flap hanger question

Hey fellas. So I removed my mud flap hangers today because I want to replace them. The way they were hung has me a little confused, so I was wondering if you guys can shed some light. Here are two pics. One is looking from the outside of the frame, the other from the inside. On the first pic, why would they have installed those "brackets"? Why didn't they just bolt it straight through? Thanks for any insight.

 

Yeah, there were two springs that I kind of slipped off. But why do this is the question. Some hangers have springs in them and are still just bolted straight onto the frame. These brackets must have some function, otherwise why make things more complicated?

 

I don't think I'm gonna go through that. I like simplicity and functionality. So I think I'm going to remove those brackets tomorrow and just go old-school. The hangers that I removed were those fancy types with the plastic "chrome" and lights. I tested all of the original lights and they work, so I don't see the need to complicate things.

 

It doesn't look like it. It looks like they are the original holes, and they just piggy-backed those brackets and that steel plate between the bracket and the frame onto the original holes. Yeah, I think I'm gonna remove that set-up tomorrow and just bolt the new hangers on directly. I need to hit the road and make some money, man! I've been putsy-footin' too long.

 

Well, I guess I won't have that problem because the assembly is already off.