Problems with skid plate installation!

[The Snow D.O.]

I think the riv-nuts that came with the install packet were too short and were not actually mushrooming onto the back side of the belly-pan as much as they were actually pressing against the inner diameter of the holes that I drilled. I think I may have stripped the first one I installed and then I decided to back off on the force I used and I could not get the next two I installed to stay in place. When the riv-nut came out you could see that the ribbed section that is designed to mushroom against the back side of the belly-pan had expanded but did not show any signs of actually mushrooming out as shown in the diagram. I believe that this is because the ribbed portion of the riv-nut was too short to be able to mushroom against the back side of the belly-pan. Has any one else had any problems with thier rivnuts not staying in place or the skid plate falling off? I gotta admit, I'm a little nervous about taking this thing out and having the skid plate just let go and go flyin'.

Some input from someone with more experience than me would be greatly appreciated.

Todd

 

[ecopter]

I had it happen after the dealer installed the skid plate. I had to order new rivnuts from the dealer. They're the proper length; you just need to install them with the right amount of turns on the rivnut tool.

Jon

 

[Sled Dog]

I had the same problem with a few of mine. I think that I was not tightening them enough so it was not mushrooming as it should. You will feel a certain force when it first starts to mushroom and then the force needed while it continues to mushroom stays about the same then it will come to a halt and you know it is at its dead end give just a bit more to make sure and your done. Hold & push up on the 14mm wrench while tightening with the 10mm. use a little grease and a lock washer to install bolts on skid plate. I would stay away from loctite as when you go to take the skid plate off the whole riv nut might just spin.

 

[Yamahammer485]

I partially stripped one of mine, and it was the first one I put in. Then on the second, I snapped the bolt that came with the kit!

So then used the long phillips screw that came with the kit to snug up the remaining riv nuts. All I did was turned it just a few times, until it felt hard, then stopped. I beleive that they will stay in there anough from the way I did them. If not, im using some bolts with nuts or something..

Im waiting until my first oil change tp put on the skidplate, as to keep the possibility of stripping out that one screw to a minumum, but as I tried to put it on already, I couldnt manage the first two screws on the front for some reason, so Im thinking installing the plate will not be just another easy task.

Another thing, couldnt find a 10mm drill bit, so I used something else that was super perfect, cant remember the size but I can post it if anyone wants to know.

 

[big guy]

I just put mine on. The rivits went in no problems. But I share your concerns about the mushrooming effect. Mine did not mushroom as per diagram and I felt that I was really cranking on the bolt to install. Any tighter and I am sure the bolt would of snapped.

 

[yammi4ever]

skid platq

I thought mine went on fine last year, and it stayed on for 1500 miles, but yesterday when looking at my sled I see that sometime this summer 2 of the special bolts have fallen out.

I have not tried to see if I can re torque them, but I could see that they had not mushroomed hardly at all.

Anyone have the part number for the hardware kit to reinstall.

Kirk

 

[The Snow D.O.]

I am thinking very seriously about getting a new, longer set of riv-nuts from Fastenal, if they have them, and reinstalling them prior to taking her out!!! I think this is the last thing I want falling off my sled in the middle of a ride, tooling around thinking I'm protected and hitting a rock or something and detroying the underside of my BABY!!

 

[AaronBND]

Im waiting until my first oil change tp put on the skidplate, as to keep the possibility of stripping out that one screw to a minumum, but as I tried to put it on already, I couldnt manage the first two screws on the front for some reason

That's funny! Some of you guys kill me!

Aaron

 

[Sled Dog]

LB explains here how he put on skid plate without using these rivnuts. He would have to expand on this as it is a very quick summarized version of how he did it. Check it out on this link.

http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... ht=#306881

 

[The Snow D.O.]

I think I'll try to find some longer riv-nuts first and if that doesn't work then I may have to try something like what LB did but I think there may be a less labor intesive method. I kinda like the idea of using JB Weld during installation either with or without the longer riv-nuts.

 

[LazyBastard]

Labor intensive? Maybe. The good news is that it only has to be done ONCE. Not like messing with those rivnuts every couple of weeks and whenever changing the oil.

 

[snirt]

hey snow D.O trust me on this one!get yourself another mount kit thru dealer and install the rivnuts with a cordless 3/8 impact,borrow one if you have to! use short burst's the rivnuts will grab like crazy!! later snirt

 

[Sled Dog]

May have found a place to buy the rivnuts it is called Fastenall. I need to bring one in to make sure it is the right one to order.

 

[JJWickenhauser]

Self tapping screws hold anything!!

 

[The Snow D.O.]

May have found a place to buy the rivnuts it is called Fastenall. I need to bring one in to make sure it is the right one to order.

I too called Fastenal and was told that the smallest lot he could get would be a box of forty at approximately $0.70 a piece. I only need four of them and I would like them to be longer than the ones that came with the install kit. I would certainly be interested in going in on a group purchase if others were also interested in getting the right equipment to install their skid plates.