Sidewinder Skid Plate

[done dooin'_winder up]

I went with the aluminum BOP skid plate and will be installing raceworks protectors for brake and chaincase. My Yamaha plastic skid plate has two 3 in long cracks in on my nytro aluminum from here on out none of that plastic crap!

put the bop on today, 10 minutes. where did you find the raceworks stuff? i couldn't find any listings.

 

[Dieselxtx]

put the bop on today, 10 minutes. where did you find the raceworks stuff? i couldn't find any listings.

http://racewerx.myshopify.com/colle...ake-chain-case-guard-prochassis-2012-2014-all

 

[done dooin'_winder up]

sweet!! are they a for sure fit? thanks for the link, i didn't see them on there the other day when i looked.

 

[hibshman25]

Finally got the sled home. Here are a cpl pix of the skidplate

Where they cut by the exhaust is still kinda close. When I get around to it I think I will trim that area a bit more. Also going to add a few small holes in the ribbed parts so any water that ends up there will drain.

Maybe it's an illusion but appears to me the front edge of skid plate is lower than nose cone. Maybe try and tuck it under nose cone so leading edge can't snag something. If you cant tuck it under take a soldering iron and put a chamfer on that square leading edge.

 

[AXR]

Maybe it's an illusion but appears to me the front edge of skid plate is lower than nose cone. Maybe try and tuck it under nose cone so leading edge can't snag something. If you cant tuck it under take a soldering iron and put a chamfer on that square leading edge.

Thanks. I don't think it was sticking down. I will look again and if it is I def' will fix it. I only took a quick look under there to take the pics. It was real windy and kept snowing on and off. No garage Past 2 nights I have been working on them in the trailer. led's, hand guards, ride lite's, etc. It goes to my buddy's later this week for studs. I will get a better look when it's up on his lift. I don't normally go off trail. But you never know... Cheap insurance compared to what could happen.

 

[Dieselxtx]

Maybe it's an illusion but appears to me the front edge of skid plate is lower than nose cone. Maybe try and tuck it under nose cone so leading edge can't snag something. If you cant tuck it under take a soldering iron and put a chamfer on that square leading edge.

Travis do you have a set of protectors like racewerx or pickle protector in the works?

 

[Blue Dave]

OK guys, I am reviving this thread. I bought a '17 Sidewinder LTX DX and purchased the Yamaha trail skid plate SMA-8LR34-RR-BK. This is the one that covers everything. The center, clutch and chain case areas. It was not cheap (retail $235, with my dealer discount $195). So here is the issue, not all of the holes line up with where they tell you to drill out rivets and two of the holes that you are supposed to drill in the running boards are way to close to the edge of the tunnel.

I recall a similar issue with my Viper skid plate from Yamaha. I had to enlarge some of the pre-drilled holes to make them line up which looks like what will be the same situation with the OEM Sidewinder skid plate. I am not very impressed with their inability to get this perfect and I am considering returning the Yamaha skid plate and purchasing an aftermarket skid plate instead.

What have you guys found to be best? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Dieselxtx]

OK guys, I am reviving this thread. I bought a '17 Sidewinder LTX DX and purchased the Yamaha trail skid plate SMA-8LR34-RR-BK. This is the one that covers everything. The center, clutch and chain case areas. It was not cheap (retail $235, with my dealer discount $195). So here is the issue, not all of the holes line up with where they tell you to drill out rivets and two of the holes that you are supposed to drill in the running boards are way to close to the edge of the tunnel.

I recall a similar issue with my Viper skid plate from Yamaha. I had to enlarge some of the pre-drilled holes to make them line up which looks like what will be the same situation with the OEM Sidewinder skid plate. I am not very impressed with their inability to get this perfect and I am considering returning the Yamaha skid plate and purchasing an aftermarket skid plate instead.

What have you guys found to be best? Thanks in advance for your help!

#*$&@ yamaha couldn’t get it right back when I had my nytro I had to drill out the holes to make it fit! I am running the barn of parts aluminum skid plate and pickle protector for the chaincase there isn’t anything out there stronger in my opinion it’s about $250-300 for the setup.

 

[hibshman25]

Here are some links to what I offer.


http://www.barnofparts.com/chaincase-protector-new

http://www.barnofparts.com/skid-plates

If you change your own oil my plate is probably as easy as it gets.

My chaincase protector fits over stock one. Some are skeptical because its not built like a tank, but the approach angle is smooth and snag free so it protects by allowing sled to glance up over objects.

 

[Blue Dave]

#*$&@ yamaha couldn’t get it right back when I had my nytro I had to drill out the holes to make it fit! I am running the barn of parts aluminum skid plate and pickle protector for the chaincase there isn’t anything out there stronger in my opinion it’s about $250-300 for the setup.

Thanks! I have OCD really bad so this sort of stuff really bothers me. It is not about the money but rather about buying a quality part that was designed by someone who cared about getting it right which obviously was not the case at Yamaha. If anyone should be able to put holes where they need to be it should be the OEM.

Beerman talked me off of the ledge tonight and reminded me that the large washers cover the enlarged holes that I will have to drill. I guess I need to worry about more important things like setting up my clutching set up for my TD mods & installing studs! It finally snowed here in MN so now I have a sense of urgency!

 

[Dieselxtx]

Thanks! I have OCD really bad so this sort of stuff really bothers me. It is not about the money but rather about buying a quality part that was designed by someone who cared about getting it right which obviously was not the case at Yamaha. If anyone should be able to put holes where they need to be it should be the OEM.

Beerman talked me off of the ledge tonight and reminded me that the large washers cover the enlarged holes that I will have to drill. I guess I need to worry about more important things like setting up my clutching set up for my TD mods & installing studs! It finally snowed here in MN so now I have a sense of urgency!

Yup I want my sled to be perfect also and the bop skid plate is just that I wouldnt go any other route. I’m gonna have to make a road trip to find snow!

 

[Blue Dave]

Here are some links to what I offer.


http://www.barnofparts.com/chaincase-protector-new

http://www.barnofparts.com/skid-plates

If you change your own oil my plate is probably as easy as it gets.

My chaincase protector fits over stock one. Some are skeptical because its not built like a tank, but the approach angle is smooth and snag free so it protects by allowing sled to glance up over objects.

Very nice stuff indeed. Unfortunately I already temporarily secured my Yamaha skid plate with the four front screws to mark the remaining holes. The screw heads have made marks in the plastic which will make it difficult to return. I guess I will have to make it work by enlarging some holes. I wish I had asked on TY and found your parts before I purchased this expensive piece of plastic.

 

[Snowaddict]

Very nice stuff indeed. Unfortunately I already temporarily secured my Yamaha skid plate with the four front screws to mark the remaining holes. The screw heads have made marks in the plastic which will make it difficult to return. I guess I will have to make it work by enlarging some holes. I wish I had asked on TY and found your parts before I purchased this expensive piece of plastic.

Always check TY first. And if you have some type of common issue with a Yamaha, BOP (Travis) most likely has a fix.

 

[mbarclay]

The plastic skid plates for the 2017-2018 ac 9000 should fit the sidewinders right? Orange accessories are easier to find from Cat for my black and orange ltx.

 

[Blue Dave]

I am not familiar with the Arctic Cat lineup but if you are referring to the sister sled to the Sidewinder (Thundercat?) I would think that the skid plates would be interchangeable. Therefore the poor fit and finish (mounting hole locations) should be just as bad on the Arctic Cat version as it is on the Yamaha version. LOL!