Skid plate fix?

[smithereenpsycho]

Last season I installed a Mountain tech full skid plate on my nytro. I've got about 10 rides since it was installed. A couple rides ago i noticed a bit of ice buildup on the front of the plate but figured it wouldn't be an issue since the plate is so beefy, but after a ride yesterday in deep pow and about -10c by the end of the day it was noticeably bent way down and forcing 2" of the plastic at the very front of the plate to a vertical so i was pushing more snow than normal. My question is, is there a fix for this problem? I'm thinking of maybe wrapping blue styrofoam insulation with aluminum heat tape and fitting it between the bottom of the a-arms and the plate then siliconing as much as possible between the sub frame and the skid plate so water can't get in and hydro it apart. anyone tried this before or have any other fixes for the issue? Any info would be helpful, thanks.

 

[yamahamm]

The best fix is to by the short skid plate, then there will be no problem I had the "original" plastic skid plate and had ice problems all the time, bought the shorty skid plate from mountain tech and no problem since

 

[Off Trail Mike]

I'd do a few things:
1. Put a foamy in between your lower a-arms. I run the long skid plate as well, and the area between the a-arms used to become one big (and heavy) block of ice. Any closed cell foam will do. But filling the space will definitely help with the icing.
2. Seal up some of the gaps in the plastics with silicone to reduce the amount of snow/water coming in and and then melting/dripping down onto skidplate
3. Put pet screen or some kind of prefilter material in the vent below the headlight. I run K&N filters on my MTX and they would get iced up all the time until I fixed this. I also realized this was a big source of snow/ice loading up the front of the bodywork. The big open vent holes just above the headlight that keep air going over the radiator don't seem to contribute to this problem IMO

Also have you installed the forward 2 bolts that hold the skidplate to the subframe? M6x35mm if I remember correctly. The bolts are positioned to thread thru the flat plate between lower a-arms on either side of the large open hole. This is in the 2010's and newer, the 08/09's I know are slightly different but in any case, I'd be figuring out a way to ensure the front of the skid plate is bolted to subframe somehow.

I've been in powder up to the handlebars, and never seen the kind of buildup you have there.

OTM

 

[nitris223]

Looks like you didn't install the front bolts. I made my own full plate . I have rode in powder snow for 3 days and left the sled parked outside for those 3 days and had ice build up but never pushed the plate off.

 

[smithereenpsycho]

All the bolts are on there, the plate is actually bent right in front of the front mounting bolts from the ice buildup. I have an 08 but did a gusset kit and welded nuts on the inside of the lower a-arm plate for the front mounting bolt to thread into. I like the idea of the foam between the a-arms since that loads up crazy with ice, since the pic I did a quick fix and drilled a hole as far forward as possible in the plate and ubolted it to the subframe and it sinched the plate back up tight to the subframe and it held up good for a ride even with the ice build up, it's ugly but works. If it turns into an issue again the plate is getting cut off right in front of the front mounting points. Gunna frogskinz that vent under the headlight as well, that makes perfect sense for sure. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[tapex_07]

I have the long plate on mine, and have never had that much build up.. I also don't have a headlight (small fogs and rad delete) so I know snow gets in there on deep days. I'd look into the foam between the A-arms and sealing up some of the body work.