Skid Plate...who has added it to their Apex?

[MCApex44]

Wow, someone went deep in the archives to dig this thread up. I posted it in Dec of 2006 when my sled was still new. Yes...from talking to the dealer and getting great advice from the fine folks here, there was no doubt the Apex was getting the skid plate fo sho. Thinking back to my previous sleds...my skid plates were usually scuffed up pretty good or as on my ZR900, it had a good size crack in it. I figure it to be cheap insurance and may keep your sled from being in the shop during our short 1.5 month riding seasons we have been having.

If anyone is wondering the price. I paid $101.95 for the skid plate (part # SMA-8FA34-00-BK). I had the dealer install it amongst other things done to the sled so I dont have a breakdown of how much the labor was for the skid plate alone.

 

[rosco]

True Blue, is that a one piece unit or three seperate pieces?

 

[SERPAGS]

...

 

[TBay Sledhead]

True Blue, is that a one piece unit or three seperate pieces?

That is three pieces. The A-arm protection is another $100, Rich Motorsports from this site sells them.

 

[SumpBuster]

Get the Skid plate. They are a pain to install with parts that come with the kit. Search the site for install instruction, highly recommended.

They actually are pretty easy, just use the skid to transfer one hole first, to hold it, but then install the rivnuts properly...many don't do this..make the hole too big, don't use the tool to tighten them properly, etc. Once one is in, locate the other 3..I've done several, and had to redo some that dealers installed improperly.

 

[Sapling]

Because of this skid plate I have gotten a crash course on rivnuts and the rivnuts that come with the kit will not grab the 6.5 mm thickness that you are securing it to. This is why so many of them pull out. The rivnut body that they send is aluminum and it is only intended to grab up to 3.1mm. It has to create a fold of material on the inside or they will never stay in place long term!! This is the first time that I have been disappointed in a Yamaha product. What the hell were they thinking!!

Sap

 

[KevinS]

Because of this skid plate I have gotten a crash course on rivnuts and the rivnuts that come with the kit will not grab the 6.5 mm thickness that you are securing it to. This is why so many of them pull out. The rivnut body that they send is aluminum and it is only intended to grab up to 3.1mm. It has to create a fold of material on the inside or they will never stay in place long term!! This is the first time that I have been disappointed in a Yamaha product. What the hell were they thinking!!

Sap

I replaced those with some rubber rivnuts that I found at home depot. Look the same as the aluminum ones but are made of rubber. They have held up fine so far and none have popped out. Unlike the ones that came in the kit.

Kevin

 

[SledFreak]

Should be on before they go out the door. There is northing really protecting that motor. Yamaha should have it as part of standard equipment, just like a skid plate on an ATV.

 

[SumpBuster]

Because of this skid plate I have gotten a crash course on rivnuts and the rivnuts that come with the kit will not grab the 6.5 mm thickness that you are securing it to. This is why so many of them pull out. The rivnut body that they send is aluminum and it is only intended to grab up to 3.1mm. It has to create a fold of material on the inside or they will never stay in place long term!! This is the first time that I have been disappointed in a Yamaha product. What the hell were they thinking!!

Sap

The ones for my rx1's were fine. Maybe the newer kits aren't as good. I bought some good ole 'Murican ones from Fastenal because the ones that pulled out, the holes were drilled too big (dealer installed on the Apex).,..they must be the right size..just snug enough to get the rivnut in lightly by tapping.
I think I used the 5/16-18.
Where were you drilling the holes? I don't remember the wall being almost 1/4" thick (6.5 mm=.256")

 

[garyw]

Have always ran a skid plate even when i had 2 strokes.Sure will save the bottom of the apex motor. Cheap insurance.

 

[sandy8657]

First thing that I put on my 2006 Apex GT and on my sons 2007 Apx RTX was the skid plate.
Best investment!!!!!

 

[cmharcou]

Just ordered one from ebay and got it today. WHy does everything has to be so difficult? I thought there would be some screws just to screw this thing in, but now were talking rivets and everything else. Anyone have step by step instructions?

 

[APEX 06]

Last year I hit a Rock with my MTX and the skid took the hit it was easy to pay 90$ to get a new skid then pay 1000s to fix the sled.

 

[mr. shide]

I have had a skid plate on every sled I have had. The problem with the plates for the apex/warrior,rx, etc is that the barrel nut inserts you install in the bottom, to make the plate easily removable, dont work well and end up loosening in the aluminum and fall out. That happened to me anyway. On the 2-strokes you just riveted it on underneath with a couple phillips screws in the front. I am curious if yamaha has done anything different with the mounting hardware?? Please let me know because I will be getting one for my apex. If nothing else I'll just rivet it to the bottom and then drill out the rivets and remove the plate when its time to change the oil, then rivet it back on for the season. No big deal i guess.

 

[Apex2006]

This is the work involved for a guy that didn't have a skid plate.

If a skid plate prevents this, well worth the $75 bucks I paid for mine!