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Skid plates

2189 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  ZUMNyxzSS, 
nigro83
I just got a 2022 YXZ and the skid plate looks chintzy. We do alot of trail riding. I see there are after market aluminum and plastic. Which one holds up better?
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RealtreeYXZ
I would go with UHMW (plastic) either from Trail Armor or Factory UTV. Depending on what type of riding you do can dictate the thickness. I have the 1/2 skids a d 3/8 A-arms and couldn't be happier. Ive bashed quite a bit, and slid over quite a bit and they hold up well. They're not cheap, but neither was your machine. My factory one was ripped up in pretty short order, although it did do its job.
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R
Get the factory UTV 1/2” ultimate setup. Wish it was the first thing I did.
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Gibbster
Go with uhmw material as it will give better slide over rocks and does not damage easily. Aluminum bends and then can make it hard to remove and reinstall if tweaked. I have been running SSS offroad full skid plates. Also eapecially rear a-arm full skid plates help keep rocks and spray off shocks, exhaust and drivetrain. Also another add i did for better protection is rear mud flaps. Been running this set up for about 8500 miles out of around 9300. My exhaust and other things in rear stay very clean and still looks great.
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nigro83 said:
I just got a 2022 YXZ and the skid plate looks chintzy. We do alot of trail riding. I see there are after market aluminum and plastic. Which one holds up better?
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I bent my Weller brace pretty badly and tore the rear stock plate completely off. I now have the full set of Factory UTV 3/8 inch skid plates. I ride a lot of tore up rocky desert trails in Havasu area and I couldn't be happier with them. I've hit rocks pretty hard and they're barely scratched. Stock are garbage.
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Gibbster
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Rex Dingo said:
I bent my Weller brace pretty badly and tore the rear stock plate completely off. I now have the full set of Factory UTV 3/8 inch skid plates. I ride a lot of tore up rocky desert trails in Havasu area and I couldn't be happier with them. I've hit rocks pretty hard and they're barely scratched. Stock are garbage.
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I went with this brace for rear frame and like ease of removal once installed.
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Gibbster said:
I went with this brace for rear frame and like ease of removal once installed. View attachment 122814 View attachment 122815 View attachment 122816 View attachment 122817
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Looks like that might be a better option. I was able to straighten the Weller. All is good now that it’s protected by the new skid plates.
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WLS
I did the Trail Armor with the integrated skids on my 2021. I had them on my 2017 and they work great.
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nigro83 said:
I just got a 2022 YXZ and the skid plate looks chintzy. We do alot of trail riding. I see there are after market aluminum and plastic. Which one holds up better?
Click to expand...
I went with the Trail Armor Trail Armor Yamaha YXZ 1000R Full Skids with Integrated Sliders. It is a bit of work to install, be sure to follow the install video including setting it on its side. The thing I did not like was sheet metal screws to install the rear portion. I used weld nuts instead. i have been very satisfied with the Trail Armor.
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MakeItCount
I just bought the futv 1/2 kit and it rubs bad on my 32s. I can barely turn or hit jumps.
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MakeItCount said:
I just bought the futv 1/2 kit and it rubs bad on my 32s. I can barely turn or hit jumps. View attachment 123028
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That’s a huge tire. You can alter wheel offset or clearance skids as needed. I run very close to stock offset (5+2’s) on 30” carnivores (actually about 30.5”) and it’s perfect but can’t speak on the 32” tire.
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Y
I originally bought a set (F&R) of the GYTR Yamaha A arm guards and was pretty happy with them.
Until the rears got mangled by rocks that would “roll” into the open space of the rear arms. Front work good because the plastic closes the open space in the center of the front arms.
So I got a set of arm guards from FUTV which came front and rear although I may only use the rears. They are solid on the bottom and should work well for rocks to roll under the arms without rolling into the open space of the arm.
But really surprised how heavy that material is! Weighs a lot.
Hoping the protection is worth all the unsprung weight I’m adding to the arms.

Any thoughts on adding so much weight to the a arms which becomes reciprocating weight?
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YumaYXZ said:
I originally bought a set (F&R) of the GYTR Yamaha A arm guards and was pretty happy with them.
Until the rears got mangled by rocks that would “roll” into the open space of the rear arms. Front work good because the plastic closes the open space in the center of the front arms.
So I got a set of arm guards from FUTV which came front and rear although I may only use the rears. They are solid on the bottom and should work well for rocks to roll under the arms without rolling into the open space of the arm.
But really surprised how heavy that material is! Weighs a lot.
Hoping the protection is worth all the unsprung weight I’m adding to the arms.

Any thoughts on adding so much weight to the a arms which becomes reciprocating weight?
Click to expand...
Same exact here. Originally bought Yamaha front and rear arm guards. The rears were terrible, broke off quick. Later bought the ultimate factory UTV 1/2” kit and used it all aside kept the front Yamahas as they are actually doing pretty good due to good design.
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ZUMNyxzSS
Nice
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