bigjon-----I ordered the ricochet protection system, the whole magilla. Took about 2-3 weeks, then the box just showed up, no shipping email notification.

I sent randalldavis my email address per his post for pictures of the 2 frame holes he said had to be drilled.

 

Really, I called the guy yesterday, Jeff I think and he sent them out them out that day, this morning I got an email fom them with the tracking #'s and the delivery date.

Spoke with him about drilling holes, there's 2, one in front and one in back of the large plate under the midddle of the ATV.

Been alot of good stuff out there regarding these skid plates, I figured that spending a few hundred bucks is better now then sending a few thousand dollars later. The cheap plastic protective plates that come with the ATV stock are a joke!

One hit and bam they're laying o the ground. I put like 6 hours on the ATV and scrathed the frame and knowcked off the A Arm protector and I really didn't even ut this thing threw the paces yet!

You'd think for almost 10k for a Outlander Max that Bombardier would put better protection into the ATV. But other than that I love it.

jon

 

bigjon----the more I ride mine, the better I like it. The plow pusher mounts are in the way of the skid plate, but I'm taking my new ride to Arizona in a couple of weeks, ricochet's will be on there, pusher mount will be in the garage.

randalldavis----did you stand your outy up on its rear to work on the skid plates? Mine's almost out of gas right now anyway, so don't think it would be a problem? bigjon might be able to pick his front end right up, but I'm going to have to use the winch.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

No I just drove the Outty up on car ramps and then jacked up the rear. Scared to stand it up, might fall on me[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Got the Richocet PLates as the promised.

Day one : put the A-Arm protectors on fit nicely took like 30 mins

Day 2: put the rest of the kit on had to drill 2 holes, piece of cake, installed the floorplate, and screwed in the bottom plates. Took like 2hrs.

On day 2 went deep up into the moutains, right through where a tree skidder had been mudhole about 10 wide by 20 long and about 3' deep, if can say that having the plate on the bottom of the ATV had actually helped me get through it, and mud wasn't up into the engine compartment.

Ran over a stream bed and had some nice rocks hit the bottom of the ATV, minot scrapes to the plates.

Good quality skid plate, good welds, nice thick aluminun, holes lined up perfectly, all bolts lock nuts, washers included..over I would say I am very satisfied with them.

Was hoping that the rear axle plates were included but would purchase again from Richocet.

 

Shugduff,

Does the Armordillo plastic skid work well? Can't decide if I want the Ricchet or Armordillo platic ones. Do Armordillo come with CV/A-arm guards? Do they cover the floor board section as well? Do they provide enough impact protection? Just bought an 800xt and heard the frame was very suceptable to damage, so I need skids.

 

I've been told the plastic ones are really “greasy” and tend to slip and slide over rocks and objects while rocks tend to grab a hold of the aluminum ones. The Outlander I rode had the plastic ones but they were a custom type since there weren't any being made when he bought his Outty. They seemed pretty rugged and there weren't any cracks or chips and not even any deep grooves or anything. He does a fair ammount of bouncing around in the rocks as I understand too as he has made some trips out west to some of those big trails out in Utah and such.

Unless someone comes up with some huge drawback to the composites I'll go with them when/if I purchase the Outlander 800 this fall.

Oh and I probably would go with aluminum CV protectors since they're not sliding over things (are they?). I ride in a lot of brush and sticks and that tends to tear up CV joint boots unless you have A arm protection.

 

Thanks Captain,
Very good points. My major concern is impact protection, where it seems the outlander's frame is most vulnerable. For example, when trying to climb over a large boulder, and the frame comes down hard on it after the front whheel drop over. Or trying to climb a steep rock ledge where the front may contact prior to the tires.

The oultander you rode had custom plastic skids... how think were they? The Prefex brand ones are only 3/16".

Anybody else have any thoughts or experiences?

 

Thanks for posting this info. I emailed the manufacturer who confirmed this. You saved me from making a costly error.

 

It was quite thick stuff. At least 1/4 inch thick but were smoothed and tapered in some places so were much thinner in spots. It was a polyethylene nylon type of material I think. A “greasy” feeling type of thick heavy plastic board material. You could probably beat on this stuff with a sledge hammer and you weren't going to break it. Very tough material. If I remember right he got the stock from the local industrial materials supply jobber. Cut it with carbide and titanium wood working tools and smoothed it with routers and files and stuff I think he mentioned.

His were homemade and are probably overkill. If you're handy and like building stuff and working on your own ATV it shouldn't be too difficult to track down some skid material and build a fine set to your own specs. Just a matter of finding the material which should just be a matter of consulting the telephone book.