I posted earlier on our trip to WindRock and failed to comment on it. Man I hit a rock so hard I broke the tip off of the top of the rock. It sent a vibration to a place I will not mention that resembeled the vibration one gets in his hands when he misses with a semi truck tire bead breaker. I hit another that made me feel like I was gut punched. There is no visible damage to the plate what so ever. The OE rear diff plate held it's own as well.
I also have Kawasaki's aluminium a-arm guards. I got into a situation going down a steep decline and could not avoid a stobb about 1 foot high and 3 inches around. I put it just inside the tire. I stopped so hard I was glad I do sit up's. It bent the guard back enough that it flicked the lower strut aluminium casting in hard turns. A pair of channel locks pulled it back out OK. The thing bolts up only using the OE screws and I was sure I was going to break it off when bending it back out. But it held ok. I guess I'm happy. Had it been the OE plastic unit I'm sure I would have bent the A-arm or tie rod or something.
A friend of mine told me when I got the Prairie not to delay in getting rid of the cheese grater OE plates. He said most of his 02 Prairie's lower frame tubes are flattened, thus weakening them to some degree. They also leave the oil filter way too exposed.
Ricochet - money well spent.

 

What is the name of the website for richochet? Any tips on install? Do the plates hamper maintenance much? Do you still have OE plates supplemented with richochect? I've been reading your posts on these plates and a-arm guards and have been interested all along.

 

rockeymoutnainatv.com has ricochet plates.

 

That's really good info for me; I too, rode ~85 miles of Windrock (and pinched a frame tube).....except I had the stock skids....They are useless.

I'll be buying the ricochets, thanks.

 

Utahsportcycle has some of their skids discounted..
I've never delt with them but their prices seem prety good

 

I also am a happy owner of ricochet skid plates!!! They are very easy to install and well worth the $$$$$ I gotta agree with n2xlr8n stock skid plates are gonna cause you grief sooner or later!!!

They bolt right in the same holes as the stock skid plates, have a hole cut in the bottom for oil filter drainage, have a hole for oil drain plug access. Just like the rock said (money well spent!!)