[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] Recently purchased an '03 eiger. One of the considerations i has was ground clearance, and the Eiger has more than ample in my mind. I ride on some pretty rough and rocky terrain, and it conserns me that there is nothing more than plastic protecting the engine and differentials! Any suggestions before I go and add the wieght of metal skid plates would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

I have a plastic skid plate on the differential on my Z250 and it has held up pretty good. I have smacked it on a some rocks a few time, and it just has some scratches in it, but not dented or anything.

 

Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned, i am a little concerned that the plastic won't protect the engine and differentials. I previously owned a 1998 honda trx 4x4. The bottom of it(although much closer to the ground than the Eiger...) was so badly beaten, I was thankful for the metal skid plates. I am just not sure the abuse the plastic will withstand. Thanks again.

 

the plastic skid plates are made of the same material that the bed liners for pickups are made out of, so they are pretty strong and very impact resistent. I would however put after market a-arm gaurds and rearend skid plates on it. If you use the aluminum ones they dont weigh that much and look really cool. I put full skid plates on my vinson just because i ride in alot of snow and the smoth aluminum slides over the snow better than the stock plastic did.

 

My plastic skids got smashed the first trip to the desert.

I'd say that if your gears and brake parts are exposed to the rocks and crap you run over then your engine is probably too. Plastic ain't going to help much if you bottom on a rock at 30 MPH or 70 MPH, I've seen rotor and gears broke right off or bent in the blink of an eye.

So I run PRM full skids on one of the quads and PRM Swingarm skid on the other, cause I don't like that plastic stuff getting torn off, and then a gear or rotor, and your walking back!

 

my plastic skid plate on my z is holding up pretty well, im still going to purchase a dg swingarm skid plate though, just to keep it looking good for time to come. i wouldnt put it on but with only about 4 inches of ground clearance, doesnt hurt anything.