I have the factory mount and notice they use U bolts to hold it to the fram of the Kodiak. The ends of the U bolts with nuts on them are pointed towards the ground. Problem they stick out about an inch and I have already caught one on a rock and bent it all the way over. Now I'm not sure how I can ever get that nut off. Question - wouldn't it of been better to put the U bolts the other way and use some kind a bracket like on mufflers to hold it over the frame? That way there wouldn't be really a chance to catch on anything. Do people leave there plow mounts on all summer or should you remove them after winter? I also will getting an aluminum Full Skid plate and wondering how I will be able to use the mount with it. Will I have to drill holes in the aluminum or will I have to remove the skiid plate when using it. Any one done this or have any suggestions?
RICOCHET Skid Plate

 

Can't really give you any answers to your questions, however I do agree that the plow mounting plate is a poor design. I have the moose plate on mine, and noticed when everything is tightened up, the plate has a belly in it. I was going to put some metal spacers in between the plate and footpeg brackets so it wouldn't belly the plate so much when the u-bolts were tightened. I was also thinking about taking my plate off for the summer. My nephew has a grizzly with a moose plate, and I took notice the bottom of his u-bolts are all bent out of shape. Let me know what you come up with.

 

Yeah PGRSV it seems to be a bad design overall. Seems like they never thought about the brackets comming in contact with objects that you go over when designing the mounting brackets. Has anyone come up with a better way to mount the snow plow brackets?

 

I know spring is in the air but someone out there has to have some ideas..Help me out guys!

 

I would recomend just taking the mount off for the summer. It cant be that bad of a job to remove it.

 

I like to leave mine on because it protecs the engine// I have a cyclecountry mount and the u bolts are bent sideways amd the mount slid down the frame when i was plowing, so im gonna have to do something if i wanna change the oil, because now the oil drain bolt is under the metal plate

 

thats what i was thinking

 

Thanks for the tips guys... But does anyone have any tips for when its on there. I mean I go trail riding in the winter and the mount can't be easily removed/installed so I need some protection when its on there. Also How can I get it off now that one of the U bolts is bent sideways from hitting a rock or something?

 

i have a moose plow. with skid plate and u bolts i too have less ground clearence you can take new ubolts put them on like you were saying so studs face up just run nut down tight then use dremele tool and cut extra length off thats what i did. i have kodiak 400.

as for the bolt that is bent just put deep sochet on it and break bolt off put new ones on..
hope this helps..

 

i have a kodiak 450 and my plate catches on everything so i take it off once the snow goes.