Did they say that because it probably wasn't rinsed off with a hose after riding and the mud hardened up to cause this? Thats exactly what happeend to mine. I'll admit I don't always wash my atv down after going through some light mud in the back, but if I was coming back from a day of riding in PA and covered with mud and coal dust, I wash it down.'

We have the same winch, the 2500 lbs winch that had the yamaha strap on it, and I also had that thick metal plate under the chasis which made it impossible to change the oil cuase I couldn't latch on to the drain bolt. Had to loosen up the u bolts on the metal guard all the time. I winded up cutting the u bolts oof and taking the plate off, too much of a pita to change the oil with it on. not like I am worried about going over big rocks. Getting hung up over a big fallen tree won't bother the plastic guard.