ATV Skid Plates - Make Your Own HDPE Skid Plates

Got together with a few friends and made some skid plates for Gary (Rockhead) Can Am 800 Max ATV. Some final pictures at the end of other machines I did to give you some ideas. I used a piece of card board to make the initial template then we just trim and bend final product to fit.

[@skulledmonte84]

I used a big aluminum road sign i got for free :) just used thin cardboard to make a template an traced on the sign cut it out with jig saw an bent up a few tabs,drilled holes for mounting it on. got 6 bolts holding it on my 2003 400 Eiger 4x4 also did a front skid plate an a arm guards from the same material :)

[@mtnbikehead]

Franky and Zep were extremely generous with their time and know how . Thank You again! 197 km on the 2014 Outy Max and the stock thin plastics has taken a beating. They were almost destroyed . The Rad Fan bypass switch was also done.

[@FrankiesChannel]

Your more than welcome anytime Gary.

[@GunnyE9]

Nice !! Real nice !! THANKS for shar'in !!

[@mtnbikehead]

Soon really soon they will be tested. FYI HDPE and UHMW plastic is really tough and resilient to cracking. It has a high impact absorption and won't crack even when it is cold. It slides over sharp edges better than aluminum. The skids are currently off machine to add a few more bends at the back so backing up they won't hood onto anything.

[@mtnbikehead]

The footwell supports had no protection and would easily get hung up; now the machine will glide over everything; kinda like a toboggan.

[@darrylpressey8779]

Really good diy, aswell as the fan b/pass switch. Was the sheet expensive? Not that it matters cuz you've saved $$$ making it urself, as Zepp mentioned there costly items which comes in sections. Great n helpful vid. Thx 4 sharing.

[@FrankiesChannel]

The sheet cost me just under a $100 and I had enough to do 2 machines. Hardest part of the job is mount it. Using nuts and bolts is easy way but it's hard to remove later. I wanted to install it in a way that you could easily remove and reinstall for easy maintenance. I've installed fan/bypass switch on almost all my buddies machines. It's so handy to have and easy to do.

[@matthewtoy6868]

Is there a reason why you chose HDPE instead of UHMW?

[@barrybrinkman4961]

What is the type of bolt you used to secure the skid plate? You said something about Home Depot? Thanks!

[@pattersonbrl]

Hey thanks for posting this video... I where did you buy the plastic sheet from? I want to do this with my atv since I can't seem to find anything other than aluminum plates for mine. It looks like a better alternative and much less expensive.

[@BONGGYBONGGY]

Have you tried your plates out yet? You have a great idea here. Im in the process of making my skid plates out of 1/4 HDPE for my Grizz. It looks more durable than aluminum.

[@FrankiesChannel]

The machine in the video has not tried them yet. But I have done my own machine a little over a year ago and they are holding up great. Only thing you may have to look out for are the mounting screws. They get beat up and you will need to change them occasionally.

[@FrankiesChannel]

+luvmyctd I thought about doing something similar, but finding them in stainless steel has been a little difficult. I would of never thought when starting out this project the most difficult part would be how to bolt the skids on. For now I've just been using stainless steel self tapping screws that are cheap enough that I replace every 6 months at same time I drop all my fluids. Screws hold up well, but the heads get all mangled. Thanks for the comment, I may try it come winter when things slow down.

[@thelargeone7523]

Where did you get the sheet and what size?

[@FrankiesChannel]

+Clargin Plastic world in Toronto usually sells in 4x8 or 5x10 sheets. But they can cut just what you need.

[@maddmavic]

You could have bought the entire aluminum one on eBay for a 200

[@steve123261]

looks like a waste of time and money if to ask me.. Did they crack right away?

[@FrankiesChannel]

They have never cracked. Still in good shape after 14 months.

[@dreded7961]

bob grass do your research... much stronger than aluminum its what professional rock buggies use(assuming this is hdpe) it also glides instead of snagging and wont dent and distributes impact much better. its also black right through so doesn't look much worse as it gets bashed

[@FrankiesChannel]

Dreded Yes I'm very happy with the HDPE plates. Installed them in late 2012 and still holding up on my machine. I've had a few good hits and as you said they won't dent.