Removing front skid

[Quetico]

Can anyone tell me the steps involved with removing the front skid? Also, what is the approx weight of this thing?

I did my first off roading trail last weekend, and the front skid took a few bumps. I want to touch up the paint and try to bend the screen back into shape.

Should I touch up the paint with Rustoleum, or is there something better to use?

 

[smilycook]

The bolts pretty easy to spot that hold the skid on. Just loosen them and drop the skid. Not sure why you would want to paint the scratches it is a skid plate not a dinner plate and does not need to look clean to function. I would check for major damage and then just leave it alone.

 

[msommers]

I find it so much easier to take off and on the front skid plate if you first remove that small blast piece in front of it. 5 10mm bolts and that plastic tab in the middle. I still haven't figured out how to remove that tab with finesse, normally I just tug hard enough until it comes out! Be gentle with these bolts, I snapped one already with not a lot of force.

Front skid plate is 4 12mm bolts.

 

[Quetico]

The bolts pretty easy to spot that hold the skid on. Just loosen them and drop the skid. Not sure why you would want to paint the scratches it is a skid plate not a dinner plate and does not need to look clean to function. I would check for major damage and then just leave it alone.

Well, I want to drop it to check for damage and bend the screen back into position. Figured once I have it down, I may as well touch up the paint to keep ahead of rust.

 

[jspagna1]

Good idea. Doesn't weigh as much as the one on my 3rd gen. I spray the skid plate on my 3rd gen every year to keep it from rusting. I use Duplicolor Semi Gloss/Satin black paint.

 

[Quetico]

I managed to get the skid down tonight. Pretty straight forward, except for that p-i-t-a plastic clip between the skid and the plastic piece in front; that might be broken, we'll see if it goes back together tomorrow. There must be a better way to get that out, but I didn't find it.

The other thing I don't get is the flimsy metal mesh in the skid. What's up with that? All in all I was able to bang it back into place pretty well.

 

[jspagna1]

I managed to get the skid down tonight. Pretty straight forward, except for that p-i-t-a plastic clip between the skid and the plastic piece in front; that might be broken, we'll see if it goes back together tomorrow. There must be a better way to get that out, but I didn't find it.

The other thing I don't get is the flimsy metal mesh in the skid. What's up with that? All in all I was able to bang it back into place pretty well.

They just don't make them like they used to!