Just my luck

[Stickman400]

Well I went out earlier and tried to get 1 short ride in before I have to go back to the grind at work this week and long story short I went to go flying up a hill and a rock popped out of the ground right in the center on the trail and smacked my linkage, knicked my a-arm and smashed my swingarm skid into my rotor. The funny thing is I went up that hill about a week ealier and that rock wasn't there. Idk how it got there but nonetheless, that's what happened. Anyway I putted about 2 miles back to the shop and started looking it over and I lucked out and it only knicked the a-arm enough to take the PC off and nothing else, didn't bend it or anything. The linkage has a good size flat spot in it where the rock glanced off of it, it looks like it'll be fine though. My rotor on the other hand took all the damage, it got bent about an 1/8" or more and was rubbing my skid all the way home so it got insanely hot and started bluing the metal. So I took a BFH and beat the skid back down and away from the rotor and took the brake hub and rotor off and looked it over and came to the conclusion that it's screwed and I'll have to get a new one. Anyway other than that everything seems to be okay. Kinda wish I'd just stayed in the house now, oh well. Here's a couple pics of the rotor and link.

http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv192/Stickman400/Quad%20Pics/IMAG0604.jpg
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv192/Stickman400/Quad%20Pics/IMAG0608.jpg

[hybridracer686]

nice! lol linkage should be fine and ive bent rotors before might be able to beat it fairly straight with BFH good luck :muscle:

[CJM]

That sucks!

Precisely why I despise riding in rocky areas myself. Shame you found a rock that wasnt there before

Wonder if the linkage would be better made from steel.

[Stickman400]

The sad part was I was riding in a sand quarry, so I manged to find the only big rock to hit in a pile of sand, literally. And if GT Thunder would make one from steel (or the member on here who had his brother make one) I would deff. buy it.

[CJM]

Yea, I really wanted one madeof steel like that guy had.

I suppose I could buy some steel bar and make one, its not overly complicated really. Course mine wouldnt be water or laser cut tho.

[powerbomb400]

The Pro Armor rear skid protects the linkage from bashes like that. A peice of steel would add a pound or two to the overall weight. Glad it just flat spotted and not broke or cracked the linkage. You might be able to straighten the rotor out. It can't hurt to try.

[CJM]

Him and I cant use any other skid b/c the linkage is a GT Thunder XC linkage and needs to stick out due to the travel.

We have beefy steel skid plates made by GTT but they dont protect everything as well as a stock style skid does imho.

[Stickman400]

Well I already ordered a Galfer rear rotor, that was a Streamline that was on it. I thought I'd give Galfer a try. And CJM is right, unless I hacked up my Pro-Armor skid I can't use it. I think the skid did it's job pretty well though. I mean I know it still bent my rotor, but if you saw the rock I hit and how fast I was going I could have ripped the damn skid plate off the swingarm and bent the rotor to the point that I couldn't have even rode back home. So I'm pretty pleased with how it performed.

[CJM]

Do you still have those spacers on the skid? I managed to stack 2-3 washers on mine with no issues.

[Stickman400]

Yeah, they are still there. I've tried to think of a way to get rid if them but I can't take them out unless I flip my carrier right side up again, and then my caliper will hit my frame. They are holding up well though.

[CJM]

See, I wasnt having those issues with the caliper hitting the frame. What was happening to me was (before I had dustin redo the shock) I tried the stock shock and had so much travel I smashed into my exhaust with the axle itself.

Everything else seems to clear on mine.

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by CJM
Him and I cant use any other skid b/c the linkage is a GT Thunder XC linkage and needs to stick out due to the travel.

We have beefy steel skid plates made by GTT but they dont protect everything as well as a stock style skid does imho.

I'm using a pro armour skid with my GTT XC link.

[CJM]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
I'm using a pro armour skid with my GTT XC link.

And your link doesnt smack the hell out of the skid? My XC link sticks out WAY past where the skid plate is and or would be, would smack it all day long.

You got pictures??

[Stickman400]

2001400exrida you are deff. either hitting the skid with the link or it's chopped up or spaced out, no way it fits right. I tried mine when I installed my link and hit with about a 1/2 gap between the skid and the mounts.

Anyway I got my rotor in today, figured I throw up a pic of it. I think it looks better than that Streamline, it makes it looks more professional style, the Streamline makes it look more woods racer style.
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv192/Stickman400/Quad%20Pics/IMAG0609.jpg
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv192/Stickman400/Quad%20Pics/IMAG0497.jpg
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv192/Stickman400/Quad%20Pics/IMAG0610.jpg

[2001400exrida]

i'll post the pics guys, but the skid has a huge recessed area for the linkage. the GTT XC link works perfect with my skid. I'm almost positive it's pro armour but i'll double check and post pics.

the aluminum skid i'm referring too, as i mentioned, has a large recessed area in it to allow movement of the linkage.

[dustin_j]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
i'll post the pics guys, but the skid has a huge recessed area for the linkage. the GTT XC link works perfect with my skid. I'm almost positive it's pro armour but i'll double check and post pics.

the aluminum skid i'm referring too, as i mentioned, has a large recessed area in it to allow movement of the linkage.

Did you install the skid while the quad was sitting on the wheels, or with the rear shock relaxed? It might clear with static sag, but when fully extended it probably contacts. This would limit travel and put a lot of stress on your skid bolts. Most rear skids have a "large" box for the linkage, but generally they aren't large enough for a GTT link. If it does clear, though, that would be great.

[2001400exrida]

my skids box is large enough to clear i know that. i have ridden plenty and also just recently removed the skid in order to change the sprockets and saw no damage.

[HondaRacing83]

im kind of interested in this skid as i plan on doin the gtt link in the future.

[2001400exrida]

i'm almost positive that this is the skid i have http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Pro-Armor-swingarm-skid-plate-Honda-TRX400ex-400ex-/330750163033?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d023ef859&vxp=mtr

[HondaRacing83]

btw that galfer rotor is SICKKK! how much was it?

[powerbomb400]

I've run the galfer wave rotor on the front of one of our quads and really like them. The Pro Armor skid I was talking about has the tunnel that goes around the linkage. I have a stock linkage so it works well. I could see with longer linkage it could be a problem.

[CJM]

Thats the same pro armor skid I have, Ill try it when I get my shock back from Dustin (cant wait its in the mail :D ) but Im sure it contacts, the link sticks WAY down on mine.

[Stickman400]

It was $129, which is a bit insane considering the Streamline was only $89. Idk, I decided to splurge and give it a shot. That is a 450R rotor though, so idk if the 400ex style would look the same.