P500 SSS Skid Plate Review

[Lantz]

After reading about another members bad experience with Overstock regarding buying a SSS skid, I just wanted to post up a review of my SSS skid plate.

I wanted a full coverage skid plate because I knew it wouldn't take me long to bust the floor boards out. To my knowledge SSS make the only full coverage skid on the market. While pricey they are the only company making these skids so they can charge a higher price. Supply vs demand and competition = the price they charge.

So I ordered my SSS skid off eBay and installed it before my first ride. The installation was fairly easy. A couple notes: you will need a tap M6 I believe, and to make sure you drill through the thin plate on the passengers side and into the tube.

The skid-plate works great and has taken a beating with over 500 mi on it. The only problem I currently have is that the front piece that wraps up and bolts on to the front bumper is starting to crack along the seam where it folds up. Other than that the rest of the skid is in great shape.

 

[Admin]

 

[solrus]

After reading about another members bad experience with Overstock regarding buying a SSS skid, I just wanted to post up a review of my SSS skid plate.

I wanted a full coverage skid plate because I knew it wouldn't take me long to bust the floor boards out. To my knowledge SSS make the only full coverage skid on the market. While pricey they are the only company making these skids so they can charge a higher price. Supply vs demand and competition = the price they charge.

So I ordered my SSS skid off eBay and installed it before my first ride. The installation was fairly easy. A couple notes: you will need a tap M6 I believe, and to make sure you drill through the thin plate on the passengers side and into the tube.

The skid-plate works great and has taken a beating with over 500 mi on it. The only problem I currently have is that the front piece that wraps up and bolts on to the front bumper is starting to crack along the seam where it folds up. Other than that the rest of the skid is in great shape.

I've decided to go DIY route and started to read on different forums , but RZR forum has most rock sliders and UMHW plastic users. Cracking issues and not long longevity is what I've learned from RZR forum today , guys there just buy 4'x10' 3/8 plate that would be 250$, split it that bring cost to 125$ and just cover same area as OEM plate , unless you are true rock slider and need way more than usual coverage. All drills and saw and belt grinder , you can get at ACE ad etc stores. Its easy to cut and polish, since its very soft material.

You also can buy native white UMHW (not reprocessed/recycled material as SSS skid plates), even cheaper, nobody cares if the bottom is white if you abuse it a lot and need to cut skid plates often.

So basically it comes to 125$ per plate black color , 2-3 h of work initially to develop your template and learn , positive emotions from doing it yourself and saving money.

I wonder if you inquire $$$ offroad about warranty repair of front crack, presumably its from normal wear/tear and not from intentional damage, what will they say?
Its a bummer to start to have cracks after 500 miles, here in Montana , this average distance to your neighbor , but seriously a week of elk hunt and scouting.

Does anyone knows who bought their products if such policy/guarantee exists?

Please keep us posted , I'm very curious how long will it take before it cracks completely.

 

[ohanacreek]

I've decided to go DIY route and started to read on different forums , but RZR forum has most rock sliders and UMHW plastic users. Cracking issues and not long longevity is what I've learned from RZR forum today , guys there just buy 4'x10' 3/8 plate that would be 250$, split it that bring cost to 125$ and just cover same area as OEM plate , unless you are true rock slider and need way more than usual coverage. All drills and saw and belt grinder , you can get at ACE ad etc stores. Its easy to cut and polish, since its very soft material.

You also can buy native white UMHW (not reprocessed/recycled material as SSS skid plates), even cheaper, nobody cares if the bottom is white if you abuse it a lot and need to cut skid plates often.

So basically it comes to 125$ per plate black color , 2-3 h of work initially to develop your template and learn , positive emotions from doing it yourself and saving money.

I wonder if you inquire $$$ offroad about warranty repair of front crack, presumably its from normal wear/tear and not from intentional damage, what will they say?
Its a bummer to start to have cracks after 500 miles, here in Montana , this average distance to your neighbor , but seriously a week of elk hunt and scouting.

Does anyone knows who bought their products if such policy/guarantee exists?

Please keep us posted , I'm very curious how long will it take before it cracks completely.

From experience if you heat UHMW past a certain temp it destabilizes the long chain molecules that give the material its inherent properties and it cracks, well more starts to disintegrate. Even then you can also only bend it so far when it is up to temp.

The way SSS off-road tells you to bend their plate can EASILY cause the material to go well past that temp, when bending it it should take you 20-30 mins to get it to temp evenly through the entire thickness.

Think off it like cooking ribs "low n slow"

 

[JACKAL]

From experience if you heat UHMW past a certain temp it destabilizes the long chain molecules that give the material its inherent properties and it cracks, well more starts to disintegrate. Even then you can also only bend it so far when it is up to temp.

The way SSS off-road tells you to bend their plate can EASILY cause the material to go well past that temp, when bending it it should take you 20-30 mins to get it to temp evenly through the entire thickness.

Think off it like cooking ribs "low n slow"

LOL I didn't heat mine up at all, I pushed it up with my hands clamped it with c-clamps and drilled the holes. The material already had a back cut groove where the bend would be to relieve inside angular stress.

 

[scott]

I've decided to go DIY route and started to read on different forums , but RZR forum has most rock sliders and UMHW plastic users. Cracking issues and not long longevity is what I've learned from RZR forum today , guys there just buy 4'x10' 3/8 plate that would be 250$, split it that bring cost to 125$ and just cover same area as OEM plate , unless you are true rock slider and need way more than usual coverage. All drills and saw and belt grinder , you can get at ACE ad etc stores. Its easy to cut and polish, since its very soft material.

You also can buy native white UMHW (not reprocessed/recycled material as SSS skid plates), even cheaper, nobody cares if the bottom is white if you abuse it a lot and need to cut skid plates often.

So basically it comes to 125$ per plate black color , 2-3 h of work initially to develop your template and learn , positive emotions from doing it yourself and saving money.

I wonder if you inquire $$$ offroad about warranty repair of front crack, presumably its from normal wear/tear and not from intentional damage, what will they say?
Its a bummer to start to have cracks after 500 miles, here in Montana , this average distance to your neighbor , but seriously a week of elk hunt and scouting.

Does anyone knows who bought their products if such policy/guarantee exists?

Please keep us posted , I'm very curious how long will it take before it cracks completely.

I want to go ELK hunting.

 

[scottn57]

Thanks for the reviews.

I have a couple questions.

- Does the SSS Offroad skid plate allow access to any fluid drainage without removal?

- Does it tend to collect much mud/snow up on the skid? (it doesn't have as many drain areas from the looks of it)

- Is it easy to clean any mud/snow that does build up?

thanks!
Scott

 

[joeymt33]

I use SSS for my P700. It did have a cut out for draining the oil. I had to cut the opening a little bigger to keep the oil stream from running all over the skid. It did not have a place for the oil filter change but it's accessible from under the seat on a P700.

As for the mud collecting on it, it will hold about 100lbs of thick gooey mud. I have been thinking about drilling holes. I just need to make sure stick can't go in those holes and damage stuff.

 

[solrus]

I use SSS for my P700. It did have a cut out for draining the oil. I had to cut the opening a little bigger to keep the oil stream from running all over the skid. It did not have a place for the oil filter change but it's accessible from under the seat on a P700.

As for the mud collecting on it, it will hold about 100lbs of thick gooey mud. I have been thinking about drilling holes. I just need to make sure stick can't go in those holes and damage stuff.

Is the umhw plate by SSS is UV stabilized?
I've got off the phone with sales rep from Cope plastics and 4x10 ' sheet 3/8" is 315 $ plus shipping ~ 80 $ to Montana. I'm thinking about making my own. But the rep asked if I need UV resistant vs non. I think it should not matter since it should not have direct sun light exposure.

 

[joeymt33]

I don't think it is UV stabilized.

 

[ohanacreek]

UV stabilized adds a significant cost to the UHMW, SSS does not add anything that will cut into their ridiculous profit margins.

 

[solrus]

UV stabilized adds a significant cost to the UHMW, SSS does not add anything that will cut into their ridiculous profit margins.

price for UHMW no UV - 310$ for black 4x10', UV resistant - 395$

 

[ohanacreek]

20ish % increase, and realize as a large buyer they probably get it at $250-300 for the stabilized and probably @$200 for the no UV. then sell for close to $700-800 plus shipping on the 700-4

 

[solrus]

20ish % increase, and realize as a large buyer they probably get it at $250-300 for the stabilized and probably @$200 for the no UV. then sell for close to $700-800 plus shipping on the 700-4

I suggest even cheaper, the company I'm buying from sold them before, no UV, we are talking 1 or 2 plates but couple hundreds to supply honda, polaris owners and other makers. .