I am getting ready to purchase a new raptor and was wondering if i should add on skid plates??? I only ride sand and dont jump much. Please if you can take the time and tell me what could happend if i leave them off???

I wouldnt waste money on skids, unless you are going to ride in really rocky terrain

Thanks shocker!!! Thats the answer I was hoping for : ) Now I can add the money towards a extended swing arm. I was told the raptor is notorious for lifting the front end and after ALBA works there magic it will more so. I am so excited , I havent been to mother G in a couple years

No Prob,

Getting the swingarm would be a better investment anyways

Do you have any opinion on the Lonestar Arms, they have been around a long time so I figure they are a safe bet + they are less money than some others.

Ive never had any or knew anybody that has them, but I havent heard anything bad about them

OK, thanks again See you out on the sand soon then!!!

You can even take the stock rear skid plate off for dune riding.

OTAY!!!! Thanks for the info, i would amagine the stock skid is pretty heavy???

I took mine off my Raptor as I almost exclusively use it for duning. I jump pretty hard with it and there are still no appreciable marks on the underside (except for the normal 'sandblasting').
No skid plate means easier access, too.

Yeah I took my rear stock skid off to

Skid plates are just unwanted weight in the dunes, I haven't used them on the trailer queen in years and never a problem.

only reason i have them on mine is i ride rock terrain too. i wouldnt run them if its all sand. i run my bike in the sand and open desert too. so i needed to put them on. they are a sigh of relief when you hit rocks and hear it ding the skid plate instead of the frame/ motor. out in G you dont find the odd flowing rock so id wouldnt worry about it.

Thanks for all your responses! Big help. One more question that has been on my mind, How useful are steering stabelizers in the sand??? They seem to be pricy so i didnt want to buy an un-needed part

hey aftermarket what do those run price wise? and does it replace alot of stuff on your steerin system or is it just a better replacement for the tie rod? or what i see those all the time in videos but dont know how they actually go on/work.

they clamp onto the steering stem and bolt to a spot ojn the frame, its basically a shock absorber for the steering. i ran a skid plate from the front to the swingarm pivot point just so the bike would slide over the peaks easier, casue a couple times i got bogged down quit a bit on some big peaks without one.

So sounds like they would come in handy for the busy weekends when all you got is chop!!!

I have alba a arms up front, with triple rate shocks, itp rims and razors up front, down 1 tooth in front sprocket, alba full pipe kit, durablue +4 axle,and itp sand stars in the rear, I cant keep the front end down, if you got the cash I definately recommend a swingarm in the rear, dont forget to get the shock revalved, have fun. oh its all on an 03 raptor

I should get one of them pep stabilizers

The usuall, money

I had an axle skidplate on my banshee and it highcentered me several times on the top ridges of dunes. (when going slow or stopping and starting)

One time, I was going fast at the top of a big dune (flat spot) and was transitioning into the dune and as I went from level sand to the bowl of the dune that dang skidplate caught in the sand for a couple of seconds. My banshee starting going sideways on me and I'm sure if it stayed that way for a few more nano-seconds I would have been flipped off at about 35 mph!, at the top of one of those bowls that are about 75 feet tall! I would have been history!

As you can tell, my response would be: leave off all of those skidplates!