Mounted altrider crash bars and acd skid plate

[RangerBrad]

With a the help of a friend I mounted both of these yesterday. The crash bars went on with little trouble however the acd skid plate was a bear. We didn't use the spacers as we had seen a thread stating that when mounting these 2 products that the spacers gave the acd skid plate to much of a forward lean and had rubbed a hole in an oil filter on at least one occasion. We also had to figure out that the right side own skid plate mount had to be removed or it would contact the acd skid plate. For what ever reason the engine mount bolts were very hard to get aligned and started in the engine mounting holes. We also had to grind down some of the area above the front engine mount on the skid plate to allow it to fit below the altrider crash bars to align at all and engine bolts had to be fully tightened down to allow the skid plate mounting holes at rear of plate to go back far enough to align with holes above center stand. Then the bolts that go thru center stand and center stand spacers had to be hammered thru on the right side as the tolerance was so close the bolt couldn't be pushed thru by hand. I really like the beefiness and product quality of the skid plate but unless it becomes far easier to remove and replace as time goes by for oil changes and such it will find itself on the shelf as I don't intend to fight it like this every time I want to service the bike. I would think since so many folks Farkle these bikes and that altrider and acd are a couple of the main choices that one or the other or Both wold gear up to match the other. Just sayin

 

[ejy712]

Replace the engine mount bolts in front with studs. That avoids a royal wrestling match with the crash bars and skid plate each time you change oil. There are many references on this forum.

 

[ABBlender]

I must be lucky...I don't find it a wrestling match at all. Take front bolts out, take rear bolts out, remove plate. It takes me all of 10 minutes and the crash bars stay in place. My biggest hassle is fighting the center stand spring tension to get the rear bolts in and out. This is on a 2013. I have had the plate rub the paint off of the oil filter (no leaking though), so I ground out a little on the inside of the oil filter pocket and put in a couple 1/8" spacers between plate and crash bars when I re-bolted up the front. Works pretty slick...not super quick and easy, but not what I would rate as difficult.

 

[RangerBrad]

I was hoping not to have to deal with using studs, I like the looks of the bolts better. I'm hoping everything just kind of wears into place and that it's a much easier fit next time. I'm not sure about the 1/8 in spacers as I stated we had to run the engine mount bolts all the way in just to get the the center stand holes to come back far enough to line up I sure don't see how a nut or the spacers could fit between the two and still slow for the rear acd mounts to line up. I have a 2013 also. We'll see how it all works out.

 

[pete m]

I had no issues bolting these together apart from the ACD bash plate rear mounts which seemed to splayed out too much so would not fit behind the spacers on the main stand, a sash clamp pulled them in evenly and together.

I also used a piece of welding rod down and passed the oil filter to ensure there was clearance which there seems to be.