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DANGER! Floorboard protection is weak!

16K views 118 replies 27 participants last post by  SuperATV 
#1 ·
Lightening struck twice. A short time after purchasing my RMAX2, I had a small stick (approximately 2" diameter) punch a hole through my floorboard. It cracked the outer plastic and the inner floor liner. I repaired it (heat welded) and thought it was just a fluke that would never happen again. Surprise! This evening while descending slightly rocky blue trail (approximately 6mph) i found another stick. Although it was old and blunt, it easily penitrated both outer and inner layers and was jammed behind my break and in front of my throttle. It forced the throttle to accelerate and the brake was blocked. I am happy to report the throttle limiter worked when the break was slightly depressed and I was able to cut the key off and hit the E- break fast. I was very lucky the trail was not dangerous..... it could have been much worse.
I know this will probably never happen to anyone else but beware! The RMAX has an extremely vulnerable area behind the front wheels. Friends KRX has a thin steel wall in this area.... surprisingly it's pretty marked up from similar situations. YAMAHA will probably not address weakness but I will fabricate some 1/4" uhmw to cover the area. I started to do it the first time but who would have thought lightening would strike twice?
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Tread Wood

Hood Automotive tire Road surface Asphalt Bumper
 
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#6 ·
This issue goes all the way back to the Gen 1 foot wells & frontal areas. Easily violated by sturdy branches. Shells were available for them by some manufacturer but I don't recall no having bought them. If you have front A-arm guards and under armor as came with mine. You offer a small entrance opportunity as the from will deflect a lot.
Clearly Yamaha has not fortified the front lower firewall area as I am calling it. Safety for passengers is something they need to take more seriously.
 
#26 ·
This issue goes all the way back to the Gen 1 foot wells & frontal areas. Easily violated by sturdy branches. Shells were available for them by some manufacturer but I don't recall no having bought them. If you have front A-arm guards and under armor as came with mine. You offer a small entrance opportunity as the from will deflect a lot.
Clearly Yamaha has not fortified the front lower firewall area as I am calling it. Safety for passengers is something they need to take more seriously.
Many SXS are vulnerable in that area. You got lucky, some have had it worse even though the gas/brake pedal situation is scary. I can't remember if SATV said they were looking at making something to address this or not.
This goes back to the 660 rhino. Had several around here, including mine, with rips in the passenger seat from sticks coming through the floor and hitting the seat tearing the vinyl. One guy caught one in the calf and had a nasty puncture. We fabri-cobbled some aluminum shields for the lower firewall and floor. There was a grid-like pattern of raised plastic ridges presumably for structural support allowing sticks to find purchase in the rhino. I am surprised it’s still an issue.
 
#10 ·
Ya is such a bad "pocket" for things to get jammed. I'll fab up a stronger piece out of uhmw. Easier to heat and contour to the bends in the area. 2 times in less than a year in the same spot? Bad luck I guess but I'll fix it back right. You can see the previous repair in the picture of the outside..... just above the current stick.
Tire Automotive tire Tread Plant Road surface
 
#8 ·
Ok, one or both these sources have something for those with the machines can confirm. I did some looking and came up with two. Strength on the first (mud busters) is not confirmed but better than as is now.
NOTE: For the 2nd link. Be sure to scroll down to see the additonal offerings is where I saw them!!





I hope this helps you out for those at risk it maybe a must have for those bad trails.
 
#9 ·
I went through this exact same thing a week after buying the XTR...zero modifications, casually/slowly riding through an open area of forest, and a small limb (maybe 2" diameter x maybe 2' long) kicked-up and knocked my foot off the damned gas-peddle! I made a post about that somewhere...need to go find it. This is going to be a recurring issue, and I promise you that. The question is, how long before it causes someone serious harm? I'm a fabricator by trade, and no question I could fix this, but nearly $27,000 into this machine, I'm wondering why I should have to? Why should ANYONE, have to? Love these machines but, that lame underside protection is going to get someone hurt.
 
#24 ·
I'd be also concerned with that sudden surge of acceleration. That sort of thing can get anyone into deep trouble. Additional vinyl plates at least are a must add on or better protecting the driver at least. Mud flats easily cut to fit would reduce penetration. I've been fortunate in my travels. I know if I tried to drive a 1-2 inch branch trough the plastic I'd be at it all day.
 
#75 ·
Man, that's one thing that's always in the back of my mind. I've seen some TERRIFYING pics and stories in the forums and Facebook pages.

We should have the first batch of RMAX front fender guards ready by the 20th. It'll be part number: FAP-Y-RMAX
Checked the website today but still not available.
 
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#29 ·
SUPERATV thank you for bringing a remedy!

This is also a major safety concern for me as I have also had the floor boards on my Rhino penetrated by a stick just cruising down a trail around 15mph that would have injured a passenger had one been sitting there.

SUPERATV please let us know when these hit your website as I’ll be ordering immediately when available!
 
#30 ·
I had diamondplate covers made for my Gen1 just to prevent this type of accident. I should take the Rmax to the same fab shop.
 
#34 ·
Wood Road surface Organism Asphalt Grass


Stick was fairly straight. Again nothing out of the ordinary with the situation that's why I'm warning everyone. It happened twice and this time at 5-6mph idle speed. I didn't even post about it the first time in the spring because I was doing 15-20 mph on a gravel road and it was submerged in a 5" mud puddle. I thought it was a fluke. Now I'm really concerned
 
#36 ·
I'm going to go fit-up some cardboard templates and shear some liners out of 12 gauge plate, but I won't be using tread-plate...to me, that invites things to hit and stick, including sticks, but mostly mud. And either out of a separate piece, or possibly even one piece, depending how hard it proves to layout, I'm going to go all the way up to cover those bookshelves they engineered into the fender-wells, so-as to eliminate danger from doing the dumbass and impaling ourselves on an unseen object/limb protruding into the trail from downed trees, or whatever.
 
#53 ·
Sound like some sort of epoxy resin which would require a clean surface. Rubber undercoating spray may do something.
 
#42 ·
The bedliner stuff is tough but I don't know how it would react to penetration. Its tough against scrapes. However most truck beds are metal and dent before they get a hole in them from impalement. I don't think the plastic in this area will fair well with a bedliner coating. I think it is going to take something more rigid.

I talked to Trail Armor and they seem open to the idea now but need a buggy to mock them up on. I'm open to donating mine again but not until the spring as I don't want to miss out on any snow riding.

SuperATV, the ball is in your court if you can get them out faster.
 
#45 ·
The bedliner stuff is tough but I don't know how it would react to penetration. Its tough against scrapes. However most truck beds are metal and dent before they get a hole in them from impalement. I don't think the plastic in this area will fair well with a bedliner coating. I think it is going to take something more rigid.

I talked to Trail Armor and they seem open to the idea now but need a buggy to mock them up on. I'm open to donating mine again but not until the spring as I don't want to miss out on any snow riding.

SuperATV, the ball is in your court if you can get them out faster.
Bulletliner a new company has tough spray on but your going to pay alot.It seems strong enough as they take sledge hammer to it.One guy was using pondliner on his undercarriage to keep clean.,easy clean up.I always thought diamond plate was needed at first sight under hoodfender.We all better get something so we are not next.
 
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