TE/TC Lower link armor

Hi guys I have a 2014 TE250. I was curious on your guys opinions on lower link armor. I have a skid plate and just not sure if I should be worried about where the shock linkage hangs down. I don't ride in real rocky areas but do a lot of log crossings.

Thanks in advance.

My preference (my opinion) for cost effectiveness and protection is the OBIE guard.
I have a TM designs skid plate with the pre drilled OBIE guard that is made to mount right onto the TM design skid plate.
Very effective as a guard (since 2014 I have replaced it one time, due to wear) and price point is great.
this
http://tmdesignworks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=325_327_400&products_id=971

with this attached (I cant go to this site to link the exact unit, at the moment)

www.obielinkguard.com/

Looking for TE300 clutch cover similar to KTM 350[/URL]

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/lo...h-cover-similar-to-ktm-350.82684/#post-562073

I also spotted this idea in the Beta forum---using an Obie guard over the HD alloy fastway type link assembly to keep the HD link gouges to a minimum

guess I'm still in the minority and don't believe the hype... I checked my 300 and barely a knick... if you hit that link hard enough to damage your going to have much bigger problems than a broken link....

obie attached to TMD skid plate
View attachment 66690

I use the Obie too Robert, together with an enduro engineering bash plate.
Every time I take it off I'm amazed the beating it takes after hopping over logs, crossing rocks and stones.
Rather this than the bottom link of the shock. It also makes sliding over big logs much smoother as otherwise it hooks on the link.

Love the look of the fastway guard, price kills it for me as im not the most competative rider, specially when im facing a 2 hour drive home.

Oops - couldn't figure out how to edit my post above with the bad links... Here we go:

Homebrew protector? Cant see the benefit of the top being protected unless you use that to mount the thing to.

May have to crack out a welder and make a plate that mounts/reinforces the lower link an covers the suspension knuckle..

juicypips,
Not a home brew protector there at all. Its a very well designed and rock tested set up. I guarantee without a doubt that's the "Slaven's Racing" Linkage guard. Mine has an access hole on each side to remove the shock end from the rocker link. I even enlarged the access holes on mine to get the shock eye bolt out easier. That's what you are looking at. They cost about $90.00. and that's cheap compared to replacing the entire clevis end of the shock and shaft assembly as a complete unit if damaged. The thought of using something that offers less protection for what I do just isn't a reality.

I have a set of spare blue side plates provided free from "Jeff Slavens Racing" for mine as they weren't in stock at the time I placed my order last year. I've been bashing the hell out of mine since I got my '15 FE 501, last April. Now 90 hours later its not even bent or damaged. It might be gouged a little but It offers great protection. I run mine with a P3 carbon skid plate and I couldn't be any happier with its protection and its easy to wash out with a hose. This thing will take a hell of a beating trust me and it completely encapsulates the wishbone and wraps fully around the front of it as well. Where it mounts off the frame ears.

I've had zero issues with mine whatsoever. If I do, I have another set of blue side plates Jeff Slaven's sent me for free. I didn't even ask for them. They just gave them to me. They even included the screws and small side plate strips that came with the Blue main plates.

Each of the individual pieces is available separately also if at all damaged.


.

Oh that is interesting, looks like it doesnt mount to anything apart from itself does it rattle at all or do the cross bars pull it tight against itself?

I have 3 spare wishbone links for the 360 believe it or not it was cheaper to buy a new linkage with bearings n seals then to just buy the bearing and seals.

So i will probably have a go at the franken linkage protection actually beef up the sides and make an ally ramp plate to guide rocks away from the shock knuckle and wrap it in 3mm delrin sheet..

Sorry, guys. I made two posts: the first had the details, but bad/broken links to the images. I couldn't figure out how to edit the links, so I posted a second time with good links. The first post must have been deleted.

Yes, it's a Slavens unit. I liked the look of the Fastway, but it was pricier than I'd like. Also, I bought it not because I think I might hit something hard enough to ruin the linkage, but because over time the bottoms of my bikes get really chewed up. So for $90, I thought it was pretty cheap insurance. So far, so good!

Mine fits very snugly and doesn't rattle at all.

The guard has a cross plate across the center, a cross bolt and sleeve at the rear and the side straps that bend a bit as you can see and they tighten it when installed. This thing doesn't move if you slam it side ways with a 4 pound sledge hammer. It can't as the center cross plate wraps up around the front of the wishbone and securely squares it along with the rear cross bolt and sleeve.

Look at the 2nd "Blue plate" picture. Its very secure on the bike and will never rattle.

When I get linkage protection it will definately be the slavens unit. A friend has one on his 300 and I can say that it's pretty damn bullet proof. He has put that bike through some gnarly stuff and it is still intact working as it should

Checkout the Seehorn Extreme Slideplate. Hand made one piece Slideplate that extends under your linkage. Lots of top pros running these, and they're hand built by Jon Seehorn whose a top notch guy.

I could only find this one picture of the white plastic linkage skid. Is this the Seehorn Extreme skid plate for the linkage? I Couldn't find anything under "Seehorn Extreme Slideplate", for a shock linkage but some quad stuff and metal skid plates.



Then the black Obie Link.


Then the Fastway adjustable linkage guard, link combo. By the way the new Stillwell/Fastway links are now tapped to accept a piece of hard plastic to go on the bottom now, to help protect them from getting bashed like this one shown.



Then the older and newer design Slavens Guard.