Polaris Turbo R 4 Ultimate

[Hammer]

DC Shocks if you are near San Dimas or Havasu.

ST if you are near Phoenix.

I had Ed the suspension guy in Rancho Cucamonga do my ‘16 RZR. Springs and revalve. They were perfect. Really happy with the set up.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I had Ed the suspension guy in Rancho Cucamonga do my ‘16 RZR. Springs and revalve. They were perfect. Really happy with the set up.

Ed is very good too!

 

[Hammer]

Im Assuming if we go with a dynamix set up it’s not a bad way to go? I don’t care for the color options on the ‘22 sport so I may jump up a Model/Year with dynamix, ride command and a stereo. I wish I could not have a stereo and save a few bucks. I won’t use it…

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Im Assuming if we go with a dynamix set up it’s not a bad way to go? I don’t care for the color options on the ‘22 sport so I may jump up a Model/Year with dynamix, ride command and a stereo. I wish I could not have a stereo and save a few bucks. I won’t use it…

The Dynamix in that car is very good out of the box. It is not perfect but pretty good. In short - No it is not a bad way to go.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Who do you suggest to rework the walkers? Shock therapy?
Where have you seen these deals on 2022’s?

I would not let shock therapy touch my car. They are not the same since they were bought by Fox. I will leave it at that. That is my opinion, and I’m sure some others would disagree.

Shock tuning discussion could turn into a speed car type thread quickly. One person loves a place and one person hates it. I would find a place local so that it’s easy to return if you have issues or need a retune.

The smaller shops are often the best, IMO. And are sometimes difficult to get into.

I have seen 22s on websites for several dealers. As of 2 weeks ago, Ridenow had a few, as have others. I have not checked lately.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Im Assuming if we go with a dynamix set up it’s not a bad way to go? I don’t care for the color options on the ‘22 sport so I may jump up a Model/Year with dynamix, ride command and a stereo. I wish I could not have a stereo and save a few bucks. I won’t use it…

You will like the Dynamix. Depending on riding style tuning is optional. My springs have not collapsed yet at 1300 miles.

I do not really use my stereo- but when you get your car, go in and change the location on your tuner from North America to any other continent. It will allow way more volume so that you can actually hear the radio. No, you still won’t be able to hear it while riding.

The engine noise is very loud on this car, I just dynamatted the panels behind the rear seat backs, hopefully that makes a slight difference. My son can barely hear his intercom when I’m driving hard. I might add some to the bottom of the bed toward the front and see if that helps more.

 

[Get415]

What does that even mean when the springs collapse. Or is it just what it sounds like?

 

[Bowtiepower00]

What does that even mean when the springs collapse. Or is it just what it sounds like?

On most cars, the springs collapse and sag several inches after a few hundred miles.

Edit: most cars meaning all side by sides, not specifically Turbo Rs.

 

[Hammer]

You will like the Dynamix. Depending on riding style tuning is optional. My springs have not collapsed yet at 1300 miles.

I do not really use my stereo- but when you get your car, go in and change the location on your tuner from North America to any other continent. It will allow way more volume so that you can actually hear the radio. No, you still won’t be able to hear it while riding.

The engine noise is very loud on this car, I just dynamatted the panels behind the rear seat backs, hopefully that makes a slight difference. My son can barely hear his intercom when I’m driving hard. I might add some to the bottom of the bed toward the front and see if that helps more.

. I’m hoping to make it through the season and leave it in stock form. I don’t know if I’m capable though. Lol

 

[Bowtiepower00]

. I’m hoping to make it through the season and leave it in stock form. I don’t know if I’m capable though. Lol

You will be fine unless you live in the dunes or like to run 50+ over rough stuff all of the time. The X Button is your friend.

I am usually in Baja or Track mode, unless I’m in the rocks or going slow. The Rock mode actually works pretty well, and if you’re going under 20, comfort does what it says. Lol.

 

[Hammer]

The Dynamix in that car is very good out of the box. It is not perfect but pretty good. In short - No it is not a bad way to go.

Thanks!

 

[Hammer]

@Bowtiepower00 and @LargeOrangeFont , I appreciate your input and this thread specifically. I sat in a Can Am and pondered it for a few minutes.

Walked into the sales office and struck a deal on a ‘23 Turbo R. Being delivered on Saturday.

Now let’s get an RDP ride good in December/January!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

@Bowtiepower00 and @LargeOrangeFont , I appreciate your input and this thread specifically. I sat in a Can Am and pondered it for a few minutes.

Walked into the sales office and struck a deal on a ‘23 Turbo R. Being delivered on Saturday.

Now let’s get an RDP ride good in December/January!

Congrats!

 

[Bowtiepower00]

@Bowtiepower00 and @LargeOrangeFont , I appreciate your input and this thread specifically. I sat in a Can Am and pondered it for a few minutes.

Walked into the sales office and struck a deal on a ‘23 Turbo R. Being delivered on Saturday.

Now let’s get an RDP ride good in December/January!

Congrats! Let the spending begin. Lol.

Dec 15-17, and Jan 19-21 are my Glamis weekends, if you happen to be there.

Definitely want to get out to Havasu too, we will have to come up with a date and I’ll drag the TH out for a long weekend.

Like I said, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, I think I pointed out most of what I would have done differently in hindsight.

 

[Deltarat]

@Bowtiepower00 and @LargeOrangeFont , I appreciate your input and this thread specifically. I sat in a Can Am and pondered it for a few minutes.

Walked into the sales office and struck a deal on a ‘23 Turbo R. Being delivered on Saturday.

Now let’s get an RDP ride good in December/January!

Congrats Mike

 

[Hammer]

Congrats! Let the spending begin. Lol.

Dec 15-17, and Jan 19-21 are my Glamis weekends, if you happen to be there.

Definitely want to get out to Havasu too, we will have to come up with a date and I’ll drag the TH out for a long weekend.

Like I said, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, I think I pointed out most of what I would have done differently in hindsight.

I think I can make one of those dates. I need to check with the boss lady.

I can’t wait to run this thing and see how it handles. I’m still going to try my best and leave it alone until the first of the year. Highly doubtful though.

Congrats Mike

Thanks Terry!

 

[Hammer]

Time to look into cages… The wife and I fell in love with the orange. Only a few ‘23’s in this color left that I could find. It matches the boat. She says it’s our family color. I’m kinda ok with that!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Time to look into cages… The wife and I fell in love with the orange. Only a few ‘23’s in this color left that I could find. It matches the boat. She says it’s our family color. I’m kinda ok with that!
View attachment 1297037

I love that color.

 

[Hammer]

@Bowtiepower00 and @LargeOrangeFont , I appreciate your input and this thread specifically. I sat in a Can Am and pondered it for a few minutes.

Walked into the sales office and struck a deal on a ‘23 Turbo R. Being delivered on Saturday.

Now let’s get an RDP ride good in December/January!

In my opinion the door latches and finishes of the Can Am felt cheap. I didn’t like the feel of the exposed subframe either. It felt military ‘ish. I couldn’t live with the finishes and would have spent on doors, cage, interior, Gusset kits on the frame to get it to where I want it.

The power was really tempting. But if it comes down to it, I’ll build a new bullett for the new RZR and see if we can pull 3-400 HP out of it.

In my duning days, I took pride in building a 250r and running down Banshees.

Same thought process is happening with the new SXS..

 

[Hammer]

View attachment 1297039

I love that color.

Me too! When I saw the one below we realized I wasn’t going to be happy with another color combination and I just had to make the numbers work. Same with my boat….

This one is still for sale in Nor Cal FYI… new and ready to go. Numbers didn’t work for me with shipping/flying up there for paperwork etc…

 

[LakeMead Boater]

Time to look into cages… The wife and I fell in love with the orange. Only a few ‘23’s in this color left that I could find. It matches the boat. She says it’s our family color. I’m kinda ok with that!
View attachment 1297037

The orange is bitchin! Congrats!

 

[Hammer]

The orange is bitchin! Congrats!

Thanks! It was hard to pass up. I had to come up in the budget. I didn’t regret it.

 

[rickym20]

Congrats man , Love that color too but the only place That had it at the time was too high on its numbers . Settled for another color with different dealer but very happy with it. Time to start a build thread . Looking forward to see what you do to it .

One thing when you get a cage with the intrusion bars is the storage compartment on top in the center wont open completely. Pro Armor makes a bracket that modifies the lid to allow you to remove the top and lock in place vs the hinge. Easier to do before you get the cage installed.

 

[Hammer]

Grant approves!

 

[Hammer]

Congrats man , Love that color too but the only place That had it at the time was too high on its numbers . Settled for another color with different dealer but very happy with it. Time to start a build thread . Looking forward to see what you do to it .

One thing when you get a cage with the intrusion bars is the storage compartment on top in the center wont open completely. Pro Armor makes a bracket that modifies the lid to allow you to remove the top and lock in place vs the hinge. Easier to do before you get the cage installed.
View attachment 1297959

Good to know!

I barely took it up the street and I feel noticeably more comfortable in its size. I thought maybe I should just leave it alone.

But what fun would that be! I’m looking at a ton of cages and having trouble picking one. I really dig the SDR, Brick City Fab, and the ABF cages. Some of them have a steep rake on the windshield tubing and kinda look funky with a windshield…

I may end up with seats before a cage. We need a bench (3 kids)

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Good to know!

I barely took it up the street and I feel noticeably more comfortable in its size. I thought maybe I should just leave it alone.

But what fun would that be! I’m looking at a ton of cages and having trouble picking one. I really dig the SDR, Brick City Fab, and the ABF cages. Some of them have a steep rake on the windshield tubing and kinda look funky with a windshield…

I may end up with seats before a cage. We need a bench (3 kids)

If you decide to keep the cage, Vetnets has nets for the rear seats.

Polaris Rzr Turbo R 4 Nets (1 Pair)

Polaris Rzr Turbo R4 UTV Nets. Help protect your passengers / pets from branches, mud and rocks. These Utv nets are built to withstand the hobbyand affordable for All ! 🎖 ALL Materials and Labor are from this great country. Only net mfr we are aware of that can say Made in the USA! 🎖 Excellent...

vetnets.net

 

[LakeMead Boater]

View attachment 1297963 View attachment 1297964
Grant approves!

That thing is super cool! All of this desert talk has me really itching for a trip

 

[HNL2LHC]

Congrats on the car Mike!!! Be sure to post up when you are in town and going for a ride.

 

[DLC]

Who do you suggest to rework the walkers? Shock therapy?
Where have you seen these deals on 2022’s?

Walker can do them also….

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Can’t wait to sell my buggy, I’ve got a Pro R4 on the line. They’re straight up impressive.

 

[Boatymcboatface]

Can’t wait to sell my buggy, I’ve got a Pro R4 on the line. They’re straight up impressive.
View attachment 1298119

Love the rim choice! Had the same set on my pre runner truck in high school in the late 80s early 90s.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Love the rim choice! Had the same set on my pre runner truck in high school in the late 80s early 90s.

I actually would probably swap them out, however it’ll be very similar. As it’s a buddy of mine that is looking to sell i told him I’d give him the wheels back after i swap, to a set of AR23’s

 

[Boatymcboatface]

I actually would probably swap them out, however it’ll be very similar. As it’s a buddy of mine that is looking to sell i told him I’d give him the wheels back after i swap, to a set of AR23’s

 

[02HoWaRd26]

View attachment 1298321

 

[Boatymcboatface]

Nice sticking with the old school!

 

[chvynhra]

I actually would probably swap them out, however it’ll be very similar. As it’s a buddy of mine that is looking to sell i told him I’d give him the wheels back after i swap, to a set of AR23’s

Are they 5x4.5?

 

[Hammer]

Congrats on the car Mike!!! Be sure to post up when you are in town and going for a ride.

Will do! Thank you.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Are they 5x4.5?

Yea

 

[evantwheeler]

Can’t wait to sell my buggy, I’ve got a Pro R4 on the line. They’re straight up impressive.
View attachment 1298119

That one looks great, would love to see more shots from the rear. Polaris missed the mark on the looks big time on the Turbo R and Pro models IMO with the hir rearward raking body line and tall rear “bed” area.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

That one looks great, would love to see more shots from the rear. Polaris missed the mark on the looks big time on the Turbo R and Pro models IMO with the hir rearward raking body line and tall rear “bed” area.

It’s the Morgan Motorsports rear bumper.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

WOW congrats Mike and family!!

That orange is nice! The look on your son's face is priceless!
We are about 85% on coming down for KOH and then maybe heading to Havasu area after that. We are going to do a few weeks away trying to be gone during the worst of winter. If you are out there then we need to finally hook up for a ride! I looked at new stuff, but we pulled the trigger on a new 2024 Genesis Supreme toyhauler and don't want to tie up any more $ than that for now.
I gotta find a place to park in LHC too...

 

[Hammer]

WOW congrats Mike and family!!

That orange is nice! The look on your son's face is priceless!
We are about 85% on coming down for KOH and then maybe heading to Havasu area after that. We are going to do a few weeks away trying to be gone during the worst of winter. If you are out there then we need to finally hook up for a ride! I looked at new stuff, but we pulled the trigger on a new 2024 Genesis Supreme toyhauler and don't want to tie up any more $ than that for now.
I gotta find a place to park in LHC too...

Keep me posted! Would love to hook up. My kid loves all things dirt and water...

 

[Supercup]

Congrats on the Turbo R - they really are a great value. I like the 125" wheelbase - I had a Pro XP 4 Ultimate - and the Turbo R is the the Turbo S to that - super strong and ready to go. I ran the EVO Stage 3 tune (91 gas) and exhaust - silicone charge tubes and BOV and dyno'd at 198 hp at the rear wheels - Most stock motors are in the 156 - 162 hp range at the wheels. Nice to get a complete package that all works together.

I moved on to a Pro R Ultimate, as I could not fit the Pro R 4 in my trailer, too wide vs Pro XP. I decided to test the cage right away at the dunes - end over end a few times - held up well - but figured it did its job once, so I moved on to stronger cage.

When doing mods - figure out what you will use all the time and do those first - for me cage = safety - springs and shock tuning = greater ability and comfort - radio, winch, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and then go from there. Enjoy the journey, the build is a lot of fun. Once you get the basics done - consider stockpiling parts over time and doing the build off season all at once, will save you time as taking everything apart is a PIA - so might as well just do it once!

Enjoy!

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Time for an update. I’m at around 1600 miles now, I haven’t really been out much this season. Car has spent more time at the shop than in my garage.

The car has had intermittent check engine lights, diagnostic codes, and limp modes since the car was new. Started with 02 sensor codes, everyone dismissed them as “belt slip” and the dealer was “unable to duplicate” the issue. Dealer stated this was related to the fuel pump recall/stop ride and the replacement would fix the issue. This progressed to brake sensor switch related codes and occasional EPS codes. These were also dismissed and “unable to duplicate” during short test rides, on pavement, near the dealership.

Long story short, I was never able to complete a ride without going into limp mode. Usually it would progress to what felt like reduced power mode, but I would often end up with a full dead pedal and the car would return to idle. Real nice when this happens in the middle of a big bowl at glamis.

Eventually I had enough and opened a case with Polaris before my warranty expired. Luckily, my warranty was extended by 6 months after I had the fuel pump recall completed as a goodwill measure- and I timed the replacement at the beginning of June so that my warranty extension would last into our riding season.

Initially, they tried to go down the rabbit hole of “have you added aftermarket electrical accessories, etc… they are the issue…” My OCD helped out here, as I had made separate wiring harnesses for all of my aftermarket accessories, used a Switch Pros in addition to the Pulse bar, and used a breakout harness to pull a signal from the brake light for my chase bar. All wiring was secured DCB style with zip ties every 6”, and I took photos of everything before I reassembled the car. Offering this info to Polaris got them to admit my accessories were not the issue.

Once Polaris got involved the dealer became more proactive. Polaris decided to replace the 02 sensor and the main wiring harness. I asked if we could try the sensor first, because I knew the entire car was going to come apart for the harness replacement.

The dealer agreed to try the 02 sensor, and I took the car on my first glamis trip of the season. Unfortunately it did not fix the issue completely. It did correct the 02 sensor codes. I returned the car to the dealer and they ordered the harness.

Now the fun part, I knew they would blow the car completely apart for the harness replacement- and I didn’t want any of my accessories or wiring in the way to get damaged or worse, butchered- so I removed everything. Car went in for another couple of weeks for the harness replacement. Got it back, took it to glamis, and once again, the issues were improved- but still happening. Back to the dealer again.

This time they approved the brake switch replacement. I got the car back a couple of weeks ago, and decided since I was going to be reinstalling everything again that I would make a few changes after getting a feel for everything over the past year.

I moved my 10” bar down to the front bumper, a set of pods up to the pillars on a set of misfit garage brackets, and added a 30” bar to the roof. I also decided that I am going to keep the factory cage, so I ran all of my wiring through the cage and added some better dome lights. A few other small changes here and there to improve functionality.

Had my first shakedown run yesterday and did not have any codes or limp modes. Admittedly, I wasn’t driving very hard- and the codes usually show up when I’m driving the car hard. I’m going to try to get out next weekend and run the car a little harder.

I have previously had a couple of EPS related codes, and have had one episode of not having any steering assist after starting the car, but shutting the car off and restarting it fixed the problem. The dealer admitted they got an EPS code while the lot tender was moving the car around, but Polaris is refusing to replace anything steering related at this time.

TLDR/ Cliff notes: Polaris electrical systems have similar reliability to Lucas systems in British automobiles. And, if you have any issues with your RZR that the dealer refuses to acknowledge, contact Polaris and open a case.

Did about 75 miles around Boulders yesterday:

Unfortunately between my Car issues, and a nasty trailer tire blowout and subsequent trailer damage on my last glamis trip, my dune season is over. But I’m hopeful I will finally be able to enjoy this car without a check engine light every trip.

Looking forward to getting some desert miles on over the next few months.

Next upgrades during the off-season (depending on $$$$):

Shock tuning- leaning toward Schmidty- at the very least I’ll do springs.

S&B 2.0 under mount particle separator

Clutch tuning- leaning Hunterworks/ Dalton

Seats and belts

After all of that is complete, I’ll think about adding power. I’ve been waiting for all of my issues to get worked out and my warranty period to expire before I get too crazy with mods.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Time for an update. I’m at around 1600 miles now, I haven’t really been out much this season. Car has spent more time at the shop than in my garage.

The car has had intermittent check engine lights, diagnostic codes, and limp modes since the car was new. Started with 02 sensor codes, everyone dismissed them as “belt slip” and the dealer was “unable to duplicate” the issue. Dealer stated this was related to the fuel pump recall/stop ride and the replacement would fix the issue. This progressed to brake sensor switch related codes and occasional EPS codes. These were also dismissed and “unable to duplicate” during short test rides, on pavement, near the dealership.

Long story short, I was never able to complete a ride without going into limp mode. Usually it would progress to what felt like reduced power mode, but I would often end up with a full dead pedal and the car would return to idle. Real nice when this happens in the middle of a big bowl at glamis.

Eventually I had enough and opened a case with Polaris before my warranty expired. Luckily, my warranty was extended by 6 months after I had the fuel pump recall completed as a goodwill measure- and I timed the replacement at the beginning of June so that my warranty extension would last into our riding season.

Initially, they tried to go down the rabbit hole of “have you added aftermarket electrical accessories, etc… they are the issue…” My OCD helped out here, as I had made separate wiring harnesses for all of my aftermarket accessories, used a Switch Pros in addition to the Pulse bar, and used a breakout harness to pull a signal from the brake light for my chase bar. All wiring was secured DCB style with zip ties every 6”, and I took photos of everything before I reassembled the car. Offering this info to Polaris got them to admit my accessories were not the issue.

Once Polaris got involved the dealer became more proactive. Polaris decided to replace the 02 sensor and the main wiring harness. I asked if we could try the sensor first, because I knew the entire car was going to come apart for the harness replacement.

The dealer agreed to try the 02 sensor, and I took the car on my first glamis trip of the season. Unfortunately it did not fix the issue completely. It did correct the 02 sensor codes. I returned the car to the dealer and they ordered the harness.

Now the fun part, I knew they would blow the car completely apart for the harness replacement- and I didn’t want any of my accessories or wiring in the way to get damaged or worse, butchered- so I removed everything. Car went in for another couple of weeks for the harness replacement. Got it back, took it to glamis, and once again, the issues were improved- but still happening. Back to the dealer again.

This time they approved the brake switch replacement. I got the car back a couple of weeks ago, and decided since I was going to be reinstalling everything again that I would make a few changes after getting a feel for everything over the past year.

I moved my 10” bar down to the front bumper, a set of pods up to the pillars on a set of misfit garage brackets, and added a 30” bar to the roof. I also decided that I am going to keep the factory cage, so I ran all of my wiring through the cage and added some better dome lights. A few other small changes here and there to improve functionality.

Had my first shakedown run yesterday and did not have any codes or limp modes. Admittedly, I wasn’t driving very hard- and the codes usually show up when I’m driving the car hard. I’m going to try to get out next weekend and run the car a little harder.

I have previously had a couple of EPS related codes, and have had one episode of not having any steering assist after starting the car, but shutting the car off and restarting it fixed the problem. The dealer admitted they got an EPS code while the lot tender was moving the car around, but Polaris is refusing to replace anything steering related at this time.

TLDR/ Cliff notes: Polaris electrical systems have similar reliability to Lucas systems in British automobiles. And, if you have any issues with your RZR that the dealer refuses to acknowledge, contact Polaris and open a case.

Did about 75 miles around Boulders yesterday:
View attachment 1328021 View attachment 1328022
Unfortunately between my Car issues, and a nasty trailer tire blowout and subsequent trailer damage on my last glamis trip, my dune season is over. But I’m hopeful I will finally be able to enjoy this car without a check engine light every trip.

Looking forward to getting some desert miles on over the next few months.

Next upgrades during the off-season (depending on $$$$):

Shock tuning- leaning toward Schmidty- at the very least I’ll do springs.

S&B 2.0 under mount particle separator

Clutch tuning- leaning Hunterworks/ Dalton

Seats and belts

After all of that is complete, I’ll think about adding power. I’ve been waiting for all of my issues to get worked out and my warranty period to expire before I get too crazy with mods.

Yikes. That does not sound like fun at all. I’m glad the situation is improving though. Good on you for being proactive.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Thought my Dune season was over, but was able to sneak in one final trip for Presidents. Finally had a CEL and limp mode free trip with the car. The new light setup is great- and the Rough Country bar on the roof is awesome in low dust situations.

Went ahead and wrapped the lower door panels to get rid of the green. First time wrapping anything, I’m sure I’ll get some more practice before next season, lol.

Going to grab a set of 4 corner scales from a buddy and weigh my car in my desert and dune configurations with and without passengers so I have a baseline to take to whoever ends up doing the shocks.

Still have some desert trips planned for this season, and look forward to more Glamis trips next season…

 

[Outdrive1]

Thought my Dune season was over, but was able to sneak in one final trip for Presidents. Finally had a CEL and limp mode free trip with the car. The new light setup is great- and the Rough Country bar on the roof is awesome in low dust situations.

Went ahead and wrapped the lower door panels to get rid of the green. First time wrapping anything, I’m sure I’ll get some more practice before next season, lol.

Going to grab a set of 4 corner scales from a buddy and weigh my car in my desert and dune configurations with and without passengers so I have a baseline to take to whoever ends up doing the shocks.

Still have some desert trips planned for this season, and look forward to more Glamis trips next season…

View attachment 1337416
View attachment 1337418

What a bummer. I went into limp mode one time with all my lights on. Shut them off, restarted the car and it went away. I don’t think the charging system can keep up with multiple aftermarket lights. The Pro R has an alternator and two batteries. I think that’s a huge difference.

 

[elco]

What a bummer. I went into limp mode one time with all my lights on. Shut them off, restarted the car and it went away. I don’t think the charging system can keep up with multiple aftermarket lights. The Pro R has an alternator and two batteries. I think that’s a huge difference.

Just added an alternator and two batteries to my turbo r. Figured it couldn't hurt and I have been adding lots of accessories.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Bringing this to the top with a Season 3 update.

Getting a late start, front diff stopped working end of last season on my last trip to Glamis, I also wanted to address the suspension, and while I had the front end apart I wanted to address any of the potential problem areas. Let the snowball begin.

I figured the diff would give me issues at some point. There are a few options to choose from but I decided to go with a Sandcraft Bombproof rebuild. They are local to me here in Phoenix, and when it’s time I will take my transmission to them for the same treatment. I dropped the diff off the week of Black Friday to snag 15% off, because I’m a cheap-ass.

While the front end was apart, I wanted to address the ball joints, I had picked up a set from Black Ops machine last season at the off-road expo, I got a killer deal and they are rebuildable. Once again, another local company here in PHX. I went ahead and picked up the install cups to make the install easier.

I don’t feel that the front end of the car needed gussets, but I did want to address the bolts, so I went ahead and ordered the Misfit Garage gusset and bolt kit. The description says the bolts “may” need to be shortened. Go ahead and plan on shortening all of them, and order a m14x2.0 die to clean them up after you cut off the extra length.

I did not notice any signs of damage or wear on the arms or frame mounts- I did however notice some slight enlargement of the upper shock mounting locations on the frame beginning to occur. Factory bolts still appeared to be torqued to spec when I removed them.

I had narrowed my suspension choice down to MTS or Schmidty. I have not read any negative reviews on either company, but ultimately I went with MTS. I plan on doing valving in a season or two, but for now I’m starting with springs, limit straps, and reservoir caps with schrader valves.

I wanted to see how much of an improvement could be had without valving. I had read that changing the caps and charging the shocks to a proper 200psi made a noticeable difference, and they are an easy install so I went for it- I didn’t see a need for the extended caps so I just went with the standard ones. None of the shocks had anywhere 200 psi in them based on how much came out when I bled off the charge for install.

I spec’d my springs for worst case weight and asked that if they were borderline to spec the heavier spring. The rear preload and crossover settings were close- but the front was way too high. I ended up setting the front at 2”/5” compared to the recommended measurements of 3.5/6”. I will fine tune the axle angles and ride height after I get a few more miles on the car but they are within a degree of recommended settings.

Front limit straps went on without issue, rears are still on backorder.

Finally got the car buttoned up today and went for my first ride. First impression is WOW, what a difference.

Went out and hit some of my usual trails today, and the improvement on washboard is unbelievable. Small to moderate washboard is still noticeable under 15mph. From 15-30ish baja is still a little choppy but comfort mode smooths everything right out. Above 30-40mph in Baja the car just eats it up. I ran up to 70 a couple of times and the car felt great at all speeds, and under braking and acceleration. At any speed the car now eats up small to medium whoops that made the car pogo before when stock.

Overall, comfort mode soaks up average desert stuff similar to how Baja did stock, but never felt uncomfortably stiff. Baja mode is a whole nother animal. Stuff that would have me scrambling for the X button before was handled easily at most speeds. I never encountered anything that made the car violently bottom with the X button pressed like it would stock. I can see where move valving is still needed above 50-60 mph in the rougher stuff- but the improvement over stock is night and day- and should be sufficient for 75% of RZR owners. The car flies level and lands smoothly over the bigger stuff.

I’m only going to make one Glamis trip this year, for Presidents Day, so I will update this thread again after I get some dune miles on the car.

A late start to the season but I’m looking forward to getting back in the dirt.

 

[rickym20]

Nice upgrades ! Would like to do the springs as well in the near future on ours . Did a ride in Havasu over thanksgiving and that was an eye opener to say the least . Only used the car in the Dunes prior and was in love with suspension until that ride .


After the first ride this season in October in Glamis , I went through a front differential too. I finished the trip in two wheel drive and got into it after . I was going to do the sandcraft upgrade but after realizing I cracked the ring , I ended up finding a new complete differential a little more then a new ring would have cost , I just went stock again.