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This is why we don't drive UTVs like maniacs

8,952 Views | 53 Replies | Last: 11 mo ago by Stat Monitor Repairman
schmellba99
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BrazosDog02 said:

BCO07 said:

I bought a used polaris ranger back in the spring. Decent price, low hours and I knew the family who I bought it from and trusted that it wasn't abused. The catch, it did spent about 6 months with a 3rd party who did some suspension work and lifted it about 2 inches. The first few times I drove it around on various terrain there was no issue so we haul it down to the deer lease to fill feeders and such. Before loading it down, I checked the max weight and we stayed well under the weight.

This is a huge contributor to suspension failures. People don't understand that there is no reason to lift these damn things. I know it's cool, but the first thing to do when buying one like this; RETURN TO STOCK HEIGHT. I love bagging on engineers but they design these for exactly what you are using it for...normal speeds...working. Modifying them with lifts changes all sorts of mechanics and centers of gravity applying a lot of weight where it wasn't designed to be. We see this in pickups too.

Couple all of the above with the fact that some Bubba somewhere probably did the work himself with parts of questionable origin....yikes.

Glad you are OK. Get that bullcrap off of there and get some stock parts back on. She'll last a lot longer...you might, too.
insert trump wrong gif here
schmellba99
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Stat Monitor Repairman said:

Wild that there was no suspension on these original three wheelers.
You learned to keep the tires under inflated some on these things, they became the defacto shock absorbers.
bam02
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We had a few of those over the years. Honda Big Red and a couple Yamahas. Dangerous design! Luckily no one ever got hurt bad.
warrington74
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Could I be looking at this to happen

I have a Greers/oil on my rear frame by my shocks. Just one side

It rides fine right now but definitely concerned about what I need to replace
mini-x fan
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BrazosDog02 said:

BCO07 said:

I bought a used polaris ranger back in the spring. Decent price, low hours and I knew the family who I bought it from and trusted that it wasn't abused. The catch, it did spent about 6 months with a 3rd party who did some suspension work and lifted it about 2 inches. The first few times I drove it around on various terrain there was no issue so we haul it down to the deer lease to fill feeders and such. Before loading it down, I checked the max weight and we stayed well under the weight.

This is a huge contributor to suspension failures. People don't understand that there is no reason to lift these damn things. I know it's cool, but the first thing to do when buying one like this; RETURN TO STOCK HEIGHT. I love bagging on engineers but they design these for exactly what you are using it for...normal speeds...working. Modifying them with lifts changes all sorts of mechanics and centers of gravity applying a lot of weight where it wasn't designed to be. We see this in pickups too.

Couple all of the above with the fact that some Bubba somewhere probably did the work himself with parts of questionable origin....yikes.

Glad you are OK. Get that bullcrap off of there and get some stock parts back on. She'll last a lot longer...you might, too.


There is absolutely a reason to lift them. Stock height Rangers simply do not hold up to hard daily use guiding duck hunts in flooded fields. They quickly become a maintenance nightmare. You will burn through belts and bearings like crazy. We started putting mild lifts on ours along with taller tires. This helps keep the belt housing and wheel bearings from being submerged in most fields.

You are spot on with everything else you said. Lifts and tires change how the buggy operates and you have to use caution, especially when on uneven ground or crossing levees. There seems to be a lot of people that treat them as toys for joyriding, but that is a recipe for disaster. They are simply tools to get the job done. Plus, I can think of a lot more things that are more enjoyable than bouncing around on a Ranger all day.
atmtws
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Centerpole90 said:

I had a 250R when they first came out. Worked all summer to buy it - it was the most amazing machine ever.

I wish I had one now, but instead bought a '85 200X (similar chassis but 4 stroke) to restore. That and a couple ATC70s I found cheap. Instagram is a bad bad thing for a guy who likes 'stuff'.
So is TexAgs. I grew up on 150 acres and when I was 6 or 7 my dad bought me my first dirt bike. Honda Z50R (had to google it). Brand new. I swear I put 100K miles on that thing over the next few years. When dad decided that was too small for me, we got a Kawasaki KX60. It wasn't much of a size increase, but that thing would GET IT. The powerband on that thing (def at my age/weight back then), would throw you off if you weren't ready and leaning into it. I have plenty of scars to prove it. Buddy wrecked it once and broke a finger and wrist.

Lots of memories made during the summers growing up...making jumps from dirt piles (def helps when the fam has a skid steer ), racing and doing donuts in the fields (and the ensuing asswhoppings). Finally graduated to four wheelers during Jr high (thankfully) and sold the dirt bikes. Wish we would've kept the Kawasaki. Reading your comment makes me want to look for another "Green Machine". That thing was so much fun.

Looked exactly like this:
schmellba99
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mini-x fan said:

BrazosDog02 said:

BCO07 said:

I bought a used polaris ranger back in the spring. Decent price, low hours and I knew the family who I bought it from and trusted that it wasn't abused. The catch, it did spent about 6 months with a 3rd party who did some suspension work and lifted it about 2 inches. The first few times I drove it around on various terrain there was no issue so we haul it down to the deer lease to fill feeders and such. Before loading it down, I checked the max weight and we stayed well under the weight.

This is a huge contributor to suspension failures. People don't understand that there is no reason to lift these damn things. I know it's cool, but the first thing to do when buying one like this; RETURN TO STOCK HEIGHT. I love bagging on engineers but they design these for exactly what you are using it for...normal speeds...working. Modifying them with lifts changes all sorts of mechanics and centers of gravity applying a lot of weight where it wasn't designed to be. We see this in pickups too.

Couple all of the above with the fact that some Bubba somewhere probably did the work himself with parts of questionable origin....yikes.

Glad you are OK. Get that bullcrap off of there and get some stock parts back on. She'll last a lot longer...you might, too.


There is absolutely a reason to lift them. Stock height Rangers simply do not hold up to hard daily use guiding duck hunts in flooded fields. They quickly become a maintenance nightmare. You will burn through belts and bearings like crazy. We started putting mild lifts on ours along with taller tires. This helps keep the belt housing and wheel bearings from being submerged in most fields.

You are spot on with everything else you said. Lifts and tires change how the buggy operates and you have to use caution, especially when on uneven ground or crossing levees. There seems to be a lot of people that treat them as toys for joyriding, but that is a recipe for disaster. They are simply tools to get the job done. Plus, I can think of a lot more things that are more enjoyable than bouncing around on a Ranger all day.
Ehh...not everything has to be an OB tool that one uses only for specific tasks and any other use is wrong. It is perfectly acceptable to have things for pleasure such as guns, buggies, 4 wheelers, etc., and there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a buggy that you joyride in at times and use for work other times.

We all can think of more enjoyable things than XYZ....but it's just fun to tool around in the buggy in the neighborhood, at the lease, etc. And it's hell for fun watching the kids tool around in it having the time of their lives.
ttha_aggie_09
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Couldn't agree more! I use mine for Duck Hunting, Deer Hunting, and occasionally driving with the kids to the gas station or to Sonic. It is also what I am teaching my kids how to drive before they ever get behind the wheel of a car/truck - which I am hoping pays off big time...
BaitShack
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AnScAggie said:

Stat Monitor Repairman said:



The Honda Odyssey and the Honda Pilot with the knight rider steering wheel seem like the grandfather of the modern side-by-sides.

I had an Odyssey, it was fun but I never understood why they didn't have a reverse.
Especially with the poor turning radius. I remember having to get out, lift up the front by hand, and swing it around.
gwellis
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SunrayAg said:

Your problem is it says Polaris on the side…
LOL, Tell that to my Lease mate who had a 2 week old mule pop two shocks in one day. None of these UTVs are meant to carry a ton of weight, they just aren't built for it.
Gil '91
GrimesCoAg95
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I grew up on 3 wheelers. Started with a 110, then a 200m, then a 250sx. I never rode a 250r, but I wanted to have one.
Russell Bradleys Toupee
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I'll keep Willy.

Canyon99
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Had a Honda Big Red when I was in elementary. Had a wreck at dusk with my older brother on it out on a turn row. Flipped that thing and can vividly remember it rolling just over the top of me without being touched. Brother was okay as well with the exception of being skinned up. I had a classmate in 5th grade that wasn't quite as lucky when he wrecked his family's three wheeler. He lived but had months of rehab and was never quite the same.
EskimoJoe
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EskimoJoe said:

Stat Monitor Repairman said:



Videos on the two stroke Honda 250Rs that got banned in the 80s made their way into my youtube feed.

Anybody ever have one of these?


I had a honda 200s when i was 10. Had to have my ear sewn back on. I will have to dig up pictures.


Found a pic

FamousAgg
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I have seen, and heard about some horrific ATV injuries. People drive them like idiots sometimes, especially scary when kids are involved
TH36
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Son of a *****….

My best friend died in July from rolling his over on top of him. Had one of his apprentices in there with him and the guy survived. After it happened another friend of his was looking over it and the coil over was flopping around loose on the passenger side.

I've just been blaming it on him being beyond drunk and didn't figure the coil over had anything to do with it but now that you explain how erratic yours was after snapping it makes me wonder if that truly did play a part in it. It came loose on the right side but the thing rolled over on the drivers side and folded him up under it. The down bar between front and back seats was on his neck when his wife found them.
GentrysMillTX10
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My best friend had a near death experience on a UTV recently. He and I both have UTV's and have had 4wheelers for years, so we are both familiar with everything and the risks. This particular night he was a passenger with some people he didn't know very well. He was riding along and next thing he knew he woke up in a hospital bed. They stitched him back together in 4 places. He got the heck out of the hospital asap and has no idea what happened to the others. The guy he was with may have lost his wife in the accident. I wasn't there to have any additional information but alcohol was involved and it's believed a car/pickup hit the utv, so they were likely on public road. Sounds like my friend was put into a situation he wasn't comfortable with (on a public road) and it nearly cost him his life.
FamousAgg
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These all definitely need to have a small trauma kit in the glove box
Stat Monitor Repairman
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