The first modification that we did to our RZR was the installation of a set of the new Carlisle A.C.T. HD tires (not shown in any of the pictures here). You can see more about them on our Product Review Segment that's coming up soon. Basically they are a very (and I do mean VERY) aggressive tire but unfortunately only come in a 12" diameter. Although we typically prefer 12" wheels and tires on ATVs, we really like the 14" set-up on UTVs.
Without much notice, ITP asked us to try out their new SS112 wheels for the RZR and we jumped at the opportunity - especially since we'd also get the chance to try out a set of our absolute favorite tires at the same time - the Terra Cross R/Ts!
Basically ITP wanted to address the "I want a wider stance" market. Until this new wheel, the only option for these folks were bolting on adaptors and spacers and then running the Rhino wheels on their RZRs. So, what ITP did was add in a bit more offset to their wheels. The new wheels are available in one offset for the front and two offsets for the rear, 2 inches wider per side, and 4 inches wider per side.
NOTE: This might be a good time to point out that the new RZR is not the R Z R, but the RaZoR. The folks at Polaris were perplexed when even their dealers were calling it the R Z R. Then it dawned on them that unless you've seen our show, and heard it pronounced RaZoR, all you've seen are the letters R Z R. So, just a leg up to help make you more informed than your magazine-only reading friends!
The 2 inch wider wheels look "just right" on the RZR as you can see from the pictures on the left. But as good as they look, the RZR is now no longer 50 inches wide and that, at least for me, may present a big problem when it comes time to fit through those 50" trail gates on some of my favorite 2-track trails!
Our next test will be a set of 12" Holeshot ATRs mounted on the stock wheels. We'll check the width, but I'm guessing that set-up will be the "sweet spot!"
Left, you can see two of the other modifications we've made to our RZR. We got our set of Elka shocks and they are fantastic! They are soft sprung but also keep the ride height up. And even with the bigger (and heavier) wheels and tires I couldn't get the RZR to scare me over any of the rough stuff - and that is saying something!
We also installed a Big Gun TFI box to increase the fuel (and the fuel mapping) to the fuel injectors. It worked great here, but we'll have to see how they work at the drastic elevation changes that we more typically ride at. The other addition was the Big Gun exhaust. We found it way too loud! Way too loud. The folks at Big Gun say that most of their requests are for the most power, not the most power and quiet. Shame on all of you.
We have a Quiet-Pak core coming for ours and we'll let you know how it works. Our hats are off to the folks at Big Gun for working with us on the issue of QUIET POWER.
Oh, our tests were supposed to answer the question of stability.
I guess as you can see from the string of pictures on the right, the RZR is mighty stable, even sliding in the really rough stuff. The pictures we don't have for you are of me driving along stacks of piled dirt scaring myself at the angle long before the RZR showed any desire to want to flop over on its side.