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| Project RZR |
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Yeah we just couldn't resist a project. In this case "Project RZR". Of course we started with a bone stock RZR, something like this..but green.
 Of course that was a lot of fun, we ripped around in it for a while and then we just couldn't resist and like all good gear heads we started "improving" it. Don't get me wrong Polaris did a fine job. But hey this is what we do so let the alterations begin. A walk around the RZR just got us excited. We had more ideas than we knew what to do with. Of course not all of them were that great and a few were bound to break the bank so we settled on some that made the RZR a tad more suited to our particular style of riding.
Now when the RZR first arrived it was November and we couldn't wait to drag it to Glammis CA for Thanksgiving. What were we thinking. Yeah I heard that collective groan. Actually we had a fantastic time and hooked up with some friends and shot some video. We even dared to hang at the base of Oldsmobile hill a few late nights. But I think that's another story. Back to our RZR. We decided that while we really enjoyed duning we tend to spend more time on Moab and the San Rafael Swell and the Paiute Trail. And while we like to go fast as much as anyone else these places have a lot of go slow riding, for good reason. It's nasty rock banging, ledge hopping, hard to keep the shiny side up type of terrain. So we'll need a few basics, tires, wheels, cage, skid plate and a few creature comforts.
Here is what we came up with but you'll have to hang in there a bit to see what all of that stuff is and why we used each piece. Of course we're not finished so expect some more installments on this story.  I suppose the first thing that we simply had to change was the cage. I just can't quite fathom what was going on at Polaris that day. Was this thing designed during the Christmas party while the boss was indisposed? Not only is it ugly but I think it's dangerous. Yes I did note that little sticker on the dash that says "This cage is a POS and your head will be mangled so keep the sunny side up". I think that sticker is two things. Polaris legal trying to distance themselves for the carnage you will incur when you flip this baby AND a straight up acknowledgment that the design and the material used is purely cosmetic. Now we are not going for the "survive at speeds" cage here. We just want something that will not fold like a tinfoil hat when we tip over. We also don't want to pay through the nose but we do want some decent material and of course it needs to look decent. So this is our answer. What do you think?
Stay Tuned for Part deux. |
The material on the stock RZR cage is .065" thin. That's not so good. Just about any cage you'll find is .090". But not all .090 cages are equal. Beyond design, which is a huge factor, the actual type of steel is a major, major structural component. See this article on types of steel for cages and it will explain why we chose 1020 Mild Carbon Steel DOM in 1.75 x .090. I won't go into detail on everything about this cage but one item we have been asked a lot about is the drop bar on the rear. Besides adding a cosmetic appeal it gives us something in the rear to push and pull on a bit when we are in a rough spot. If you hadn't notices the bed rails are tad flimsy.
I'll apologize for this photo. Didn't realize I wanted to show this until now. The Powder coat is a special rough finish. I'd say its sort of an orange peel look. It is very thick. The textured satin finish, while smooth to the touch, covers up little scratches incredibly well. This is truly some of the nicest powder coat I have ever seen.
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