A bit less sport, a bit more utility?

[KentT]

the one thing to remember is don't over load the rhino them stock shocks blowout fast . plus that rear bumper is nice but it's a rhino hanger if you get into a hole. we put one on my rhino and sure enough the corner of it kept getting hung on the ground in the deep holes so off it came.

I'm hoping the "wraparound" ends on this one help keep it from catching and tearing off. In addition to the two arms that mount to the cross-bar on the bed, each end is curled around and bolts at the end of that crossbar...

I just wanted something on the back, because a lot of the trails I 'll be riding are so tight that I'll be doing some backing up in the rocks and the woods...

i had the same side mirrors but they didn't last long for two reasons one whenat top speeds they would slowly turn to the back and would neb=ver keep their setting and two they always like to smack trees so i went with one rearview mirror on the inside of the rhino.infact thats where you wanna keep anything that you don't want to get banged up "inside the rhino" if it sticks out it's gonns get tore up.

I just did 16 miles yesterday, and the right mirror did't survive. I was on a combination of very tight/twisty ATV trails through the woods, old jeep and logging trails eroded down to boulders especially on the slopes, some dirt roads where we could get up to 20+ MPH, and some bog/mud plus a couple of stream crossings (18" - 24" of water). Throw in a couple of sandpits, stretches of "whoops" where if you didn't get the speed just right, the Rhino would buck as it hit and climbed the next upslope, and short stretches of paved country roads (30+ MPH) to connect the trails.

The mirror survived the tight/twisty stuff even though I have rash on the rollcage above the cockpit on both sides from rubbing trees. What did the mirror in was slapping balsam limbs on a 20 MPH or so stretch of smooth, straight but tight trail. Oh well, if that's all this noob learns the hard way, I'll be happy!

there's no dought you got a sharp lookin rhino. and i would yank them tie rods off the swaybar befor you bring it in you paid for them why not keep them they will come in handy one day.

I removed the connecting links on each end of the swaybar and zip-tied it up out of the way, to test it without a swaybar. I also added two clicks to the preload, front and back, leaving only one more until it's maxed out. Thought I'd begin there and see how it does.

IMO, the Rhino handles much better overall. It does have more body lean -- but with this stance (5+2 offset wheels, 1" spacers on fron, 2" spacers on the rear, for a 53.5" width at the ouside edge of the wheels) not a whole lot more than with it connected. What is most noticeable are two things:

1. At speed in trail riding, it handles things like ruts and rocks in the trail much, much better. Instead of the whole rear of machine going up in the air and then dropping back down with a "wham", the single wheel that meets the obstacle goes us and over while the other remains planted to the ground. Much, much smoother ride and much more control over the machine since the rear end isn't bouncing and scooting around with one wheel totally up in the air much of the time.

2. It handles slow speed crawls better also, even in off camber situations, since all four wheels remain on the ground a whole lot more of the time. In addition to eliminating the motion described above, no longer are you lifting one front wheel off the ground when climbing over something, because both rear wheels are down (due to center of gravity) and tied together by the swaybar -- then the whole front comes "crashing down" as you get to the point where the center of gravity shifts toward the front and the "see-saw" teeters to the other end. That whole see-sawing motion is eliminated, and replaced by some side-to-side shifting as you crawl over things with all four wheels in contact almost all the time.

I don't think removing the swaybar adds to high-speed stability, especially on smooth surfaces. However, IMO it makes the machine feel more controllable at all speeds. You can better sense when to slow down, when to take another line in off-camber situation, etc.

I had a blast riding it with an ATV club yesterday, and was very, very impressed with how it performed as a new machine, not yet broken in. I think it will basically go anywhere this old guy has the "stones" to try to take it...

Here's a pic from the trailhead -- don't have any at the end of the ride -- it was too dark. I know some of the ATVers were taking pictures and hope to get some of it in action -- they couldn't believe how this thing hung with them in the tough stuff (some on big 700cc Brutes and Grlzzlies, and one 800cc Artic Cat), though they were much faster on the clear, straight runs.

 

[KentT]

Finally got a few pics of the ride I talked about from another club member... that's steam coming out from under the Rhino. Temps were in the 40's -- water temps too -- and everything steamed...

 

[Dmace]

Man that looks like fun! Great pictures.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

cool pictures just as a reminder though if the water gets cloce to the bottom of the seat your in the danger zone.thats one reason i raised my vent lines the water and mud we ride in is alwasy right even with the seat and just one or two more inches and i would have been drianing a belt enclosure and a more.. my snorkle parts cost me less than 50.00 and it's a life saver . as for as that creek man i wish i had a nice creek like that with running water it would be so easy to wash the rhino off after mud riding . look farword to see more of your pictures .

 

[KentT]

... just as a reminder though if the water gets cloce to the bottom of the seat your in the danger zone./quote]

Yep, I'm aware of the CVT intake there behind the seat. I want to snorkel my carb intake up under the hood first, to get rid of that engine noise in the cab...