How to pick a Long Travel Kit for your UTV

| September 6, 2009 | 0 Comments

Stock vs. Long Travel Polaris RZR

By Jon Crowley

Aftermarket suspension kits for side x side vehicles are a very popular way to increase the wheel travel and handling of UTVs. Companies like Funco and Fireball Racing have teamed up with shock manufactures like Sway-A-Way, Bilstein, Elka, King and Fox to create suspension kits that far exceed anything seen in a stock vehicle.

The best advice I can give to anyone looking for a long travel kit for their UTV is to take their time. Long travel kits are a big investment, so make sure you are getting the most from your money by making a decision not based solely on cost and what the kit looks like. Not only research as much as you can on the internet, but talk to companies on the phone and most of all test drive as many as possible.

Kawasaki Teryx with Funco Long Travel

UTVGuide.net has the most complete information for the side x side vehicle owner that is looking to improve vehicle handling by adding a long travel suspension. Their buyer’s guides not only list manufacturer contact info, but also show detailed pictures of all the different kits in one place so you can do all of your research from one page.

What is included in a Typical Long Travel Kit?

Before you go running off to buy one of these long travel kits, it is best to understand what is included so that you can make side by side comparisons.
All long travel kits include new a-arms, either a completely new axle assembly or just new axles to use with the stock CVs and either new tie rods or tie rod extensions. From there, things vary quite a bit depending on manufacturer and vehicle. For example, the Polaris RZR requires longer brake lines, but the Kawasaki Teryx does not.

Arctic Cat Prowler 1000 with DragonFire Racing Long Travel Kit

A-Arms – There are a few different types of a-arms are out there. Most are made from chromoly tubing, others are boxed, and a few are made from billet aluminum or mild steel. Each material type has pros and cons. Some are tig welded and others are done with a mig. Ask questions about why a particular material and arm design was chosen.
Some kits come powder coated in a standard color. Others come unfinished or offer custom colors.

A-Arm Hardware – Inner and outer a-arm hardware is may be replaced. Many of long travel kits come with new bushings (Delron, Daystar, etc.) on the inner side of the a-arm, but some convert to heims for more adjustability. On the outer or spindle side, some kits use heims, others use uni-balls, and a few reuse the OEM ball joint. There are pluses and minuses to each type of setup and quality can vary from heim to heim and bushing to bushing.

Axles – When you extend the wheels out, you are going to need longer axles. There are two approaches to this. The cheaper route is to reuse the stock CVs and just replace the axles. The more expensive route is new axles and CVs. Swapping axles and reusing the stock CVs takes more time, so if you are paying for the kit to be installed, factor this in.

Polaris RANGER XP with Jagged X Long Travel

Shocks – All of the long travel kits and most of the mid-travel kits include new coilover or air shocks.

Tie Rods – Some kits come with tie rod extenders. A few come with complete new tie rods.

Shock Towers – A few of the kits have optional shock towers that move the upper shock mount location up and out. This allows for a longer shock and more wheel travel.

Frame Gussets – Long travel kits put more stress on the factory a-arm and shock mounting locations. Several manufacturers are now offering bolt-on or weld-on gussets to help beef up the stock frame in critical areas.

Fox 2.0 Piggyback RC2 Long Travel Shock

Long Travel Kits for Side x Side Vehicles:

Long Travel Reviews:

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Tags: Long Travel Kit, Suspension