12. Aftermarket Roll Cages
If you ever plan on racing or are just an aggressive driver, you may want to invest in an aftermarket roll cage. If you decide to go down this route, go to a reputable company that uses quality materials and emphasizes good fit and finish. A good cage should be able to utilize the stock mounting points and should fit with minimal effort.
13. Upgrade Your Stock Seat Belts
The stock seat belts work OK for your average driving, anything more and they're inadequate. By upgrading to a set of four- or five-point harnesses you'll have a more secure feel in the seat and ultimately be safer.
14. Check For Proper Seat Belt Operation
If you opt to retain your stock seat belts, check to see they're in proper operating order. Always look for tears or frays in the material and make sure there's nothing in the buckle mechanism that will prevent it from operating properly.
15. Beadlock Wheels
With as much as side-by-sides weigh and how varied air pressures are for different terrain, it's highly recommended to run beadlock wheels. The beadlock will keep the tires from coming off of the wheel during aggressive driving and aids in the overall strength of the wheel to prevent damage.
16. Know Where You're Going
If you're like us, then you like to explore unknown territory on your machine. The only problem with this is how easy it can be to get lost. Invest in a good-quality GPS unit. Handheld models are fine but can be hard to look at while you're driving. Since you have the room, invest in a larger unit that has a good-size screen that you can easily see while operating your machine. It will make your trip that much safer and you can map your route for a return visit.
17. Dump The Dump Bed
If your unit is equipped with a hydraulic dump bed, it isn't uncommon to release itself under extreme driving conditions. If you don't use your dump bed feature and this is a problem for you, some companies offer kits to eliminate this feature to keep your bed secure.
18. Keep The Body And Cage Compatible
Should you decide to replace the cage, there are some other things to keep in mind. If you want to change out your plastic with an aftermarket choice, make sure that it's compatible. Some plastic companies are known for their trick styling but their products are limited to what they'll fit on because of aftermarket cage design. Verify this before ordering yours or you'll end up with a headache.
19. Keep The Wind Off Of Your Face
If you ride in cold weather, you may want to invest in some sort of windshield for your ride. These are available in both half and full sizes and are great to keep the cold breeze off of your face. The only downfall to these is that in dusty conditions, dirt can build up and impair your vision.
20. Clear Vision On The Trail
If you've ever ridden your ATV or side-by-side in muddy conditions, we're sure that you've gotten clumps of mud on your goggles. A tip taken from GNCC and motocross riders is to wear roll-off style goggles. When debris gets thrown up on your goggles and impairs your vision, simply pull the string and you've got clear sight again.
21. Driver Going Down
If you're one of those people who like to attack the deepest mud holes, you surely want to rig up some sort of snorkel system. By setting up a water/mud-tight system and waterproofing your electrical system, the only thing limiting how deep and long you can go underwater is how long you can hold your breath.
22. Check Those Binders
I'm sure that you've read about weight being a factor in many of these tips. This also applies to the braking systems of side-by-sides. Aggressive driving mixed with a heavy vehicle can cause your brakes to wear out quickly. Make sure to check your brake pad thickness on a regular basis. The last thing you want is to be heading down a steep dirt road and have the brakes go out on you.
23. Stop On A Dime
An often overlooked system on these vehicles are the brakes. With ATVs being used at high speeds, one of the first items to be replaced are the brake lines, and side-by-sides should be no different. Braided-steel lines are a great replacement for the stock rubber units. On certain models, simply switching out the brake lines can result in a 30 percent decrease in stopping distance.
24. Cheap And Easy Storage
There are many companies that offer cargo boxes you can install, but some can be very pricey. An inexpensive alternative is to go to your local hardware store and pick up a plastic toolbox that's big enough to suit your needs. Once you have that, drill four to six holes through the box and through the bed. When this is done, run the proper length bolts with washers through the box and bed to secure it in place. If you ever want to pull it out, simply take out the bolts.
25. Light Up The Night
Driving at night can be almost as much fun if not even more enjoyable than in the day. If you choose to do this, you may want to upgrade to a better lighting system than what comes standard with the machine. The stock lights are fine for low-speed general driving but still leave you wanting more. By going with a set of HID lights, your area of sight can significantly increase and light up obstacles you might otherwise not have noticed.
26. Power Your Accessories
If you've installed an aftermarket set of lights, stereo equipment or any other electrical items, you need to make sure your charging system is capable of replacing the power. Some companies offer high-output stators or even offer an alternator kit to make sure you've got enough juice for your toys.
27. Ride In Comfort
Some of the seats that come in side-by-sides are extremely comfortable and don't need replacing. But more often than not they do need to be replaced. There are quite a few aftermarket companies that offer many models of replacement seats to keep you comfortable on those long rides or even the occasional short jaunt.