For those of us who avoid one-off customizing for whatever the reason, options for adding lighting and a stereo system to a Rhino are limited indeed. That's why the creative folks at UTV Concepts designed their easy-to-install modular system. They came up with a way to add gauges, a stereo system, a spare-tire rack, and interior/exterior lighting without requiring anything other than regular handtools. We installed these components on an '05 Rhino 450 in one short afternoon and can confirm each and every item is of high quality and excellent craftsmanship. A durable powdercoat finish ensures long-lasting good looks, and thorough instructions with detailed color photos keep installation simple.

A couple months ago, we decided to take our showboat land yacht and turn it into something useful. Our Super Turd Diesel, as we so affectionately named it, had broken down in Utah and forced us to really go through the entire truck to start rebuilding it. After fixing the truck enough for it to drive again, we got rid of the farm bumper in the rear, ditched the front fiberglass fascia, and strapped some Off Road Tech bumpers in place. We added some Soltek lights and sat a T-Max winch on the front end to aid in the recovery and extraction of other unfortunate vehicles. It immediately changed the look and feel of the truck.

This month, it was time to choose a wheel-and-tire combo and add on a few goodies to help us out during extraction times.

We are the kind of people who believe that bumpers are made for bumping. Unfortunately, the manufacturers of late-model trucks don't agree with us. The bumpers on these new vehicles are more cosmetic than functional. Our stock rear bumper had been significantly dented after just a few minor "love taps," and friends kept asking, "What happened to your bumper?" Our only reply was, "We bumped something - we thought that was what it was for."

All too often, we see guys jump quickly to put a locking differential into their truck's or 4x4's axle. Though this can be a great addition, there are some applications where a limited-slip differential (LSD) would work just as well, if not better. In fact, there are a couple of us at the magazine who prefer an LSD over a locker in certain vehicles.

When off-road, the absolute best available traction device available comes in the form of a spool. There is nothing that is stronger, lighter, cheaper, or runs cooler. In fact, a spool is not really even a differential, as there is no differentiation of wheel speeds with a spool. The lack of wheel-speed differentiation in a fixed-gear unit (i.e. a spool) is the very thing that makes it horrific to deal with on the pavement. Differentials were invented to allow for different wheel speeds when not moving in a straightforward direction (as in turning).

With new seats added to our Polaris RZR, our cockpit is nearly complete. Most of our staff is in the 6-feet-and-over department, which means space in a UTV can be limited. Looking to gain some much-needed legroom, we gave the guys at Grant Products a call and got ahold of one of their stylish UTV steering wheels. With just a few quick wrench spins, we had a great-looking new wheel, and our knees gave out a sigh of relief.

Trucks get stuck. Jeeps get stuck. ATVs get stuck. Despite four-wheel drive and incredible maneuverability, sometimes Yamaha Rhinos get stuck too.

The time has come for stronger hubs. Our trucks need the increased strength to meet the demands of stouter drivetrains and higher-torque applications in today's off-road world. No longer are standard locking hubs holding up to the mega-horsepower engines and monster truck tires. We've just simply built our trucks to beyond the capacity that typical locking hubs were ever meant for.

Nothing in life is free. At least that's what most old-timers would say when it comes to winning a new Rhino. But don't let grandpa's negative attitude get in your head. This story could be about your next ride. That's right, folks. SidexSource, along with the good folks of Rigid Industries of Mesa, Arizona, is putting together a dream ride that each and every one of you has an equal chance of owning. Here's the scoop: Each issue of SidexSource will highlight a different modification to our giveaway Rhino. Starting next month, at the end of each article, readers will find a simple entry form to fill out. Once completed, simply cut it out and mail it to our headquarters to be included in a random drawing that will take place on June 1, 2009. For complete details, visit www.off-roadweb.com/builttowin. Sorry no photocopied or otherwise duplicated entries will be accepted. Limit one entry per household.

Intake- and exhaust-system upgrades are two of the most popular modifications done by off-road enthusiasts. Not only is just about every truck in the dirt running these aftermarket parts, but they are also usually the two first installed. Not only do both of these mods make your ride sound a ton better, but we feel they are necessities to the life of your off-road toy. A good intake system will help keep all that dirt out of your engine, and a solid exhaust system will ensure your ride breathes properly for many years to come. Not to mention that together they will provide additional horsepower, which is always a good thing. Our friends over at Volant Performance heard we were building a new '08 Toyota Tundra and wanted us to check out their new systems. We spent the past eight months with their intake and exhaust on our truck, and here are our thoughts.

Don't chastise us. We know we're supposed to be all into independent suspensions. Obviously, no solid axle can match the superior bump-soaking abilities that separated knuckles, acting completely independently of each other, can achieve. Nor can the handling of an independent suspension be matched by a solid axle. So why are we so keen on, endorsing even, a solid-axle swap on a 2500 IFS Chevy?

Typically, the first items to go when customizing a truck or off-road rig are its OE wheels. Easily replaceable, aftermarket wheels can change the whole look and feel of a vehicle for a very minimal amount of time and for a somewhat reasonable cost. Featured this month are some of the newest designs on the market, most of which are available in a variety of sizes and finishes to complement your off-road or show vehicle.

With almost a year of pushing our project Toyota Tundra to the limits, it was time for a new set of tires. The team at Kumho Tires USA recently added some new sizes to its popular Road Venture MT KL71 tire that would fit perfectly for our needs. After hearing good things about the tire's stability and strength, we thought we would find out firsthand.

When Interco designed the SS-M16, it did so to meet the needs of the contemporary off-roader. Nowadays, off-roaders don't want to just crawl, just hit mud, or just go fast. They want do-all trucks and 4x4s that can handle a variety of situations.

Mud-terrain tires have been around for decades, and most have adhered to a few similar patterns that worked well in the mud and in most off-road conditions but suffered on the street due to their off-road-biased design. But that was the old type of mud-terrain tires. Nowadays, companies are starting to hit hard with tires that have been developed with years of experience combined with the most advanced computer technology. And tires like the Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrain are starting to show up - tires designed to roll smoothly down the road, handle snow and ice like an all-terrain tire, and still perform in the dirt and mud.

We got a chance to try the Xtreme Mud Terrains in both 38-1/2- and 33-inch sizes on a 4WD truck and a 2WD truck to see how they'd work in all conditions.

The Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ tire has been around for a few years now, and it's proven itself in a number of situations. We recently got to try another set of ATZs on a daily driver of ours and remembered why we liked them so much. Their construction, with a flatter tread face and large street-friendly-looking tread blocks, makes it a wonderful tire to shoe your daily driver or tow vehicle. The traction is good in most off-road conditions, and the highway manners of this tire make it a real winner for a number of off-roaders who realize that most of their trucks' time is spent on the highway.

It's been around for almost two years, but we're guessing you may have never seen it before ... or at least not up close. And you won't find it on BFGoodrich's website. It's BFG's answer to a more aggressive off-road-racing tire for CORR and desert racing. It's the Baja T/A KRT (not to be confused with the original Baja T/A KR). So what does the T in KRT stand for? Traction.

Every once in a while we come across electronic programmers that are supposed to deliver a whole new truck to your driveway. We are skeptical, as we feel most of the public is. How can this few-hundred-dollar unit do what the manufacturers cannot seem to master? Better fuel economy and more power with no sacrifices? We decided to test the new Hypertech Max Energy Programmer on an '08 Ford F-250 Super Duty to see what kind of results we could get.

When you start working your UTV a little harder than it was designed for in stock form, you might find your stock seats to be a bit inadequate. The seats in our Polaris RZR were actually pretty nice, but once we put on a long-travel kit, it took our RZR's ability to a new level, and the stock seats and belts were no longer holding us in place.

If you start putting mods on your motor, then you can change the fuel demands of the engine across the rpm band. On top of that, fuel demands can change due to outside factors, such as altitude or air supply. When we made the decision to throw nitrous on our daily driver, we knew we should keep tabs on our engine to make sure it wasn't running lean (it was a fat chance we were going to run our engine rich while on nitrous.) AEM's Gauge-Type Wideband UEGO (universal exhaust gas oxygen) Controller can be instrumental in engine tuning and also make a good tool for everyday driving with a modified engine.

Linking your solid-axle front end can be quite an ordeal, and one of the hardest parts of it will be trying to get your track bar, aka Panhard rod, and steering drag link to line up correctly and create zero bump-steer during the suspension movement.

Without battery power, your starter won't crank. Without a good, reliable starter, your engine won't start. Without your engine running, your alternator won't turn. And without your alternator turning, you aren't charging your battery. You don't want to disturb this circle ... trust us.

When it comes to adding lights to your side-by-side vehicle, there are three important factors to consider:

Enough is enough. We had smiled too many sheepish grins and shrugged our shoulders one time too many. Our embarrassed responses to the question, "When are you guys going to build a Twin-Traction Beam vehicle?" were making us feel inadequate. It was time to get our hands on one - no more excuses would suffice. We've discussed the design and the impact of the setup in a prior issue ("The First Long-Travel Suspension," April '08), but until now, we haven't had a vehicle of our own equipped with TTB to thrash mercilessly. After searching for our white-knight Bronco, we came across this '93 black beauty, and in honor of that guilty, er, innocent gem of society, we're calling our Bronco "The Juice." (Don't worry about us - we have security doors and none of his sports memorabilia up here.)

Kawasaki has officially entered the UTV marketplace with its '08 Teryx. Out of the box, it's an extremely capable vehicle that will take you just about anywhere you want to go in the dirt, from forest to dune. When it comes time to kick it up a notch and push the limits of your new ride, check out the new long-travel kit from California Super Trucks (CST). CST has become well known in the off-road industry for producing high-quality suspension systems and also kickin' some butt throughout the desert-racing scene. With the popularity of UTV vehicles hitting an all-new high, it was just a matter of time until we saw CST take its experience and tackle side-by-sides head on.