2008 Yamaha Rhino 700 - We Start Building Your Next Rhino

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.

This year has marked exciting changes for the UTV industry. Two of the major players introduced new rigs while a virtual flash flood of bolt-on goodies drenched the aftermarket, allowing consumers to individualize their rides with ease. In the case of Yamaha's Rhino, vast improvements to both performance and safety were made by the factory. Couple these gains with the unparalleled availability of upgrades, and it becomes the obvious choice to those of us who like to tinker. This is why we picked an '08 Yamaha Rhino 700 as the platform for our giveaway sweepstakes. Shown here as she came from the factory, we look forward to the day when we get to hand the keys over to one lucky reader.

Rigid Industries is well-known for its suspension upgrades for side-by-side vehicles. For this particular Rhino, the guys at Rigid are installing their 3-inch-wider mid-travel suspension system. Sure, long-travel kits are all the rage right now, but here at SidexSource, we think it makes more sense to give away a vehicle that the average joe can actually haul away in the back of a pickup. This kit cycles a full 10 inches of travel damped by a plush set of Walker Evans Racing shocks, which should keep long-travel envy to a minimum.	The 15-position adjustable Walker Evans Racing shocks are ideal for multipurpose rigs like our giveaway Rhino. Simply twist the billet knob to stiffen up the compression valving if you want to tackle the desert, or turn it back the other way to soften the suspension for slower rockcrawling action. Either way, you get awesome performance thanks to Walker's own personal experience racing down in Baja California, Mexico.
Here you can see the way the rear upper A-arm of the Rigid mid-travel kit securely attaches to the Rhino factory spindle. Notice the way the lateral crossbracing is fashioned from a bent section of tubing - this design offers increased rigidity over a straight section of tube. This method also adds critical surface area to the TIG-welded intersections of chrome-moly tubing. No special gussets of flared holes here, just simple strength by design and good use of material.	Rigid Industries uses high-quality FK rod ends with misalignment spacers to secure the upper A-arm to the steering knuckles. Notice the way the main tube is fishmouthed at the intersection with the threaded bung - this feature adds strength over a straight-cut style intersection. Welds are typically considered to be weak points, therefore you want critical welds like this to be as long as possible. The fishmouth adds surface area to the weld.	All long-travel suspension systems add additional force to a drive axle. OE axleshafts are designed to twist a little before failure. The stock CV joint will typically hold up to twice the force of the axleshaft, so most companies simply offer upgraded alloy axleshafts that work with the factory CVs. Axleshafts can be made much stronger by using materials such as 4340 chrome-moly like the ones Rigid offers. For the ultimate in strength, 300M axleshafts are also available. Either way, the improvement in strength over the factory setup is significant. Just remember to peen the retainer nut at the relief keyway on the end of the stub axle once you have the hub assembled to it, otherwise this critical nut may back off over time, causing the wheel to loosen and eventually fall off.
The Rigid Industries mid-travel kit includes lengthened 4340 axleshafts. An optional polished finish is shown here. To install these shafts, you have to take apart the factory axle assemblies and swap the factory CV joints onto the new stronger shafts. This is quite a messy job due to the grease inside the CV boot and is likely the toughest part of the installation.	This shot of the front suspension shows the entire arrangement as it comes from Rigid Industries. Each pivot point features a greaseable bushing for squeak-free operation.	Longer braided-steel brake lines are included with the kit and significantly fortify the most vulnerable part of the OE braking system.

Sideways

Hi! Did you expect this? If not, you should have. It was only a matter of time before we got our act together and presented you with the absolute best side-by-side magazine we can. Since we're launching SideXSource out of Off-Road magazine, we're hoping it's going to catch on fast.

Side-by-sides, UTVs, PUVs - whatever you want to call them - are gaining popularity at an extraordinary rate. It's hard to go to an off-road park or a race and not see one of these little wheelers. They are great for utility, for sport, for rescue, and for recovery. Side-by-sides will practically drive up a wall, can be walloped over some pretty intense whoops sections, fit down trails that Jeeps can't get to, and can do it all in a fuel-efficient package that you can put in the back of your truck bed and drive home with after you've had your fun.

Last month was the first issue of our new mini-mag SideXSource, and it's not taking away at all from your normal Off-Road magazine. Instead, we've actually added pages! With any luck, you'll see SideXSource sitting on newsstands as a full magazine by early next year. Robin Stover, hailing from Four Wheeler, is going to be taking control of a lot of the editorial of SideXSource, with Jordan May, myself, and a few others lending their hands as well.
Enjoy.

-Jerrod Jones
Editor-in-Chief, Off-Road