Well we missed a couple of months not showing you an update on our give-a-way Rhino. But, rest assured it hasn't gone away and you can look forward to the buildup in upcoming issues of OFF-ROAD Magazine.
To recap, the guys at Rigid Industries in Mesa, Arizona, are plunking down the dough to build up a '08 Yamaha Rhino 700 with some cool performance and safety goodies. Then, it's all to be given away to some lucky reader of our UTV specific mini-mag SideBySource.
In each issue we're detailing a piece of the build up, and you can go to Rigid's website (www.rigidindustries.com) to fill out an online entry form. The winner will be drawn at random at OFF-ROAD Magazine headquarters on September 10, 2009. Limit one entry per household address. In our October '08 issue we detailed the start of the project. The builders at Rigid Industries took the stock '08 Rhino and added their mid-travel suspension kit to add lift, track width, handling, and stability. The goal is to provide a reliable rig that can competently handle a wide range of terrain from mild rock running to sandy dunes. Now we know we can only have one lucky winner, so hopefully you're watching Rigid build your new ride. For the rest of you, we hope you'll benefit from seeing how this Rhino is built and get some ideas for making your own ride better.
This month it's time to take a look into improving the engine performance of the machine. A stock Rhino 700 will spin about 26 rear-wheel horsepower on the dyno. Rigid has worked hard to assemble a system of matched components that play well together to give you improved torque and horsepower, and do so while maintaining smooth bottom end power. Using the components we'll describe here, the dyno spit out a result exceeding 36 hp, for a better than 40 percent increase over stock.
Next month, we'll show you the second piece of the power performance puzzle when we see how Rigid uses their custom clutch sheave to help put the new found power to the ground in a more effective manner.
Stay tuned, and don't forget to enter to win the Rigid Industries built Yamaha Rhino!
 This is the Rigid Billet Intake...  This is the Rigid Billet Intake System for the Rhino 700. It replaces the stock air filter element with a K&N element using their CNC machined aluminum plate that fits into the bottom of the stock air box. This kit opens up the intake tract and allows for greater air flow into the engine. |  With the stock air box removed...  With the stock air box removed from the chassis, the adapter plate is fit into the bottom of the plastic housing and used as a drill guide to cut four holes for the hardware. The plate is bolted to the lower half of the air box and sealed with a large O-ring. |  Once the lower half of the...  Once the lower half of the air box is reinstalled on the front of the chassis, the K&N filter is fitted to the Rigid adapter plate. The stock top cover is no longer used. |
 Consider that an internal...  Consider that an internal combustion engine is basically a fueled air pump. When you can move more air and fuel in and out, you get increased power output. With the Rhino intake made to be more efficient, it was time to open up the exhaust end. Rigid has found the DMC Afterburner Quiet dual exhaust to perform great for their tuned performance package. The kit includes two T304 stainless header pipes, a pair of extruded mufflers, and all necessary mounting hardware. |  The DMC exhaust is louder...  The DMC exhaust is louder than stock but is still designed to meet the 96db maximum Forest Service noise limit using the quiet insert inside the can. Each muffler also includes a USFS/USDA approved spark arrestor and the mufflers are user rebuildable/repackable. |  |
 Both exhaust canisters fit...  Both exhaust canisters fit neatly under the rear bed and bolt in place using the supplied frame bracket and grommet hardware. You'll enjoy about a 5-lbs-weight savings as compared to the stock exhaust. This system was designed to increase low to mid range torque without affecting wide open horsepower. |  The last piece of the performance...  The last piece of the performance package is a small but important little black box from Dynatek. With the addition of the new intake and exhaust, it's best to have an electronic control unit (ECU) that can tweak the air/fuel mixture and ignition timing to take advantage of the engine upgrades. The Dynatek F.S. Digital Ignition is user programmable, but Rigid has done significant real-world testing and has already worked out some optimal settings for this package, and can supply the module pre-programmed with the proper map settings. |  The new ECU was mounted on...  The new ECU was mounted on a framerail under the passenger seat. Installation is super quick and easy. It simply plugs into existing connectors on the Rhino and you secure one ground wire. The module interfaces to the main wiring harness, ignition coil, throttle position sensor, and fuel injector. |
 As we mentioned, Rigid supplies...  As we mentioned, Rigid supplies the Dynatek ECU pre-programmed to work with their tuned performance package. However, for those of you wanting to put together some other engine system or experiment with other module settings, there is a programmer unit available that can be setup manually or with the use of a personal computer via USB port. | | |