You know what makes the Polaris RZR XR Turbo so much fun to ride? Well, it’s not just that these babies can fly; they are also super quick. Hit the gas, and you’re gone. Now that doesn’t do you much good out on the trail unless you’ve also got a suspension system with a whole lot of travel in it. Your axles must have the ability to ride over large obstructions and deep depressions. Polaris engineered the RZR to provide a tremendous amount of up-and-down travel in the suspension system for just this reason.
The only real limitation to the suspension system on a Polaris is that how low it can travel is ultimately governed by the range of the shocks. If you catch some air, the axles are going to drop down to where they reach the maximum extension level of the shock absorbers. If you do this frequently enough, you may start to develop issues with them. Replacing blown-out shocks can get expensive pretty quickly if you aren’t careful.
Fortunately, there is an inexpensive solution to this problem that doesn’t require you to throttle down to grandma speed every time you approach a mud bog or crest a dune. Although they might be considered Polaris RZR XP Turbo accessories, front and rear axle limiter straps are actually more of a necessity for someone who wants to experience the thrill of rough country riding without suffering the agony of an abrupt termination of the day’s fun. Blowing the shocks out of your Polaris by going airborne one too many times can put you back on the road home sooner than you had planned.
These straps are cheap, especially when compared to the cost of replacing a full set of shocks, and they don’t affect the performance or handling of your RZR except in a positive way. They are easy as pie to bolt on, and they’ll give you significant bragging rights over your friends who continue to risk a breakdown with every extreme jump they make.
The bottom line is that you can have just as much fun by being smart about potential risks and proactively preparing for them as you can by blowing them off and wailing about the consequences once they come knocking on your door. Come to think of it, having your RZR ready to go every weekend instead of being in the shop might actually be more fun.