UTV Gear, Tips & Tricks
UTV Buddy
Straight talk on UTV gear from owners who actually run it. No sponsored fluff, no guessing.
Every guide here answers one real question an owner has, which winch, which lights, which tires, backed by hands-on use, not a generic spec sheet.
Latest Guides
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The Best Rock Lights for a UTV
Read the guide: The Best Rock Lights for a UTVFour UTV rock light kits compared, white versus RGB, and which one to buy for riding at night.
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What Size Winch for a UTV?
Read the guide: What Size Winch for a UTV?The winch sizing rule that actually holds up, why 4,500 pounds fits most machines, and four kits worth…
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The Best UTV Tires for Rock Crawling
Read the guide: The Best UTV Tires for Rock CrawlingRock asks the opposite of mud from a tire. Four picks, and why tire pressure beats tread pattern…
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The Best UTV Tires
Read the guide: The Best UTV TiresThere is no best UTV tire, only the best one for the ground you actually ride. Four picks…
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UTV Value Guide: What Your Side by Side Is Actually Worth
Read the guide: UTV Value Guide: What Your Side by Side Is Actually WorthWhat a used side by side is actually worth, what moves the price, and how to check before…
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How Long Can You Drive on Unbalanced UTV Tires?
Read the guide: How Long Can You Drive on Unbalanced UTV Tires?Unbalanced UTV tires will not strand you. Here is what they damage, how to spot them, and what…
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Do UTVs Flip Easily?
Read the guide: Do UTVs Flip Easily?UTVs roll more easily than new owners expect. When it happens, why, and what actually lowers the risk.
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The List of UTV Manufacturers
Read the guide: The List of UTV ManufacturersEvery UTV brand that matters in North America, sorted by who they build for and what you give…
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How Many Hours Are a Lot on a UTV?
Read the guide: How Many Hours Are a Lot on a UTV?What counts as high hours on a side by side, and the checks that tell you more than…
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Polaris RZR 1000 Engine Life Expectancy
Read the guide: Polaris RZR 1000 Engine Life ExpectancyA maintained ProStar 1000 runs past 3,000 hours. What actually shortens it, and what does not.
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Yamaha Side by Side 1000: YXZ1000R and Wolverine RMAX2
Read the guide: Yamaha Side by Side 1000: YXZ1000R and Wolverine RMAX2The YXZ1000R and the Wolverine RMAX2 are very different machines. Which Yamaha 1000 fits how you ride.
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The Best UTV LED Whip Lights, and Which Ones Break
Read the guide: The Best UTV LED Whip Lights, and Which Ones BreakWhip lights almost never fail at the LEDs. They fail where the whip meets the machine. Every one…
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The UTV Cleaning Products That Actually Get Mud Off
Read the guide: The UTV Cleaning Products That Actually Get Mud OffDried mud is not dirt. It’s a mineral crust that has bonded itself to your plastics, and it’s…
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Plowing Snow With a UTV: What Works and What Breaks
Read the guide: Plowing Snow With a UTV: What Works and What BreaksA side by side will out-plow a pickup on a long driveway, and it isn’t close. Better turning…
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How to Clean a UTV Windshield Without Scratching It
Read the guide: How to Clean a UTV Windshield Without Scratching ItYour UTV windshield is almost certainly polycarbonate, and polycarbonate is soft. You can scratch it with a fingernail.…
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How to Strap a UTV to a Trailer So It Doesn’t Move
Read the guide: How to Strap a UTV to a Trailer So It Doesn’t MoveA UTV that shifts on a trailer almost never shifted because the strap broke. It shifted because the…
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What To Do In UTV Rollover So You Don’t Break Your Arm or Hand
Read the guide: What To Do In UTV Rollover So You Don’t Break Your Arm or HandWhat to do if you roll a UTV? Having been through a UTV rollover or two myself, I…
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Are Side by Sides Worth It?
Read the guide: Are Side by Sides Worth It?As someone who’s spent countless hours behind the wheel of various UTVs, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing…
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What Does a Failing Can-Am X3 Drive Belt Sound Like?
Read the guide: What Does a Failing Can-Am X3 Drive Belt Sound Like?As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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Can You Drive with a Worn Can-Am X3 Drive Belt?
Read the guide: Can You Drive with a Worn Can-Am X3 Drive Belt?As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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Storage Ideas for Your Polaris RZR
Read the guide: Storage Ideas for Your Polaris RZRAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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How do you use snatch block for a UTV winch?
Read the guide: How do you use snatch block for a UTV winch?As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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How much does a Polaris side by side weigh?
Read the guide: How much does a Polaris side by side weigh?How much does a Polaris side by side weigh Unfortunately, side-by-side manufacturers don’t always do their best to…
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Does Polaris still make the Ace?
Read the guide: Does Polaris still make the Ace?As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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Can I Replace a Polaris Drive Belt Myself
Read the guide: Can I Replace a Polaris Drive Belt MyselfAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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Should you wash a Polaris CVT belt? Yes and Here’s How.
Read the guide: Should you wash a Polaris CVT belt? Yes and Here’s How.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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Are Polaris RZR belts directional?
Read the guide: Are Polaris RZR belts directional?As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…
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What is Can-Am Smart-Lok Front Differential Technology | Is it a UTV Off-Road Breakthrough
Read the guide: What is Can-Am Smart-Lok Front Differential Technology | Is it a UTV Off-Road BreakthroughCan-Am constantly aims to push the boundaries of innovation in the world of ITVs. In late 2017, they…
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Do you balance UTV Tires?
Read the guide: Do you balance UTV Tires?So you just bought a set of new UTV tires and you were wondering Do you balance UTV…
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How to Install a Winch on Your UTV: UTV Winch Basics
Read the guide: How to Install a Winch on Your UTV: UTV Winch BasicsAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn…