6 Polaris Ranger Lift Kit Problems With Fixes
People often complain about Polaris Ranger lift kit problems. Among those issues, altered breakover angle, damaged axles, shredded belts, reduced weight capability, complicated maintenance, and many other issues can hamper your lifted UTV experience.
Choosing the right lift kit for you depends on your purpose alongside a lot of other factors. By properly executing it you can avoid a lot of potential damage and problems.
Give this article a read to find out about all these menacing issues and their solutions in detail. Let’s go!
Quick Glimpse at Common Polaris Ranger Lift Kit Issues
| No. | Polaris Ranger Lift Kit Problems | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breaking of Axle | Replace the broken axle. |
| 2 | Axle Binding | Use an axle that’s better suited for your lift kit. |
| 3 | Overheating of CV Joints | Install an axle that can handle steeper angles. |
| 4 | Weight Capacity Compromised | Use components rated for your load and avoid overloading. |
| 5 | Frequent Maintenance and Repairs | Ensure proper setup and alignment of all components. |
| 6 | Stiffer Suspension | Upgrade to a suspension system compatible with your lift kit. |
6 Most Prevalent Ranger Lift Kit Issues
Issues you face regarding the use of a lift kit in your Polaris Ranger can be of a diverse range. You’re likely to face the following issues while both installing and using. The solution to each issue is also provided accordingly.
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Breaking Axle
Applying a lift kit puts more strain on your Ranger’s axle. That’s why for higher kits, you need to change the axle into something stronger and more suitable.
Shorter lift kits are normally designed to work with your stock axle, but the axle often isn’t suitable for the kit.
So, driving with a short lift kit is likely to cause your axle to pull out and break.
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Solution
Most of your axle and CV joint-related issues are caused by an incompatible stock axle.
When installing a lift kit, get an aftermarket axle that can handle the steeper increased pressure from the elevation.
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Axle Binding
Your ranger’s axle has two CV joints that transfer the power from the engine to the wheels with the help of internal bearings.
Applying a lift kit without adapting the axle will increase the CV joint angle and that makes the joint more vulnerable to binding.
The binding of the axle means that one or both of the CV joints have bent so much that the internal bearings and cages get stuck and can’t rotate properly.
Axle binding has a higher chance of occurrence while driving through rougher terrains as the axle faces more pressure there.
This issue is quite serious as a stuck CV joint can explode if you force it to turn.
Check if the axle is in a bind before driving the vehicle because you’ll be in danger if that’s actually the case.
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Solution
Stock axles can’t often handle the steeper angle that a lifted UTV creates. To avoid axle binding, find a suitable axle that can handle the bend and pressure caused by your lift kit.
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Overheating of CV Joints
A steeper CV joint angle makes the CV components heat up more. This is a serious concern because the excess heat will degrade the quality of lubricant in these joints.
Without proper lubrication, the components inside the CV joint start to wear out pretty rapidly.
If the temperature gets too high, the pressure and heat combined can melt the rubber boot.
This way all the lubricant will spill out and the CV components will instantly break leaving your Ranger unable to run.
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Solution
Getting a better set of axle is the most effective solution for this overheating issue as well. If you’re facing anything weird with your axle after recently lifting your Ranger, the axle needs to be changed.
To subsidize the effect of overheating, you can get high quality lubricant. Poor lubricant loses its quality faster in high heat. As added pressure on axles is inevitable, you should be better prepared in every way.
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Compromising Weight Capability
A lift kit can be compatible with your Ranger’s stock shocks, or you might have to change the shocks and suspension to suit the lifting height better.
This can reduce the UTV’s rated weight capability if the new suspension or lift kit isn’t on par.
If you use your Ranger for carrying loads, this is probably going to be a big issue for you.
But it can get worse if someone is unaware of the reduced load capacity as carrying more weight than recommended will gradually damage the shocks, axle, and some other important parts of the vehicle.
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Solution
As an aftermarket lift kit, axle, or suspension, will surely alter the weight capability of your Ranger, you need to be well aware of how much weight your new setup can tolerate.
This is absolutely the topmost priority if one of your main purposes is carrying loads. Avoid carrying excess weight on your vehicle at any cost. This will save you from a lot of potential accidents in the future.
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Frequent Repair and Maintenance
An ill-suited lift kit will put the axle and shocks of your vehicle under severe pressure. Also, a lifted Ranger will have larger tires – which means more rotational mass.
So definitely, the vehicle needs to put extended torque for the excess mass via the axle.
No wonder this will eventually lead to their demise, and you’ll need to repair or replace these parts.
Repairing axles isn’t that costly. But would it be bearable if you had to do it every 4-5 days? Also, repairing suspensions is very expensive.
You’ll also need to be sure of your lifted vehicle’s health before driving. This means frequent maintenance than usual will be required.
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Solution
You can reduce the frequency of needed repair job by installing stronger parts. But frequent maintenance is non-negotiable if you’re into exotic terrains. Remember, it’s essential for your own safety.
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Stiffer Suspension
Suspensions are supposed to absorb all the shocks and jerks from the bumps of the terrain and that’s why they need to be soft.
A stiffer suspension means the shock from the encountered bump or hole goes mostly to the vehicle’s body.
This is definitely a bad thing, especially for UTVs, which are often driven in rougher terrains.
A lift kit not compatible with your Ranger might make the suspension stiff and leave the vehicle vulnerable to damage.
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Solution
For high-lift kits, your Ranger’s stock suspension will never be adequate. Get a better set of suspension to save your Ranger from suffering massive damage.
When it comes to shorter ones, stock suspension and shocks might be adequate if you don’t venture into challenging terrains at all. Otherwise, upgrading to a stronger set is a must.
Deciding Factors When Choosing a Lift Kit for Polaris Ranger
There are various factors to keep in mind while choosing a lift kit for your Polaris Ranger.
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Reliability and Longevity
Lifting your UTV a couple of inches higher might put it under a bit too strain which could compromise the reliability and longevity of the vehicle. This occurs mostly when you install higher lift kits to your UTV than recommended.
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Breakover Angle
If you’re not aware of what the term breakover angle means, it indicates the largest possible angle at which your vehicle can drive over a curve safely without its bottom part (any part other than the wheel) touching the curve’s apex at all.
You can easily achieve the required breakover angle by installing a lift kit of the appropriate height.
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Trail and Terrain Type
Choosing your lift kit height and type depends a lot on the terrains you usually drive on.
Tougher terrain driving like mud riding, steep climbing, etc. put greater strain on the axle, suspension, and drivetrain of your vehicle. With an increased lift height, this strain increases.
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Vehicle Model
Some Ranger models showed no issue with 4-inch or 6-inch lift kits, whereas some had their axles broken within days even with a 2-inch lift kit. So, it greatly depends on the size and capability of your vehicle as well.
FAQs
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Will a lift kit compromise the warranty of my Polaris Ranger?
By book, installing an aftermarket component that can put such stress on different parts of the vehicle voids the entire warranty.
But you might find some wiggle room with your dealer to avoid losing warranty for other unaffected parts like electronics.
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Does a lift kit affect steering?
Lift kit may affect your steering to some extent. It overburdens the steering system and affects steering geometry.
Conclusion
Installing a lift kit will give you the looks, vibe, and usefulness with the cost of a few issues. While Polaris Ranger lift kit problems are in no way inconsequential, they can be easily avoided by proper setup and regular maintenance.
Remember it’s important that you never bite more than you can chew. Always check the compatibility of parts beforehand. Consulting a trustworthy professional will be your best bet in this case.