Upgrading the UTV

I’ve mentioned the 6-wheeler UTV I bought several years ago in various columns along with some of the modifications I’ve had done to it. Now might be a good time to summarize things in case anyone is looking to buy one and trick it out for use. The Polaris I bought is no longer being made, however, CanAm is producing a side-by-side six-wheeler.

After running the machine enough to get the engine and transmission properly broken in, the first major addition was an aftermarket, heavy duty skid plate to protect the underside. CAC Plastics, LLC, of Wasilla did the installation. They removed the factory skid plate, which is thin and flimsy, and replaced it with a ½-inch thick piece of heavy plastic. The aftermarket skid plate protects a much larger bottom area than the OEM skid plate.

The next major addition was a rack mounted on the rear dump bed. I wanted something to allow carrying large, bulky loads, a place to mount a Handi-Man jack and a space for carrying additional fuel cans and a spare tire. The Fence Emporium of Alaska, located in Palmer, had been recommended to me since they had designed and constructed racks for the same model machine I had. I contacted them about cost, time of construction, and exactly what features I was looking for.

Using standard steel galvanized fence posts, they welded together a great rack incorporating all the features I had requested. It only took them two to three days, as I recall, from when I brought the machine over to when they called and told me the rack was done and I could pick up the machine. They also suggested several options where the rack could be easily modified for carrying plywood, ladder treestands or whatever up on top. I am quite pleased with the way this rack turned out.

Since I drew a DC485 caribou permit that year and planned to use the machine on the hunt, I decided I needed a cover over the rack to protect the bed contents from the inevitable rain and possible snow which are standard for the season. I contacted Laurie at BluSkye Industrial Sewing in Wasilla about making the cover.

She made a waterproof cover using some camouflage material she had in stock and designed, constructed, and installed the cover. Laurie had previously made some modifications and repairs on a boat cabin cover I have, so I was familiar with what she could do.

Some other, smaller modifications to the 6x6 included adding a small LED light bar on the front for additional lighting after dark and having a ventilation fan installed in the cab to blow air over the engine on hot days. The cab is mounted over the engine and the engine heat rises. I learned how warm the enclosed cab can get during a hot and dusty moose hunt. The cab got uncomfortably warm! Since the exhaust fan was installed, the cab has been comfortable, even when I’m working the engine on a warm day!

When I had the full cab installed, I had an overhead gun rack mounted on the inside of the cabin roof. I have also added a second gun rack designed specifically for my model UTV which lives on the front seat. This second rack holds two long guns with the muzzles pointed down toward the floor and is easier to access than the overhead rack. I had a 2-inch trailer receiver hitch installed on the back end and a rear bumper added to protect the rear end when backing up or towing trailers.

When I can afford to, I want to replace the winch cable with some winch rope rated for the pulling power of the winch. The rope is easier to work with than the metal cable and is just as strong. After the full cab was installed, I mounted side mirrors on the outside of both doors to aid in operating the unit. I had an inside rearview mirror mounted on the windshield, but with the addition of the rack cover on the dump bed, the inside mirror was no longer useful.

You may not want or need all these various add-ons, but they do make using the machine more comfortable and pleasant. Fair warning: none of these modifications are cheap! The bigger items I’ve described were done a few years ago and you should call the mentioned companies to see if they still do that kind of work. However, I think the upgrades are all worthwhile!