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Tuning UTV Shocks for Various Terrains

Nov. 30 2023 Riding a Powersports Vehicle By Big St. Charles Motorsports

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There are ways to tune a UTV's shocks to perform better on specific terrain. Whether you’re taking on the mud, the mountains, or the sand, there may be multiple shock tuning options that are helpful to consider.

Here are a few key tips for tuning your UTV! 

Tuning UTV Shocks for Mountainous Terrain

A mountain adventure often involves a mixture of rock crawling and cruising, over flat terrain. There is also a need for some amount of ground clearance. However, too much ground clearance can sacrifice a valuable amount of tire traction, which can cause the tires to spin on the spot instead of moving forward.

In this situation, it’s best to strike a balance when tuning the side-by-side shocks. Aim for a soft compression and a neutral rebound. The goal is for the suspension system to respond quickly, without being too fast!

Tuning UTV Shocks for Sand Dunes

Sand dunes often pose two unique challenges - cross chatter and razorback dunes. Cross chatter is the term for tracks left behind by other side-by-side riders, while razorback dunes are areas with a gradual incline on one side, but a sharp decline on the other.

In order to tackle the cross chatter, tune the compression to be initially soft. In the case of taking on large dunes, tune the compression so that it stiffens up in the large transitions. A low rebound setting will also help keep the UTV stable after a transition, and also helps with approaching a razorback sand dune!

Tuning UTV Shocks for the Desert

A desert poses different obstacles than sand dunes, which means taking a whole other approach to tuning UTV shocks. The main difficulty with riding side-by-sides in the desert has to do with the ever-changing conditions. 

Deserts can have shale hill climbs, rocks, rain ruts, silt beds, whoop sections, and more. Due to the uncertainty, it's helpful to tune the compression setting to be soft, but without bottoming out after a bump. The changing terrain also merits quick suspension adjustments. Remember that the front rebound can be set quicker than the rear rebound, which helps prevent the UTV from bucking after an impact!

Time for tuning! Buy your UTV at Big St. Charles Motorsports, located in St. Charles, Missouri. We also proudly serve St. Louis, St. Peters, and surrounding areas.