UTV Maintenance Tips
Maintaining your side-by-side is important. It helps keep the UTV performing optimally, prevents unnecessary wear and tear, reduces the need for repairs and parts replacements, and extends the life of the vehicle. To take advantage of all these perks, follow the below UTV maintenance tips.
If you need professional maintenance help or want to shop side-by-sides for sale, contact Big St. Charles Motorsports. Our dealership is located in St. Charles, Missouri, and we also serve those in St. Peters and St. Louis.
Review The UTV Owner's Manual
Start by glancing at the owner's manual. There may be maintenance tasks or products specific to your side-by-side. Follow these recommendations to best take care of your UTV.
Check The Brakes
Inspect the brakes on a regular basis.
Be sure to:
- Check the brake pad thickness.
- Look over the routing of the lines.
- Check the quality of the braking fluid.
- Top off the braking fluid as needed.
Look Over The Wiring
Side-by-sides go on extreme trail rides that include quick acceleration, cruising over slopes, and bouncing over obstacles. All of this jostling about can cause wires to shake loose. Take the time to look over the wiring harnesses and make sure the wires are in place.
If you notice a wire that got knocked out of place on the trail ride, you can use duct tape to secure it...before it gets ripped off by a branch.
Change The Filters
Filters help keep harmful particles from getting inside the UTV and causing damage. Over time, the filters get full and need to be replaced. Otherwise, they will be compromised in their ability to prevent the particles from getting in.
Maintain The Tires
First, make sure there is no damage to any of the tires.
Second, measure the tread level and compare it to the manufacturer's recommendations. When the tread gets too worn down, the tires cannot properly maintain traction and will need to be replaced.
Third, measure the air pressure. When tires are inflated to the incorrect levels, they can face a host of issues from increased chance of a blowout to reduced fuel efficiency.
Do Regular Battery Maintenance
Tending the battery is one of the most important parts of UTV maintenance. An ill-performing battery can cause a host of issues and a broken battery can merit an expensive repair.
Look over the battery posts about once a month. They connect the battery to the rest of the side-by-side, so it's important that they stay clean. If they get too corroded, you will need to get a new battery. Check the battery posts and clean as needed.
When you put your UTV in storage, it's important to maintain the battery as well. Remove it and connect it to a tender. If it drains during storage, it may not hold a charge again!
Need professional side-by-side maintenance help? Want to shop UTVs for sale? Whatever you need, the experts at Big St. Charles Motorsports are here to help. Contact us or visit our dealership in St. Charles, Missouri. We also serve those in St. Louis and St. Peters, Missouri.