ATV Illustrated | May 2012
By Pete Bengel
Recently, we tried a set of Durablue’s UTV Wheel Spacers on our Polaris RZR 800. The Durablue spacers are 2.5” wide each for a 5” total increase in width. They come two to a package, so you’ll have to order a set for the front and for the rear.
Each set comes complete with all necessary mounting hardware and detailed instructions, and they have a lifetime warranty. The spacers mount on special stud extensions and do not require any modifications to the OEM wheel studs. Installation was super simple and the total time to install all 4 spacers on our RZR was less than 20 minutes.
Once installed, it didn’t take long to notice the difference from the extra 5 inches of width. There was a dramatic decrease in body roll and it was much easier to slide our RZR through corners without fear of two-wheeling. The wider, flatter stance also increased straight line stability due to less side-to-side sway. Adding the spacers didn’t seem to have any negative effect on our suspension, and our ride quality was just as good as it was at the stock 50” width.
The only drawbacks to our wheel spacers seemed to be a slight increase in turning radius and an increased tendency for our RZR to make “crop circles” in the grass when we made a sharp turn on the yard, but it was a small price to pay for the increase in stability we gained from the extra width. We also recommend checking fastener torque regularly to make sure everything stays nice and snug. While simply adding wheel spacers isn’t going to turn your SXS or UTV into a longtravel desert racer, they WILL give you a very noticeable difference in handling. For a little over $400 retail, Durablue’s UTV wheel spacers are a very cost effective way to maximize your off-road fun without spending a fortune.
