'04 Yamaha Rhino

[ciscoman14]

Hey guys.....Just got a '04 Yamaha Rhino yesterday.  Awesome ride.  Any reccomendations on up-grades??   Thanks.

[264 WIN MAG]

Tires would be the first thing I would do to a Rhino. There is a long list of other things I would do to it, but that all depends on what you want to do with it.

So what kind of stuff is this thing going to be doing?

[ciscoman14]

I have a small "wildlife" farm that we plant food-plots, hunt on, etc, etc. I love to trail ride and play, but nothing too hard or deep. I have been considering either the Maxxis Bighorns or the Mud-Lites......
Thanks.

[264 WIN MAG]

I have not had any experience with the bighorn radials although several people have told me they are a good all-terrain tire. The mud-lites are a good all around tire. Some people have complained about them saying the tread life is not long enough but all the people I ride with that have them have been more than satisfied with them. I know one guy in particular that has over 2,000 miles on his set and they are still in pretty good shape.

The ITP 589 is also a good all-terrain tire although it won't provide as smooth of a ride as a bighorn or mud-lite.

[ciscoman14]

Thanks.  Good info.....just have to make a decision.  What other up-grades do you suggest??

[264 WIN MAG]

If you are going to be doing a lot of pulling with it like pulling around disc or stuff like this I would suggest a clutch kit. There are several companies that make clutch kits for the Grizzly and Rhino, but the two most prominent are EPI and Dalton. The Dalton kit is a good kit if you want a little snappier response on take off and giving it throttle. It has the primary springs, but doesn’t include the wet clutch or secondary. The EPI clutch kit on the other hand includes the whole nine yards and is the one I have. If you are going to run larger more aggressive tires it’s a must. Also the EPI clutch would help make the CVT work more efficiently and will help in pulling as well. You can buy the EPI clutch kit from High Lifter.

Also another nice thing I have seen done with the Rhino’s is the addition of a seat in the bed. It gives you more people hauling space and looks pretty cool too. I think Essex Manufacturing has come out with the seats for the Rhino already. A radio is an awesome addition if you like putting around and just riding for fun a lot. I have seen several people mount radios on the dash of the Rhino and then mount speakers above the seats on both sides or just wherever.

A Rhino is probably the next thing I am going to buy. I have a list about a mile long of accessories and things that I want to do to it when I get it. Most of the things I want to do others would think is just silly though.

[markc]

Congrats on your Rhino.   Tires yes.  ITP makes alot of tires, and good ones.  The MudLites are popular with Rhino owners as are the 589's  and aluminum wheels.  You can upgrade the wheels/tires as a kit from a number of sources.

A hard top and folding windshield is a good accessory, especially when the weather turns sour.  A winch is almost a must.  Four wheel drive tends to get us going places we wouldn't have before (which is where the fun comes in) but also gets us a bit stuck from time to time.  So, more aggressive tires, a winch, hard top, cup holders of course, to get you started.     http://utilityoffroad.com/riders/rhino/index.html

markc

[ciscoman14]

Thanks markc.......I have found many good places on the net to learn more about the Rhino and all that is available.  Just have to open the 'ole wallet and let go.

[264 WIN MAG]

You also might want to look into some aftermarket axles. Most big bore machines don't have axles capable of handling the power.

[ciscoman14]

Yea......I have been looking at the Gorilla axles.  EXPENSIVE.  but I imagine after that no more worries about snapping an axle.  I have also been looking at winches closely.......

[264 WIN MAG]

If I were you I would do like me. I said when I bought the grizz I would ride the stockers until they broke. I have put 400 miles of nothing but mud on mine and just broke my first axle. I think the only reason I broke this axle is because I lost my a-arm guard on that side and a stick tore the CV boot. I would invest in aftermarket protection before the axles because the stock plastic protection is less that sufficient.

The Gorilla's are expensive but they are worth the money. As far as aftermarket axles go they are the cream of the crop. A stock axle for a grizz or Rhino on the front will include the axle bar and the outer CV joint and will run you about $245. By the time you get the inner CV joint you end up around $350. The Gorilla is going to cost you about the same price and is a much tougher axle.

I would definately run the stockers until they broke though. I have not heard a whole lot of complaints about the Rhino axles because most people aren't riding their Rhino's like most people ride the grizz. Another reason might be that the bigger body of the Rhino will suck some more power away from the motor. Most CV's I have seen broke on the grizz's were people that were running oversized tires and spinning them fast in a mudhole and hit something solid like a stump or something.

The only way I would get aftermarket axles right off the bat is if you are planning on lifting it because this will put a fairly big strain on the axles.

[markc]

there have been a good number of complaints re: the Rhino and broken axles and overheating on the forums where I linked the pictures.  The talk is that the 05 Rhino would have different axles to address the problems of them breaking.  Not sure if that is true of not.

Most of the folks posting over there are riding the mess out of the Rhinos.  They are adding Grizz CDI's and getting some crazy top speeds (crazy to me atleast).   If you go to that home page, click on the link that has the video's.  There are only a couple, but that Rhino will do some amazing climbing.  Not alot of mud pics on there.  There were some linked in the thread I posted about mud lovers.  Take a look at that, there are a couple of Rhinos videos to look at.  

All in all, if you are not in to alot of hard work hauling and towing, the Rhino is an awsome vehicle!   You will enjoy it.

[264 WIN MAG]

Actually the overheating problems are not that severe. They used to be pretty bad, but now Yamaha has them more under control. The reason some people complain about the overheating is because they ride in a lot of mud and dust. The fins on the stock Yamaha radiator are too small and don’t allow the mud and dirt to pass though and it ends up caking up in the radiator and causing overheating problems. What I did was get a radiator power washer from HL and that thing is a life saver. I also have the temp. gauge which is a must on any liquid cooled ATV. When I see the temp. start going up I stop at any kind of water I can find, drop the power washer in, and clean the radiator.

I really haven’t heard all that many complaints about the Rhino snapping axles (at least not near as many as the Grizzly). I am sure it has the capability to do so because it definitely has the power. The Yamaha stock axles are undersized and the CV’s are as well.

[markc]

most of the complaints I've read from new Rhino owners can be traced back to poor to no dealer prep. Loose bolts, clamps etc.. Some of the overheating was due to too much air and not enough fluid in the cooling system. Some were clogged radiators, but others were not involving mud or even very hot days at all.  Good lesson there, don't trust the dealerships mechanics with your expensive atv or uv.

The leaky gas tanks have been remedied by Yamaha I've been told.  Even the folks with the break downs are very satisfied with the Rhino.

My hunting partner seems thrilled with his rhino.  I drove it, aimed at the biggest mud hole and roughest stuff our lease had to offer.  It was nice, loud, a little bit more vibration through the seats and steering wheel than I expected, but quite a nice sporty ride for sure.
markc

[ciscoman14]

Yes markc.......there is ALOT of vibration and rattles. I am trying to chase down some of them now. But, I still like the Rhino alot, and will work on the problems.

[264 WIN MAG]

I don't know that you will be able to get rid of the vibration. Unfortunately the big single in the Rhino is going to vibrate quite a bit. I have the same problem with the grizz. The thing is like sitting on a washing machine that's out of balance.

[markc]

not likely that you will remedy all of the noise or vibration in the Rhino.  Just enjoy it for what it was designed for.  It is an awsome machine, and should improve with each passing model year.
markc