What Are The Different Types of UTV Suspension?

Everything You Need To Know About The Different ATV and UTV Suspension Types

What's going on everyone? Today, we're gonna be running through all things suspension for your UTV. If you've got a side by side and you've been looking at maybe lifting it or doing a portal kit, or if you just want forward arms or additional ground clearance, we're gonna cover all of it today. So let's get right into it and see all the options that you have at your disposal if you want to give your UTV a boost!

Table Of Contents

-Why Should You Add A Suspension Kit To Your UTV?

-Different UTV and Side By Side Suspension Types

-Shop Aftermarket UTV Suspension Kits and Upgrades

Shop All Suspension Kits In Our Store!

Why Should You Add A Suspension Kit To Your UTV?

So when it comes to upgrading the suspension on your UTV, typically you're trying to accomplish one of three things. First, you might just want it to look cool - jack that thing to the sky, because we all know that bigger just looks better.

Second, you might be looking for some additional ground clearance. Say you're going over rocky terrains often on your trails, and you're scraping your arms and trailing arms, and you'll probably be looking for some extra lift when it comes to actually riding and using your machine.

Finally, you're looking to add a bigger wheel and tire to your UTV's setup, and that could be for any number of reasons. Usually it's for aesthetics, but bigger wheels and tires offer some functional upgrades for your machine as well, like better traction out on the trails and rocks. In any case, a bigger setup can help you out.

Different UTV and Side By Side Suspension Types

Whatever you're looking for out of your UTV's suspension, you can rest assured that we'll have the best parts and accessories to suit your needs. But if you're not quite sure yet what you're looking for, we've listed more information on each side-by-side suspension type below. Check them out:

Spring Spacer Kits

The first option at your disposal is a spring spacer kit - this is a little piece of aluminum that goes in between the shock of the mounting point, though because of its smaller size, the lift it gives you might be around one inch high or so, sometimes two. It's cheap and easy, however, which makes spring kits a good entry level option if you're just starting out with your UTV build.

Bracket Lift Kits

Next up is the bracket lift kit, and across the board, this is definitely the most common way to lift your UTV. These come in all different sizes, though you'll generally see them looped into small (3-5 inches of lift) and big (6-10 inches of lift) kits. A bracket lift kit essentially moves the shock mounting points in a way where it pushes the arms down, and allows you to get a bit more clearance.

A small bracket lift kit is a pretty basic assembly, but when you get into the 6-10 inch range, you'll need to start looking at other things like axles, because these kits will change the geometry of your suspension a ton.

Read More: What Tire Size Should You Run on Your ATV or UTV?

Portal Gear Lift Kits

Coming up next is portals, and portals are the kits that you're gonna see on some of the bigger machines. There's a few advantages and maybe some disadvantages when it comes to portals - one of the biggest cons that we see is that these things are super expensive, anywhere between $3000-5000 per kit. But they're made for a reason and a purpose.

A portal lift kit actually allows you to not have to alter the suspension geometry of your UTV, because they bolt right onto the hub. The axle goes straight into these kits the same way it would in a factory system, and then it pulls it down - where the wheel actually mounts to it is how big the actual portal is. So, you still get the lift, but the suspension geometry stays the same.

One of the other benefits that you get with portals is gear reduction built into the portal. Obviously, when you're running one of those big setups, whether it's 44 or 50 inch tires, you need that gear reduction because the UTV isn't built to spin that big of a wheel. So you can get anywhere from 30-60% gear reduction, which allows you to still create that low end torque you need to get through mud. The cost of entry is high, but if you're looking for a big suspension lift that can still get you through obstacles, a portal might just be the kit for you.

A-Arms & Rear Trailing Arms

One of the things we didn't talk about was suspension arms, and rear trailing arms especially. These are for the guy who maybe doesn't wanna lift too much, but looking for that extra ground clearance to run a bit bigger of a tire. Companies like High Lifter make a forward arm that actually pushes the suspension forward, about an inch and a half, which allows clearance for up to 34.5 inch tires without a lift involved.

This is a big advantage for a couple reasons - first, the forward arms are gonna be stronger and more durable, able to handle more capacity. Two, they can give you that much more ground clearance so you aren't scraping on rocks and can clear a few more things. Same goes for the rear trailing arm, as it's gonna give you that better rear entry for your tires when you come across rocks.

If you're not looking to do a full lift kit, some arms and trailing arms are a good plus - they don't offer a super extreme upgrade, but it's definitely a beneficial one.

Check Out The Best ATV and UTV Builds In Our Gallery!

Shop Aftermarket UTV Suspension Kits and Upgrades at Function Powersports

So, now that you know about each of the different types of suspension kits available to you, you can check out our store today and grab yourself a new set to best fit your UTV or side by side. Browse through our inventory and let us know if there's anything that we can do to help you find the best suspension kit for your needs - our team is always happy to lend a hand.