Tips For Maintaining Your UTV

Utility terrain vehicles or UTVs are workhorse powerhouses that are equally capable of transporting heavy payloads on the farm or construction site as they are of providing a family with a fun vehicle for off-roading on the weekends. You’re bound to get a great deal of usage out of your UTV for both recreational and professional purposes, and all that usage will take its toll if you don’t stay on top of maintenance. UTVs, like any motorized vehicle, have a number of moving parts that need to be serviced on a regular basis to keep your UTV in great shape. To help you with this task, Advantage Powersports of Kansas City, Missouri has created this list of tips for UTV maintenance.

Tend To Your Battery

Regularly inspect your UTV’s battery for signs of corrosion or leaks. As time goes on and you use your UTV, your battery will hold less of a charge, but you can do a few things to help maintain its power so it lasts longer. When storing your UTV for the off-season, you’ll either want to use a solar charger (provided there’s access to sunlight) to keep the battery charge topped up, or you’ll want to remove the battery and place it in a tender so that it stays charged. If you allow the battery to drain, it may never hold a charge again, so keeping its power topped up will prevent you from having to replace it as often.

Service Your Driveline

The driveline is an important part of your UTV’s function, since it gives power to the tires. It’s either a belt or a chain; if the latter, it should be lubricated regularly to keep it flexible. Check the tension every so often to make sure it isn’t too tight or too loose. Repairing a driveline is something of a difficult task, so you may want to bring your UTV in for maintenance if that’s the case.

Check Tire Pressure

The tires support the weight of your UTV and all its cargo and passengers over tricky terrain, so they take a lot of strain and need a lot of care to make up for that. Check them over before every ride to make sure they look evenly pressured, either visually or using a tire pressure gauge. If necessary, inflate them to the correct pressure and look for any embedded objects in the tread as well as any slices or gashes in the sides. Applying some Armor-All to the sides of your tires can keep them in better shape, but sealant is not recommended as it can make the inside of the tire gummy and resistant to patches, as well as corroding the tire rim.

Check Your Oil & Fluids

The fluids in your engine keep it running smoothly and prevent its various working parts from grinding against each other or overheating. The oil should be changed on a fairly regular basis, either about every 1500 miles or whatever is recommended in your particular UTV’s owner’s manual. When topping up the oil between changes, be sure you don’t overfill it, as much less is needed in a UTV than in a passenger car. You can check the oil by removing the dipstick, wiping it down, inserting it and removing it again to compare the color to the chart provided. If the texture is gummy, you need an oil change. If it’s gritty, your engine may be grinding against itself which necessitates immediate professional maintenance.

Coolant keeps your radiator functional and should be topped up on a regular basis. If you consistently have low coolant, this could indicate a leak. Check under your UTV for puddles of fluids that indicate something is leaking, and look over your radiator to see if the fittings are loose. Anything that seems amiss should be fixed in a shop.

Change Out Filters

UTVs have several filters that need to be changed out on a regular basis. Under the fuel tank, you’ll find the fuel filter, which doesn’t need changing often. If it’s clogged, though, you may find that your UTV performs badly and isn’t getting up to the speeds you want. Change out the air filter about as often as you change your UTV’s tires. You may need to change it more often if you ride frequently in dirty and dusty conditions. The oil filter keeps impurities from polluting your oil and it should be changed at every oil change.

If you find while working on your UTV that it could use some attention from a professional, contact us to talk to one of our mechanics. We can help you schedule a service appointment to get the problem addressed or parts ordered as necessary. Advantage Powersports is located in Kansas City, Missouri.