Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: The Kevolution Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:51 am
On request from ChrisH here is the full account of my Rhino. I bought the Rhino mid March 2013, it was my first sxs and only the second one I had even rode in. Earlier this year I had a 2004 Honda 450R and a 2012 Grizzly 700 EPS, both decked out pretty good and thanks to thepayne I went and traded them both in and bought the Rhino.
I kept my wheels and tires off the Grizzly to put on the Rhino. When I bought the Rhino I ordered a sport roof, Dynatek DynaFS, Gibson exhaust, Warn ProVantage 3500, YES extended warranty. I rode it like this for 3 months and really liked it, everything was really smooth and fairly quiet and did exactly what it was supposed to do.
The next major upgrade I did was a JBS sheave with 16gr weights. After talking to James on the phone for a while and talking about my riding style we decided on the 16gr weights to give it a little more aggressive ride. This is where I should have stopped. It would jerk the front tires off the ground from a stand still and run 64mph on the dash. Unfortunately at this point I was watching lots of videos online and talking so some of my buddies that race all the time and I decided that I had to try that. I was on the path of just putting in a Stage 2 cam at some point and just riding it and then all hell broke loose. I ordered a JE 11:1 piston, Stage 3 cam, AEM afr gauge and Dyntatek DRSP-1 Fuel/Timing controller. I spent several weeks working on a good tune, lots of learning curve for me, and this thing ran like a beast. Unbelievable mid and top range power, I could hit the rev limiter at 61mph easily. I went to my first race and raced against only RZR 800's and got absolutely smoked off the line, I was able to keep up in the tight stuff but accelerating back out on the straights they were pulling me easily. At this point I decided to call James again and talk to him about my take off. We dropped down to 15gr weights, put in a gold spring, kms wet clutch weights and Bazzaz with Autotune. I also decided to by a used set of plastics to keep from destroying my factory SE Tactical Black plastics. I also stripped off as much weight as I could like my winch, tailgate, top, and everything else I could do without.
After two weeks of tuning on it I was never able to get the low end lull out of it. After the weight changes and gold spring it was definitely much faster taking off and I wasn't getting pulled by the RZR 800's nearly as bad but my suspension was just not as good as theirs going over the jumps and around the corners. This is where the wreck happened. I was going around a 90 degree corner where I would normally spin the rear around it didn't spin and over I went. Thanks to the lovely factory seat belt it let me come 8 inches out of my seat as I was rolling and I thought I was going out the front so I started grabbing for stuff and got my hand outside of the cage and it rolled over it doing $30,000 worth of damage to my hand and just over $6,000 worth of damage to the Rhino.
At this point the wife put her foot down and said no more racing for a while so I decided to slow things down and do some more technical riding. The first thing I needed to address was the lull right off idle. I was actually planning on going back with my factory cam but Banchee suggested a stock raptor cam so I traded my Stage 3 to one of the other guys at the racetrack and he paid the labor to do the swap. This change really did the trick. I was again able to get the front tires off the ground and still has really good mid range (ask thepayne about his 734 getting spanked by a 686 ). I did lose some ease of just cruising at 45 to 50 mph with just my foot resting on the pedal and when I punched it while rolling it wasn't as explosive but still ran very good. I am still running the DynaFS, DRSP-1, and Bazzaz with Autotune. I am using the DRSP-1 to retard my timing quite a bit so I can run 87 octane with my 11:1 piston with no detonation and I am using the Bazzaz and Autotune to handle all my fuel. Thepayne was nice enough to put my winch back on and swap all my black plastics on for me. Now I had decided that I wanted to do some rock crawling. I ordered 44ft of DOM to make some changes to my cage, a 2" lift from Savant, and a set of 27x10x14 EFX Motoclaws. This is how it sets now, I have the lift and tires on and I am waiting on my cage work still. Those heavy 27's took quite a bit of power out of my Rhino, thepayne was actually able to barely outrun me now. I am still working on my suspension setup and it is getting better every day. I really like these new tires, they are amazingly tough but right now after they sit all night when I first take off they have flat spots and just knocks the crap out of you. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will finally get my cage work done and will keep updating this thread.
thePayne
Posts : 455 Join date : 2013-06-06 Age : 43 Location : Harrison Arkansas
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:17 pm
Good Stuff Kevin its been a fun ride so far minus the "ER all night trip" where I swear I drank a case of Mt. Dews so lets keep it up!!
And to be fair I hadn't tuned my fuel map when we raced the first time and I still think my rhino weights more than yours by couple hundred pounds and this last time when I won I had a well tuned fuel map with several hrs spent on launch which I might add kept us dead even till my topend kicked in on stage2 cam, also got 100lbs more in bumpers now and a second passenger.........
WV Hot Rod Rhino Admin
Posts : 2682 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 57 Location : Mt. Hope, WV
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:22 pm
every 100 pounds makes a big difference..mine is a tank
ChrisH
Posts : 475 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 42 Location : Texas (Victoria Area)
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:29 pm
Now that's one heck of a write-up! I'd love to come up and ride with you guys some time. Oh, and those hand pics are gross! LoL
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:33 pm
Im not setting at compressions backed all the way out, rebound at 8 clicks, tires at 7 front 8 rear and I am really starting to like it. I was out busting trails this morning before it started raining and got hung up in a downed tree and couldn't move forward and slid it into a tree. I wish the picture did the hill I was on justice. When I climbed out to hook up the winch I could teeter totter the Rhino.
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:08 pm
I put a UTV Inc. rear diff brace on tonight and dropped my tire pressure to 5.5 in the fronts and 6 in the rear and boy what a difference that made. It is really starting to get smooth again. It's got some bounce in the front end when I hit big rocks or ledges and I am hoping that turning in the rebound some will help that.
chalkminer
Posts : 113 Join date : 2013-03-13 Age : 55 Location : Southern AZ
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:21 pm
Nice write up, and sweet ride!
123.bert0621
Posts : 1464 Join date : 2013-03-18 Age : 64 Location : Western Quebec
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:27 pm
Great way of putting together your story, I had been Interested right after I saw your new Rhino, and the mods started and then you raced the first time and all the stuff after.
Brian lee Rhino450
Posts : 134 Join date : 2013-03-11 Age : 57 Location : Tuscola tx.
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:28 pm
wish i wouldent have read this while i was eating, damn hope ur ok. only other xray i have seen of a hand like that was on deadliest catch earlier this year and that guy got his hand stuck in the bait grinder.
Last edited by Brian lee Rhino450 on Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:31 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : added more)
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:59 am
Yeah, that little wreck put an ass whoopin on my hand, almost tore my pinky off. I am on the downhill side of all of this. Been through two months of physical therapy and everything thing is in good shape except the movement in my pinky, only about 10%. I have an appt. with my hand specialist tomorrow to hopefully get some good news as to what is going on with it.
Here it is as of right now.
chuddly
Posts : 710 Join date : 2013-03-13 Age : 43 Location : Eminence, IN
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 07, 2013 7:08 am
better than not having a pinky at all right? prayin for ya
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 4:48 pm
I am never going to get my Rhino fixed. Since the wreck it has been in the shop a few times getting things fixed, I have been waiting for them to get some time to straighten my upper and lower rollcage and put a new steering knuckle on the drivers side. I have been driving it with the bent knuckle and bent ball joints for a couple hundred miles now but since I put the new motoclaws on I could really feel some jumping in the front end. They called me today and after they put the new knuckle and ball joints on there was still some play so they got to digging a little deeper and now I am going to need a new steering rack. I just want to ride the damn thing again
thePayne
Posts : 455 Join date : 2013-06-06 Age : 43 Location : Harrison Arkansas
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:15 pm
If its any consolation:cry: to you it looked badass sitting on the rack in the shop while I was up there at lunch... I like your tires more each time I see them.
WV Hot Rod Rhino Admin
Posts : 2682 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 57 Location : Mt. Hope, WV
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:17 pm
lookin better!!!!
Mrs. Hot Rod Admin
Posts : 242 Join date : 2013-03-15 Age : 43 Location : Mt. Hope, WV
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:27 pm
Wow ... I'm with Chuddly ... never in a million years thought it could look so good! Before long you're not even gonna be able to tell. I know you've got a long road still & you continue to be in our thoughts & prayers. Thanks for sharing =)
REDRHINO64
Posts : 1649 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 59 Location : Asheboro N.C./Mountain Top West By God Virginia
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:24 pm
Looking good bud!
123.bert0621
Posts : 1464 Join date : 2013-03-18 Age : 64 Location : Western Quebec
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:40 pm
Great that your so much better, I feel for you about your bike being damaged.
thePayne
Posts : 455 Join date : 2013-06-06 Age : 43 Location : Harrison Arkansas
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:03 pm
Cart wheels are for sure for cheerleaders and not rhinos pretty sure Kevin understands that now.
rhino727
Posts : 1317 Join date : 2013-03-25 Age : 59 Location : musella,Ga.
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:41 pm
glad your doing better , an the ride will be good again then try to keep ALL extremities inside the moving vehicle at all times , AN THATS A FACT JACK
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:19 pm
Well its at the shop getting the cage work done. We ended up just keeping the two outside bars after they were straightened and scrapping everything in the middle because it was tweaked so badly. At least this way I can still use most standard Rhino accessories like roofs and windshields. I just snapped a quick pic while they were test fitting some of my new crossbars. I should have completed pics tomorrow.
Crusty
Posts : 431 Join date : 2013-08-10 Age : 54 Location : Woods Cross Utah
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:35 pm
Looking good, I really like those tires.
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:04 pm
I don't have anything bad to say about the tires. I wish I had seen if they would fit before I put the lift on because I don't think I would have went with the lift. I think next time I will buy the ITP Blackwater Evolutions.
WV Hot Rod Rhino Admin
Posts : 2682 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 57 Location : Mt. Hope, WV
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:03 pm
lookin good...get a cross bar back in there ...thats where the strength is at
ASPENDELLROVER
Posts : 1638 Join date : 2013-03-10 Age : 51 Location : CA
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:16 pm
chop the cage too
thekevin
Posts : 639 Join date : 2013-03-16 Age : 44 Location : Missouri
Subject: Re: The Kevolution Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:23 pm
I don't know how these guys are chopping their cages. When I sit in mine with my helmet on there is less than two inches to the top crossbar in my cage. There must be a lot of midgets or a bunch of fatasses with busted down seats on here.