The Polaris RZR Pro R arrived with a 225-horsepower, 2.0-liter engine and an ambitious suspension platform. Its factory setup covers a wide range of drivers and terrain, but spring rates and shock tuning can be tailored to the weight of a particular vehicle and the way its owner rides. Shock Therapy’s RZR Pro R suspension lineup starts with a dual-rate spring kit and its Ride Improvement System (RIS).
Dual-Rate Spring Kit: Set Up the Pro R for Its Real Weight
Shock Therapy specifies its RZR Pro R dual-rate spring kit around factors such as driver and passenger weight, accessories, cargo, terrain and driving style. The spring package is intended to restore or optimize ride height and improve the balance between small-bump comfort and resistance to bottoming. It can also help address bucking when the factory spring setup does not suit the vehicle’s actual load.
In the original May 2022 launch video below, Shock Therapy described testing both the Walker Evans shock-equipped Pro R Sport and Premium and the FOX DYNAMIX-equipped Ultimate and Launch Edition. The team found the stock Walker Evans setup harsh over rounded obstacles and said its rebound control could leave the tires off the ground through successive bumps. According to the testers, adding the spring kit alone produced a substantial improvement before they modified the shock internals. Those are Shock Therapy’s impressions from its development vehicles, not a back-to-back UTV Guide test.
Spring choice, preload and crossover settings work together, but they do different jobs. Adding preload may change ride height; it does not increase a spring’s rate. A properly chosen spring package is especially relevant after adding a cage, spare tire, tools, larger tires or other substantial weight. For a closer explanation of how springs and damping interact, see our UTV springs versus shock valving guide.
Ride Improvement System: Tune the Shocks
The Ride Improvement System addresses shock behavior through internal tuning. Shock Therapy adapts the work to a rider’s terrain and pace, aiming for better compliance through chop, more controlled response at low and moderate speeds, and improved resistance to hard bottoming. Depending on the shock and the selected service, work can involve valving and other internal components; confirm the exact scope for your model before ordering.
Shock Therapy’s testers said they adjusted the Walker Evans shocks’ rebound behavior and improved their compliance after the spring change. They regarded the stock FOX DYNAMIX Pro R as considerably more comfortable than the stock Walker Evans version, while still seeing room to improve its spring support. In their FOX test vehicle, they reported increasing bottoming as the factory springs settled during desert miles. The takeaway from that 2022 testing is that the two shock versions should be tuned as distinct applications rather than treated as interchangeable.
During the video, Justin Smith also shows a FOX shock’s piston, top-out spring and internal bypass tube. Oil can flow past the piston through tunable bypass passages during parts of the compression stroke; Shock Therapy cited the bypass ports and valving among the areas it studied for its Pro R tune. The video shows stock components for illustration, so it does not document every proprietary change in the finished RIS.
The spring kit and RIS can be selected separately or combined. Springs support the vehicle and establish the rate progression; damping controls how quickly the suspension compresses and rebounds. Riders seeking a more complete setup can discuss both with Shock Therapy, including the exact shock type and the Pro R’s finished weight. The original launch covered FOX DYNAMIX and Walker Evans shock-equipped Pro R models; verify current fitment by model year, trim and two- or four-seat configuration.
Watch the Original Pro R Suspension Launch
Other Shock Therapy Pro R Upgrades
Shock Therapy also offers parts aimed at durability, steering feel and suspension control. Its front shock forks and spring retainers address support at the lower shock shaft connection. The Pro R and Turbo R tie-rod kit pairs steering components with a bump-steer adjustment system. Limit straps, sway-bar links, toe links and radius links offer further options according to how the vehicle is used.
Smith specifically discussed front limit straps for Pro Rs running heavier wheel and tire packages. Their purpose is to control full extension and reduce the shock’s top-out impact; they are a separate consideration from correcting spring rates or compression damping. The video also previews links, rods and steering parts that were still in development at the time. Its quoted launch prices, stock levels and appointment timelines were for May 2022 and should not be used as current purchasing information.
For a current overview of bundled choices, see our guide to Shock Therapy’s RZR Pro R Base, Performance and Elite packages. Those packages were introduced after this original 2022 product announcement and provide another way to plan a coordinated upgrade.
