Yamaha Rhino Long Travel Review

Posted on November 17, 2013

The 2006 Yamaha Rhino revolutionized the side-by-side market by blending utility and recreation in one versatile vehicle. Powered by a 660cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine, the Rhino delivered impressive performance for work tasks and off-road adventures alike. Its compact design, independent suspension, and selectable 4WD system allowed it to tackle challenging terrain with ease, making it a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts and farmers. The Rhino also featured a spacious cab with seating for two, a tilting cargo bed for hauling, and a robust frame that prioritized safety. As one of the pioneers of the sport-utility side-by-side segment, the 2006 Yamaha Rhino set a high standard for durability, performance, and versatility in off-road vehicles.

From 2006 through 2009 it was very popular to add long travel suspension to the Yamaha Rhino to increase suspension capability and add stability.

Long Travel Kit:

We decided on a set of +6″ arms from Mason Motorsports.This is a bolt on kit that requires no modifications to your stock Rhino andresults in 12″ wider track (+6″ each side), a 4″ longer wheelbase, and 14 1/2″ of wheel travel.

The Mason Motorsports kit comes with fully boxed A-arms, thatare made of 4130 chromoly steel with 7/8″ uniballs.

Mason Motorsports – Rhino Long Travel Arms (front)

Mason Motorsports – Rhino Long Travel Arms (rear)

Shocks:

For shocks, we went with a set of 46mm Elka Elite shocks from Elka Suspension. Elka just released this new shock in 2006. The 46mm Elitesaren’t some made over ATV shocks. They are a new ground up design madespecifically for UTVs. The bigger diameter and remote reservoirs allow more oildisplacement for better control of the damping and cooler operating temperature.The Elite Series also features high and low-speed compression adjustment,providing maximum adjustability for optimal traction and control.

Elka Suspension – Yamaha Rhino 46mm Elite Series Shocks (front)

Elka Suspension – Yamaha Rhino 46mm Elite Series Shocks (rear)

Axles:

Gorilla Axle makes a complete kit for +6″ Rhinoarms. They allow up to 40 degrees of travel. EachAxle Bar, Joint and Internal Race and Cage are made of 4340 Chromoly steel, heattreated, then cryogenically treated again to ensure their absolute strength anddurability.

To top it off, the axles have aOne-Year Warranty.

Gorilla Axles – +6 inch Rhino Axles

Gorilla Axle – Passenger Side Rear Axle

Installation:

PDS Fabrication in Murrieta, CA was building our four seat cage and bumper, so we asked it they could also install the long travel kit for us. “No problem” was the answer. PDS has installed long travel kits for several manufacturers, so for them it is a breeze.

PDS Fabrication also built and installed the roll cage, front bumper, leg minders, light rack, rear seat mount, and front seat mounts.

The Long Travel Kit, ready to install

Here are a few pictures and instructions from the installation. This is not meant to be a complete set of instructions – just a sample of what is involved. Please consult your long travel kit manufacturer for instructions before attempting installation.

Disassembly

Before jacking up the car, remove the two nuts holding the two sway-bar links to the two lower A-arms.
Jack up the rear of the car and support with jack stands under the frame.
Remove the lug nuts and wheels.

Remove the two metal brake line retaining clamps and discard.

Remove the two bolts holding the caliper to the spindle and remove caliper.

Remove spindle nut with impact wrench.

Remove the cotter pins and crown nuts from the three ball joints

Remove the lower ball joint by insert a pry bar between the spindle and the lower ball joint. Be very careful not to damage the rubber boot. While applying pressure with the pry bar, apply a sharp blow to the side of the A-arm next to the ball joint with a ball peen hammer. Note: two people will make this step much easier.
Repeat the above step for the upper ball joint.

Remove the spindle being sure to save the o-ring from around the splines.

Remove the shock.

Remove the spindle being sure to save the o-ring from around the splines.

Remove both upper and lower A-arms.

Remove and discard the ball joint from the end of the steering rod.

Remove the axle from the differential by first pushing it in until is stops and then pulling it out with a quick, strong motion.

At this point the brake line runs through the upper A-arm and must be removed. You have two choices to do this. If you are not planning on reusing the stock arms in the future, you can cut a small section out of the side of the A-arm to allow the brake line out. (see Fig 8) Your second choice is to remove the brake line from the caliper, slide the hose out of the A-arm and reattach the brake line to the caliper. This method requires bleeding the brakes after the installation is completed.

Reassembly

With Gorilla axles, if needed, transfer the retaining clips from the stock inner CVs to the Gorilla CVs.
Note: The front axles are not the same. The right, passenger side, axle has a shaft that extends beyond the splines on the inner CV.
Align the splines on the inner CV into the differential. Then hold the outer CV so that the axle is at a slight angle. Apply a sharp blow to the outer CV with a plastic mallet. (see Fig. 1) Pull on the axle to make sure the retaining clips locked into position.

Insert pivot sleeves into the delrine plastic pivots of the lower and upper A-arms. Note: The arms are labeled R and L for right and left.
Attach the new lower A-arms the Rhino frame.
Attach the upper A-arm to the Rhino frame. Note: The brake line should be on top of the upper A-arm.

Slide the spindle over the outer CV and attach the spindle to the upper A-arm with the supplied lock nut.
Attach the lower ball joint to the lower A-arm with the stock crown nut and secure with a cotter pin.
Thread the steering rod extension assembly onto the stock steering rod.

Place the o-ring that you saved over the splines

Conclusion

Since we installed the long travel setup, we have had our Rhino out to Sand Mountain, Glamis, Dumont, St. Anthony, Moab, the Rubicon Trail and on the Barrett Lake Jeep Trail. The Rhino has performed flawlessly in all these diverse conditions.