Yamaha Rhino 660 Long-Travel Suspension Review

Posted on November 17, 2013
8:14 pm

Long-travel suspension became one of the defining upgrades of the early Rhino era, with more than three dozen companies eventually offering systems for the platform. That rapid expansion is explored in our Yamaha Rhino history, which documents how owners and builders transformed the original side-by-side into the foundation of a new aftermarket.

In 2006, we transformed our Yamaha Rhino 660 with a Mason Motorsports +6-inch long-travel suspension system, Elka 46mm Elite shocks and extended Gorilla Axles. PDS Fabrication handled the installation while building several other components for the project.

This article revisits that period-correct Yamaha Rhino build, explains what went into the conversion and looks at how the long-travel suspension performed across terrain ranging from Glamis and Dumont to Moab and the Rubicon Trail.

Yamaha Rhino Long-Travel Project Overview

Component	Project specification
Vehicle	2006 Yamaha Rhino 660
Suspension	Mason Motorsports +6-inch long-travel kit
Track-width increase	12 inches overall
Wheelbase increase	4 inches
Claimed wheel travel	14.5 inches
Shocks	Elka 46mm Elite remote-reservoir shocks
Axles	Gorilla Axle extended chromoly axles and CV joints
Installation	PDS Fabrication

Compared with the stock Rhino’s approximately 7.3 inches of suspension travel, the Mason Motorsports system nearly doubled the available wheel travel. It also pushed each wheel six inches farther outward and added four inches to the wheelbase.

Those changes fundamentally altered the Rhino’s stance and capability. For more background on the original machine, see our 2006 Yamaha Rhino 660 review and broader Yamaha Rhino model guide.

Why Put Long-Travel Suspension on a Yamaha Rhino?

The Rhino’s relatively narrow dimensions were part of its original appeal. It was compact, maneuverable and considerably easier to transport than many of today’s full-size side-by-sides. However, its stock width and limited suspension travel became noticeable when owners began driving faster through dunes, whoops and rough desert terrain.

A long-travel system addressed two separate limitations. The wider track increased lateral stability, while the additional suspension travel gave the wheels more room to move through bumps before transferring the impact into the chassis.

For our project, the goal was not simply to make the Rhino look wider. We wanted a complete suspension package that could improve control and ride quality across several different types of terrain.

Mason Motorsports +6-Inch Long-Travel Suspension

We selected a set of +6-inch control arms from Mason Motorsports. The bolt-on system required no permanent modification to the Rhino frame and increased the overall track width by 12 inches.

The design also stretched the wheelbase by approximately four inches and provided a claimed 14.5 inches of wheel travel. Its fully boxed control arms were constructed from 4130 chromoly steel and used large 7/8-inch uniballs.

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)

Increasing the wheelbase helped complement the wider stance. A wider Rhino could feel substantially more stable from side to side, while the longer wheelbase improved its composure over uneven terrain and reduced some of the short, choppy behavior associated with the stock platform.

Mason Motorsports was one of numerous companies developing Rhino suspension during this period. Our historical Yamaha Rhino long-travel kit directory shows how large the aftermarket became at the height of the Rhino’s popularity. The Mason design was later associated with SDR Motorsports.

Elka 46mm Elite Shocks

Longer control arms and axles only create the suspension geometry. The shocks determine how effectively that travel is controlled.

We paired the Mason Motorsports arms with Elka’s then-new 46mm Elite Series shocks. Introduced for UTV applications in 2006, these were purpose-built side-by-side shocks rather than repurposed ATV components.

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

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

The larger shock bodies and remote reservoirs increased oil capacity, helping the shocks manage heat during sustained use. The Elite Series also offered independent high- and low-speed compression adjustment.

Low-speed compression adjustment influences chassis movement such as body roll, weight transfer and gradual suspension inputs. High-speed compression affects how the shocks respond to sharper impacts, including square edges, rocks, holes and abrupt dune transitions. Having both adjustments made it possible to tune the Rhino for different terrain and driving styles.

Extended Gorilla Axles

Moving each wheel six inches outward required axles designed for the new suspension width and increased operating angles. We used a complete Gorilla Axle package built for +6-inch Yamaha Rhino control arms.

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

Gorilla Axles – +6 inch Rhino Axles

Gorilla Axle – Passenger Side Rear Axle

The Gorilla components were advertised to operate at angles of up to 40 degrees. The axle bars, joints, internal races and cages were made from heat-treated and cryogenically treated 4340 chromoly steel.

Upgraded axles were an important part of the complete system. Long-travel suspension can place greater demands on axles and CV joints, especially at full droop or under power with the steering turned. Matching the axles to the suspension geometry helped avoid relying on components that were never intended to operate at the added width and travel.

Installation by PDS Fabrication

PDS Fabrication in Murrieta, California, installed the long-travel system while constructing the Rhino’s four-seat roll cage and bumper. PDS also fabricated and installed the 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.

The Mason system was designed as a bolt-on conversion, but installing a complete long-travel package was still a substantial project. The work involved removing the stock control arms, shocks, axles and steering connections before fitting the wider suspension components.

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

How the Long-Travel Yamaha Rhino Performed

After completing the conversion, we drove the Rhino at Sand Mountain, Glamis, Dumont, the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, Moab, the Rubicon Trail and the Barrett Lake Jeep Trail. That range of locations exposed the suspension to high-speed sand, uneven dune transitions, rocks, ledges and technical mountain terrain.

The most immediate difference was stability. Adding 12 inches of overall track width gave the Rhino a much more planted stance than the stock-width machine. Side hills, sweeping dune transitions and quick changes in direction felt less abrupt because the chassis was no longer perched over such a narrow footprint.

The additional travel also allowed the suspension to absorb larger bumps without reaching the end of its stroke as quickly. In rough sand and consecutive bumps, the Elka shocks offered substantially more control than the stock suspension. The remote reservoirs and adjustable compression damping were especially valuable during longer rides where repeated suspension movement generated heat.

The four-inch wheelbase stretch helped settle the chassis over uneven terrain. Rather than pitching as sharply between the front and rear axles, the longer platform felt more composed through chop and across abrupt transitions.

On rocky trails, the added articulation helped keep the tires in contact with the ground. That improved traction and reduced the tendency for the chassis to rock from one side to the other as the wheels crossed offset obstacles.

The Rhino performed reliably throughout our testing across these very different conditions. More importantly, the suspension conversion expanded where and how confidently the machine could be driven.

Benefits of the Rhino Long-Travel Conversion

Greater stability: The 12-inch increase in overall width created a substantially more planted platform.
More suspension travel: Approximately 14.5 inches of travel provided considerably more bump absorption than the factory suspension.
Better shock control: The Elka remote-reservoir shocks offered greater damping capacity and useful adjustability.
Longer wheelbase: The four-inch stretch improved composure through chop and uneven terrain.
Improved articulation: The suspension followed rocky and offset terrain more effectively.
More capability in open terrain: The conversion was particularly well suited to dunes, desert riding and wider trails.

Long-Travel Suspension Tradeoffs

The additional performance came with compromises. Most significantly, the conversion made the Rhino roughly 12 inches wider than stock. That reduced one of the original Rhino’s biggest advantages: its compact size.

A long-travel Rhino may not fit through narrow trail restrictions, between closely spaced obstacles or on the same trailer used for a stock-width machine. Garage and toy-hauler clearance should also be checked before undertaking a similar conversion.

The wider track can increase steering leverage and the loads placed on steering and suspension mounting points. Longer axles, CV joints, uniballs, bushings and shock hardware also add components that require regular inspection.

Owners should monitor:

Control-arm mounting points and frame tabs
Uniballs, bushings and pivot sleeves
Axle boots and CV-joint condition
Tie rods and steering connections
Shock seals, shafts and mounting hardware
Brake-line routing throughout the suspension range
Wheel alignment and tire wear

Replacement parts can also be more difficult to source today because many Rhino long-travel systems were developed nearly two decades ago. Anyone considering a used kit should confirm that axles, joints, bushings and shock-service parts remain available before purchasing it.

Final Thoughts

Long-travel suspension was one of the upgrades that demonstrated how far the Yamaha Rhino platform could be developed. Our combination of Mason Motorsports +6-inch arms, Elka 46mm Elite shocks and Gorilla Axles nearly doubled the stock suspension travel while giving the Rhino a significantly wider and more stable stance.

The finished machine proved itself in environments ranging from the open dunes of Glamis, Dumont and St. Anthony to the rocky terrain of Moab, the Rubicon and Barrett Lake.

By modern standards, the Rhino remains a relatively simple and compact side-by-side. In