Radius rods are a fundamental component of a UTV as it is what keep your wheels aligned when the suspension travels up and down. Unfortunately, most manufacturers are taking the cheap route and constructing them out of hollow tubing. This is proving to be a burden to many UTV owners as hitting a rock or a slight jump can easily bend the stock radius rods.

Why Are Radius Rods Important?

As mentioned previously, the radius rods keep the rear wheels aligned as the suspension compresses and depresses. If one of the rods is bent, it could cause many different issues that can hinder the performance of your machine. Not only will the handling of your machine be impeded but the amount of fun you’re having will significantly decrease.

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Just like a car, if the alignment is off it can cause the machine to have unpredictable handling. This can be dangerous to anyone in the machine as UTV’s are prone to flipping under normal circumstances, but can be amplified with a bent radius rod. Another issue with improper alignment is uneven tire wear.

Uneven tire wear can drastically decrease the life of your tires and for as expensive as tires are, it will add up quickly. Purchasing a set of radius rods is about the equivalent of purchasing two new tires which is a small sacrifice to pay considering all the benefits aftermarket rods will yield. When it comes to buying radius rods, many owners wonder what kind of rods they should purchase as there are so many different options.

What Do Radius Rods Consist Of?

There are quite a few different types of radius rods on the market that can make the decision difficult. Oftentimes, the only difference is the material used, design of the product, and manufacturing process. The other difference would be a high clearance or standard straight rods. At the end of the day, they all do the same thing and that is to keep your rear wheels aligned under lateral load.

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When it comes to materials, many manufacturers are using T6 6061 aluminum as it’s relatively inexpensive and very durable. Aluminum will also allow for a little bit of flex before breaking and spring back after flexing. The issue with aluminum is that it can break after being stressed too much. With most aftermarket radius rods on the market, you will not experience this unless you are racing.

Chromoly steel is another popular option for radius rods as the material can be thinner while offering the same amount of strength as aluminum. The issue with Chromoly tubing is that it can still bend under stress. Solid Chromoly will hold up much better than aluminum but will be much heavier.

Another thing to take into consideration is the heim joints used. If cheap materials are used, the heim joint can be the weak point which can be a good and bad thing. In the event of a collision or major crash, the heims will act as a crumple zone and protect the chassis from taking any damage. The problem with cheap heim joints is the probability of them breaking when landing improperly. Another concern should be the joints binding up after getting a little sand inside the sockets where the heim pivots. The factory joints hold up but the rubber bushing becomes brittle over time and has more slop once it has failed.

The design of the radius rods will also play a big factor in your decision. There are two different designs which are straight or high clearance. A straight rod will be exactly like the factory and are less expensive to manufacture which means it is cheaper for you! High clearance radius rods are self-explanatory as they give you much higher clearance than your factory rods. The bends in high clearance rods will allow you to clear large rocks without the possibility of the rods hitting a rock.

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Higher-end radius rods will typically consist of solid T6 6061 aluminum with high-quality heim joints. This combination could be the last set of radius rods you will have to purchase as solid aluminum is tough to bend and high-quality heim joints offer a better seal to keep dirt out. Dirt can quickly deteriorate the inside of a cheap heim joint and cause it to become seized.

What Radius Rods Should You Buy?

The right radius rod for you might not be the best radius rod for others. It is solely dependent on the style of riding you do. If you are a weekend warrior who takes their machine on small trail rides with your family, you can get away with a less expensive option as your machine doesn’t endure much stress.

Taking your machine out mud bogging or rock climbing then a high clearance radius rod would be the answer for you. The high clearance arms won’t get caught in the mud as easily as a standard straight rod and won’t slam against anything when trying to get over a massive boulder.

If you plan on going to the dunes or doing any serious racing with your machine, you are going to want a solid straight rod. A solid aluminum rod with high-quality heim joints will be best as it will be the most rigid and reliable for jumping and hard cornering.