Are you sure you adjusted not the preload on your shocks? It is a long time misconception. You don’t adjust the stiftness of the ride with the preload adjustments. You adjust riding height. Your ranger did not change in softness, but the sag of the suspension changed, making it feel different (supposedly softer) while going through obstacles. Depending on how much you load your vehicle, you have to adjust the ride height (preload). If you drive with a load, often with people, making the preload setting on the highest setting will help you reduce the suspension sag and improve the suspension while you are loaded with weight and driving. You might ask, why not make the preload on the highest setting always, the more the better right? I thought so too. But remember, suspension does not only move upwards when you hit a bump, but it also moves down when you drive into a pothole. The key for a good suspension is to make your vehicle glide over the obstacles like rocks and potholes without making the wheel lose contact with the road. Ideally a good suspension will make you glide over the road without feeling nor rocks, nor potholes. The more you increase the preload, the more you increase the chances that the wheel while driving over a pothole will not be able to reach the bottom of the pothole. If you reduce the preload as much as you can, it can be so that when you drive over bigger rocks, there will be not enough upward suspension travel left to take the bump. Preload has to be adjusted smartly. Not too much, not too little, but it highly depends on how much weight/people ride in your vehicle. Suspension sag is what you adjust with suspension preloads :) By the way, sick ranger and a great video! :) best regards from Lithuania.
You forgot to mention the faulty brake pressure switch that you have to keep pumping the brake pedal to get the starter to engage. Polaris wants $150. For a new switch and they're less than $30. All day on eBay. Lol. I'm keeping a jumper wire with me so I don't get stranded when it finally fails ! All in all I still love my Ranger. Thanks for the great review!
Great video! Quick question - do you think having that back glass combined with the tip out front windshield helps or hurts the amount of dust in the cab?
It helps....barely. it helps create sort of a pocket of air rather than a straight vacuum(windshield closed with no back glass). Ultimately, the front windshield has to be open for there to be truly minimal dust and at that point, the back glass is a moot point.
I am in the market for either a Ranger XP 1000 Crew or Can Am Defender HD10 Max and started to search on RU-vid and your videos popped up right away. I have watched the Ranger Vs Defender, Watch Before you buy 2023 defender review and most recently this video. I live in Northern Michigan myself and will be doing some of the same things you are including some trail riding. I spent the weekend with friends who had an XP 1000 and a regular 1000 ranger and i was shocked the amount of stuff they would go through. I have never been in a Defender but do like the looks and space. Lots of complaints about the 4wd and throttle response through. Do you find that to be true and if you had to do it again would you pass on the defender for another ranger? Thanks for the videos!
Another great video. I like that it includes the pros but also some perspective on what you don’t love. I just ordered the same one today, in part, influenced by your feedback. Is yours a 2021, looks like it based on wheels also, how many miles as of this video? I was shocked at 4 years and 10,000 on the old one, that is some incredible mileage
I put alot of miles on my old one. This one has 1100 miles. Yes it's a 2021. Purchased in August 2021, right when the 2022 model came out(I ordered mine in May 21).
I have the 21 model 1000 premium in blue. Same as you we use ours on a pine plantation on firelanes,crossing a creek occasionally couple deeper black mud holes. I recently bought my son a Polaris 450 to use at the dealership I test drove one of the new 1500s that has exceptional ride suspension told him my ranger almost felt the same he said the 21 model ranger has the best ride suspension of any of the models available. Overall I’m very happy with my ranger and what I’ve put it through.
@worldsokayesthunter I had a panel door with a lot of play in the hinges. I found some nylon standoffs for printed circuit boards that fit the hinge pins and took the play out of the hinges.
Good stuff. I’m looking at putting a windshield on my 2023 XP 1000 crew and cannot decide between a hardend polycarbonate flip up or the oem polaris glads flip up.
@@worldsokayesthunter based off your experience with it, you would recommend it? I too live in Texas, South Texas that is. Would want to have some air flow as well lol
I upgraded to Northstar headlights. Way way better than just replacing the bulbs. Love them. Bulbs were good, especially for the cost. But the Northstar headlights are amazing.