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P500 Rdrcr's Honda Pioneer 520 Build Thread.

crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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I read from several sources warning against adding larger tires and wheels to a UTV stating it will hurt the performance because of the extra weight. Seems logical but, I believe a lot of these concerns originate from folks that haven’t driven, or experienced the torque and super low gearing in the P500/P520. The P520 isn’t a powerful machine but, I can’t fathom how a larger wheel/tire setup would significantly effect the overall driving performance.

I didn’t weigh my new tire and wheel setup but, this new combination is definitely heavier than the stockers!
Hi Mike,

Really nice looking P520 and a great write up. For sure something like I have done in the past for many of my mods.

So many things to talk about here, but I will hit some of the highlights:

Ride - I could for sure tell a ride difference between stock and after the bigger tires. I run 8-9psi and it for sure helped. As much as I hate to give this advice, the $950 I spent on Elka Stage 1 shocks helped immensely.

Performance - I have yet to encounter a place where I feel the performance has suffered. I believe that 1st gear is way more useful now with the taller tires. I have rode at elevation with a decent load and it felt strong enough to do the things I need it to do. I will say that I only had 4 rides on my p520 prior to the bigger tires, so I likely have no recollection of how if felt in stock form. I will confirm that GPS and indicated speed is way closer than before.

Width - My p520 is somewhere between 54 and 55" wide. My side lugs make it hard to really get a good number. I have gotten used to side hills and don't feel that tippy any more. I am trying to get a new combination that will get me down to the spot where you are at. I just don't ride that aggressive or take a ton of chances that will cause the flop to happen. But, I suspect I will go from a 1" spacer on the rear to a 2" and then add a 1" to the front for normal riding. Then move the spacers around for certain trips/trails. I just want the option to get skinny if I decide to go on 50" trails.
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
438
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WA
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  1. 520
Hi Mike,

Really nice looking P520 and a great write up. For sure something like I have done in the past for many of my mods.

So many things to talk about here, but I will hit some of the highlights:

Ride - I could for sure tell a ride difference between stock and after the bigger tires. I run 8-9psi and it for sure helped. As much as I hate to give this advice, the $950 I spent on Elka Stage 1 shocks helped immensely.

Performance - I have yet to encounter a place where I feel the performance has suffered. I believe that 1st gear is way more useful now with the taller tires. I have rode at elevation with a decent load and it felt strong enough to do the things I need it to do. I will say that I only had 4 rides on my p520 prior to the bigger tires, so I likely have no recollection of how if felt in stock form. I will confirm that GPS and indicated speed is way closer than before.

Width - My p520 is somewhere between 54 and 55" wide. My side lugs make it hard to really get a good number. I have gotten used to side hills and don't feel that tippy any more. I am trying to get a new combination that will get me down to the spot where you are at. I just don't ride that aggressive or take a ton of chances that will cause the flop to happen. But, I suspect I will go from a 1" spacer on the rear to a 2" and then add a 1" to the front for normal riding. Then move the spacers around for certain trips/trails. I just want the option to get skinny if I decide to go on 50" trails.

Thank you!

The ride is better than stock. But, only marginally better with the new 14" wheels. I imagine, had I stayed with the 12" wheel, the ride would be even better. To drastically improve the ride, larger tires and shocks are necessary. I totally agree.

It's not significant, but I can feel a little sluggishness climbing my steep hills with the new wheel/tire combo. It's not bad, but, it's there. And definitely check out your GPS. My speedo is WAY more accurate now and Top Speed has increased. I even had one run that registered 42.8 mph on a slight down hill but, I couldn't repeat it, so I excluded it from my review.

I used a straight edge pressed to the side of the tire to measure the total width of my P520. I don't think my P520 is now more 'tippy' with the new wheels/tires and added ground clearance. After all, it is a bit wider than stock (52"/51"). I just haven't really put it to the test. But, I am considering spacers for the rear. I just don't want to make my P520 much wider since I do transport it in the back of my truck and I want to continue to be able to access the narrow trails and woods in my area.

Mike
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
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Dual EMP Manual Windshield Wipers

Sometimes you add modifications because you want to. Other times you add modifications because you have to. I had to install the EMP windshield wipers!

It’s no surprise that we get a lot of rain here in the Pacific Northwest. And, I quickly realized after installing the Honda Hard-Coat windshield on my P520 that I had a problem. The issue was mist, water droplets, ice and snow collecting on my windshield and having zero ability to clear the windshield and improve visibility on rides. Just the glare alone from mist collecting on the windshield made it difficult to see and navigate terrain. I desperately needed to find a solution so I could improve visibility in these conditions.

Luckily for me, I found the HondaSxS forum and the search function. A member on the site (Trigger) already pioneered the ultimate windshield wiper solution and installation procedure.

Trigger’s modification uses two windshield wipers, not just one. It’s quite obvious, if one wiper is good, then two would be better! Absolutely! And, his installation uses holes already pre-drilled in the factory Honda Hardcoat windshield to install the dual wiper setup. It’s amazing! There couldn’t be a more perfect solution!

The original thread can be viewed here;
P500 - EMP Wipers Installed (the easy way) | HONDASXS - The Honda Side by Side Club!

Shockingly, this is the most difficult modification to photograph;

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Here’s an illustration with some water on the windshield;

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I’m so glad I was able to find Triggers thread before purchasing and installing an alternative and inferior product.

The EMP dual windshield wipers work great! This dual wiper setup is as close to OEM as you’re gonna get!

Hat’s off to Trigger!

Mike
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
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  1. 520
So, my genuine Honda accessory rear view mirror broke and fell off. It must have been defective since the metal shaft connecting the mirror to the bracket failed. Sure, I could go to my dealer and see if they can warranty it but, having an item fail like that, under zero stress whatsoever, I figured I’d just replace it with something better.

As you read this thread, I’m sure you get the impression that I like Axia Alloys products. Their products look great, fit great and are very high quality. Overall, they do a great job. Their products are expensive but, after spending several years managing a machine shop, I really respect high quality CNC work and I’m willing to pay for it.

I decided to replace my defective Honda mirror with one from Axia Alloys;
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The Axia Alloys mirror looks great, fits great but…there’s a problem. The mirror installs too close to the front bar and doesn’t allow for enough adjustment to see objects far behind the vehicle.

So, I think I’m gonna use a combination of the Honda mirror bracket and the Axia Alloy mirror and see if the gives me enough adjustment to make this mirror work for my application.

I’ll follow up once I get an opportunity to play with it some more.

Mike
 
crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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May 7, 2018
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  1. 520
I have one of the OEM Honda rearview mirrors. I hated the placement and took it down.

I now have side mirrors and they seem to work better for me. I just hated to look at the mirror that high up.

Rob
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
438
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WA
Ownership

  1. 520
^^^^
Nah, I'm with you. I like the Honda mirror. Works great. Nothing wrong with it.
But, since mine broke unexpectedly...I went with something different. Or, I'm trying to go with something different. We'll see how it works out.

Mike
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
438
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93
WA
Ownership

  1. 520
I finally got around to modifying my Axia Alloys rear view mirror mounting situation;

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The Axia Alloys rear view mirror isn’t specifically designed for the P520 and doesn’t allow for enough adjustment when mounted on the roll cage. Due to the limited adjustability and high mounting position, I wasn’t able to see objects far behind me which, kinda defeats the purpose of a rear view mirror.

So, since I still had the OEM Honda rear view mirror mounting bracket, I simply drilled a hole in the bracket and mounted the Axia Alloy mirror to the Honda bracket. Works great! I can now see objects behind me at a distance and I’m happy with the results.

Mike
 
R

Rdrcr

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Aug 16, 2022
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  1. 520
Decisions, decisions

I got the urge to upgrade my P520’s suspension at the peak of the Covid19 pandemic chaos. Predictably, nobody had parts in stock and the wait times were long and utterly preposterous. On the bright side, however, this disastrous scenario gave me plenty of time to research and analyze the available options before making a decision.

As many of us have come to realize the budget friendly Honda Pioneer 500/520 is equipped from the factory with cheap, throw away shocks that deliver unforgiving, teeth rattling, back-breaking, butt-numbing, bucking, bouncing and choppy ride quality on anything but completely smooth and flat terrain. The stock P500/P520 shocks are awful and the ride quality, is atrocious!

Planning to swap out the dreadful factory shocks is my second attempt to improve the appalling ride quality on my P520. I first installed oversized wheels and tires to help mitigate the rough ride. However, the larger wheels and tires (ITP Ultracross R 27x9-14 tires and 14” Raceline A95 Trophy (4x110, 5+2) wheels) only marginally improved the ride quality. The misses, didn’t appreciate the minor improvement and demanded more. So naturally more work and attention was needed to mollify her and to overcome the unforgiving riding experience. Which brings me to this point. Here I am.

I narrowed my shock choices between two popular brands, Elka Suspension and Walker Evans Racing. Aside from what I have read online, on the forums and videos I’ve watched on YouTube, I had no prior knowledge of either company, or their products.

The Elka shocks come in a variety of performance stages, with each stage, promising distinctive ride characteristics and various forms of adjustability. The Elka shocks look fantastic and the quality of their products are obvious. The attractive price of the Elka stage 1 shocks, at roughly $1,000 per set, grabbed my attention initially, but the eye catching appearance of the Elka stage 3 coilovers with the integrated piggyback remote reservoirs and adjustable dampening, demanded more thought and additional consideration.

The Elka shocks start getting pricey as you move beyond stage 1. So, the question becomes; Would I need the additional adjustability and increased performance of the stage 3 shocks? Or, would stage 1 be enough?

Honestly, I’m sure the Elka stage 1 would provide an adequate improvement in the handling and ride quality for my uses but, sometimes, you have to splurge. Or, better yet, if you don’t have any direct experience with a particular brand and you settle for a product simply based on price, sometimes you can develop buyers remorse. Nobody wants that! So, I’m thinking stage 3 is the way to go.

The Elka stage 3 shocks are gorgeous! They are absolutely the best looking coilover available for the P500/P520.

They are pure P500/520 shock nirvana!

Elka3


I mean…Look at them!!!
They’re absolutely stunning!!!

The Elka stage 3 shocks are sold in pairs. And, man, they’re not cheap. Basically, you’re looking at $2,000 for a set of front and rear shocks. Whew, that’s a lot greenbacks! In any case, the appearance, performance and quality certainly appear to match the price!

I was prepared to order a set of front and rear Elka3 shocks but, when it came time to pull the trigger, I couldn’t find any US distributors (I believe that has changed), so I needed to order directly from Elka Suspension and they’re based in Canada. No problem.
But, there was a problem. I began reading about the possibility of having to pay additional import taxes and fees to have the shocks shipped across the border. What!?! Really? Well, that totally blows. Those fees would add quite a bit more money to the overall purchase price and I felt the cost was beginning to get out of control. To top it off, I had been hit recently with similar import taxes and fees for a watch I purchased from an authorized dealer in Singapore. What a nightmare! Had I known upfront about the import fees (I probably misread some fine print), I would have waited until an authorized dealer in the US had one available. Damn. This sure does complicates things.

The Elka3’s are already expensive and having to pay additional shipping, fees and taxes just put them over the top. That’s when I seriously started looking at the Walker Evans shocks.

The Walker Evans Racing coilovers are not offered in multiple levels or stages of adjustability or various degrees of handling characteristics. They offer just one shock for the P500/P520. Their one and only coilover option features piggyback remote reservoirs and 16 way compression adjustability. The WE’s are also very high quality and more than capable for my needs.

So, for comparison sake, the WE’s are similar to the Elka3 shocks. Just like the Elka3’s, the Walker Evans shocks have adjustable dampening and feature external piggyback reservoirs front and rear. Likewise, both coilovers have glowing reviews from P500/P520 owners and both are highly recommended. Some may disagree but, in my opinion, the appearance of the Walker Evans shocks are nowhere near as attractive when compared to the beautiful Elka3 shocks. However, the WE’s are quite a bit cheaper, which is extremely appealing. The WE’s run about $1,400 for the complete set of front and rear shocks and as a bonus, they’re made in the USA.
Well, that settles it, Walker Evans it is!

Nevertheless, the WE’s had one significant drawback. Build time. I’m talking really long. An astronomically long build time. I ordered my Walker Evans shocks in August 2022 and I didn’t receive them until the end of January 2023. Crazy long wait!

During my extended wait time, out of sheer boredom, I sent a couple emails to Walker Evans Racing to check the status of my order. Shockingly, every email I sent went unanswered. That’s something I cannot comprehend and from a customer service standpoint, is unacceptable. I was severely disappointed. I can’t stand poor communication and horrible customer service. However, when I eventually got desperate for an update on my order, I called them directly. Equally as shocking, they answered the phone promptly and I was able to get an update on my order immediately. In all fairness, they probably should just let customers know the best method of communication is to contact them by phone. Aside from the email debacle, everything else went well with my order. Once the shocks were assembled, packaged and shipped, they arrived at my door in only a matter of days.

I’ve bought a lot of performance coilover shocks over the years for various vehicles I’ve owned. But, this is the first time I’ve bought coilover shocks for a SxS. In general, based on my automotive experience, the SxS shocks are expensive when you consider the retail price of the machine itself. However, the quality of these shocks are really impressive. The WE shocks are equally as nice as a $5K coilover setup I installed on one of my vehicles several years ago and nicer than the $2K setup I installed on another one more recently.

The installation of the new Walker Evans shocks was simple and straightforward. Heck, I didn’t even have to remove the wheels and tires to get the job done. Worth noting, the ride height was unaffected with the WE coilovers installed and no adjustments were required.

WE STK


WE


The only complication with my installation was deciding where to mount the rear piggyback remote reservoirs since they are not integrated in the shock assembly like the front shocks. This is definitely one aspect I much prefer with the Elka3 rear shocks. On the Elka3 shocks, the rear remote reservoirs are part of the shock assembly. They are not a separate component like the Walker Evans which make the Elka’s easier to install and have a much cleaner overall appearance.

The rear remote reservoirs, with the stainless steel braided lines are a pain to manipulate into position. Because of this, it isn’t easy finding a good spot to mount them. Even worse, Walker Evans includes ridiculously cheap and flimsy hose clamps to secure the rear piggyback reservoirs to the chassis which is totally absurd considering the overall cost of the setup. As you would expect, the Walker Evans dollar-store hose clamps simply will not work for my installation. I had to look elsewhere for some decent quality brackets that would provide a secure mounting solution and a professional appearance. Amazon.com, delivered. After picking up some hardware locally, I was able to mount the rear reservoirs to the chassis using the new brackets I sourced from Amazon to complete the installation.

WE rear


RearBrkt


I’m pleased with how the installation came together.

Rear


Front


Driving impressions.
Not what I expected…

I read so many raving reviews about the Walker Evans shocks and the insane improvement in handling and ride quality that I expected my P520 to literally sit on top of a fluffy cloud, hover, glide and float over rough terrain, while I laugh hysterically, enjoying the heavenly plush ride in complete comfort and total bliss. However, my initial test drive wasn’t like that at all.

I was very much underwhelmed with the performance of these shocks on my first test drive at low speeds. Don’t get me wrong, there was, without a doubt, an improvement, it just wasn’t nearly as monumental as I had envisioned, or lead to believe based on reviews I’ve read.
There had to be something I’m missing.

Well, there was.
Shock settings.

I adjusted the compression dampening of the shocks two clicks from full hard, to three clicks from full soft. And ran the P520 over the same terrain at the same speed. The difference, and improvement, was night and day. As I began increasing speed, these shocks really started to come alive and demonstrate their dampening mastery. Holy Cow! These shocks are amazing! It is absolutely insane how much faster my P520 can go over rough terrain with the WE’s installed. These shocks flat out perform at high speed! I’m able to go over rough, uneven, rocky, bumpy and choppy terrain at near top speed. These shocks produce a mind-bending improvement in ride quality in comparison to the abominable factory shocks. I never thought I’d be able to ride at or near top speed on these unforgiving terrain conditions. With the WE’s installed, my P520 is completely stable, in control, planted to the ground, and soaks up every transition in the harsh terrain. The improvement in handling performance is so extreme, that the WE shocks reward you with absolute confidence and beg you to pour on more and more speed! They’re dangerously good! I’m gonna have to be ultra cautious. I can now see how the chances of a rollover are increased with a modification like this.

After logging some riding time with the Walker Evans shocks installed on my P520, I can see why they have earned the highly complimentary reviews. These shocks are legit. I’m extremely happy with these shocks!

The Walker Evans coilover shocks have far surpassed my expectations. These shocks truly improve the overall control, stability, handling, ride quality and dominate the harsh terrain with amazing authority!

Most importantly, the misses is happy!

Thank you for reading.

Mike
 
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