P500 Stability! Need help.

[retirednavychief]

So my wife and I went out for a ride on our new P500. We went down a hill with some very deep ruts. Not wanting to bottom out, I attempted to straddle the ruts. Since it was sooo slippery, my right tire wound up in the deep left rut. We were going at a snails pace and tipped right over. After we stopped laughing , we crawled out and uprighted the machine with no damage or injuries. Later the same day, we were riding on a trail along the side of a hill. We had no subsequent tipping but we were very fearful. We are not afraid of tipping but tipping into a river or down a mountain is another thing. We love our Pioneer but as newbies to this sport, I am wondering out loud what modifications I can make to lessen the chances for tipping. Tires? Suspension? Thoughts anyone?

 

[Admin]

 

[Chooglin]

Offset wheels and some spacers!

You can also disconnect or remove the anti sway bar,wich IMO helps , but this can be a matter of opinion!

 

[KYhillbilly]

Just finished installing 1.5" spacers on the rear of mine as a rut got my son and I. Will let you know how much difference it makes in a couple days.

 

[HUCK]

So my wife and I went out for a ride on our new P500. We went down a hill with some very deep ruts. Not wanting to bottom out, I attempted to straddle the ruts. Since it was sooo slippery, my right tire wound up in the deep left rut. We were going at a snails pace and tipped right over. After we stopped laughing , we crawled out and uprighted the machine with no damage or injuries. Later the same day, we were riding on a trail along the side of a hill. We had no subsequent tipping but we were very fearful. We are not afraid of tipping but tipping into a river or down a mountain is another thing. We love our Pioneer but as newbies to this sport, I am wondering out loud what modifications I can make to lessen the chances for tipping. Tires? Suspension? Thoughts anyone?

Aloha ! Throw some outriggers on it bro ! Mahaloe

 

[retirednavychief]

Aloha ! Throw some outriggers on it bro ! Mahaloe

LOL

 

[retirednavychief]

So I just need to figure this out. Perhaps it's just the limits of my Machine. Heading to Hatfield McCoy in May and Montana in August. Pretty big mountains to fall off of.

 

[Chooglin]

I have said many times , "if you know it's limitations" you shouldn't get yourself in to a situation!

 

[HUCK]

Rather you do spacers or offset wheels or bigger tires or nothing or everything just be careful and always wear helmets . Roll bars are awesome unless you smack your noggin into one . Noggin will always lose the battle .

 

[retirednavychief]

Rather you do spacers or offset wheels or bigger tires or nothing or everything just be careful and always wear helmets . Roll bars are awesome unless you smack your noggin into one . Noggin will always lose the battle .

Thanks! We do cover our noggins

 

[gullyjumper]

which ridding parks at hatfield mccoy's you going to?

 

[retirednavychief]

which ridding parks at hatfield mccoy's you going to?

Staying at Twin Hollow campground in Gilbert. I believe we have direct access to Rockhouse Trail System

 

[JTW]

So my wife and I went out for a ride on our new P500. We went down a hill with some very deep ruts. Not wanting to bottom out, I attempted to straddle the ruts. Since it was sooo slippery, my right tire wound up in the deep left rut. We were going at a snails pace and tipped right over. After we stopped laughing , we crawled out and uprighted the machine with no damage or injuries. Later the same day, we were riding on a trail along the side of a hill. We had no subsequent tipping but we were very fearful. We are not afraid of tipping but tipping into a river or down a mountain is another thing. We love our Pioneer but as newbies to this sport, I am wondering out loud what modifications I can make to lessen the chances for tipping. Tires? Suspension? Thoughts anyone?

I traded mine in on a 1000... haven't had a tippy moment since! Lol

 

[retirednavychief]

I traded mine in on a 1000... haven't had a tippy moment since! Lol

What's the width on the 1000?

 

[JTW]

What's the width on the 1000?

If she were a fat woman she'd bump both sides of pews in church!! 63"

 

[retirednavychief]

If she were a fat woman she'd bump both sides of pews in church!! 63"

That must be very nice. We went with the P500 partially because so many public trails have a 50 inch limit.

 

[retirednavychief]

OK; so I did some looking. I honestly didn't know what you all meant by "offsets" on the tires. Now that I have gained an understanding, I see how this could be a huge gain in stability. I also recognize that the stability is inherent in the added overall width of the machine with the offsets.
Now here is a stupid question so please don't laugh. Why can't I just take the factory wheels and turn them face out? Looks like I would gain 3 or so inches on either side.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

We have a bunch of hills around our place that we regularly ride on. I have 26" tires on stock rims with 1" spacers. My tilt meter is this compression feeling in my right arm. My wife's pucker factor always goes off before mine and she grabs my arm. On those side hill situations, go slow and watch carefully for any downhill side ruts or uphill bumps. As stated above, know the machines limitations.

As far as rut, it's just about how deep they are. I haven't rolled ours yet, but came the closest when backing up and rear wheel dropped in a hole, and we were on a balancing beam.

 

[Montecresto]

OK; so I did some looking. I honestly didn't know what you all meant by "offsets" on the tires. Now that I have gained an understanding, I see how this could be a huge gain in stability. I also recognize that the stability is inherent in the added overall width of the machine with the offsets.
Now here is a stupid question so please don't laugh. Why can't I just take the factory wheels and turn them face out? Looks like I would gain 3 or so inches on either side.

The P5 is 50" for a reason, as you even already noted. You can however buy 56"-64" machines.

 

[pFive]

My .02.

I run 7" wide 5+2 rims ITP rims ($40 each) and 2" wide spacers from Dungear on Ebay, these are USA made Billet with wheel studs instead of bolts like the cheaper china imports. I run 30" tall interco R-Force 8" wide tires. I am still just under 54" wide. It improved stability and helped tremendously. Get taller tires and go wider if you can still go on your trails without getting a ticket. If you dont want tall tires at least try to gain width, on the stock tires being 4" wider will make it feel a LOT safer.

Sure, I still fall over, but I do that in places where many fear to go and I could avoid falling over by just going around certain sections, but what is the fun in that?

Ruts are not as big a deal for me now, while I can only drive over a milk crate I find that many jeeps on the trail really cant even do that without the punkin hitting it. And the RZR's are belly draggers in comparison. I sit at about the same ground clearance as a $20k stock high lifter for under $9k all in. If anything I wish the P5 was longer. Ruts to me mean someone else has already been here, so why cant I go here?

I once asked some 1k RZR riders if they get scared and they chuckle... "No, not really", Well, I am not ashamed to admit that this P5 can scare the hell outta me when I let it, and that's why I love it! I don't keep the plastic on my furniture to save it for the next owner.

Think of it like JUDO, the best way to throw is to be thrown 1000 times... In this case the best way to learn to the limit is to know where it is first hand and be prepared! Falling over is not often as dramatic as some make it out to be, just learn it before you on a mountainside with no trees to stop the roll.. . Just be sure to shut the engine off immediately upon falling over.

Here I can be seen draining the water out of my cooler, it was after this trip that I discovered the drain plug in the cooler and that would have saved a lot of time...

 

[retirednavychief]

My .02.

I run 7" wide 5+2 rims ITP rims ($40 each) and 2" wide spacers from Dungear on Ebay, these are USA made Billet with wheel studs instead of bolts like the cheaper china imports. I run 30" tall interco R-Force 8" wide tires. I am still just under 54" wide. It improved stability and helped tremendously. Get taller tires and go wider if you can still go on your trails without getting a ticket. If you dont want tall tires at least try to gain width, on the stock tires being 4" wider will make it feel a LOT safer.

Sure, I still fall over, but I do that in places where many fear to go and I could avoid falling over by just going around certain sections, but what is the fun in that?

Ruts are not as big a deal for me now, while I can only drive over a milk crate I find that many jeeps on the trail really cant even do that without the punkin hitting it. And the RZR's are belly draggers in comparison. I sit at about the same ground clearance as a $20k stock high lifter for under $9k all in. If anything I wish the P5 was longer. Ruts to me mean someone else has already been here, so why cant I go here?

I once asked some 1k RZR riders if they get scared and they chuckle... "No, not really", Well, I am not ashamed to admit that this P5 can scare the hell outta me when I let it, and that's why I love it! I don't keep the plastic on my furniture to save it for the next owner.

Think of it like JUDO, the best way to throw is to be thrown 1000 times... In this case the best way to learn to the limit is to know where it is first hand and be prepared! Falling over is not often as dramatic as some make it out to be, just learn it before you on a mountainside with no trees to stop the roll.. . Just be sure to shut the engine off immediately upon falling over.

Here I can be seen draining the water out of my cooler, it was after this trip that I discovered the drain plug in the cooler and that would have saved a lot of time...
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