Side By Side Maintenance
Your side by side gives you so much in terms of its transport, hauling and towing capabilities. Whether you use your utility vehicle for work or play, or even a mixture of both, it’s important that you keep it well-maintained. Allowing your UTV to fall into disrepair will mean reduced performance, parts wearing down too quickly and higher costs at the repair shop when you do finally take it in. So doing some maintenance work on your side by side is a smart way to protect the investment you made in your powersports vehicle.
Here at L&M Marine LLC of Stapleton, we’re experienced in the art of utility vehicle maintenance, which is why we’ve provided this guide to side by side maintenance, to help you get your UTV up to snuff. If you find anything you can’t address yourself while working on your side by side, don’t hesitate to call up our service department for assistance!
Tires
Your UTV is supported by its tires, which take on all the harsh terrain you cross, so keeping them in good shape is vital to your safety and your side by side’s functioning. Check the tire pressure with a gauge and make sure it’s up to the manufacturer’s recommendations. While you’re down there, look for bald patches, embedded objects, sidewall tears or any other signs of damage that could necessitate replacement of your tire. You never want to ride on unevenly pressured or bad tires.
Battery
As your side by side’s battery ages, it loses its ability to hold a full charge. This degradation is increased by exposure to extreme weather conditions, like very hot or very cold temperatures. While it’s natural for a battery to become less powerful after a lot of usage, if you feel like your battery has lost a great deal of power suddenly, this could indicate a serious problem that needs repairing by a professional. Check your battery’s terminals for signs of corrosion and make sure all wires are fully connected. Don’t hesitate to call up the L&M Marine LLC mechanics if you need the help of our capable service department!
Oil
Your engine relies on oil to keep its parts lubricated and functional so you should ensure that it’s topped up and in good condition. Your UTV owner’s manual tells you how often you should change the oil, although if you often ride in dusty conditions, you may want to change it more frequently. Change the oil filter at the same time. To check your oil, remove the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert it and remove it again. Compare the color to the provided chart. If your oil is sludgy and thick, you need an oil change. If there are metal filings in it, this indicates a serious maintenance issue best addressed by professionals. Essentially, this is a sign that your engine’s parts are grinding together, and that’s never good.
Coolant
Coolant keeps your engine from overheating and needs regular refilling. Make sure that you replace the radiator cap tightly after refilling coolant and that it isn’t broken. Pooling fluids underneath your parked side by side indicate that there’s a leak in your radiator that you’ll want to address posthaste.
Spark Plugs
Changing spark plugs on a UTV is a pretty big endeavor that should only be undertaken if you have the professional knowledge and the right tools to do the job properly. Otherwise, spark plug replacement should be left to a pro mechanic like one at L&M Marine. You can check your spark plugs without too much trouble, though, provided you have a spark plug wrench to hand and you’re careful. Disconnect your side by side’s battery and remove the ignition cables first. Remove one spark plug with the socket and examine it to see that the ceramic casing is whole and dry and that there is no corrosion in the metal gaps.
L&M Marine LLC serves the greater Mobile metro area, with our dealership location in Stapleton, Alabama. We also proudly serve our customers coming from the cities of Pensacola, Florida, and Biloxi, Mississippi.