Best First Upgrades for a Polaris RZR XP 1000, in Order

The best first upgrades for a stock Polaris RZR XP 1000 are, in order: a full skid plate with A-arm guards, stronger radius rods, a spare belt with the tool to change it, and 4-point harnesses with a harness bar. After those come tires if your stock ones don't suit your trails, a clutch kit only if you go taller than 30-inch tires, and then doors, a windshield, and lighting. At High Clearance UTV, we install these parts on customers' machines, and this order comes from the repairs we see most often. It starts with protection for the parts that break first, then safety gear for the people riding, then traction, then comfort.

Jonathon "Jon" Jeck, our co-owner, has more than 20 years of mechanical experience, and those years of repair work are how he knows which parts tend to fail first. The Ozarks trails around our shop are rock, roots, creek crossings, and mud, and that terrain is why protection sits at the top of this list. Items 1 and 2 still come first for mud riders whose trails have rock or roots under the mud, but if you ride mostly open sand, you can move protection lower on the list.

Order	Upgrade	Why it's here	Install
1	Full skid plate and A-arm guards	Rocks hit the underside first	You can do it at home
2	Stronger radius rods	Stock rods bend on rocks	At home or at a shop
3	Spare belt and belt tool	A broken belt is a common reason a ride ends early	Nothing to install
4	4-point harnesses and harness bar	Holds riders in place in a rollover	You can do it at home
5	Tires, if stock tires don't suit your trails	Adds traction where you need it	Have a shop mount them
6	Clutch kit, only if you go taller than 30-inch tires	Protects the belt with bigger tires	Have a shop do it
7	Doors, windshield, lighting	Comfort and visibility	You can do it at home

1. Full Skid Plate and A-Arm Guards

A new XP 1000 sits 13.5 inches off the ground, according to Polaris. That's a lot of room, but on rocky trails the underside still takes hits when the machine drops off a ledge or gets hung up on a rock. A full skid plate covers the belly from front to back, so those hits land on the plate instead of the frame and the drivetrain parts underneath.

A-arm guards cover the lower A-arms and the CV boots next to them. A torn CV boot lets dirt into the axle joint, and that ends with a worn-out axle.

Skid plates come mostly in UHMW plastic or aluminum. UHMW slides over rock more easily and is quieter when it hits. Aluminum is stiffer, but it dents and tends to catch on rock edges. For Ozark rock and ledges, we recommend UHMW. Aluminum makes more sense if you mostly ride smoother trails, where it won't take many rock hits, and you want a plate that holds its shape without flexing. You can install either one at home with basic hand tools, and you'll find both in our skid plate and body armor collection.

2. Stronger Radius Rods

Radius rods are the bars that hold the rear wheels in line. On a RZR they sit low, where rocks can reach them, and stock rods can bend or break in rocky, rutted terrain. A bent rod throws off the rear alignment, and a broken one can leave you stuck on the trail. They're second on the list because, after the underside, they're among the parts we see damaged most often on rocky rides.

Upgraded rods use stronger tubing and stronger rod ends than stock. Steel rods, made from chromoly or DOM (drawn-over-mandrel) steel tubing, are heavier and hold up better to impacts. Aluminum rods are lighter. If you ride rock and ledges, we recommend steel. If you ride faster, smoother trails where rock hits are rare, aluminum saves weight.

A radius rod plate is a separate part that bolts under the area where the rods mount and protects that spot from rock hits. You don't need one to install new rods, but it's worth considering if you ride a lot of rock. You can install high-clearance lower radius rods for the RZR XP 1000 at home if you have jack stands and a torque wrench. After the new rods go on, have a shop check the rear alignment to make sure the rear wheels still point straight.

3. Spare Belt and Belt Tool

The RZR XP 1000 has a CVT, which drives the wheels through a rubber belt. A broken belt is one of the most common reasons we see a ride end early. Belts fail from heat, and heat comes from slipping and load. Anything that makes the engine work harder adds heat to the belt, including bigger tires, a heavier load, and engine changes.

Carry a spare belt and the tool that spreads the clutch to get the old belt out. With those two things in the machine, a broken belt means a trailside stop instead of a tow. The Polaris belt replacement guide walks you through the change step by step, so read it once at home before you need it. Check your owner's manual for the belt inspection schedule Polaris recommends for your machine.

The belt sits above harnesses on this list because it's the part you're most likely to need on an ordinary ride, and there's nothing to install. You can find a replacement for your model in our drive belts collection.

4. 4-Point Harnesses and a Harness Bar

Harnesses matter most if the machine rolls or takes a hard hit, and that's especially true when you carry passengers, including kids riding in the back of a four-seat XP 4 1000. A 4-point harness has two shoulder straps, and it holds a rider's upper body more firmly in the seat than a standard belt. The XP 1000 comes with a 3-point seat belt for every rider.

The shoulder straps need a solid mount behind and a little above each rider's shoulders. On a RZR, that's a harness bar that bolts across the cab, because the stock seat isn't built to hold the straps. Most people can install harnesses and a bar in the driveway with basic hand tools. If you plan to change seats later, pick seats and harnesses together so the strap slots line up.

Polaris limits the XP 1000 to 15 MPH when the driver's seat belt isn't buckled. After a harness goes in, buckle up and take a short test drive. If the machine stays limited to 15 MPH, it isn't reading the driver's belt as buckled, and something in the install needs to be fixed. If that happens, bring it in and we'll check it.

5. Tires, If Your Stock Tires Don't Suit Your Trails

A stock XP 1000 runs 29x9-14 tires in front and 29x11-14 in the rear, on 14-inch wheels, per Polaris. If your stock tires are in good shape and they grip on the trails you ride, keep them and spend on the items above first. Change tires early only if they don't suit your riding. Stock tires that spin in deep mud or keep getting cut on sharp rock are two good reasons. Otherwise, pick new tires when the stock set wears out. Our guide to mud vs. all-terrain tires covers which type fits how you ride.

A 30-inch tire is about an inch taller than stock, and a 32-inch tire is about three inches taller. A taller tire acts like a higher gear, so the engine works harder, the machine feels slower off the line, and the belt runs hotter and wears out sooner. Taller tires can also change the angle the CV axles run at, which is a common cause of faster axle-joint wear on lifted or larger-tired rigs. Polaris's owner's manual says to always use the tire size and type specified for your vehicle, which means Polaris doesn't recommend bigger tires. If you put them on anyway, you're choosing to accept the extra belt and axle wear.

For most riders, 30-inch tires run fine with the clutch setup the machine came with from the factory, such as a 30x10-14 8-ply tire as one example of that size. Past 30 inches, expect to replace belts and axles more often. You may only need new wheels if the tire you want doesn't come in a 14-inch size, so check the tire's size chart before assuming your stock wheels will work. Mounting tires takes a tire machine, so most riders have a shop do it, and we mount tires and wheels in our shop.

6. Clutch Kit, Only If You Go Taller Than 30-Inch Tires

Skip the clutch kit if your XP 1000 is on stock-size tires. The factory clutch setup is matched to the factory tires. A clutch kit belongs on your list once you move to tires taller than 30 inches. It can also help if you carry a lot of extra weight, or if you take the machine somewhere much higher or lower in elevation than where you normally ride. Elevation changes how much power the engine makes, and the clutch setup needs to match that power.

A clutch kit changes the weights and springs inside the clutches. That changes the engine speed at which the belt starts to grip, and how quickly the clutches move from a low gear ratio to a high one as you speed up. With the right setup for your new tires, the belt slips less, runs cooler, and lasts longer.

We recommend having a shop do this job. It means taking the clutches apart and setting them up for your tires and your riding, and a small setup mistake shows up as poor performance or a burned belt. If you're changing to taller tires, have the clutch kit installed in the same shop visit as the tires. If your machine is a 2016 to 2023 RZR XP 1000, you'll find a clutch kit for those model years in our catalog; for other years, see our clutch kit collection.

7. Doors, Windshield, and Lighting

Doors keep mud, branches, and water out of the cab, and they give passengers something solid beside them.

A windshield keeps wind, dust, and rain off your face. Windshields come in full, half, and vented styles, and the right one depends on how dusty your trails are and whether you ride with a roof.

Lighting matters most if you ride after dark or under heavy tree cover. An LED light bar or pod lights light up the trail farther ahead and wider to the sides than the stock headlights do, and our lighting collection has options for the RZR. Most riders can install all three at home, though wiring lights neatly takes some patience.

What Can Wait

These upgrades are popular, but they belong later.

• Exhaust: The Polaris owner's manual notes that federal law requires a working spark arrestor on public land. Some aftermarket exhausts don't have one, and some are too loud for riding parks with sound limits, so check both before you buy. The exhaust alone doesn't void your warranty, but if it causes damage, Polaris or the dealer can deny coverage for that damage.
• ECU tune: A tune adds power, which adds belt heat. As with an exhaust, the tune alone doesn't void your warranty, but Polaris or the dealer can deny coverage for damage the tune causes.
• Long-travel suspension: It's a big project that replaces the suspension arms and the axles. If your stock shocks feel tired, check the signs of worn-out shocks first.
• Audio, radios, and GPS: These are nice to have and easy to add later.

FAQ

What breaks first on a stock Polaris RZR XP 1000?

On rocky trails, we most often see damage underneath the machine, bent radius rods, torn CV boots, and broken drive belts.

Do I need a clutch kit right away on a RZR XP 1000?

No. A stock XP 1000 on stock-size tires doesn't need one.

Can I run 32-inch tires on a stock RZR XP 1000?

Most riders can run 32-inch tires on a stock XP 1000, though fit can depend on your wheel offset, and some setups need spacers or minor trimming to avoid rubbing. They're about three inches taller than the stock 29-inch tires, so the machine will feel slower off the line and wear through belts and axles faster.

Is the stock skid plate on a RZR XP 1000 good enough?

You can check it yourself. Look under the machine for frame rails, drivetrain parts, A-arms, or CV boots that no plate covers, since those spots are open to rock hits. Also look at the plate that's already there, because deep gouges or cracks mean it's already taking hard hits. If you ride rocks and find either problem, add a full skid plate with A-arm guards before your next rocky ride.

Do aftermarket upgrades void the Polaris warranty?

No, not by themselves. The FTC explains that your warranty stays in effect when you use aftermarket parts. If an aftermarket part fails or is installed wrong and damages something, though, the manufacturer or dealer can deny coverage for that damage. That's one more reason to make sure each part is installed correctly.

Get the Right Parts on Your XP 1000

If you're ready to start on your RZR XP 1000, call our parts counter at 815-953-9346 with your VIN. We'll check that each part fits your year before you order, and we can install it for you at our shop at 1208 W Cato Springs Rd., Fayetteville, AR 72701. You can also browse everything for your machine in our RZR XP 1000 parts collection.