Homemade PVC Spring Spacers on rear of 825i Gator

[Skillet23]

While I've been off for a little while I have been looking for a lift kit for the 825i. The fellas at my JD Dealer keep telling me that JD is working on a lift for the 825i, but I haven't seen it yet and so I got tired of waiting. I search over the net looking for something that would work (saw a couple ideas posted here as well) but then I found a thread on a Polaris Ranger Forum where a guy built some spring spacers out of PVC pipe and fittings and it gave his Ranger about a 2" lift. So, I copied him.

Here are a few pictures I took while doing this little project. I only did the rear so that I could test them out in a few weeks when I go back to the deer lease. I mainly did this because we (my hunting partners and I) use our bikes to haul corn to our deer feeders and with around 800lbs. of corn in my Gator I tend to smack a few rocks. Anyway, here are the pics.

2292
Spacer measures out to 1 3/8". (Sorry it's a bit fuzzy.)

2293
Shock with spring and no spacer.

2294
Spacer installed.

2295
Shock with spacer installed back on Gator.

2296
Rear of Gator with spacers in both shocks.


David in TX

Oh yeah, it now has about 14 1/2" of ground clearance at the rear-end with the spacers installed and the preload adjustment at the minimum setting.

David in TX

[Dane]

Am I the only one not seeing any pictures?

[CaptDan]

Am I the only one not seeing any pictures?

No, I don't see them either !

Dan

[purplewg]

I don't see them either.

[Dane]

Now I am seeing links to forum attachments but there is nothing there.

[Skillet23]

OK, can ya'll see anything now?

[osiris]

I would think PVC would be a bit sketchy I would trust a piece of metal pipe alot more, looks good though other then that

[Dane]

Yes, the pictures are working now. Thanks.

It's such a simple idea it would be easy to do also with a niblet of steel pipe.

[Skillet23]

I considered metal pipe, but after thinking about it, I saw no problems with the PVC. All the force is down force. There is no side force. The spacers are made out of a coupling with a piece of pipe glued into each side then cut flush, then cut the coupling in half. That makes it like schedule 80 pipe. And like I said before, even though it is plastic all the force is down force and I don't believe it will be that easy to break a 1 3/8" piece of schedule 80 PVC by pushing down on it's end.

David in TX

[Destiny creek]

So I guess now your gator is (all jacked up) I agree with you i don't think that will ever break and if there is any wear it will be on the PVC which is cheap to replace. Nice job

[Dane]

Worst case if it does fail you'll hear a pop and loose your lift. I assume the shock would gust go back to it's stock configuration and you can still easily make it back home. It's not like it's going to leave you stuck somewhere if it ever did break.

[jcummins]

How did you get the spacer over the shock adjustment...the non black piece at the bottom of the spring? Somebody try this for the front.

[Skillet23]

You have to compress the spring. Then remove the top keeper plate and alignment cup. Then remove the spring from the shock and slide the spacer on. Next you must compress the spring some more (however much you spacer length is) and reassemble. It does not go on from the bottom side.

You can do the same thing to the front shocks, I just have not done it yet mainly because I just had knee surgery and do the rear was a pain. Might do the front at a later time, or might not.

David in TX

[jcummins]

These gators have a factory "rake' to them, and I know a lot of guys have wanted to raise the front. It doesn't really take much weight to level my 855D...I got a couple of landscaping block in the back of mine, and noticed it is almost level. I understand, you hauling heavy, you need more in the back.

[plateauman57]

i'm not a mechanic so i have to ask, does this make it ride rougher?

[Dane]

Since this adds length to the spring I wonder if you are bumping into the end of the shock? Not on compression but on extension like when cresting a hill when going fast.

[Vmcdld]

Have you noticed any unusual noise or any CV problem.

[Skillet23]

Nope, none at all. But it's only been 5 months and it's only been rode unloaded 6 - 8 times for 1/2 - 3 hours and 3 times with a load of approx. 1000lbs. for about 1/2 - 2 hours.

David in TX

[Vmcdld]

So we are using PVC pipe 1 3/8 tall with what diameter of pipe shall I use. And is the spacer the same in front as well as the rear?

[Vmcdld]

Can you put the spacer on the top side of the spring? Or is the bottom better?

[jimmydale]

You did this with the 825, can it be done with the 550 as well?

[Skillet23]

I used 2" PVC. 1 1/2" is too small to fit over the shock knuckle. You can put it on top of the spring - I did with the front, but the first time I bounced the front end hard, they broke. The replacements I put on the bottom (like I did the back) and have had no problems with them, even after a similar front end bounce that broke the first set. My assumption is that the collars and springs compress the bottom more evenly and constant with less chance of a slamming and cocking of the spacers.

I have no idea if it would work on a 550 but my guess is that it should. The thing you have to check on is the inset of your axles to insure you do not pull them out when the suspension in traveling.

David in TX

[Skillet23]

SuperATV is now making and selling spring spacers for Gators.

http://www.superatv.com/John-Deere-Gator-625i825i855D-2-Lift-Kit-P8338C1071.aspx

http://www.superatv.com/instructions/IN-LK-JD-G-825.pdf

David in TX

[jimmydale]

Thank you sir I will check this out

[jdman]

I put the super atv spring spacers on my rig best mod to date!!!!!!