5 Ways to Winterize Your UTV

Winter can be tough on your UTV. Even with modifications and cold-weather equipment, you still have to contend with snow, sleet, ice and freezing temperatures that can sneak into your engine and steal your power.

The good news is that there are certain precautions you can take to lessen winter's deadly grip on your UTV. They may not be foolproof, but they'll block the worst of the elements and keep you running no matter how many polar vortexes come your way. Here are just five tips for winterizing your side-by-side.

1. Check Your Fluids

Make it a point of checking your fluids before you head out. If they're too frozen or chunky to be operational, you'll need to warm up your UTV before you can take it anywhere. This is also something that should be done gradually and not all at once.

2. Be Careful With Your Antifreeze

In the same vein as the above, remember that winter comes with different rules for antifreeze. More specifically, you shouldn't be topping it off with water anymore. That can induce swelling in cold temperatures.

3. Throw Out Your Old Fuel

If you haven't ridden your UTV in awhile, you shouldn't take it out with the same old gas that's been sitting in it for months. Your engine can get so gummed up with bad fuel that it stalls in the middle of the wilderness, and what will you do then?

4. Buy Cold Weather Parts

Look for UTV parts that are made for snowy banks and icy terrain. For example, you might buy track systems to get through the slush or skid plates to protect your vehicle from chunks of frozen ice and dirt. You should also look into things like windshields and cab enclosures to keep the frost out of your face.

5. Check Your Tire Pressure

If your UTV goes from cold to hot to cold again, your tires can start swelling and deflating in time with the temperature. This will result in a loss of tire pressure that might require you to purchase completely new wheels.

When the temperature starts dropping, these tips can be the difference between a dead UTV and one that powers through the snow no matter how thickly it falls. If you're serious about staying on the road despite bad weather, follow these guidelines for winterizing your side-by-side.

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