Product Description
DOUBLE-SHEAR RADIUS ROD MOUNT FRAME BRACE
True double-shear design is strongest available
Better than cage-style radius rod enclosures
- Strongest design available (patent-pending)
- Upgrades frame to true double-shear radius rod mounting, increasing strength by 100%
- Mounts to frame at additional points both above and below radius rods -
suspension loads are no longer concentrated on just the four radius rod holes - Eliminates "egging-out" & cracking of radius rod mounting holes
- Makes differential fluid service and radius rod removal easy
- Fits with stock, and most aftermarket radius rods (see notes below)
- Fits with Polaris Extreme rear bumper and most aftermarket bumpers (see notes below)
- Does NOT fit with aftermarket bumpers using four-bolt radius rod plate for lower mount (see notes below)
- Durable black powdercoat finish
- Complete kit installs easily in about 30-45 minutes
- Fits 2018 & newer Polaris RS-1
- Does NOT fit RZR XP 1000, XP Turbo or XP Turbo-S (72" wide model)
- Made in USA
The Polaris RS-1 has a rear trailing arm suspension with radius rods similar to the RZR XP 1000 & XP Turbo. This design provides camber changes throughout the suspension travel to improve handling. The stock Polaris radius rods are mounted to the frame in a weak single-shear fashion, with a separate sheet metal stiffener plate added to the rear. Thunderhawk Performance was the first company to identify this weakness and developed the first double-shear upgrade for the RZR radius rods. Thunderhawk's patent-pending double-shear design is now available to strengthen the RS-1.
Thunderhawk Performance developed this patent-pending radius rod mount design to upgrade the stock RZR's radius rod suspension from a single-shear radius rod mount to a much stronger double-shear design. The Thunderhawk double-shear radius rod mount replaces the original stiffener plate and features additional frame mounting points (at both the top and bottom) to securely mount the Thunderhawk double-shear plate directly to the frame, without relying only on the four radius rod bolts for mounting. Thunderhawk's double-shear mount creates a second frame mount for the radius rods that is securely attached directly to the frame to support the rear of the radius rods. With the radius rods now supported on both the front (through the stock frame) and the rear (through the Thunderhawk double-shear plate), we have doubled the strength of the radius rod mounts, eliminating flex and stopping the problem of deforming, elongating (egging-out) & cracking around the radius rod mounting holes in the RZR frame. Thunderhawk's double-shear design provides a major benefit by increasing frame and suspension strength, and is superior to any other rear radius rod plates or cages. Thunderhawk's patent-pending double-shear mounting is the only engineered solution that actually improves the frame design and strengthens the frame to handle the suspension forces encountered in real-world RZR driving conditions, whether racing or just for regular trail-riding.
The Thunderhawk double-shear radius rod mount features a differential fluid service access hole, and is designed to fit with Polaris-brand and most aftermarket frame-mount bumpers or rear roll cages that use the Polaris-style frame mounts. Another nice feature offered by Thunderhawk's double-shear design is the fact that this plate is mounted directly to the frame (independent from the four radius rod bolts) making rear suspension work much easier and allowing the radius rods to be removed and re-installed easily. Anyone who has removed their radius rods has discovered what a pain it can be to install the radius rods with the stock set-up.
Now, let's talk about fitment. Thunderhawk Double-Shear Plates feature direct frame mounting. Because of this, fitment of the Thunderhawk Double-Shear plates are affected by the width of the radius rods (where the bolt passes through at the frame end). The factory-installed radius rods on the RS-1 are 1 3/8" wide. If you have stock radius rods, we know what you need and our RS-1 double-shear plate will fit perfectly. Most aftermarket radius rods will be 1 3/8" wide. If you have 1 3/8" aftermarket radius rods, you're good-to-go with this RS-1 double-shear plate. If you have stock radius rods now, but may upgrade them to aftermarket radius rods later, that's no problem either - just be sure to verify that the aftermarket radius rods you buy are 1 3/8" wide (like the stock ones). There are also aftermarket radius rods that are 1 3/4" wide and a few that have some other odd-ball dimensions. The 1 3/4" wide radius rods match the factory-installed Polaris high-clearance radius rods (as used on the High Lifter and Trails & Rocks RZR models), and will not fit with this item. The most common odd-ball dimensions occur when a company includes a flat four-bolt plate with their radius rods to replace the factory-installed formed four-bolt plate (and then they add spacers to make their flat plate fit). If the aftermarket radius rod itself measures 1 3/8", these spacers added to the lower radius rods can usually be removed to install the Thunderhawk RS-1 double-shear plate, which is formed properly to match the Polaris frame. To assure that you receive a part that will fit your RS-1, we ask that you verify that the width of your radius rods is 1 3/8" (see photo) before ordering.
OK, we're almost done with fitment. Rear bumpers can also create issues with a Double-Shear Upgrade. No bumper - No problem! If you have the Polaris Extreme rear bumper, no problem - go ahead and order when ready! If you have an aftermarket frame-mount bumper that mounts like the Polaris bumper (see photo to identify frame-mount location), then our RS-1 double-shear plate will also fit. If you have one of those bumpers that has a lower mount that uses a four-bolt plate to replace the factory radius rod plate, then you can't install a Double-Shear Upgrade (you probably also want to get rid of that bumper before you hit something and damage your rear suspension). We've intentionally kept this "bumper fitment" section short, call if you have further questions.
Whether you are riding wooded trails, desert or sand dunes, you can experience frame damage at the radius rod mounts, even at slower speeds. We can confidently say that the Thunderhawk Double-Shear Plate will benefit almost all RS-1's by strengthening this weak area of the frame. The Thunderhawk Performance double-shear radius rod mount installs in about 30-45 minutes. Durable black powdercoat finish. Please Note: Some photos of installed double-shear plate are white for photo clarity, all double-shear plates shipped out are powdercoated black. Does NOT fit RZR XP 1000, XP Turbo or XP Turbo-S (72" wide model). Made in USA.
CA Warning: Cancer or Reproductive Harm Prop 65
