Polaris General Maintenance 101: Upgrading Your Axles, Belts, and Brake Pads

Polaris takes the top spot in the ATV and side-by-side market, with a huge range of utility side-by-sides embodied in the Ranger, sports SXS with the RZR the main contender, adventure models such as the Xpedition, and versatile all-rounders like the General. And if you’re looking for a smaller footprint, but an extremely capable ATV, there’s little competition for the Sportsman.

The brand has pushed the envelope with superior performance from engines in different categories, unrivalled reliability with unlimited mile warranties, and versatility with quad bikes covering all user needs. Polaris owners are also covered by the largest dealer network of any brand, unmatched customer support and an options list to tend to anything they want upgraded. 

The sheer popularity also means an established aftermarket. Buyers can choose regular maintenance parts that they'll be swapping out more often, including Polaris ATV axles, consumables like brake pads, and parts that many owners overlook, specifically a can am maverick drive belt until it's too late.  

Why Upgrade Your Stock Axles?

If the US military relies on Polaris for its off-roading needs, then so can you. The company prides itself in quality build and parts that outlast other brands. Still, some drivetrain parts will fail sooner than others. Axles fall squarely into this category. It's not that Polaris didn't put enough attention into production methods, designs or materials, but that there are better replacements in specialist brands. 

Axles get power from the engine and transmission down to the wheels. In lower and mid-displacement engines, starting with the 70cc in the kid's Outlaw ATV, and to the ProStar Fury engine and all of its 2000ccs and 225 hp, axles get battered, twisted, hit, bent and abused to breaking point. They deal with immense torque as they deliver power while maintaining vehicle stability and working with the suspension and steering for ultimate control. Any damage in the shafts, CV joints, bearing or boots, either from, impact, punctures or leaking grease increases friction and heat of metal-on-metal parts and accelerates wear. 

Once you get to popping, clunking and humming noises (pointing to torn boots, bad bearings and failing joints) or have trouble turning or popping the lever into reverse, you risk bending and snapping the shaft in two. Before this happens, have a spare around. Stock Polaris axles are relatively easy to replace, requiring a few basic tools, a pre-assembled unit and half an hour per shaft top. The only thing that may take more time is considering what you see as a worthy replacement. 

Aftermarket options are available from dozens of brands and in price brackets ranging from dirt cheap to out of reach. Still, affordable Polaris CV axles from third-party brands offer the best balance between quality, performance and value. 

Choose heavy-duty axles with thicker heat-treated carbon steel shafts for more strength and durability when rock-crawling, hauling heavy loads, or in high-speed runs. These are coupled with durable CV boots to shield your quad and the joints from impact with rocks, branches and road debris, and resist punctures. The precision machined splines and joints roll on industrial bearings for lower friction and heat, and smoother power transfer. For quick and easy installation, look for pre-assembled units. Heavy-duty variants will outlast any factory Polaris ATV axles, regardless of the model, and in most quad bikes, with the North Star logo. 

For extreme machines and extreme uses, go with extreme-duty axles. These are suited to all RZR models, and Ranger and General side-by-sides with bigger 1000cc engines. These are bigger, thicker and made to a higher standard to endure the increased stresses, higher temperatures and more weight. They're made of high-grade Chromoly steel shafts; boots are thicker rubber variants for ultimate puncture resistance, and CV joints and bearings are industrial-grade, precision machined and treated for the highest performance. These will endure more abuse, higher speeds, and rougher terrain while remaining intact. 

Choose Better Stopping Power with Upgraded Brake Pads

Polaris has pushed for disc brakes, even in its smallest and lightest quads. They offer substantially better-stopping power, better brake feel and performance aligned with the brand's intentions. Brake pads are parts that will eventually lose their ability to bring your quad to a safe stop, with the friction material wearing down when in contact with the rotors. If you hear grinding noises when pressing the brakes, the quad pulling to either side, or notice that braking distances are longer than usual, time for a detailed inspection. Rotors should last for years, but pads will see a few iterations. They endure corrosive environments (mud, water and road debris), high friction and heat and a lot of abuse. 

There are three replacements in terms of materials and brake pad types. Organic pads are the cheapest, suit smaller ATVS and lighter side-by-sides, have a good brake feel, and are generally quiet and less abusive on the rotors.

Where they struggle is brake force, and difficulty in bringing more powerful and heavier Polaris models to a safe stop. 

Step up to sintered types for the best-performing pads. These combine metal particles, organic and synthetic fibres and bonding agents for quicker response, shorter braking distances and safer braking. The combination of materials is more tuned for quads pushing over 100hp, and capable of decent speeds. While the power is there, a few downsides need to be mentioned. Sintered pads are harder on the discs, can get noisy (not ideal for hunting and covert operations) and are some of the pricier types. 

For general-purpose use and combining the pros of both organic and sintered pads, choose semi-metallic types. These consist of metal fibres intertwined with composites, which makes them easier on the rotors. Also, they don't get as loud as full-metal pads and are somewhat cheaper. They still provide decent stopping power suitable for bigger machines, have good actuation and feel, and can get quads to a full stop from very high speeds. They'll outlast organic types, don't suffer from brake dust, and deal with road debris better than both types. 

Getting Power Down with the Right Drive Belt

Polaris is an early adopter of CVT transmissions and has pushed innovations for smoother power delivery, paired with increased engine efficiency. The transmission relies on two clutch pulleys, one connected to the engine and the other to drive the axles and wheels. Both spin in unison, with power directed by a drive belt. 

Stock OE Polaris belts can last anywhere between a couple of miles to several thousand. This all depends on how and where you drive, with a heavy throttle hand (or foot) being the main culprit for advanced wear. Belts are continually stretched, compressed and battered between the pulleys, and endure high temperatures and huge torque to ensure power gets through to the axles. This harsh environment is tasking on the tensile cords keeping the belts intact, and the rubber teeth that slot into pulleys. Damage units can exhibit cracks, fraying, worn or missing teeth and thinning, with some known to have snapped under higher engine loads. 

To prevent damage, inspect signs of wear after every ride. Replacements are often targeted to different users and Polaris quads. Heavy-duty variants, like axles, can sustain more heat and impact in everyday tasks with improved cog and teeth designs, paired with strengthened cords to resist elongation. Bigger-displacement machines churning out higher power figures benefit from extreme-duty belts with improved materials all-around for higher performance, more durability and belts that are better in every aspect. The belts run cooler, suffer less wear, handle more power, and are unaffected by changing road or weather conditions. They consist of aramid-fiber (Kevlar) cords, cogs and teeth in synthetic and natural rubber mixtures for higher grip (and reduced clutch slippage) and some have additional top layers to protect against oil, mud, and water.