CAN-AM MAVERICK R BUILD

On Nov 5, 2024

PROJECT CAN-AM MAVERICK R

Skids and footwell protection By the staff of Dirt Wheels

After nearly 1000 test miles in the Can-Am Maverick R, we had one component that was starting to wear out. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the tires, although we do have a set of new rock-crawling ITP rubber ready to mount up for the next issue. In this issue, though, we tackled the chore of installing new skid plates under the vehicle. We call the job of swapping out skid plates a “chore” on this machine due to the fact that the stock one is held in place by rivets and not bolts or even self-tapping screws.

PROJECT CAN-AM MAVERICK R — **Not only are SuperATV skid plates stronger than stock, they attach with nearly double the fasteners for a secure fit while adding rigidity to our Maverick R.**

SUPERATV TO THE RESCUE

In this case, the 30-or-so rivets had to be drilled or knocked out of place with a flat-blade screwdriver. In some instances, we had to do both, and having a good four-post lift made the job a lot easier, although it could have be done lying on the garage floor under the machine. Like Superman coming to the rescue, SuperATV saved the day. We ordered up their $699.99, 1/2 AMRW full skid plate for the upgrade. “AMRW” is SuperATV’s own proprietary blend of UHMW plastic.

When comparing the SA skid plate with the stock unit, it’s almost laughable how thin the OEM plate is. Although we were starting to completely wear through the stocker, we luckily hadn’t done any damage to the frame yet.

**It’s almost laughable at how thin the stock Maverick R skid plate is. It nearly wore through at the back of the car in the first 200 miles.**

This SuperATV skid plate came in five sections, so handling the pieces to do the install wasn’t a pain, as the new product was much heavier than stock. Following the directions, we installed the middle then front sections, then the sides, and then worked our way back to the rear of the car. SuperATV supplied about 50 new self-tapping screws and washers to secure the interlocking plates to the frame. We did have to drill a handful of new holes in the frame, but thankfully, a small dimple was all that was needed to get the self-tappers started.

Everything buttoned up tight and fit better than stock. The added protection will come in clutch when we start rock crawling this beast more in the fall. Furthermore, the new skid plates have all of the access holes needed for routine maintenance, such as oil and transmission fluid changes.

**To remove the stock skid plate, we drilled out all of the stock rivets. To keep the rivets from spinning, we slipped a flat-blade screwdriver under the head.**

The next SuperATV item we installed was for driver and passenger protection in the form of steel front inner fender guards for $244.95. The guards are designed to keep anything from entering the cockpit. We have seen videos of branches, logs and even fence posts poke through this area. Most were complete surprises to the drivers. The pair of guards were simple to install and went right along with our skid plate install. There was no drilling required for this product. Actually, the two products really highlighted each other.

So far, we think the $700 investment for the skid plates and $245 for the footwell guards have been the best investments we’ve made on this build. Although we don’t plan of purposely testing this product, we are more comfortable knowing we have it installed now. You can also get an Assault Industries-labeled fender guard through SuperATV as well.

**Not all grease is created equal. For CV joints, it’s imperative that you use a quality CV grease; same for the wheel bearings.**

PROJECT CAN-AM MAVERICK R – WHAT’S NEXT?

We have been testing a new $1199 exhaust system from Shift Performance Labs and UTV Race Shop (www.utvraceshop.com). Since the Maverick R is a manual-transmission UTV, it’s a great candidate for a better-sounding/-performing exhaust system. There’s nothing better than listening to a vehicle build rpm then bang through the gears. In fact, we have noted several times that the Maverick R is so quiet, you can barely hear it shift.

**Our first oil change took place at 500 miles, and with NEO’s SxS oil, the engine is running as smooth as when it was new.**

The Shift Performance Labs exhaust system is made from 304 stainless steel that has been Cerakoted black. The system has less bends than stock and points the exit straight out the back of the machine. Gone now is the huge stock muffler, saving over 30 pounds of weight over the rear end. Installation was straightforward and took under an hour. This system is a dune- or race-only product. It does not have a built-in spark arrestor. While it does sound great, you wouldn’t want to run this system in a sound-sensitive environment like a national or state forest.

We are in the initial stages of testing this exhaust now, and we can say it sounds better and seems to allow the engine to rev even faster. UTV Race Shop used Kyle Chaney to help develop the product, and he won this year’s King of the Hammers with a unit mounted on his Maverick R. Stay tuned, as we will install ITP’s new Intersect tires and beadlock wheels in the next issue.