Intro

[Rockeydog1]

Obviously new to this forum. I traded in my pro r 4 ultimate for a 2025 4 door 1500 northstar premium. My body just gave up on the constant adrenaline search. I ride Windrock, Black mountain, Brimstone . I purchased Thumper Fab long travel kit and 35 zillas to help stay somewhat connected to my old riding style. I realize I’m not going to tackling WR 15, but are there any other improvements I should be making off the bat? I’m putting the finishing touches on my diy uhmw skid tomorrow. Suggestions will be appreciated. I left the go fast scene and really am not super knowledgeable in the 1500 side of life.

 

[Big Red]

Welcome to the group Rockeydog1!!!
I assume by what you already purchased you ride some rough terrain and probably crawl over a bunch of rocks, looks like you already addressed upgrades for that. A lot of us here have upgraded our interiors with floor mats, center councils, metal door pockets and under seat storage. Many have also done rear bed mats, tool boxes, or head ache racks. Several have done rear bumpers and front brush guards as well. Then of course there is extra lighting and street legal kits. If you want more power Giloman has that covered. So there is a lot of money to be spent if you want to..........let us know what you're looking to do and the group would be happy to share their experiences

 

[Mr.C]

Welcome to the group! Definitely a change in machines. One suggestion would be to maybe add thumper fabs front and rear frame stiffeners, if your gonna be doing any hard rock crawling style of driving. Not sure how well that would work with your skid plates. As I’m looking into doing some as well, and the stiffeners might be in the way.

 

[Rockeydog1]

I’ll look into floor mats, and the design of the frame stiffeners. I noticed the boxed frame and c channel section and didn’t really think it would flex. It looked really stout, but again I know very little about this machine. I’m looking forward to learning about this machines weak points, and not blowing money needlessly. I’ll miss the pro r, but heat, air conditioning, windows are things I want now.

 

[Mr.C]

The frame on these are a little more stout than the XP 1000’s. I added frame stiffeners to my XP due to the A arm mounts bending/cracking or getting damaged. I never experienced, but I know of a hunting guide that had on multiple units. So I didn’t delay installing them on my XP.

 

[oneal]

Welcome aboard Rockeydog 1, same as you I used to ride the challenging stuff same places you mention . I have owned my 1500 for well over a year now, I can't imagine taking it a fourth of the places I once rode. It lacks low speed umph and should have a low range.
Never heard of Black Mountain, where is it located?

 

[Big Red]

Welcome aboard Rockeydog 1, same as you I used to ride the challenging stuff same places you mention . I have owned my 1500 for well over a year now, I can't imagine taking it a fourth of the places I once rode. It lacks low speed umph and should have a low range.
Never heard of Black Mountain, where is it located?

Oneal, Have you tried using the Tow/Haul mode for Low Range? Does it still not give you enough power or does the tranny struggle? It's tough for me to say since I'm a flatlander and don't have too many rocks to crawl over around home. I did notice a fairly big difference once I got the latest software for the tranny.

 

[oneal]

Oneal, Have you tried using the Tow/Haul mode for Low Range? Does it still not give you enough power or does the tranny struggle? It's tough for me to say since I'm a flatlander and don't have too many rocks to crawl over around home. I did notice a fairly big difference once I got the latest software for the tranny.

Yes, I have tried tow/haul, but tow/haul is just programming and does nothing for gear ratio. It helps a little but if I need to go up a steep or technical hill without a running start my machine is a huge disappointment. Same issue if I want to ease over a log or bolder. My tcm has been flashed as well.

There is a technique Polaris advises in these situations of flooring it to engage the clutches and then back out of the throttle just slightly which I had already discovered by trial and error, it helps but is not always enough.
I have been forced to back down a hill twice, once was with a group of riders and it was embarrassing. If you watch the video 505outsider made on one of the passes out west (Engineers I think) it illustrates the problem.

I will add, these are obsticals that are on our personal land that we have played on for over thirty years, at least 12 different sxs`s and the only one that performed worse than the 1500 is a Kubota RTV but the Kubota is way out of its design parameters.

Just to reinerat we like our 1500, we call it our Country Cadillac and treat it as such. I avoid the few places the machine doesn't shine in.

 

[Rockeydog1]

Black mountain is in Evarts tn. It has quite a bit of technical trails and good camping on Harlan side. As far as expectations on hill climbs i hope there is a fix. My insane rock crawl days are past, but there are hills at all the parks I frequent. Moab is a yearly event, that may be hampered as well. Ill be shining at AZPT though.

 

[Big Red]

I saw the video from 505 Outsiders, in fact I'm the one that posted it here. He did that video before he updated his software which did make a big difference for him. I'm sure getting those monster 35" tires of his moving is not helping the situation either. I know Tow/Haul is not like the old Low Range, but both the engine and transmission are electronically controlled in the 1500 so they can change the gearing so to speak electronically through the valving in the tranny. They can also adjust how long the wet clutches stay engaged. Like I said I'm a flatlander, so I have never encountered a hill, rock, or log yet that my 1500 struggled with.

 

[oneal]

I didn't see 505's video here and I missed the one where his is now better, guess I better look for it. The electronically controlled sheaves start the machines motion at their most powerful position being small as possible on the drive and large as possible on driven. This is the only ratio controllable on the 1500, there is no programing improvement to make that better. It can be programed to remain in it's most powerful position for a longer period or higher rpm before changing the ratio but if 505's is better than mine it would mean he either got a tuner or Polaris is not giving us all the same software updates. The clutch engagement can be changed but the two times mine fell on it's face the engine rpm was in the 1500ish range so that wasn't the issue. I was trying to move too much weight up a rather steep hill and my xd would not have it. Read several times on here where people would get hot clutch faults so rather than risk burning clutch fiber I stopped and backed up.
I agree 35's are tall for this machine, I love how mine look and and how they do help climb up on things but they are a gear ratio robber.