Rubber Down Customs ( RDC ) 2" lift install.

Got my RDC lift installed today. Used RDC's instructions on their forum here: Yamaha Rhino Lift Kit Instructions - Rubber Down Customs Had to make some adjustments for my application. Thought I would share them for future reference. First, the rear lift according to their instructions needed the Lower Shock mount grinded off to keep from rubbing your CV boot on it. This involved removing the hub and axle, and lower shock bolt. This was a problem for me because I have no air tools to re-torque the axle nut back to 230 foot pounds. Had to improvise. I ended up cutting it out without removing anything including my A-arm skids. I used a Rotary tool with snake attachment and reinforced cut off wheels. I had to do it from 3 different angles. ( I now know what a dentist job is like. ) It took me about 1/2 hour per wheel to do. Here are some pics.

Rotary set up and ready.







I next had to remove top shock bolt. Then I lifted up the A-arms and set the hub on a cooler. This gave me more clearance to work on the cuts.







Here are the cuts. Sorry one of the pics isn't too good. I wrapped an old leather belt around the CV boot in case i slipped with the wheel and cut one. Also protected it from all the sparks.If you do this remember to use eye protection.









After my cuts were made I smoothed them out with a grinding stone and painted them to keep the rust away. Now the easy part, just slide the blocks in the rear frame and attach the shocks.Wrong!My Bilstein shocks are about 3/8 inch longer than stock shocks. I could not put the block in and then even with the A-arms fully extended down to bottom, get my shocks in. So, I attached my shocks to the block first and then while pressing down with my foot on the hub I used a rubber mallet to knock the block into the frame hole. I had it lined up as well as you could with the frame bolt holes but still couldn't get the bolt through because of all the strain pushing up from the shock. My solution was to run a ratchet strap around the top of my shock and compress the shock down to relieve the stress on the block in the frame. Bolt slid right in.










No problems whatsoever with the front lift. Went right on according to RDC's instructions.









Overall I am very happy with the lift. It is very heavy duty and their is no way this can slip anywhere. With my 26" Bighorns replacing my 25" Duros, I gained a total of 3 1/2 inches of clearance front and rear. This is of course without the body, bumpers and toolbox in the bed. Thats probably about 150 pounds thats off the machine right now. Here are the pics.












And my new Bighorns and Douglas Diablo wheels.

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07 660
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Looks good..............you probably could have backed off the preload on the rear shocks and it would have helped with the problem you had installing the rear

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07 Rhino Sport Edition:
3K Warn Winch
27" Bighorns on ITP SS Wheels w/spacers
Dynatek CDI
HW Sheave
Trail Tech & Dirtlight HID Lights
Dragonfire Billet intake
Pro Armor A-Arm Guards and Diff guard

so all you had to do was cut away your shock mounts???
that should weakin it up a little more for ya. I'm just sayin.

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I am curious about the handling with all that positive camber.

Only time will tell as far as durability goes.




The pics are when I just let it down off the jacks. After the suspension settled in it was not quite as drastic. It has developed some oversteer, which is OK because I felt it understeered before.

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07 660
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Thanks for sharing

Just to help some out you do not have to take axle nut off. You can remove
two bolts thats holding hub and lift it up out of the way to grind shock mount
are pull axle with hub still on it.

Just out of curiosity why did you lift the rhino? I run 27'' tires without a lift. I turned up the suspension a few notches but it does ride a little rougher. From looking at your pictures it doesnt look like your CVs will last to long at that steep of an angle but they might.

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Josh

08 rhino 700 plow,roof,windshield
27'' ITP 589s
04 rubicon 35'' boggers
97 xc600 triple WaterX sled
lots of other junk

I know quite a few people running the 2" lifts without any issue with CV's or axles. Only problems have been the durability of the lifts themselves. This RDC lift seems bulletproof the way it is constructed. Why lift it in the first place? Some of the places i ride that 2 extra inches comes in real nice.
A couple pics from our last ride.

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07 660
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From your rubber down web site it says the rhino lift kit coming soon, when will it be availible if not already.I like the way it bolts on, little mods to make it work. I like it, and would like to buy one

It's available now. You just have to call them. It is a new lift and they just didn't get it on the web site yet.

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07 660
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when did sideshow bob join the southernhomoriders?

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That looks like a lot of fun. I love rock crawling with mine. here is a pic of mine with 27s no lift

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Josh

08 rhino 700 plow,roof,windshield
27'' ITP 589s
04 rubicon 35'' boggers
97 xc600 triple WaterX sled
lots of other junk