Rath Racing RZR-XP 900 Sway Bar
- Updated: April 15, 2013
There are very few weaknesses on the Polaris RZR XP 900. Even in stock form it is nearly bullet proof and very capable of winning most SXS races without turning a screw on it. However, there is one part on the RZR-XP that has proven to be a thorn in my side and many others who are racing their XP’s. The part in question is the sway bar.
Personally, I have been through four OEM sway bars on two different machines. The performance from the stock sway bar is sufficient in most circumstances, but the longevity is the issue. After purchasing my fourth stock sway bar, I was determined to find a better option.
The Solution
After a few weeks of searching the Internet and emailing companies back and forth, I was contacted by Jennifer Rath from Rath Racing. She mentioned that they had been developing an OEM replacement sway bar for a couple of months and that it was nearly ready for production.
The Rath Racing RZR-XP 900 sway bar is unique in the following ways:
- Resistance is Adjustable – By purchasing different bar sizes you are able to fine tune your sway bar for varying track conditions and types of racing/recreation.
- Billet Connecting Arms – The solid aluminum arms are made from billet aluminum and ensure the only flexing happens in the bar and not in the arms.
- Arms are Adjustable – To fine tune your sway bar, Rath Racing has provided three different mounting points on the billet arms. Each mounting point is a different leverage ratio.
- True Torsion Bar (not hollow tube like OEM bar) – Much stronger than thin, hollow sway bars. The bar is heat treated to perform much like the spring on a coilover shock. The true “torsion bar” is what allows this bar to be such a performance boost over the stock bar.
- Repeatable Resistance – Over time, the OEM bar will weaken and the resistance will decrease, but not with the Rath Racing Sway Bar. It will remain consistent over time.
Daryl Rath Explains…
Immediately upon opening the box containing the sway bar, I was blown away with the quality and craftsmanship on the Rath Racing sway bar. However, this was not unexpected, as all of the parts manufactured by Rath Racing are top notch and worthy of being on any race machine. Rath Racing also manufacturers their products right in their shop in Minnesota. In today’s economy, it’s great to know that top of the line products can still be bought from manufacturers based in the United States. American pride definitely pays off with this product!
Installation
Installing your new Rath Racing RZR-XP Sway Bar is a simple process taking about 30 minutes to an hour. It mounts using the stock sway bar retainers and stock bushings. Make sure when you reinstall your stock bushings that you clean them very well and lubricate them prior to installing the bar. They can be greased afterward using the grease fittings in the chassis, but for consistent coverage, it’s better to lubricate the bushings prior to installation.
Race Review
I raced the first sway bar a few times and came to the conclusion that I preferred a stiffer setting. I reached out to Daryl Rath and spoke to him about the options. He mentioned that they were (at that time) testing a stiffer bar that was the same resistance provided by the stock bar. He said he would send one of the new, thicker bars out for testing. I was able to race on the new, stiffer, bar last weekend and I was completely blown away with the performance benefit provided. Although the new bar is the same stiffness as the stock bar, the billet aluminum connecting arms have three different settings, allowing for fine tuning of the sway bar. I raced with on the stiffest setting at a short course race in North Alabama. The setting was perfect and allowed me to push harder and longer into the corners. The performance boost was immediately evident.
If you are serious about racing a RZR-XP 900, you need the Rath Racing RZR-XP 900 sway bar. Not only is it a performance boost, but it also ensures that you will have the benefits of this sway bar all the way up to the end of the race. Racing with the stock bar, it’s just a matter of time until it breaks in the middle of the race and costs you a possible race win.
How Much?
The cost of the Rath Racing RZR-XP 900 Rear Sway Bar is $379.95. That may seem like a big number, but I have actually spent more than that on buying stock sway bars. I wish I had bought the Rath Racing bar immediately after breaking the first stock sway bar, not the fourth. The sway bars are available now from Rath Racing and ship world wide.
Fore more information about Rath Racing, please contact them at http://www.rathracing.com/.
