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2004 Yamaha Rhino 660 Long Travel Build

Dan_Goodwin

Birmingham, AL
Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Messages
118
Figured some of you might enjoy this build, so here goes.

After years of riding shotgun I decided to sell off several project Seadoos (I used to flip 90's 2 strokes and had a few sitting around) and bought what I could afford to get out in the woods - a 2004 Rhino. This entire build has been done on a shoestring budget and in my carport as I don't have a shop yet.

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This was the day I brought it home. It has a +6 HCR LT kit, 2.0 Kings, 686cc stroker motor, and a pile of other stuff. It was a solid foundation to start out, but had a lot of hard miles on it. The first trip out was to Top Trails and the thing did remarkably well, walking up everything I pointed it at. The trip went great until I clipped a stump at speed and broke my left wrist, leaving me in a cast from my knuckles to my shoulder for 12 weeks and only able to work on small projects. Power steering, new radiator and electric fan, new exhaust, radio, added lighting, water temp and fuel gauge were all added.

Once I was back to wheeling again a smoking deal on a set of 29" Bighorns came up, so off came the 26s.

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The larger tires made a dramatic difference in capability, but I added a .5mm primary clutch shim to gain back some of the lost bottom end, but my 35hp definitely could tell the difference. I wheeled it like this relatively unchanged for almost 2 years, having a few issues (some self inflicted stupidity), which were mostly axle related. Either my driving ability or the 29s made these axles able to break almost on command (to the tune of $250 per shaft). I ride with mostly RZR 1000s and, believe it or not, this Rhino has made just about every obstacle they have and done it with relative ease.

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And no, I didn't make it up Boat Ramp or V Notch. The last picture of me pulling cable was 15 mins into a ride and another broken axle, which almost lead to me selling this rig.

Since this is a build thread and ending there would be boring, you can guess I decided not to sell it.
 
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That brings us up to today.

After a lot of thought and an improved budget (read: wife finished grad school), I decided to blow the Rhino apart and rebuild it with the goal to for it to be dead nuts reliable and equipped for Windrock level rides. Everything that moved was beyond worn out, so every bushing, bearing and rod end was replaced, along with downsizing tires to 27's to hopefully help the axles live, new steering rack, belt and all fluids were replaced. The issues with the axles stem from the use of factory CV joints, which severely limits the shaft size, so even stepping up to 300m shafts didn't solve the problem. I know custom axles that replace the factory CVs are inevitable, but that is a significant investment I'm trying to avoid if possible.

A note on the bearings: The OEM bearings are made by NTN. Below are some PNs for bearings that you can get from most any bearing supply store and avoid Yamaha's markup:

NTN
  • F: NTN 6006LLU
  • R: NTN 6206LLU
SKF
  • F: SKF 6006-2rsj
  • R: SKF 6206-2rsj
Timken
  • F: Timken 6006rs
  • R: Timken 6206rs


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With that nearly complete, I started on something I'd wanted to do since I bought it - a proper cage.

I picked up 120' of .120" 1.75" HREW (because not race car) and started bending tube. The goals were to lower the cage a few inches, have U4 styling, integrate a bed and proper doors and replace the front bumper.

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The start of a front bumper with a 5k badlands winch in it. The top tube will follow the contours of the plastics when I'm done with it.
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This brings us up to today. I wanted to get the main components roughed in then fall back and work on bracing and triangulating everything.

I'll post updates as I get stuff knocked out. Comments, sarcasm and criticism are welcome.
 

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Cool little machine, I was really hoping that this was going to have some good info on putting some better axles under this rig.

From what I've found, no axle using a stock/stock sized CV joint will work, 4130 or 300m doesn't matter. That leaves the only option to go custom, like Gorilla, Turner, RCV, Etc. Gorilla runs $450 per axle, last I checked.

I have some SATV Rhino brand stock length axles I have considered getting custom axles made for, but haven't pursued that yet.

Another option I'm looking into is the use of Type 1 VW axles. Back when R1 motor swaps were popular a lot of people used a Gear One kit that adapted allowed you to bolt up Type 1 axles. I happened to have one on my shelf.

axles.jpg


Since Facebook has all but killed forums (insert bitter comment here), finding some of this info has been tough.
 
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Glad you posted. I bought a Rhino a few years ago. They are good machines. Mine has a lonestar 6in kit with Gorilla axles. I dont beat on it too hard. Mostly a trail cruiser and backup rig. Look forward to your build and some videos if you have them.
 
I too love the rhinos and still wheel them currently. My first was a 04 model and after breaking several axles I learned that the 04 had smaller cv joints than the later models. After learning this I bought axles for 07 model and had way better luck with the axles. Also summer brothers sells just the shafts for +6 long arm for I think $175 each
 
I too love the rhinos and still wheel them currently. My first was a 04 model and after breaking several axles I learned that the 04 had smaller cv joints than the later models. After learning this I bought axles for 07 model and had way better luck with the axles. Also summer brothers sells just the shafts for +6 long arm for I think $175 each

All my joints are 05+ and I'm running Summers Brothers shafts and those are what I can't keep together. I'll be the first to admit you've got to pay to play, but at $175 for 4130 and $239 for 300m axles that I can break pretty easy somethings got to change. The unfortunate part is I'm really not beating on the Rhino very hard - there's just not enough shaft to hold up.
 
From what I've found, no axle using a stock/stock sized CV joint will work, 4130 or 300m doesn't matter. That leaves the only option to go custom, like Gorilla, Turner, RCV, Etc. Gorilla runs $450 per axle, last I checked.

I have some SATV Rhino brand stock length axles I have considered getting custom axles made for, but haven't pursued that yet.

Another option I'm looking into is the use of Type 1 VW axles. Back when R1 motor swaps were popular a lot of people used a Gear One kit that adapted allowed you to bolt up Type 1 axles. I happened to have one on my shelf.

View attachment 117409

Since Facebook has all but killed forums (insert bitter comment here), finding some of this info has been tough.


I never would have thought of looking to the old VW crowd for axles.
 
To keep this up to date:

The front bumper design was finalized.
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Unfortunately, this project comes to a halt about now. With Spring comes yard projects and a bathroom renovation, so the poor Rhino was shoved into a trailer in early June.

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Now, to totally derail this thread and understand why I ran out of time and money.....

My wife and I bought our house summer of 2017 and have been slowly putting our touch on it. It was built in 1960 and has been well taken care of, but hasn't been updated. Our hall bathroom was a beaut:

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Memorial Day weekend brought out the weapons of mass construction and the bathroom was torn down to the studs and subfloor. With the help of my dad, we did all of the rework ourselves with the exception of the tile.

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I was genuinely disappointed we didn't have the pink tub and toilet to match to really finish the look off.
I don't know anything about sxs's, but I actually have a pink tub and shitter in our main bathroom. Would love to redo the whole thing but the tub is the biggest thing holding me up.
 
Does it have turf mode? Asking for a friend???
No sissy Polaris Ranger BS tech on this unit. The Rhino stays in 4wd with the front diff locked at all times because screw your finely manicured grass.

I don't know anything about sxs's, but I actually have a pink tub and shitter in our main bathroom. Would love to redo the whole thing but the tub is the biggest thing holding me up.

Purely arm chair quarterbacking here. The hardest part about my tub install was getting the drain installed to the tub itself - the install and removal wasn't bad at all.
 
Purely arm chair quarterbacking here. The hardest part about my tub install was getting the drain installed to the tub itself - the install and removal wasn't bad at all.

I'd be okay with replacing it if it wasn't for the fact that I believe the walls were put up around the tub/shower unit. No way to fit it through the door and make the turn down the hallway. I think my best option would be to cut the old one to pieces and just put in a new tub, then tile up the walls to make the shower portion. Sorry for the derail but in my defense, you started it. Lol
Edit* Just got to looking and they actually make ones where the tub and wall portions are separate pieces. That would probably work.
 
I'd be okay with replacing it if it wasn't for the fact that I believe the walls were put up around the tub/shower unit. No way to fit it through the door and make the turn down the hallway. I think my best option would be to cut the old one to pieces and just put in a new tub, then tile up the walls to make the shower portion. Sorry for the derail but in my defense, you started it. Lol
Edit* Just got to looking and they actually make ones where the tub and wall portions are separate pieces. That would probably work.

Easy tub removal process:
Cut hole in roof directly above tub.
Lift out via crane or winch.
Drop new tub in place by reversing step #2.
Patch roof.
Ding fries are done...
 

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