When Can-Am released the X3 X RC (Rock Crawling) Turbo edition, it quickly became a hit for consumers who typically have rock-crawling as one of the top trails they ride on. The X3 X RC adds 30-in. Maxxis Liberty tires, upgraded HMWPE under armor, a 4,500-lb (2,041 kg) winch with synthetic rope, the basic RC has a 120hp engine compared to the 172hp and 195hp engine packages on some of the other X3 models.
But don’t worry, you can purchase the X3 X RC Turbo RR with the 195hp engine, 32-in. Maxxis Liberty 2.0 tires, Fox 3.0 Podium RC2 tires with internal bypass and all at a 72-in. width. With so many top products listed on the spec sheet, you may ask yourself: What more could I need? Well, we are UTVGuide.net and there is always room for improvement.
For such improvements, we turned our X3 over to Shock Therapy and let them do their magic. Shock Therapy is based in Phoenix, Arizona, but they also spend many weekends and holidays in Glamis with a full crew that is capable of upgrading components on your UTV. You can also find them on the web at: www.shocktherapyst.com
Below is a list of Shock Therapy products added to our 2020 Can-Am Maverick X3 X RC Turbo RR.
RIS – Ride Improvement System
The first item on the list, they turned their attention to the shocks and added their RIS (Ride Improvement System). This includes modifying the Internal bypass tubes on the front and rear, modifying valving, modifying piston, changing oil flow on the inside of the shaft where rebound is controlled, valving on the side stacks of the bypass, combined with coil springs, dual rate system that accounts for all the extra weight you add to the car,and add limit straps to stop it from vibrating or clunking on the extension for a complete RIS. Also added to our suspension is Shock Therapy’s dual rate spring kit.
The dual rate spring kit (DRS) is the best starting point to upgrade your suspension setup. A Shock Therapy dual rate spring kit is going to be custom tailored to your unit’s specifics. They will take into account driver weight, all accessories, terrain and driving style. Some of the benefits of the Shock Therapy dual rate spring kit are:
Shock Therapy Fox iQS Kit
Adjust your shocks at a flip of the switch! Shock Therapy has teamed up with Fox to sell the new iQs upgrade kit. This kitturns any 2.5” or bigger Fox UTV shock into an electrically-controlled system. For this system there are three settings, firm, medium or soft. Mashing through the whoops on firm, then hit the rock section, switch it to soft for a plusher ride. Adjust the shocks at any time on the fly for any terrain you like. Never get out of your vehicle to adjust the shocks again.
Limit Strap kit
If you have ever heard a loud clunk sound coming from your X3 at full extension, chances are you need some limit straps. Shock Therapy’s limit strap kit is not just straps. They come with a billet aluminum, laser engraved and upper strap mounts. This kit also comes with adjustable, tight clearance clevis system allowing you to adjust the strap length perfectly. If you are interested in this kit, head over to shocktherapyst.com and check out their install video.
Front Sway Bar
While out driving your stock X3 you may have noticed when you enter into a corner at speed the car nosedives down onto the front outside tire, which picks up the inside rear tire and slows you down. This uneasy feeling can be unsettling and is a huge limiting factor to corner speeds. The key to fixing this is a front sway bar with a higher spring rate that limits the roll over and dive in the corner. Shock Therapy has designed a front sway bar system with a larger diameter, heat treated bar, stronger bushings and billet bushing clamps as well as a bulletproof set of sway bar links to handle the extra load our stronger bar can provide.
If that isn’t enough, they added the ability to adjust the sway bar. The sway bar has three holes to use so you can tune the system to your driving style and terrain. If you drive on slow mountain trails you can adjust the bar on the most compliant setting. Driving in the dunes or racing you can set the bar to the stiffer setting. You can order this kit with or without sway bar links.
Sway Bar Links
Some X3 owners have experienced one of the weak points on the car, and that is the front sway bar links. It is common to pull the joint apart on the stock link. So, Shock Therapy has added to their product line adjustable links that will increase rigidity and improve roll stability. The links include racing grade Teflon-lined rod ends for durability and longevity in both dune and desert environments.
Rear Radius Rods
Nothing can screw up your day of riding worse than a bent radius rod. To cut down the likelihood of this happening, Shock Therapy has designed two types of radius rods. They are available in 1.25” chromoly rods or the beefier looking 7075 billet aluminum rods (1.25” diameter hex). Shock Therapy radius rods are marked left-hand and right-hand thread for easy adjustment. Unlike most rod ends that are 5/8”, Shock Therapy’s rod ends are a massive 3/4” for strength and longevity.
Steering Rack
The Shock Therapy X3 steering rack cures a lot of the stock steering rack flaws, including feedback and kickback from the steering wheel, loose handling, binding and wear. This rack virtually removes all the factory rack issues. With the completely sealed system, there is no grease loss or maintenance required, and because it is made from 7076 billet aluminum it will not rust. Shock Therapy kept all the factory bolt hole locations, angle and splines for the pinion, and pivot point locations so that all the geometry is the same as the factory rack. It bolts into the factory location with the factory hardware. There is no flexing like on the stock rack. This singular design acts as a frame support and is much stronger than the stock rack. Shock Therapy did away with the ball and socket design on the inner tie rod joint because they tend to break and tend to wear out after a race. This rack has a rod-end design, so a set of Shock Therapy’s tie rods are needed.
This rack is the strongest X3 rack on the market today and offers a limited lifetime warranty. Still not convinced? Check out the video below.
Toe Link Support Kit
Can-Am Maverick X3 toe link support (TLS) kit (for the middle radius link). This kit includes all of the hardware needed to prevent or repair rear hub damage as well as provide extra support for the toe links on your Can-Am Maverick X3. The Can Am Toe Link Support kits are available for use with 12mm (factory), 5/8 inch, and 3/4 inch rod ends.
Testing it all out in Johnson Valley, CA
Testing the upgraded suspension on our 2020 Can-Am Maverick X3 RC in Johnson Valley
About Shock Therapy
More information about Shock Therapy can be found online at www.shocktherapyst.com. Follow Shock Therapy on Instagram @shocktherapyusa, on Facebook @Shock Therapy LLC and on YouTube and across your favorite social media channels through #ShockTherapyUSA.
