MST Motorsports Blog

Most riders never think about aligning a side-by-side, which is why so many of them are darting, wandering and eating the inside edge of a set of tires. What alignment actually controls on a UTV, and why a rock strike or a long-travel kit changes it.

Bogging off the line is a different failure from a burning smell, and both are different from a belt that shredded without warning. What each clutch symptom means, why sand and heat are harder on a CVT than rock, and why the interval is measured in engine hours rather than miles.

What Utah Code 41-6a-1509 requires to make a side-by-side or ATV street legal: the full equipment list by subsection, the 44-inch tire and 20-40 inch seat height limits, the 50 mph rule, registration, insurance, license and helmet requirements, with every source named.

What Southern Utah UTV owners should know about repair, maintenance, and choosing a shop before riding Sand Hollow, Warner Valley, or Sand Mountain.

Fox, King, or Elka — which shock is right for Southern Utah desert riding? We break down the differences, valving considerations, and what we recommend for Sand Hollow and beyond.

Sand Hollow State Park combines sand dunes, slickrock climbs, and triple-digit heat. A pre-ride checklist for your UTV before the trip.

Desert heat takes a toll on Can-Am X3s. Learn the most common issues we see at MST Motorsports in Washington, Utah — and how to prevent them before your next Sand Hollow ride.

Southern Utah has a wide range of UTV riding. The main trails near St George, what to expect on each, and how to prepare your machine.

Five UTV upgrade categories that make a practical difference: suspension, tires and wheels, skid plates, tuning, and cab comfort.

A lift kit is not finished when the last bolt is torqued. Ten things that change the moment ride height changes — pinion angle, brake line length, bump stops, track bar, headlight aim, alignment — and what each one costs if it is skipped.

Why the CP4.2 and the TorqShift behave the way they do under load, what Ford publishes for service intervals, the hardware that changes the outcome, and what a Southern Utah tow grade asks of a loaded Super Duty.

GM's published 6.6L Duramax intervals for the 2500HD and 3500HD, the DEXRON ULV specification the Allison ten-speed depends on, GM's severe-service list, and regen behaviour on short local trips.

Ram's published 6.7L Cummins intervals, the 500-hour oil ceiling, the two-stage fuel filter system, and why the 68RFE and the Aisin AS69RC do not take the same fluid.

The Virgin River Gorge is a long, steep stretch of I-15 that is hard on trucks and trailers. How to prepare before you tow it.

Utah regulates bumper height and frame height, not lift inches. Here is how those rules work for trucks, Jeeps, and Broncos, and what else inspectors look at on a lifted vehicle.

A lift kit changes your truck's suspension geometry. Without a proper alignment correction, you're burning tires, fighting steering pull, and wearing out components faster.

Choosing the right lift kit depends on how you use your truck. Here's what MST Motorsports recommends for Southern Utah drivers — from daily commuters to trail runners.

Proper fuel filtration is essential for diesel truck performance and longevity. Learn about fuel filters, separators, and maintenance for Duramax, Cummins, and Power Stroke engines.

Jeep's published Wrangler intervals, including the 8,000-mile ceiling and the off-road trigger for axle fluid, read against Sand Hollow and Southern Utah heat.

Death wobble is a violent front-end oscillation, and it is fixable. What causes it, how it is diagnosed, and why it is more common after a lift.

Ford publishes two Bronco schedules. Southern Utah heat, dust and towing put most Broncos on the shorter one. Here are the intervals and why they compress.

Picking the right Bronco lift for Southern Utah terrain — from a simple leveling kit to a 3.5" long-travel system, and what each one costs you in alignment, CV angle, and ride quality.

Ford Bronco upgrades for Southern Utah trails: lift kits, tires, bumpers and skid plates, installed at MST Motorsports in Washington, UT.

Most people with an extended warranty assume they have to go back to the dealer. Often they do not — and the clause that decides it is one paragraph most contract holders have never read.

One loud click is a different failure than rapid clicking, and both are different from cranking that never fires. What each no-start sound means — and why desert heat, not winter cold, is what actually kills batteries here.

Washington County does not run an emissions inspection, so nothing forces you to fix a check engine light. That is exactly why it is worth understanding what the light is protecting — and why a code is not a diagnosis.

Hot climbing the Gorge but fine on the flat is a different failure than hot at a stoplight. What each overheating pattern means, what to do the moment the needle moves, and why this valley finds these faults first.

A shake at 55 to 70, a shudder only under braking, a buzz in the seat instead of the wheel — each pattern points somewhere different. And why a balanced tire can still shake.

A squeal that quiets when you press harder is a different failure from a grind or a pedal pulse. What each brake symptom means, and why long Southern Utah descents change the whole equation.

Cold on the freeway and warm at the stoplight is a different failure than cool but never cold. What each A/C pattern means, and why Southern Utah heat finds them.

Stellantis' published 3.6L Pentastar intervals for the Wrangler, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500, the 350-hour oil ceiling, the current coolant specification, and two documented issues with their model-year bounds.

Ford's published Bronco Sport service intervals, plus what St George heat and short errand trips do to an oil change interval on a daily driver.

Polaris's factory service interval was written for a 70-degree day. Here's the real schedule for a RZR ridden in 110-degree St. George summers.

How the engine air filter affects performance, fuel economy, and engine life, plus replacement intervals and upgrade options for Southern Utah driving.

How a brake system works, what wears first, and when to service it on trucks, Jeeps, side-by-sides, and Broncos.

The five maintenance jobs that matter most on a truck: what to check, when, and why.

We see what breaks at Sand Hollow. A difficulty ranking for each trail, and what your rig needs before you attempt it.

Sand, slickrock, and sharp volcanic ledges cut up the wrong tire fast. What holds up at Sand Hollow, and why.

MST Motorsports just added the Hunter Hawkeye Elite alignment system to our Washington, UT shop. Here's why regular alignment checks save your tires, suspension, and steering — especially on Southern Utah roads and trails.

Where the terms SXS, UTV, and side-by-side came from, how they differ, and how they are used today.