Polaris Ranger 1000 Suspension & Steering Maintenance Guide

May 30, 2025 by Jenny Wilkins

A Ranger’s ride quality, straight-line tracking, and ground-hugging traction all depend on friction-free pivots and a correctly pre-loaded suspension. Skip a few grease sessions or let the shocks sag and you’ll feel every rut, fight wandering steering, and wear tires early. The good news: Polaris builds in easy-access zerks and a simple cam system so one afternoon with a grease gun and spanner can restore showroom handling.

Polaris Ranger 1000 Service Rhythm (factory guidance)

Before every ride
- Turn the wheel lock-to-lock; steering should sweep smoothly with no clunk.
- Quick-scan upper-/lower A-arms and tie-rods for cracked boots or missing cotter pins.
After every deep-wash or water crossing
- Grease all suspension zerks immediately to chase out water and avert rust.
Every 200 hrs / 2,000 mi (yearly)
- Pump fresh grease into every pivot and sway-bar bushing.
- Inspect tie-rod ends, wheel bearings, ball joints, and bushings; replace anything loose or rough.
Severe-use riders (mud, sand, heavy payload): halve all hour/mile figures above.

Polaris Ranger 1000 Grease-Point Walk-Around

(Shop rag + premium all-season grease)

Front A-arms – 2 zerks each arm; wipe nipple first, pump until a dab squeezes past the seal.
Rear A-arms – mirror the front: 2 zerks per arm.
Sway-bar bushings – one zerk on each D-bushing under the cargo bed; two shots is plenty.
Prop-shaft U-joints – not suspension, but easy to reach while you’re under there.

Tip: If the gun plunger fights back, pivot may be bone-dry—keep squeezing until fresh grease purges dirty sludge.

Polaris Ranger 1000 Shock-Cam Preload Adjustment

Polaris ships the Ranger 1000 shocks on the softest cam notch; that’s perfect for trail play and light hauling. When you start loading seed bags or tow a log splitter, bump the cam up a click or two:

Lift the axle just enough to unload the spring.
Insert the hooked spanner (or a drift punch) and rotate the cam clockwise to stiffen, counter-clockwise to soften.
Match settings side-to-side; unequal preload skews ride height and pulls the machine off-line.
Return to the softest notch after the cargo is gone—Polaris warns a raised ride height hurts stability when empty.

Polaris Ranger 1000 Ball-Joint & Bushing Check

Jack and secure the corner; grab the top and bottom of the tire.
Rock in-out: more than ⅛ in. play = worn ball joint or hub bearing.
Rock fore-aft: clunk here points to tie-rod ends.
Visual: split boots, weeping grease, or rust trails signal impending failure—replace before it lets go on the trail.
On re-assembly, torque wheel nuts to spec and re-check steering sweep for smoothness.

Quick Fixes & Troubleshooting

Squeak over every bump? Dry A-arm pivots—grease until silent.
Machine sags when you hook up the trailer? Add one cam click rear, two max; anything more, upgrade to heavy-load springs.
Steering drifts left or right on flat ground? First inspect ball joints/tie-rods, then verify both shock cams sit on the same notch.
Clunk on throttle chop? Likely prop-shaft U-joint play—grease now, replace if noise remains.

Ready to Wrench?

Grab genuine Polaris grease, a hooked spanner, and any worn ball-joint replacements. Lube every pivot, fine-tune your shock cams, and enjoy factory-fresh handling on your very next ride.

FAQS

How often should I grease the suspension zerks on my Polaris Ranger 1000?

Before every ride: Do a quick visual check for torn boots or missing cotter pins.
After any deep wash or water crossing: Grease all suspension zerks immediately to push out moisture and prevent rust.
Every 200 hours / 2,000 miles (or yearly): Pump fresh grease into every A-arm pivot, sway-bar bushing, and prop-shaft U-joint until clean grease purges. If you ride in mud, sand, or haul heavy loads, cut those hour/mile intervals in half.

When and how should I adjust the shock-cam preload on a Polaris Ranger 1000?

The shocks ship in the softest cam notch—ideal for light trail riding. When you add cargo or tow equipment, raise preload one or two clicks:
Jack the axle just enough to unload the spring.
Use a hooked spanner (or drift punch) to turn the cam clockwise to stiffen or counter-clockwise to soften.
Match settings on both sides to maintain even ride height.
Return to the softest notch after the load is removed, as running with excess preload can reduce stability when the machine is empty.