[Sailonland]

I’ve seen several older posts by folks who cut the seat frames and removed the shoulder bolsters that they didn’t like. I just purchased a used 2019 Wolverine X2 that was modified that way and I wish it wasn’t! It appears that I have to buy two $112 seat frames in order to replace the two $27 plastic bolsters. Not sure I wanna spend $278 just to get a little extra upper body support and protection. Does anyone know of an alternative solution for this issue? Anyone know where I could look for seat frames that were switched out in order to upgrade?

 

[MNDirtRider]

Your best bet would be to check on Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. The cushions from a YXZ bolt right on the Wolverine frames but I don't know if the YXZ frames are the same. It seems that lots more YXZ owners upgrade to aftermarket seats. Perhaps someone here can confirm? Those seats may be more than your cost of replacement frames though. Either way, good luck finding a solution.

 

[therebel19]

YXZ seats fit right in there and probably a better seat and easier to find.

 

[Sailonland]

Your best bet would be to check on Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. The cushions from a YXZ bolt right on the Wolverine frames but I don't know if the YXZ frames are the same. It seems that lots more YXZ owners upgrade to aftermarket seats. Perhaps someone here can confirm? Those seats may be more than your cost of replacement frames though. Either way, good luck finding a solution.

Thanks for both of those ideas!

 

[Sailonland]

YXZ seats fit right in there and probably a better seat and easier to find.

Thanks!

 

[Third and long]

I’ve seen several older posts by folks who cut the seat frames and removed the shoulder bolsters that they didn’t like. I just purchased a used 2019 Wolverine X2 that was modified that way and I wish it wasn’t! It appears that I have to buy two $112 seat frames in order to replace the two $27 plastic bolsters. Not sure I wanna spend $278 just to get a little extra upper body support and protection. Does anyone know of an alternative solution for this issue? Anyone know where I could look for seat frames that were switched out in order to upgrade? View attachment 89376

Did the previous owner retain the cut off bolster? If so weld in a piece of round solid stock that fits inside tube snuggly with a tail long enough to slide inside the tube left on the seat frame then slide together and drill thru tube and solid stock 1/4” hole and pin or bolt together I did this so when my 15 yr old daughter drives the machine I reinstall. The cockpit area of these machines must have been designed for teenager size girls because she don’t mind the bolster me on the on the other hand get a bruised elbow so that’s the reason for cutting it off before getting to worried about it sit in the seat your normal riding position and note your left arm position chances are it’s inbound without the bolster anyway

 

[Sailonland]

Thanks but no. When I called to ask the previous owner he said he didn’t have the pieces that he cut off anymore. My husband and I met a guy with the exact same year and model as our Wolverine and we both felt quite comfortable when we tried sitting in the drivers seat with the shoulder bolsters. They are a safety feature for an activity that is inherently dangerous. I was told by a paramedic who rescued my husband after an accident on his quad that MOST of the injuries he sees from UTV accidents are broken wrists, arms and collar bones when their UTV tips over.
It’s a shame that the Wolverine shoulder bolsters are so uncomfortable for so many people. But I know that I couldn’t stop myself from making reflexive motions in an accident that often occurs in a split second, and I know that accidents do happen.
I just purchased a pair of used seat frames on EBay for half the price of new ones. Can’t wait to get them.

 

[therebel19]

. But I know that I couldn’t stop myself from making reflexive motions in an accident that often occurs in a split second, and I know that accidents do happen.

You would be surprised what you can teach your reflexes to do. I've been in many roll overs and accidents. The #1 thing is to stay calm and not panic. Some like to grip the steering wheel or the handle bar. Personally my go to reaction is cross my arms and hold on to my shoulders with dear life (helps me not want to move my hands or arms because I know I must keep them on my shoulders) and keep my feet firmly planted on the floor. Sit in your machine and discuss what you would do and practice different bracing techniques. That way if it does happen, you'll hopeful remember your training. Something else I highly recommend are harnesses. I run them in all my machines. I like them and think they are comfortable. Some people don't like them so try to find someone who has them to see if you like them or not. I'm not trying to scare you. The stock seatbelt should be OK for most rollover scenerios. More importantly is how your brace and react to the situation. I've rolled without a seatbelt or harness but was able to brace myself well enough that all of me remained in the machine.

 

[Sailonland]

Wow, that’s amazing! It sounds like you are a far more skilled and aggressive rider than me. I’ve heard of people racing UTVs, many times rolling over. Obviously there are a lot of different styles of riding UTVs, some of which are more likely than others to roll over. I imagine that the more experienced one gets at riding aggressively, the better you get at remembering how to handle a roll over. Wouldn’t you agree?
I only got interested in four wheeling after spending some time with my sister trail riding on horses. I loved the trails, but hated horseback riding. (Talk about being uncomfortable!)
I felt a lot safer riding an ATV because it seemed easier to control a machine than a horse. So I am an extremely conservative rider. I have to admit that I had no formal training and didn’t have any business riding a horse. But I learned pretty quickly that I don’t have absolute control over a machine either.
After 5 years of riding a quad, and 4 months of riding in the Ozarks (good God! the trails are soooo challenging here!) I finally broke down and decided to get a UTV. Lots of folks told me that they are much safer than a quad, but I did a little research and I’m not at all convinced that’s true. I’m not going to fool myself by thinking that anything, including a shoulder bolster is gonna remove any chance of getting injured while four wheeling. I just want to be able to relax and enjoy riding the trails here without constantly having to decide whether or not I have the necessary level of skill to negotiate my quad through every steep and rocky stretch that I encounter. Taking every precaution to protect me in the event of an accident really helps me enjoy riding more. Riding here in Arkansas is sooooo much easier in the Wolverine, but STILL rather dangerous.
I hear what you’re saying about preparedness, and it’s a GREAT idea that I hadn’t thought of before. I’ll definitely do some self training on my reactions to rolling over. I’ll also be shopping for harnesses as soon as I’ve got the shoulder bolsters. Not sure whether or not I’ll get them, but definitely want to look into it. Got any information you can share about 3 point versus 4 point seat belts?
Thanks

 

[therebel19]

4 point tend to be a little more secure than 3. 3 point is really easy to mount in Wolverine
Funny you brought up horse back riding. I have more time (not miles cause they are slower) on my horse that I do all the ATVs and SXS combined that I've owned. I feel the opposite though. I feel safer on the horse. The reason being is they have strong self-preservation. They don't want to roll over or die and can feel if something is unsafe. A machine is going to do whatever you tell it to do, even drive straight of a cliff. The horse won't do that. But I've grown up with them and can see where they can be intimidating. We start rodeo at age 5.

We do a lot of riding at Cloud 9 in Caulfield, MO. It is right across the AR boarder on the Missouri side. About 50 mins from Mountain Home AR. Maybe this next Spring you could come up and ride with us for day. I'd be happy to give you any safety pointers in person as describing things on a forum can be kind of hard to do. I'm by no means an expert. I just have lots of experience in wrecking stuff and have learned how to protect myself and passengers. I'm getting less at aggressive driving as I get older but you never know what can and will happen. I believe in Murphy's Law.

Another couple of things to think about saftey wise are a good first aid kit and fire extinguisher mounted where you can reach it from anywhere within the cab even rolled over and your hanging upside down.

 

[Sailonland]

Your perspective on horseback riding vs four wheeling is fascinating to me!! I totally get that riding on a horse has the advantage of utilizing a horse’s sense of self preservation. My experience with horses is completely skewed by an unfortunate accident. The last time I rode, the horse I was on got spooked and jumped over a creek. She then bolted up the steep and heavily wooded trail. I crashed into a large tree trunk while falling off. I broke several ribs and came to the conclusion that I would be better off riding on a machine that didn’t have a mind of it’s own and would always do what I wanted it to do. Ha ha!
But back to the subject of four wheeling and safety... thank you for your great advice, and the invitation to ride with you at Cloud 9. That place looks incredible, and I hope to have a chance to get there someday. My husband and I are campground hosts at Mulberry Mountain Lodging and Events in Ozark Arkansas, which is quite a distance from Caulfield. It attracts people from all around who come to ride the OHV trails that surround the property. It’s a much smaller area than Cloud 9, but we absolutely love it.
Thanks again for sharing your ideas with me. I will be shopping for a first aid kit and fire extinguisher tomorrow!

 

[therebel19]

I've heard of Mulberry Mountain. We used to visit family in Oklahoma a lot and thought about stopping in there sometime. Sounds like it would be a fun place to take our kids.

 

[Planetcat]

I’ve seen several older posts by folks who cut the seat frames and removed the shoulder bolsters that they didn’t like. I just purchased a used 2019 Wolverine X2 that was modified that way and I wish it wasn’t! It appears that I have to buy two $112 seat frames in order to replace the two $27 plastic bolsters. Not sure I wanna spend $278 just to get a little extra upper body support and protection. Does anyone know of an alternative solution for this issue? Anyone know where I could look for seat frames that were switched out in order to upgrade? View attachment 89376

There are several on ebay for the X2 that are cheap.