Brad Phillips may reside in Iowa, but he’s no farmer. Phillips produces the “Carpe Diem” extreme ATV riding video series for his production company Premis Industries.
The first feature Phillips modified was the Rhino’s powerplant. The engine was sent to Lane Barnes at Pro Motorsports (PM) in West Burlington, Iowa. The port and polish allowed more air, fuel and exhaust flow. A Hot Cams Mudbuster cam improved acceleration and bottom-end without taking away the top-end, said Phillips. The cylinder was bored to 102mm, increasing displacement to 686cc.
ATV Sport
Premis added a more durable Moose clutch kit and changed the secondary clutch spring to better grip the belt and hold up to the power increase. Two other upgrades include a a Dynojet jet kit and a Moose Utility Digital Ignition (CDI).
Once the engine was shored up, Phillips took the chassis to Mumms the Word Racing. The refurbished frame was reinforced and other custom fabricated parts were added. Miller Powder Coating gave it the brilliant blue paint shine.
Phillips said modified Rhinos are hard to keep cool so he opted for an Alba 3-pass Radiator. It’s twice as thick and uses a triple-pass system to cool the water.
ATV Sport
Phillips chose Elka Suspension Elite long-travel shocks mated to Procraft (formerly Rhinocraft) long-travel A-arms. The arms are +6 inches wide on each side, +2 inches forward in the front and +2 inches backward on the rear. They supply more than 13 inches of travel.
ATV Sport
Phillips chose Gorilla axles because of their proven durability and they allow for larger tires and lifted machines.
ATV Sport
Line-X spray in the Rhino’s bed prevents sliding camera cases and offers a rugged finish.
ATV Sport
Lone Star Racing sidebars with panels and five-point harnesses were added for safety. Rath Racing sent Phillips a one-off “Baja style” bumper that protects the new Baja Designs 55-watt halogen lights. — Jerrod Kelley
