Matt came to us with a challenge that a lot of Xpedition owners face: he wanted to improve his ride and build out his Xpedition for serious adventure use, but he had width restrictions because of his toy hauler. Going wider wasn't an option, so we had to get creative.
The result is a build that proves you don't have to sacrifice ride quality or capability just because you're staying at stock width. We focused on improving what matters most - suspension comfort, protection, lighting, storage, and some seriously cool convenience features like power door locks and remote start.
Let's walk through everything we did on Matt's Xpedition.
Front End Protection & Lighting
Starting up front, we went with the DRT Motorsports front bumper in black on black. This is our go-to bumper for Xpeditions because the fit and finish is just perfect. On the bumper, we mounted a MOJAB Offroad fairlead hook - it's a clean look that gets rid of the factory magnet and that hook that dangles and scratches everything up.
For lighting on the bumper, we did four Baja Designs XL Pros - two ambers and two clears. We wired them separately so Matt can fire up just the ambers, just the clears, or run them all at once depending on conditions. Behind that, we installed the DRT Motorsports front grille so everything matches and flows together.
The XTC Power Products headlights with the turn signal indicators built in give it that upgraded look while adding street legal functionality. We also added factory mirrors with DRT Motorsports mesh and mounted a Baja Designs Squadron Pro up high for additional forward lighting. These are angled out to the side a bit for better peripheral coverage.
Suspension - Better Ride Without More Width
Here's where we got creative for Matt's build. Since he couldn't go wider because of his toy hauler, we focused on improving the ride quality with the factory width suspension. We installed the Shock Therapy Ride Improvement System paired with their Dual Rate Spring Kit on all four corners.
The Shock Therapy setup transforms how the Xpedition handles everything from highway driving to rough trails. You still get the factory width to fit in the toy hauler, but the comfort level is dramatically improved. It's a perfect solution for owners who need to work within width constraints but don't want to compromise on ride quality.
Wheels & Tires
For wheels and tires, we went with the Valor Offroad Tango tire in a 32-inch size. This tire is the sweet spot for stock-width Xpeditions - it runs just a touch taller than a true 32, so you get that extra ground clearance without any rubbing issues. The tread pattern is aggressive enough for serious trail work but still comfortable on the highway.
We paired them with Valor Offroad wheels with a custom gray ring. The wheels typically come with a black ring, but Valor had this gray option on another wheel so we swapped it over. With Matt's black camo Xpedition, that charcoal and black combo just looks perfect together.
Exterior Protection & Details
For body protection, we installed Polaris factory low pro rock sliders. These are super strong but keep that clean, minimal look that doesn't add unnecessary bulk to the side of the car. We've installed a ton of these and they hold up to serious abuse.
Out back, the DRT Motorsports rear bumper ties everything together. This bumper comes with integrated rear lights that we wired to trigger automatically in reverse - when Matt puts the car in reverse, those backup lights fire up along with the center section of his chase lights. We also installed the DRT Motorsports camera extension to move the backup camera out past the bumper and give it some adjustability, plus the XTC Power Products license plate frame and our Jagged X mount for the DRT bumper. Another MOJAB Offroad hook on the back gives Matt a solid recovery point if he needs to pull someone out or get pulled out himself.
Roof Rack & Cargo Setup
Up top, we built out a serious adventure setup. The SDR Motorsports roof rack is our base, and we added two additional crossbars to it along with the SDR Motorsports rear ADV extension with another crossbar. This gives Matt tons of mounting options for whatever gear he needs to carry.
On top sits a full-size spare held down with a DRT Motorsports Y-strap. We also mounted a Starlink mount and plate so Matt can have internet service wherever he's at - a game changer for remote camping and hunting trips.
For chase lights, we went with Litt Industries chase bars in amber and white. These will strobe amber and white, plus light up solid white as a work light or additional reverse lighting. Eight Baja Designs S2s provide scene lighting when Matt's out hunting or camping - fire those up and the entire area around the car lights up.
Whips & Antenna Setup
On one side of the roof rack, we have the AGM Products Manual Sport Jack mounted and ready to go. On the other side, we did a custom setup with a B's Fab mount that holds both a Marshin whip and a Rugged Radios antenna side by side.
These dual mounts aren't on our website, but if you need one, we can get them for you. We can set them up for passenger or driver side depending on your preference. It's a really clean way to run both a whip for visibility and your radio antenna without cluttering up multiple mounting points.
Interior Upgrades
Inside, we started with a steering wheel swap. We pulled the factory Xpedition wheel and installed a Pro-R steering wheel. On the Pro-R wheel, we mounted a Switch Pros controller using their steering wheel mount with the coil cord. This puts all of Matt's lighting and accessory controls right at his fingertips without cluttering up the dash.
We added factory Polaris visors and set up a full Rugged Radios communication system with an external speaker up top, the M1 radio, intercom, and push-to-talks mounted in the dash for both driver and passenger.
The seats are Triple X heated and ventilated units - hot days, you can turn on the ventilation and get some airflow, cold days, fire up the heat. The switches are cleanly integrated into the center console area.
Blade's Custom Decking on the doors and floorboards transforms the interior feel. It gets rid of that plasticy look on the door panels and just makes the whole cab feel more premium. We also installed Litt Industries dome lights in all three positions using our custom mounting plates, plus Geiser Performance headset hangers so Matt can hang his headsets when not in use.
Special Features & Electrical
Here's where Matt's build gets really interesting. We installed power door locks and remote start - two features that most people don't even think about for a UTV but make a huge difference in real-world use.
The power door locks mean that if Matt's out cruising around town or stops at a convenience store, he can lock up his Xpedition and not worry about anyone getting into it or messing with his gear. The remote start is clutch for hunting season - when it's freezing cold out, he can fire it up from inside his camp and let the heat get going, or on hot days, get the AC running before he climbs in. It comes with a couple different remotes including one with a screen that shows door status.
One of the coolest custom touches we did was wiring the dome lights to the doors and tailgate. When Matt opens any door or the rear tailgate, the dome lights automatically come on. But we took it a step further - the rock lights also trigger when a door opens. So if he's riding at night and pulls up somewhere to get out, opening the door lights up the area around the car so he can see exactly where he's stepping. No more stepping into cactus or mud holes in the dark.
We also installed our jump lug kit with a kill switch. This is one of those products that you don't think about until you need it. On the Xpedition, the battery is under the seat - if your battery dies, you normally have to unbolt the seat with tools just to get to the battery terminals. With our jump lug kit, you just open the door, hook up your jump cables to the lugs, and you're back in business. No tools required. The kill switch is huge for storage too - if you're parking the car for a while, hit the kill switch and you don't have to worry about any parasitic battery drain.
Rear Cargo & Storage
In the back, we set Matt up with an AJK Offroad tray system. On the tray sits a Roam storage box - these things are built incredibly well with billet hinges, weatherproof sealing, and a nice pocket system inside for organizing smaller items. Matt's got his SuperATV tool roll, straps, and all his jack and recovery gear organized in there.
The star of the cargo area is a Dometic refrigerator. A couple cool things about this unit - it has a safe mode built in where if the car's voltage drops below a certain level that you program, it automatically shuts off. So if you accidentally leave it running with the car off, it won't kill your battery. Set it to cut off at 11.9 volts and your car will still have plenty of juice to start. It's got its own dedicated switch on Matt's Switch Pros panel.
We reupholstered the rear seat through Triple X to match the front heated and ventilated seats. Under the rear seat, we mounted Axia Alloys fire extinguisher and headset mounts. The rear headsets mount here, and the front headsets are mounted on the side by the A-pillar.
B's Fab extended door swings are installed on the rear doors - this allows the doors to open about six inches more than stock. If you've ever tried to load gear, get a kid in a car seat, or just climb in and out of the back of an Xpedition, you know how tight the door opening is. These straps go right over the factory wiring since it's split loom, so no extra connections needed. We also added the B's Fab rear window handle for easy access to the cargo area from outside.
Matt's build shows what's possible when you focus on the right upgrades for your specific situation. Width restrictions didn't stop us from building something truly capable - we just had to think smarter about where to invest.
Whether you're dealing with similar constraints or just want to build out your Xpedition without going wider, we can help you put together a package that works for your needs.
Check out all our Polaris Xpedition parts or contact us to start planning your build. We'd love to help you create something as dialed as Matt's rig.
