Video: Summit Racing Upgrades a 2018 Can-Am X3

In today’s video, our friends at Summit Racing introduce you to one of their latest project vehicles—a 2018 Can-Am Maverick X3 X DS Turbo R, which underwent several exterior and interior upgrades.

This first video covers some of the exterior upgrades.

We chatted with Mark Kendall, the powersports market specialist at Summit Racing, to learn more about the brands and parts chosen for the build, which featured System 3—a wheel and tire brand new at Summit Racing, DragonFire Racing exterior accessories and safety products, and a new Warn winch.

The parts list includes:

• System 3 SB-3 Matte Black Beadlock Wheels
• System 3 SCR350 32″ Tires
• DragonFire Racing RacePace Nerf Bars
• DragonFire Racing Aluminum Sport Roof
• DragonFire Racing Fire Extinguisher Mount
• DragonFire Racing Racing Doors
• DragonFire Racing Intrusion Bar
• DragonFire Racing Slayer Mirrors
• DragonFire Racing Receiver Hitch
• DragonFire Racing Extreme Single Row Light Bar
• Warn Axon 55-S Powersports Winch

Summit Racing even created Can-Am Maverick X3 Exterior Combos so you can duplicate the build if you desire.

Because the vehicle was built to be driven mainly in and around Ohio terrain, Kendall and Summit Racing chose an all-around trail tire nearing desert-style tread. Kendall said he would have probably chosen 30-inch tires if he was building the side by side for track-style racing.

“32-inch tires are great for trail riding,” he said.

The rugged beadlock wheels were chosen to lessen the chance of blowing a tire off the rim during aggressive driving.

The Warn Axon winch was a new product release for 2019 and features a sleek, compact design. The build originally called for front and rear bumpers, but the installed winch created some complications for front bumper installation.

Kendall recommends talking to parts manufacturers before buying aftermarket parts when other aftermarket parts are already installed, such as a front bumper with a winch present, or a rear bumper when an aftermarket exhaust has already been installed.

The DragonFire racing doors and sport roof are largely about keeping mud and debris out of the interior cab.

“It’s crazy how much mud flies into cab through those openings,” Kendall said.

Similarly, the intrusion bar is a safety measure that helps keep large objects from entering the cab in the event of a rollover or racing accident.

The rear hitch, Kendall said, was less about the ability to tow, and more about the hitch’s thick, steel, powercoated construction working as a reinforced gusset plate for the six rear-end radius rods that are attached to the Can-Am UTV’s rear wheels.

Soon, we’ll revisit this vehicle build to take a closer look at the interior parts the team chose.