# The mods I've done to my Prairie



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

Rather than throw pics all over everyone else's threads, I thought I'd make a thread of my own on the things I've done to my machine over the years. Some of these may be duplicates from other threads but it should help me keep them organized. As I take or find more pics, I'll be back to edit this from time to time. I've done lots of mods. I'm gonna start from the beginning. 

I'm going to try and find a larger overall pic, this one was taken with my cell camera just after I had carried it in my pocket for several days and the lens is covered with pocket fuzz. haha





















This one gives everyone an understanding of what I did under the scoop. Thats the factory radiator. The stainless plug in the top left corner sticks out of my scoop. That's where I fill the radiator with coolant. In order to bring my snorkels up the center like I wanted, I had to relocate the stock fill cap. I'll get pic's of that later. Yes, the skull eyes light up. Bought that from Wally World for like 12 bucks. It didn't light up at first but I drilled out the eyes, bought some blue LED's and set them in with epoxy. I had to remake the shifter shaft to make it hollow, then ran wires through the shaft to a switch mounted just inside the left rear of the scoop area so I can turn his eyes off and on. I've also taken a couple of 6" flouresent bulb like you buy at Pep Boys and mounted them inside the scoop. The same switch that controls the eyes also controls these. It's hard to get a pic of that but I'll try later. 











The scoop removes as a one piece unit. I actually don't even need to attach it to the frame at all. It fits extremely snug and doesn't even budge when I'm pulling it on the trailer at 80 MPH.











This is where my stock radiator was located. If anyone here is old enough to remember the 5 gallon stainless coke sryup kegs, this is one of them. I had to cut some off the length so it wouldn't rub my tires but it makes and excellent completly dry storage compartment as well as give me additional floatation. 



















I've removed the o-ring sealed cap to show access to the keg. 











The keg looked cool until I had to pull one of my buddies out of the woods and he trashed it. 










Here is a view underneath the scoop. Those are the two blue florescent tubes I bought at Autozone. They can pulse to and MP3 player or stay on constant. I chose the constant glow. 











The original Prairie hitch used to hang allot lower than the rear diff. I removed that and custom built a reciever style hitch. 










I did the KOD mods on this. I removed the KEBC and the belt switch. I hated that belt switch. Heck I can tell when the belt is about to fail and I want FULL power if it's about to break so I can get back to the camp. 










Ok, you gotta look close at this one. I had to relocate my fuel cut off switch for some reason. I don't remember why right now. LOL Look in the background and you'll see where I mounted my stock coolant fill/thermostat housing. It had to be removed for the center snorkels. I couldn't figure out a good place to mount it and still have the lines pointing in the right direction. I finally ended up mounting it upside down! If you think about it, the pressure cap is nothing but a relief valve and a relief valve will work no matter how it's mounted. 











One of these switches controls the skull eyes and blue florescent tubes under the scoop. The other is my fan sensor bypass switch. I can make the fan run full time with the flip of a spst switch or let the original rad temp sensor do it's job. 










Making the snorkel mount like this takes every bit of the wobble out.










Side view of the snorkel mount.










The eyes don't look like much during the day but at night they are bright enough to read by. 











And finally the most important mod I did to my machine! It's a 3" gray pvc coupling turned on a lathe to smooth the outside of the coupling. I took the air box cover off and screwed it to the cover from the bottom.


----------



## Yesterday (Jan 2, 2009)

maybe a dumb question - but wassat under the winch?


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I assume you wrote that before I edited my original post. LOL


----------



## Metal Man (Dec 17, 2008)

No doubt you have made your bike very unique IBBruin. Two thumbs up from me :bigok:


----------



## phreebsd (Dec 16, 2004)

Thumbs from me too. You know this could be organized into a garage. 
Each member has a garage and can list individual machine and what they did to it. 
I'll see about adding vbGarage.

I have a question. How did you fabricate the scoop?
(sorry is this was covered elsewhere)


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I think I did describe it somewhere else but it's good to get it into this thread also. I garage is a good idea with each member having his own "stall" or thread.

First I made the frame you see around the radiator. I cut a pizza box into pieces and taped it to the frame. The only reason I used a pizza box is it was the only thing I had around at the time, we had just eaten them. I took 4 or 5 foam blocks, approx 4" X 6" and glued them together. I glued them to the top of the then covered frame. I took a file, sand paper, scraper, my hands and anything else I could find to shape the actual scoop part. Once I had my final shape, I laid fiberglass mat over that and poured the liquid resin over that. After it set up, I removed the form from the frame, flipped it upside down and used a pressure washer to remove the foam blocks. The blocks were bought at Wal Mart in the floral dept. They are the kind used to make floral arrangements. Some sanding, trimming and spot putty, paint and your good to go.


----------



## Metal Man (Dec 17, 2008)

Is that an adult beverage holder on the air box? LOL


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

It most certainly is. It's the most important mod of all!


----------



## jackman (Dec 24, 2008)

looks good especially the custom beverage holder :rockn:


----------



## hondagirl333 (Mar 1, 2009)

awesome wheeler love the snorkles


----------



## hondarecoveryman (Feb 28, 2009)

*love it*

That is by far the coolest rad. relocate i have ever seen :bigok::bigok: love it


----------



## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

:rockn: Lots of time spent on that thing... looks great!


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I don't remember how much the HL kit was. I think it was around $450 and the finished product is a gawdy install at best. 

Fiberglass $30.00
Foam blocks $15.00
metal frame work, I found pieces laying around the house $0.00
hoses and antifreeze, $20.00
Paint $5.00
Welding rods, clamps etc. $25.00
Coors Light $200.00

Still cheaper than HL


----------



## hondagirl333 (Mar 1, 2009)

i bet it took alot of time and effort into that wheeler but nice job


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I started the mods when I bought it, 2004


----------



## Yesterday (Jan 2, 2009)

you win the "Most do-it-yourself" award


----------



## hondagirl333 (Mar 1, 2009)

yeah :agreed:


----------



## TX4PLAY (Jan 18, 2009)

Awesome job on the radiator relocation! You gotta figure out a way to make the Coors keg functional and keep it chilled and primed that way you can run a nozzle over your shoulder and just drink from the tap while wheelin'. No need for a beer holder. When parked everyone can do keg stands off the back of the Prairie!!!


----------



## AUbruterider (Feb 9, 2009)

awesome mods!


----------



## w8tnonu22 (Feb 3, 2009)

I like the scoop idea that is a creative yet stylish way to relocate the radiator. I'm not into just having a radiator sitting on the front rack, but I could handle that setup.


----------



## Yesterday (Jan 2, 2009)

i need somethin like that to keep sticks from jabbin my stuff


----------



## bump530 (Jan 5, 2009)

how do u bypass the belt switch? id rather do away wit mine also.


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

Here's one mod I did. It removes the KEBC control.

http://kod.gotdns.com/index.cgi?album=P650_Mods&view=KEBC_2wd_4wd_light_fix


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm looking for the belt switch by-pass now. I'll post it when I find it.


----------



## bump530 (Jan 5, 2009)

aight thanks man


----------



## Bruteforce09 (Mar 9, 2009)

freaking amazing:headbang:


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I forgot I was supposed to be looking for the belt switch bypass mod. I checked KOD's site and couldn't find it. If I had a schematic for the Brute I could figure it out. I do know I removed the belt switch from the cover. If I remember that far back, (there have been several cold ones consumed since I did that) The switch is riveted to the belt housing. I drilled the rivets and made a cover plate and riveted it in place.


----------



## bump530 (Jan 5, 2009)

i think if u just run a jumper between the plug it will work, but then again thats a guess. im gonna try to figure it out this weekend.


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

Yea, I can't remember if the circuit is open before the belt trips it or if it's closed before the belt trips it. Like I said, to many cold ones. One thing for sure is you don't have to go through that annoying belt light reset ever again and it won't limit your throttle when it trips.


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm toying with the idea of fabricating speaker tubes on the side of the scoop but I'm concerned about all the mud that gets thrown up on top of the fenders. With the wheel spacers and the Laws I think it will ruin the speakers on the very first ride. Has anyone else had a problem with lots of mud in the speakers?


----------



## drtyTshrt (May 27, 2009)

That is some most impressive fabricating. Form blocks is what I do for a living and I bet if you were in my shop you would be the Senior Master Craftsman!!!


----------



## Huntersdad (Nov 12, 2009)

I swear... I just drooled on myself. 

Nice work! I'm thinking I gotta get me some crazy red running lights like yours. Deer cant see red..... so I've heard!

Way cool!


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

Thanks, the adult beverages consumed during all that cost lots more than the mods themselves. lol


----------



## Huntersdad (Nov 12, 2009)

Hahahaha... what no pimp'n airbags to bounce to the beat of your mp3 and those cool blinking lights?


----------



## Eagle_On (Mar 7, 2011)

explain the wiring for the fan switch so it rubs off thermostat and then switch to saty on all the time, thanks


----------



## IBBruin (Feb 10, 2009)

All that needs to be done to make the fan run is touch the two wires together that plug on to the temperature sensor mounted in the radiator. Leave those attached to the sensor but attach a wire to each one. Run those two to a switch. 
Check out our How To section


----------

