UTV Cab Heaters: Warming Up Your Offroad Situation

The winter months are just around the bend, and we all know what that means. It’s time to prep for the season; otherwise, your UTV experience is going to take a dive into the land of the garaged buggies. Bitter cold temperatures make it impossible to enjoy the ride whether you’re letting her rip open throttle-style, or you’re headed out to the pasture to feed cattle.

In any case, Side By Side Stuff has the hook-up when it comes to aftermarket winter accessories like UTV cab heaters. We know, we know, the whole process screams complicated and pain-in-the-rear, but we’re here to let you in on a little secret. Integrating a cab heater is not nearly as much of a hassle as you may think. We’re going to break down exactly how a SxS heater works and what installation looks like so you can feel at ease about warming up your offroad situation.

Get your snow suits on folks, we’re about to get waste deep in tech talk so you know exactly what you’re getting and how to choose the best option for the way you ride.

What’s the difference?

UTV cab heaters come in different styles, but all have one common goal… to heat up your rig’s cab. Some kits are universal, which means they will fit a variety of machine applications. Then some are extremely specific to the year, make, and model of the vehicle. You can go with aftermarket, or you can go with an OEM assembly. That’s the great thing about the Powersports industry. It’s all about the rider’s demands.

Why exactly is hydronic?

While you’ve been on the hunt for the ideal aftermarket or OEM heater, you may have stumbled across the word “hydronic.” So, what exactly does hydronic mean? All this means is that the assembly runs utilizing your coolant system. Here’s how it works.

Once you get the heating module installed into your rig (which we will go over in just a hot minute), heat is pulled from the warm engine into your cab. The recycled air is pushed back through your radiator and to be cooled off. Then the process starts all over again. This design is the bee’s knees because it won’t bog your battery down as much as an electric kit will. And we all know roadies are about the biggest battery hogs on the planet. So, this is a massive perk.

What does installation look like?

Many enthusiasts are turned off when it comes to the installation of a UTV heater. Technically speaking, you would think it to be one hot mess. The truth is, each of these units installs differently because each is unique with its own specific features. Some are more complicated than others, while others you merely mount-up, connect the hoses and go on your merry way.

What’s great about these accessory kits is that there isn’t a guessing game regarding integration. Even the more intense installations can be done easily enough by following the detailed instructions included with the purchase. There are also installation videos available that will give you a visual play by play on the ins and outs of getting heat running through your cab.

You will need to have adequate spacing for those modules that mount under your dash. The more intense versions require louver holes to be made and the unit to be mounted under your hood. In both cases, you’ll need to reroute the radiation hoses to accommodate the heater.

What’s great is with every single kit, you’ll have all the necessary hardware for a clean, straightforward install, which means you don’t have to go shopping around to make things work.

Now, let’s have a look at some of the most sought after UTV cab heaters in today’s market.

Some brands you know and trust.

Inferno Cab Heaters has made one heck of a deep impression on the Powersports community with their wide variety of OEM and aftermarket heaters available from the oldest applications to the new. They offer model specific cab heaters and manufacture universal kits that are compatible with several machine make and models.

Aqua-Hot cab heaters are an outstanding choice if you’re going for convenience and low-key. They have engineered an assembly that is super easy to install in many applications, without having to do near as many mods as some others. These units generally mount right under the dash and require no louver holes.

Firestorm Cab Heaters manufactures cab heaters that are specific to each make and model. They design both compact heaters as well as under the hood units. You can go as complicated as you want with a more permanent integrated assembly or keep it simple with a single module in-cab mounting system.

Polaris Industries is your go-to if you’re looking for OEM performance and sport a Polaris. This is a fully integrated system that is a little bit more complicated than a typical install. However, it operates much like a car heater.

Regardless of which aftermarket cab heater best piqued your interest, you can count on getting the warmth you need for the ride you want. These UTV accessories are reliable, innovative, and practical for those who want to experience the offroad all year long. If you’re still having a go with picking the right unit, be sure to drop a comment below, and we will get you more information or connected to a Side By Side Stuff tech.

Shop SideBySideStuff.com to get your aftermarket or OEM cab heater purchase-on.