You’ve seen them. Those monstrous machines sitting waist-high in a mud hole, tires churning like paddle wheels, throwing chocolate-milk-colored sludge thirty feet into the air. That is the lifted Can Am Renegade in its natural habitat. It looks mean. It sounds like a localized thunderstorm. But honestly? Living with one is a lot more complicated than the Instagram clips make it look.
Most people buy a Renegade because it’s the fastest sport-utility ATV on the planet. It’s a literal rocket ship with handlebars. Then, they decide they want to clear 32-inch Assassinator tires, so they bolt on a 6-inch portal lift or a bracket kit. Suddenly, that precision-engineered trail car becomes a different beast entirely. It’s taller, slower in the corners, and way more expensive to maintain.
If you’re thinking about going big, you need to know what you’re actually signing up for. It’s not just about ground clearance. It’s about geometry, physics, and how much you enjoy turning wrenches on a Saturday night when you should be sleeping.
The Reality of Putting a Lift on a Rotax Powerhouse
The Can Am Renegade uses the Rotax V-Twin engine. Whether you’ve got the 650, the 850, or the fire-breathing 1000R, you have more than enough horsepower to turn big rubber. That’s the "pro" side of the ledger. The "con" is that the Renegade was designed for high-speed trail manners and technical crawling. When you add a lifted Can Am Renegade setup, you’re jacking up the center of gravity significantly.
You’ll feel it the first time you try to take a corner at 30 mph. The machine wants to tip. It feels "tippy" because, well, it is. To fix this, most guys end up running 2-inch wheel spacers or high-offset wheels just to keep the rubber side down.
Bracket Lifts vs. Portals: Choose Your Poison
If you just want the look and maybe a little extra room for 28-inch tires, a basic 2-inch bracket lift is fine. It’s cheap. It’s easy to install. But it puts your CV axles at a nasty angle. You’ll hear them clicking. You’ll feel the vibration. Eventually, they will snap. It’s a "when," not an "if."
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Portals are the real answer, but they’re a massive investment. Companies like SuperATV or High Lifter have spent years perfecting these. A portal lift moves the gear reduction to the wheel hub. This means your axles stay at a factory angle while the entire machine sits 4, 6, or 8 inches higher. Plus, you get a gear reduction built-in. That’s huge because it gives you back the torque you lost by putting on those massive, heavy tires.
Why Your Axles Are Screaming for Help
Let’s talk about the weak links. Can Am builds a tough machine, but the factory axles aren't meant to handle the leverage of a 30-plus inch tire on a lifted Can Am Renegade. When you get stuck in thick, peanut-butter mud and you pin the throttle, something has to give.
Usually, it's the CV joint.
Upgrading to Rhino 2.0 axles or Turner Cycles shafts becomes mandatory once you go past a certain height. Even then, you’re just moving the breaking point further up the drivetrain. If the axle doesn't break, the differential might. It’s a constant game of "find the next weakest part."
Some riders actually prefer keeping the factory axles as a "fuse." They’d rather snap a $150 axle than blow out a $1,500 front differential. It’s a valid strategy, honestly. You just have to get good at changing axles in the middle of a swamp while your buddies drink beer and watch.
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The Heat Issue Nobody Mentions
Big tires and lifts create drag. Drag creates heat. Heat kills CVT belts.
If you don't do a clutch kit on your lifted Can Am Renegade, you’re going to smell burning rubber within the first twenty minutes of a hard ride. You need different weights and springs in your primary and secondary clutches to account for the massive rotating mass of those mud tires. Companies like Dalton Industries or Redacted Racing make kits specifically for lifted Can Ams. Without them, you’re just throwing money away on $200 belts every other weekend.
Steering and Suspension: The Forgotten Victims
When you lift a Renegade, you change the scrub radius. The steering becomes harder. You might think the Power Steering (DPS) will handle it, but you’re putting way more stress on that electric motor than BRP ever intended.
I’ve seen plenty of racks get sloppy after just one season of heavy mudding on a lift. You might want to look into frame stiffeners or "gusset kits." The Renegade frame is relatively light. When you add the leverage of a 6-inch lift and deep mud, the frame can actually flex or, in extreme cases, the mounting tabs for the A-arms can tear right off.
Is it still a "Sport" ATV?
Sorta. But not really.
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A stock Renegade 1000R is a weapon on a fire road. A lifted Can Am Renegade is a tank. You lose that flickable, nimble feeling. You’re not going to be jumping it—at least not if you value your spine and your suspension mounts. You’re trading versatility for one specific skill: conquering the deep stuff.
What Most People Get Wrong About High Lifter Editions
Can Am actually sells a "X mr" version of the Renegade. It comes with a snorkel, a radiator relocate, and slightly better tires. A lot of people think this is "lifted" from the factory. It’s actually just clocked differently with stiffer springs. If you want a truly lifted Can Am Renegade, even the X mr usually needs more work to fit the really big stuff.
Don't assume that because it has a snorkel, it can handle 34-inch tires without modifications. You still need to worry about the clutch and the axles. The X mr is just a better starting point because the radiator is already moved to the racks, preventing it from getting clogged with mud and overheating the engine.
Actionable Steps for Your Build
If you’re dead set on lifting your Renegade, don't do it all at once. You'll go broke and hate the machine. Start with the basics and feel how it changes the ride.
- Step 1: The Radiator. If you’re lifting it to go in the mud, move the radiator to the top rack immediately. A clogged radiator will warp your heads before you even realize you’re running hot.
- Step 2: Clutching. Before you even buy the tires, buy a clutch kit. Talk to someone who knows your specific elevation and tire size. A "generic" kit is better than nothing, but a tuned one is magic.
- Step 3: Choose Your Lift Height Wisely. 2 inches is for clearance. 4 inches is for mud. 6-plus inches is for "show" or the deepest holes in East Texas. Remember that every inch higher makes the machine less stable.
- Step 4: Upgrade the Axles. Carry a spare front and rear axle in your gear bag. Also, carry the tools to change them—30mm socket, snap ring pliers, and a big hammer.
- Step 5: Frame Gussets. Especially on the G2 frames, reinforcing the A-arm mounting points is cheap insurance against a total frame loss.
Final Insights on the Lifted Lifestyle
Owning a lifted Can Am Renegade is about the spectacle. It’s about being the one who pulls everyone else out. It’s about the sound of that V-Twin screaming through a snorkel while the handlebars are barely above water.
Just be honest with yourself about the trade-offs. You will spend more time cleaning it. You will spend more money on parts. You will never be able to take a high-speed corner the same way again. But for some people, the first time they crawl through a hole that swallowed a stock machine whole, it all becomes worth it.
If you want the baddest machine on the trail, the Renegade platform is the best place to start. Just respect the physics, or the physics will definitely disrespect your wallet.