Dan B

Probably design variations and software changes over the years.  Your new R4 (presuming it's 2014 or later) has the 1100cc engine with a different computer than your 2012.  On my 2014, both tach & speedo sweep and will start as long as the transmission is in neutral.  As long as your tach and speedo work normally while driving, I don't think I'd worry too much about it.

I don't know if you've resolved your issue with the gauges since it's been a while.  Do the lights work on the gauges?  With the engine off, is the oil pressure warning light  and battery light illuminated?  When I turn on the ignition without startingt the engine, those two lights come on, gauge lights illuminate and the speedometer & tackometer cycles.  This applies to the Trooper and Renegade.  I can't address other Joyner products.  On my machine, all of the guages are powered by a 12vdc supply through a 7.5amp fuse.  There's a body wiring connector that may have come loose.  This connector passes the sensor signals to the gauges.  The speedometer and tacometer are run via the l/p connector (a different connector).  I have no idea where those connectors are located on the Renegades.

Just a shot in the dark here.  Turn the iginition on without starting the engine.  Does the light flash any codes?

Glad you got it working!

Can I presume that you've verified that the coil is producing a spark and the plug/coil wires are not leaking?  I ran into a problem with my Suburban.  The plug wires were leaking high voltage.  You can seen the corona discharge around the plug wires in a darkened garage (easier to see at night).    Heat can cause the insulation to breakdown resulting in severe engine misfire especially under load or acceleration. That was my experience.

I would consider the highest horsepower machine you can afford.  There's a formula that calculates how much horsepower you'll lose with altitude.

HP Loss = (elevation in feet above sea level x 0.03 x horsepower @ sea level)/1000

At your 9500 ft altitude, you'll lose about 28% of the available horsepower from sea level.

The Tracker uses the Chery brand Chinese engine.  There are several other "off brand" SxS that uses that brand of engine including the brand name John Deere 825I Gator.  The common size engines are 800cc & 1100cc.  If the machine has a 3-cyl 800cc or 4-cyl 1100cc gas engine, it may be the Chery engine.  It's a common engine in South America, Africa and of course Asia.  There's no such thing as a perfect SxS or ATV that will fit all needs of any one individual.  I like my ride.  But support is spotty and may be hard to find.  I've found I'll have to do most of my repairs when needed.  However, I haven't had any major issues with it yet.  Seems that from my research, the differentials are somewhat weak if pushed beyond their limits.  Mine is more like a car - it has a clutch and 5-speed transmission vs others who have CVTs.  The CVT is easier to drive.  With a cluth/transmission, I have to be more proactive with gear selection in managing power to the wheels.  It's not really designed to take it airborne over sand dunes and jumps.  The Massima (Hisun) and some others have an unusual locking differential arrangement.  Can't lock the differentials unless you're in 4WD, then both are locked.  Mine has individually selectable lockers independent of 4WD selection.

I'm running the risk of telling you stuff you already know.  Your Massimo (made by Hisun) and the Bennche have similar 4WD/Lock systems.  In 2WD, the rear diff can't be locked (shouldn't be unless there's a problem with the actuator).  You can select 2WD or 4WD unlocked differentials.  There's a lever that covers your lock/unlock select switch.  You rotate if you're in 4WD to uncover the lock/unlock selector.  This switch locks both front and rear differentials; not independently selectable.  Apparently, you can't lock just the rear diff or just the front diff.  If you can, jack up the rear of your machine and select 2WD, neutral transmission.  Turn one of the rear wheels; the other wheel should rotate in the opposite direction if unlocked; same direction if locked.

It doesn't make sense to have a differential locked when driving on hard surfaces.  Puts too much stress on the internal differential parts and tires.

I don't see how the differential can cause what you describe as it isn't really part of the steering system.  Check the CV joints with the wheels off the ground.  Grab the tire and see if you have any excessive play.  I would also look at the tie rods and Heim joints and other steering linkage componens that connect the two wheels together.  It's weird that they turn together when off the ground, but not when weight is applied.

I can only suggest you trace the wiring from the fuse to the blower motor and clutch.  Could be an intermittent dead short to ground in the wiring or blower motor.  Disconnect the blower motor to see if the fuse holds.  If it does, the blower motor is suspect.  Otherwise, the wiring.  Do the same for the clutch just in case it is in the clutch.

Now I understand your problem, I think.  The ground wire is there and connected to the chassis but you can't determine where the lose end goes.  The only thing I can offer is to look for a connector that is close by.  It probably came from that connector.  And that connector probably has one terminal that's missing a wire.  Unused terminals usually, but not always, do not have a metal contact pin installed in the connector.  Can you access the back of the display?

There is a procedure to "burp" the cooling system.  That's to say that you have to remove the air from the system.  That air displaces coolant and can lead to overheating in that area where the coolant is blocked by the air.  That may be why you can't get the full gallon into the cooling system.  I don't know if the design of the cooling system on the RTV900 requires it, but my ride requires it as does many cars, trucks and off road vehicles.  The basic procedure is to park the ride up hill (or jack up the front or back) so that the radiator is at the highest point.  Fill the system including the reserve tank.  Run the engine with the radiator cap off.  Keep refilling as the air is purged until no more coolant can be added.  Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, probably much less on a small engine.  Some systems are easier - just keep filling the radiator with the engine running, radiator cap off, until no more coolant can be added.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-bleed-air-from-your-cooling-system

Let's presume the first character is missing from the VIN.  If so, then the year model charactert 6 would become the 10th character and indicate that it is a 2006 or 2036 model year (not realistic).

If we presume the last character is missing from the VIN, then the 1 to the right of the 6 would become the 10th character and indicate that it would be a 2001 or 2031 model year (not realistic). 

The letter O or the number 0 is never used to indicate the model year.

So, lacking any further info, the letter A is the closest to any realistic model year character and that indicates that it might be a 2010 model year.

(770) 532-0038 is their phone number in GA.  I don't know if it is still active/current.  But it would be worth a call to see if they can help.

This site will decode your number:

https://www.vindecoderz.com/EN/KUBOTA

However, the numbers you provided don't contain the full 17 character format.  Double check to see if there's another set of numbers on your machine.

In Oregon, the ride you are considering is a Class IV ATV - commonly called a UTV or side x side.  Oregon currently does not allow ATVs including UTVs to be street legal (any roadway that is maintained for regular vehicle traffic).  Check with Oregon's Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).  It will tell you what roads are open for ATV/UTV use.  You might consider 2 sets if tires for what you want to do.  Mudding tires have an extremely aggressive tread design.  You'll wear them out quickly if used on gravel or hard packed dirt roads.  Trail tires are less aggressive.  If you want to do some soft sand riding such as what they have in Glamis, sand paddles might become your 3rd set of tires.

I don't believe Joyner "upgraded" their differentials.  If they did, it wasn't well advertised.  The upgrade was developed by a 3rd party.  I think the upgrade was basically stronger ring gear bolts plus spacers.  Kelly BB puts the value between $3k-$4k.  But the value vs what someone is willing to pay are not the same.

Go to Joyner-USA.com  They have the owner's manual for your year model Commando.  The manual has the wiring diagram.  If you have trouble getting and downloading the manual, PM me and I'll download and send you a PDF copy.

650commandoC2_owners_manual2008(1).pdf

12 hours ago, Travis said:

Some of the newer Kawasaki come with the Chery engine... Which doesn't Joyner use too?

Yes it does.  Pre 2014 Joyner Renegades had the 3-cyl 800cc engine.  Went to the 4-cyl engine 1100cc in 2014, same engine in the Trooper..  That engine is more common in South America, Africa and of course Asia.  Larger engines (1600+) are more common in automobiles in those areas.

The Coleman (US brand) is a Hisun (Chinese) in disguise.  A few, but certainly not all Japanese and American brands use Chinese parts including the engine.  One model of the Kawasaki and John Deere UTVs uses a Chinese engine.  Never know what we're getting unless we do some deep, deep digging and researching.

That's the problem with buying online.  You're at the mercy of what the seller says.  They are sales people, not mechanics.  You can't take your used part and compare it to the so-called replacement part.  Let me know how it works for you with Joyner USA.  I ordered two rims and tires and will pick them up Fri (they're local to me - 35 mi).  Jake said he has them in stock.  He had two headlighs that I needed earlier this year.  So far, I'm batting 1000 with him.

This site advertizes that they have them:

http://mpsracing.net/joyner-renegade-/973-joyner-trooper-1100-and-renegade-800-aftermarket-lower-ball-joint.html

I can't vouch for them as I've never done any business with them.

Not inexpensive if you want to buy one.  Most need a 3-point hitch with a PTO.  The lowest cost self-powered (they have their own engine) I found was $2000+++ depending upon engine size and cutting width and whether you want a rough cut or finish cut.  At those prices, you can buy a riding mower.  If you have the welding skills, there are a few YT videos where those in the same situation built their own tow behind mower for about $800 incl engine.  Not many available on my local Craigslist.

My theoretical analysis of incorrect valve gap.  I wouldn't say a lot of power if one cylinder, but more pronounced if on all cylinders.  A larger than normal gap will cause the intake valve to open late and close early.  The compression will be a little lower (less fuel/air mixture gets into the cylinder on the intake stoke) and cause some loss of power.  Does the engine othewise runs smooth (not missing)?  Your compression should be near 130 psi at sea level (based upon 14.7 psi atmospheric pressure and a 9.5 compression ratio minus a few pounds due to other factors).

A larger than normal gap on the exhaust valve will also cause it to open late and close early which, in turn, keeps more burned fuel in the cylinder on the exhaust stoke, prevernting a full charge of fresh fuel/air mixture from being fully injested into the cylinder on the intake stroke.

I would still check the valve clearances (cam to lifter clearance).  Can't really tell clearances by looking at the valves.  Lacking any other info that might say otherwise, the intake is 0.18mm/0.007"±0.05mm/0.0019", exhaust 0.25mm/0.0098"±0.05mm/0.0019".  Excessive clearances will cause the cam lobe to "slap" against the lifter causing the clicking/clacking noise.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal.  Get an ammeter and connect it between the negative battery terminal and the negative battery cable.  Then start pulling fuses until you notice a drop in the ammeter reading.  That's the problem circuit.  1/4amp or less is okay.  That could be caused by a clock or standby current for the ECU.  You're looking for a larger current draw that would cause the sparking that you noticed.  Take the battery and see if they can test it.  The problem with these smaller batteries measured in Amp Hrs instead of CCA is that some places can't check them.  Their equipment is calibrated in CCA.  Some use an unreliable method of converting Amp Hrs to CCA by multiplying Amp Hrs x 7.5.  At least it will give you something to test against.  I keep a trickle charger on my SxS battery.

I agree with Travis.  Check valve lifter to camshaft clearances with the valve for the cylinder closed (cam lobe not in contact with the lifter).   Dirt may have worked its way into the lifter.  I'm not sure if this engine has hydraulic lifters (I don't know).  If they do, I don't see where shims are needed to adjust clearances.  But a lifter could be binding due to dirt whether a solid or hydraulic lifter.  Were you able to determine where the metal shavings came from?