Utility Vehicle Recommendations?

[RavenTai]

They make the Yamaha Rhino about 5 miles from here, a member here, an excellent fabricator & certified Toyota nut was involved in in the development of the frame suspension and body witch are made here in the states, the drive train is made in Japan IIRC.

 

[cruiseman]

Which JD gator? There are many different models. If you go Deere get the hpx in deisel. It doesnt have the top end but it can haul some serious payload. If your having fun more than working get the rino. I work for a JD distributor and for play and light work you cant beat the rino, for more work get the jd hpx.
Good luck,,
SC

 

[Heffenoche]

I can't use a small truck 'cuz the property is an island in the middle of a large lake; unless I were to drive it over in the winter, it would never get there. There are no roads on the island either and I really don't want to start carving them in; trying to keep things pristine.

What about a Suzuki Samuri? Probably a lot cheaper and not much bigger.

 

[ravencr]

I know a lot of you have been to Tellico, so here's a trip I did with some friends from Yotatech that put on the SE4RJ. Luckily, since I've wheeled with them for so long, they let me and my dad along in his brand new 2006 Ranger XP.

This is a pic from the bottom of Slickrock, which is a pretty hard trail for trucks, not to mention the Ranger. The ledges halfway up to the top are pretty high, making for some very tippy situations:

Here's a pic from the top of the main slab of rock on Slickrock looking down on the Ranger at the bottom of it:

Here's a pic of the Ranger at the bottom of Slickrock before making it's attempt:

Here's a pic of the Ranger nearing the top of Slickrock after making a successful run on Slickrock. The last ledge was as tall as the Ranger, so I ended up winching to be safe and realistic:

And, here's another one:

Here you can see the how deep the sides of Slickrock get:

Here's a pic of Steve Schaeffer and good friend that primarily off-roads in Toyota 4runners and FJ's, but he flew out from Arizona for this ride this year:

Another:

Same place on trail 5 just after crossing the creek:

This was trail 10, and ATV only trail, which was extremely narrow. It got kind of annoying after a while, because we started ripping the driver's side storage box door off repeatedly, broke one of the latches on it, scratched the bed up quite a bit, and rubbing the heck out of the roll cage on trees because it was so off camber all the time:

Here's another in the same spot, which was about the widest part of the trail we soon found out:

Here's my Dad driving over a fairly easy section of trail 5:

Coming up trail 5 again on an off camber section, mainly for trucks, because the Ranger was narrow enough to stay pretty level:

Trail 5 again:

They are very capable, yet way more fun for high speed stuff. I off-roaded my 1997 Toyota 4runner for years and loved it. The Rangers, Rhinos, Prowlers are a lot of fun, too.

Chris

 

[ravencr]

Trail 4 just before Fain's Ford, which is a nice play to stop and eat and play on the rock ledges:

This is trail 8, which has a series of fun rocky sections and ledges on up from this point on the trail:

Another one:

Don't remember where this was, but most likely on trail 8:

Trail 8 coming up some rock faces and some small ledges:

Some place at top of those smaller ledges:

Trail 8 again:

Trail 8 again:

Trail 8 again:

Trail 8 again:

Trail 8 again:

Trail 8 again:

More slickrock:

Chris

P.S. I have videos from this trip as well...If you'd like me to post them I can.

 

[Waorani]

Like I said earler - RANGER!

 

[wngrog]

Edit to my above comments. I just got a Mitsubishi MiniCab Kei truck 4x4. It is a 660 cc like my Rhino, much larger bed, with an enclosed cab, A/C and heat.

These things are the s***.

 

[nmbuckaroo]

the ranch where i was managing the deer herd on has two atvs. a 1996 kawasaki mule 2510 diesel 4x4 and a 2002 kubota diesel 4x4. in my opinion thr mule is the better of the two. everyone that uses them all prefer the mule. i haul 600 pounds of deer feed every week on the mule. the owner puts a 200 gallon steel tank full of diesel to refuel his tractors when working the wheat fields. both have identical yanmar diesel engines. the mule has a top speed of 24 mph and the kubota runs 26 mph. the kubota is a little larger and heavier. the mule has 6,800 miles on it and kubota has 1,200. i can't speak for newer mules but i like this one.

 

[sirenmoses]

NOT THE GATOR. We use one to scrape snow at my fire station: probie got it stuck 3x in 2 hrs. Easy enough to rock it out w/3 others, but little power, batteries die quickly, and it's been in the shop now for a month.

 

[alkaline747trio]

I like the Kubota we have...plenty of power, hauls plenty, great ride...just kinda expensive, but you get what you pay for.

 

[kulangot]

Check out the new Polaris RZR - more of a buggy than a traditional side by side:

http://www.atvriders.com/atvmodels/polaris2008ranger800rzrutv.html


It's a bad mo fo.

Can't wait to check out one out when they come out. I too have been waiting to see what the honda is going to be like.

The Rzr is key in that it's only 50 inches wide and less than 1000 pounds.

-stumbaugh

 

[D'Animal]

Goldoni Transcar 25 as seen at http://www.ferrari-tractors.com/specialpurpose.htm

I would by a Kubota RTV 9000 with the rear hydraulics kit.

 

[D'Animal]

I think the 8 guys in picute set #25 could have carried that thing up the hill quicker.

 

[WES1977]

Check out the new Polaris RZR - more of a buggy than a traditional side by side:

http://www.atvriders.com/atvmodels/polaris2008ranger800rzrutv.html


It's a bad mo fo.

Can't wait to check out one out when they come out. I too have been waiting to see what the honda is going to be like.

The Rzr is key in that it's only 50 inches wide and less than 1000 pounds.

-stumbaugh

I like it wonder how much it cost.

 

[kulangot]

$9999.00 MSRP

Kind of like a small, 4wd sand rail vs a typical side by side. Has the motor in the back and sand car like rear suspension like a modern sand rail - the wheels move up and back not just up and down.

I'd buy one, but VA sucks when it comes to ATV rules, even thought this thing is 50" inches wide (VA bans side by sides because they are wider than 50") it still does not meet VA ATV trail criteria because it over 600 pounds, has a steering wheel and seats two people. FAWKERS!!!!

-Stumbaugh



Introducing a RANGER Like No Other


RANGER RZR Offers Razor Sharp Side-by-Side Performance

Starting today, the game has changed. Introducing RANGER RZR, the first trail capable, side-by-side vehicle that screams down the trails as the fastest accelerating and lightest side-by-side; navigates through tight, twisty terrain with ease; and tackles mud, rocks and anything else nature throws its way for the ultimate off-road experience.

“RANGER RZR was designed to appeal to a wide variety of riders,” said Matt Homan, general manager of RANGER. “Avid trail riders will appreciate RANGER RZR’s ability to go anywhere an ATV can go; hunters will enjoy the ability to navigate to the most remote and extreme hunting spots while hauling enough gear for two; and side-by-side sport enthusiasts will find RANGER RZR’s light weight, cornering ability, acceleration and top speed appealing.”

At 50 inches wide, RANGER RZR is the only trail capable side-by-side in its class. At 945 lbs, it is the lightest side-by-side with the lowest cage height, compared to its competitors, which ensures true trail accessibility. RANGER RZR also boasts a true all-wheel drive (AWD) system that automatically engages when the rider needs more forward traction and reverts back to 2WD automatically when AWD is no longer needed.

Built with a patented design that places the engine behind the seat, RANGER RZR has the lowest center of gravity of all the sport side-by-sides for unmatched off-road responsiveness. Riders will find themselves sitting at least seven inches lower than they would in competitive side-by-side vehicles for unparalleled handling and ground hugging performance. For optimal handling on any terrain, RANGER RZR has nine inches of travel in the front, 9.5 inches in the rear and 10 inches of ground clearance due to its double A-arm front suspension with an exclusive, front anti-sway bar and a rolled independent rear suspension (IRS). For comfort, RANGER RZR also sports the best ergonomics in its class, including tilt steering, and adjustable hand rails and seats.

Powered by a liquid-cooled, even-firing Polaris Big Bore 800 Twin EFI engine, RANGER RZR is the fastest accelerating side-by-side with the highest horsepower in its class; accelerating to 35 MPH in four seconds, and topping out at 55 MPH. This power coupled with RANGER RZR’s unique design and smaller stature creates a vehicle that delivers razor sharp side-by-side performance.

RANGER RZR is no slouch when it comes handling the tough tasks. With a cargo bed rated for 300 lbs with 12 tie-down points, 1500 lb. towing capacity, under-hood storage and a myriad of PURE Polaris accessories including Lock & Ride, cabs and cargo systems, you have all the utility you need.

Offered in green and red, RANGER RZR will be available at Polaris dealerships in early summer, with a MSRP of $9,999 (US) and $13,999 (CAN).

 

[D'Animal]

Is this a 4x4? Can it tow?

I like it wonder how much it cost.

 

[WES1977]

tow? you wouldn't want to tow soft atv tires on the pavement. it is AWD. trailer it. it's only 1,000 Ibs

 

[ravencr]

The Polaris RzR can tow 1500 lbs and haul 400 lbs in the small bed. The Polaris Ranger XP can tow 1500 lbs and haul 1000lbs in the bed.

If whoever started this thread is looking for a machine to be dual purpose, trail use(recreation) and utility, I'd recommend the Polaris Ranger XP. It's the best all-around unit for that purpose, period.

If you're looking for only utility, I'd stay away from a rhino, prowler, RzR, and probably the Ranger(could work just fine). The Ranger is a heck of a lot more comfortable than other more utility minded vehicles because it actually has some suspension travel.

Chris

 

[D'Animal]

"Can it Tow" as in will it pull anything. I'm thinking along the terms of a weed spray rig or my little 1/4 trailer with hay in etc.

tow? you wouldn't want to tow soft atv tires on the pavement. it is AWD. trailer it. it's only 1,000 Ibs

Sounds like it will.

 

[WES1977]

"Can it Tow" as in will it pull anything. I'm thinking along the terms of a weed spray rig or my little 1/4 trailer with hay in etc.





Sounds like it will.

I thought you were refering to can it be towed behind your truck. I'm sure it can pull. My dad uses my polaris 425 magnum 4x4 to put his 15' bosten whaler in the garage.