Forestry ATV?

[Down To Earth]

I am looking to purchase a atv to cruise woodlots, drag out tops and basic woods operation .

I am leaning towards the Arctic Cat 500 because of the reciever hitch and I ride thier sleds. Give me your words of wisdom.

Thanks,
Dan

PM would be fine
OUT

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Get one with a geared tranny not a belt. No matter what the sales people say, hauling with gears will be better in the long run. You'll have exact control of the gear for pulling loads. If I know that I'll be going up any little hills with a load, I'll keep it in a lower gear.

Last night I was talking with a neighbor, He bought an AC but doesn' do hard work with it. He found that the Polaris have bushings that break instead of bearings like in the AC. He said the geared tranny is quieter too.

Be able to lock in 4wd low.

You can get an aftermarket 2" reciever or weld one really cheap.

Honda is always nice but a little more expensive.

I had a Suzuki that I liked a lot, it got stolen, grrrr. the H/L range shifters were right no top the gas tank for easy access.

Get a winch with line lock so the line doesn't slip with a load.

Buy the AC keep the MN economy strong!

Tom

 

[Reed]

AC still made in MN!?!

That's good. Sounds American like the good 'ol days.

I had a John Deere Gator - centrifical clutch though, the only impediment. Now they have new models w/ 4wd and hard gears.

I miss it big time - lost in the land shuffle we did in December. I never took it off the ranch so for backyards it's just under a Jeep's width but floatation and posi-lock rear end it out-Jeeped a Jeep. I modify my meals, dog's preferences, and everyday tools so a little welding and the Gator had a 3,500lb hand-reel winch and a drawbar for a pipe-boom w/ a log tong. Skidded mostly deadfall and oak logs but the clutch never slipped. Dump bed about 2cu yards, and a beverage holder - something I discovered a 4-wheeler lacks (with big hassles).

Also rode a borrowed 4-whlr around this new ranch, lot's of rocks and I felt like a busted bone hammer afterwards. The Gator allows slide-in butt seating right at butt height, a real plus, don't have to strattle on an off. A week w/ five gallons of reg. gas, and a floor a dog can ride-along with, or a passenger seat fit for a Bull Mastiff.

I'm sold an want another one but budget means no new toys until I can have the beach-front lot in N.Z.

Northern Tool has I see a lot of assessories for the 4's. Including a three-point hitch.

Rambling on here - waiting for my labour to show up.

Ride on.

 

[Ed K]

I use a yamaha big bear, for skidding cordwood and use a home built forestry trailer also. If I was to replace it, I'd go with the AC.

 

[NeTree]

Don't forget to write it off as a "business expense"

 

[Jacob J.]

Stay away from the John Deere and the Kawasaki "Mule". They won't hold up for skidding wood, due to the hydrostatic transmissions.

Get the Arctic Cat or the Yamaha. Like Tom said they have real bearings at all four corners instead of bushings or sliders. Both machines also have beefier transmissions. The tranny is the first thing to go in a four-wheeler used for dragging stuff.

 

[Ryan Willock]

I have an artic cat 500 auto that I really like. I bought mine last summer and that thing is a work horse that will go ANYWHERE!!!! My dad also has one but his is the two seater, otherwise its just like mine. We haven't had any trouble out of either of them. For heavy towing like what you are talking about I would get the gear model regardless of what brand you go with.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

why not buy horse much quieter ,dont break down that often and there a lot stronger..and can get to places a quad bike can't

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

one all terrain animal..this to me looks a lot of fun

 

[Ryan Willock]

Have you bought one yet?

 

[Climber2]

Originally posted by ROLLACOSTA
why not buy horse much quieter ,dont break down that often and there a lot stronger..and can get to places a quad bike can't

Might pass emissions test too....then again maybe not

 

[Dan F]

Originally posted by Jacob J.
Stay away from the John Deere and the Kawasaki "Mule". They won't hold up for skidding wood, due to the hydrostatic transmissions.

Neither the Mule nor the traditional Gator have hydrostatic transmissions. Both are belt driven.

If you want a two seater, check into the Kubota RTV 900. IIRC, comes with a 3 cylinder diesel, true hydrostatic transmission, and a high and a low range. Also available with a true hydraulic dump bed, the Mules are an electric over hydraulic. Slightly better load capacities than either a Mule or a Gator too. Price is comparable to a diesel 4x4 Mule, but should have a lot more longevity.

Just my 1.5 pennies worth.


Dan

 

[bwalker]

Dont buy a Kawasaki Mule. I own three of them and they do not hold up to commercial use over rough terain, let alone skidding wood. They are more a of a golf cart than anything else.
If I where you i would look at a compact tractor as no ATV will skid wood effectivley.

 

[caryr]

 

[Jacob J.]

Neither the Mule nor the traditional Gator have hydrostatic transmissions. Both are belt driven.

Both the John Deere "Gator" and the Kawasaki "Mule" feature a hydrostatic-style automatic transmission. The Kawasaki calls theirs the K.A.P.S.- "Kawasaki Automatic Power System". The John Deere just calls it the Hydrostatic Continously Variable Transmission. Both are junk for skidding wood of any kind. I speak from experience with both machines.

 

[bwalker]

Kawasaki "Mule" feature a hydrostatic-style automatic transmission.

Jacob, I can tell you from expeirance that a mule uses a v belt setup like a snowmobile. Ill post pics if you like as I have two in pieces at the moment.
I also might add the hydrostatic sytems can be built just as tough as anything else. Look at Kubota tractors or Case skidsteers/Bobcats.

 

[Jacob J.]

Ben- it would depend highly on the fact that they would be built for such a task as skidding logs, which the John Deere and Kawasaki machines are clearly not. Regardless of the drive mechanism these machines have transmissions that just do not hold up.

 

[bwalker]

Regardless of the drive mechanism these machines have transmissions that just do not hold up

Heck, the mule isnt ruged enough to drive off road full time let alone skid logs. The 3 I have only have about 500 hours on them and they are basicly shot mechanicly.

 

[Krooked]

John Deere has utility ATV's now... didn't see them mentioned when I scanned through.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/homeowners/vehicles/atv/index.html

I didn't see anything regarding Polaris either...

don't know much about ATVs since I haven't had one since my '84 185 honda three-wheeler.

Just thought I'd throw it out there...

Have a good weekend! I'm going to try out my new Father's Day Gift - Side by side 12ga shotgun... should be a blast



Matt

 

[Timberjackboy]

400 Foreman

Get a honda 400 foreman even though they don't make it anymore its the same as a 440 john deere and the 450 honda is the same as a 540 john deere.