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utility vehicle comparison

bill onthehill

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
661
Location
pa/ny border
I have had a Kubota RTV900 for almost 6 years. Only down time I ever had was when i rammed a stick into the fan belt. Biggest complaint I have is the stupid key location. It is a climbing bear on my hilly ground and hauls and dumps loads of wood like a champ. The only time i have stuck it was high centering it on a skidder track. I have pulled full wagons of hay into the barn with no trouble. As for the hydro braking in the trans it is an easily adjusted feature. I leave mine on full for the braking action on hills which is something the others all lack. It is a workhorse and the dump bed can't be beat.
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
We ran both the 900 and 1100, a customer has had both as well, we've used his two machines over the last few years, yesterday we tried out a honda big red, they came out with a new cab design this year and as of yet havne't found one to see or sit in with that on it. the older cabs everyone I talked to hated, the heater didn't work right and they didn't defrost the windshield and were cold inside them and the doors sucked was what we were told, but boy those units are loud inside compared to anyone else's. The dealer told us he'd demo one to us but right now, we're winding down for the season and are done with the worst of the work, so we couldn't get much good out of demo. They offer the honda transmission, shaft drive, no belts anywhere, the widest utv in the industry was the selling point, honda durability and dependability and etc, etc, anyone have any experience with these units? The carrying cargo weight isn't a big deal to me, the pulling is more important, we are only going to haul, lasers, tripods, shovels and plastic fittings, bulk not weight, but will pull a trailer and maybe even a makeshift tile stringer at times. To haul rocks and bricks and use the dump bed isn't important to me at all, I use it to haul bulk things, not dump anything, I don't care if it even does dump period, I"d rather it didn't, more like a pickup than a utv in that aspect.
 

onetrk1

New Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
1
Location
Central Alabama
I've got a 01 Kaw Mule 2510 diesel. It is not a great vehicle. Rides rough, only 25 mph, won't pull much, gets hung up on undercarrage pretty easy with 4x4. But, its always cranks, has a steel bed thats as tough as a pickup, runs forever on 4 gals of diesel, engine will last forever (5000hrs no problem), cheap I paid 4k for mine with 500hr now has 1100hrs, so ugly no one will steal it.
 

Macuser

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
1
Location
Weed CA
I need a UTV that can climb a 45 degree hill and carry firewood. Any recommendations?

i have LOTS of experance with utv's. stay away from the mule its underpowered, not very good suspension, or much ground clearance. the kubota is nice but heavy with full cab & extras u will b stuck. the rhino is very strong motor, the rest of the utv is just not as strong as the motor, axles r a problem from day one. the polaris ranger is good all around utv but its a bench seat, belt drive is a problem BUT you can upgrade to a kevlar snowmobile belt to permently fix that problem. the artic cat will just not hold up to much abuse at all. i have a John Deere gator hpx that is fuel injected. I will encourage you to get fuel injection if you go with gas, dont matter which brand you choose u will like it esp. in the winter. i also now have a honda Big Red its great all around the farm, job site,kinda small bed for haauling stuff in, i wouldnt want to get in & outa it a bunch of times a day tho. you ask bout life expectancy, i have a neighbor that has a jd gator that has 5683 hrs on it never had anything done to the motor. oil is changed every spring, air filter is changed/cleaned every 2 weeks like clockwork. i have another neighbor that has a kubota rtv1100 diesel that has 2140 hrs on it, also does the maintaince like clockwork never had any problems yet just wear items brakes,tires,& 2 windsheilds lol yes same bushog differant rock tho!!!! if you have any questions just ask. all my buddies have had every make out there. ALSO STAY AWAY FROM THE CHEAP UTV'S SOLD AT FARM SUPPLY STORES. they are just plane junk, hard to near impossible to get parts for.

I need a you TV that can climb a 45° hill and be able to carry a load of firewood. Does anyone have any recommendations.
 

lumberjack

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
1,044
Location
Columbus, MS
Hill climbing is traction limited for most vehicles. I have a Polaris RZR, if I needed to buy a UTV, it would be the Polaris Ranger. I have a fantastic dealer ~45minutes away, which leans me in that direction as well.
 

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
Old thread but oh well. I've had all of them and most of the above statements are true....

The toolcat is a pice of crap, it cost me about $150 per month to keep mine running.....very year it went in for some sort of $2-5k repair even bobcat couldn't figure it out and in the end they ended up bing stuck with it and parted it out ;)

The 3010 diesel had a motor and both diffs replaced under warranty and driving across a rough field forget hanging on to the steering wheel it will break your arm! Lol

Had several rangers, they are ok for hunting but definatly NOT a work tool

The rtv was plenty powerful and would tow anything I NEVER had a problem with it other than the trans got locked in reverse one time but I heard there was an update, the bed would lift anything you put in it! After I put ITP mud tires on it and never got stuck again it was amazing how much it would plow through, I also hooked up a small dump wagon off the hydraulics and used it in some very tight spots
 
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