All purpose UTV for farm use?

[RJT]

As stated on a previous thread.. I'm just about to purchase a new tractor. That being said, I'm going to need an all purpose UTV for moving stuff. Hay bales, bags of whatever, ducks/chickens/turkeys/geese (wife's pets) when necessary, tree branches, firewood, tools.. You get the picture, haha. I don't plan on having to mill about the woods with it, I have ATVs for that. Strictly for moving stuff and attaching a small trailer to around the property. I don't plan on moving anything over 800-1000 lbs. I have a 10k budget but an extra 2-3k wouldn't make or break the deal. As always, I appreciate any and all responses and send my thanks in advance!

 

[RoyJackson]

I have a Deere 855D Gator...this is the diesel Gator, BTW.
The base model is about $12K. And I do recommend a Gator for your tasks.
That said, just read some of the threads in this forum and you'll get all the opinions you'll want.

 

[timswi]

An RTV900 is a great work machine. Not fast, but will do what you want and then some...No belt drive is a plus for grunt work.

 

[smstonypoint]

An RTV900 is a great work machine. Not fast, but will do what you want and then some...No belt drive is a plus for grunt work.

I agree with Tim's recommendation. There is a new design and a price increase for 2014 that puts the MSRP above $13K. However, Kubota is offering either 0% financing for 36 months or a $400 rebate for the RTV-X models.

Good luck.

Steve

 

[nc redneck]

Any thoughts on Honda Pioneer 700-4 it has my attention looking at it hard.

 

[Will_C]

The RTV 900 seems tailor made for your situation.

Will

 

[Tkblacktail]

Once all the price, aesthetics, hauling & dumping, speed, and maneuverability considerations are solved; a person may want to look into the ease of getting in and out of the OHV. My main argument for a 2 "seater" was not having to throw my leg over the ATV seat when I'm working.

Being able to easily get in and get out of the OHV 15 or 20+ times a day (when working) really makes a big difference. Where my RTV 500 tops out @ 30 MPH, it is very easy to get in and get out of and it crawls like a tank in the woods.

 

[DT86]

If you aren't set on a new machine you could easily pick up a older low hour RTV 900 for $10k.

I looked at a nice one the other day in that price range. It was about a 2006 model with less than 400 hours, hydraulic dump, worksite tires and a full cab, complete with heat, windshield wipers, turn signals and radio.

I thought about buying it just to have the cab and tires for mine, swapping my older tires and plastic canopy and then selling.

 

[RJT]

I'll take a look at some used RTV900's as well as Gators. Home Depot had the smallest (Gator) UTV with the cage, but it was the gas version. Perhaps I can take it out for a spin tomorrow when I head into town. Financing wouldn't be much an issue for me as I'd be paying cash. Getting in and out (or off an on from an ATV standpoint) won't be much an issue either, to be honest. I've even tossed the idea around of just getting an ATV instead and selling one of the three I have.. I can't drive them all at once anyway. I had actually looked into them and found that most above 500cc can pull 1k+ lbs. so I haven't completely ruled that thought out. I can pick up a brand new Polaris Sportsman 570 EFI with a winch, brush guard, nicer wheels, and some other goodies for it for about 8.5k. Ugh, decisions decisions. My eyes are bigger than my wallet! Haha. I guess the question is; In 10 years when I'm almost 40, do I want to be getting on and off of a quad? Lol. I guess I can always sell the **** thing and get a UTV if I'm being bothered by it at that point.

Back to UTVs.
I've been looking at the Kawi Mules.. The 610 4x4 to be exact. The only flaw with it is that it only comes with a ball hitch.. No regular ole receiver. But it has a modest price of about 9.5k with goodies. Another one I have really been considering is the Honda Pioneer 700. My wife as a Honda Recon quad and the thing is absolutely fantastic. If the dependability and durability crosses over to their UTV line, this one might just be the one I purchase. Price is roughly 11k with the options I'd want. That brings me to the one I'm really twisted about. The Yamaha Rhino. I have 2 Yamaha ATVs and both have been flawless since day one. The one is almost two decades old. This is actually what made me reconsider an ATV (I'll get there in a second). The Rhino 700 would top out at around 12.2k for me and have literally everything I feel that I'd need. On the other hand.. I can get a new Yamaha quad. 2" receiver hitch, winch, full skid plates, + more goodies for 9k. It'll tow 1,300 lbs. Since I didn't intend on using the bed of a UTV for anything (planned on pulling a small trailer), no bed wouldn't be an issue.

So tossing ideas around.. If I went the ATV route.. Knowing what you know now, benefits for and against ATV/UTV? I've pondered over it for well over 3-4 hours now.. Perhaps y'all can think of something I didn't that could help me make my decision because to be honest, I'm torn. If I get another ATV, I really can't justify having 4 of them, so 1-2 will have to go.

 

[radioman]

let me put it this way -- can you find a ATV that uses diesel? I hate having two fuel cans/source to get to use.
I would talk to the dealer you are buying the tractor from and see if you can do a combo price on utv/rtv with tractor. If you need fast transportation for work and play then atv is better for you. Otherwise and rtv/utv is better deal for you as you can carry stuff AND tow with it. You can modify anything to fit your needs since you are on a farm and should have access to a welding machine. Or outsource to freinds/machine shop to add reciever to the mule if needed.
I'd also recommend staying away from lowes/home depot for tractors/rtv/utv as they tend to be a retail version of equipments and for a farm, you need a durable unit. Go to a dealer you prefer. better stuff/service.

 

[nybirdman]

With a S/S you have a bed and can haul a trailer and two people.I have both and my Rhino is used almost every day.I have had very good luck with Yamaha;the new Rhino has power steering,fuel injected and seat three across.Mine has 3500 miles with only spring oil changes and one tire change.

 

[Redneck in training]

What you need is UNIMOG. New will set you back about 100K but you can find used for about 10-15k. It beats UTV in everything, you can even plow with it. And it is highway legal.
https://www.google.com/search?q=UNI...xJ5DskAf7voC4Bg&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=784

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/1963-mercedes-benz-unimog-for-sale-on-ebay-47098.html

 

[Gary Fowler]

My brother in law has a Gator (gas ) with manual dump bed (almost useless for dumping unless you are King Kong) and I have the Kubota RTV 900. When trimming limbs, I load them up and just use the hydraulic dump bed to unload them, BIL has to manually unload. The RTV hauls a much heavier load than a Gator and with the hydraulics it dumps anything you put in it with ease. Fuel consumption is very good also with the diesel engine. In low range, it will pull a heavy load almost like a tractor and spin all 4 tires doing it. I wouldn't trade mine for anything else. It has receiver hitches front and rear and I keep ball hitches on each. The winch is really handy for pulling post, dragging out logs and stretching fence wire. I have never had to use it to winch out the buggy. I have the ATV tires on it and they do a good job in the mud. Likely would have been stuck a bunch it I had WS (worksite)tires. I also love the high ceiling of the cab. I always whack my head on the Gator when trying to get in due to the low clearance. The deck is a bit higher than the Gator but not difficult to get into.

 

[aczlan]

We have an RTV500 and like it. It complains a little if you try to pull a fully loaded haywagon (100-150 40-50# bales, so 4000-7500# plus at least 1500# of wagon) uphill in high range, but we love it. The bed is balanced well, so I can stack it with split wood taller than the cab, tie it down and then easily dump it by hand.

I wish the bed was a little bigger. The RTV500 replaced a Toro Workman 2100 (similar to the current Workman MD, picked it up for $1400, ran it for a year and sold it for $2000ish) and the only real loss was in bed size, the Toro had a huge bed on the back.

Aaron Z

 

[DeereMann]

I have a Yamaha Rhino 660 from their 1st model year, 2004. Traded in a Honda 400 Foretrax. This was the start of a true two-person UTV, and I love mine - but - I use it more for woods & field work, not farm. It is made more for the woods than a ranch.

I suggest looking more at the Gator-type or Kubota-type, as they are more suited for ranch work than hunting and backcountry work.

 

[Tkblacktail]

We have an RTV500 and like it. It complains a little if you try to pull a fully loaded haywagon (100-150 40-50# bales, so 4000-7500# plus at least 1500# of wagon) uphill in high range, but we love it. The bed is balanced well, so I can stack it with split wood taller than the cab, tie it down and then easily dump it by hand.

I wish the bed was a little bigger. The RTV500 replaced a Toro Workman 2100 (similar to the current Workman MD, picked it up for $1400, ran it for a year and sold it for $2000ish) and the only real loss was in bed size, the Toro had a huge bed on the back.

Aaron Z

That is amazing!

Our RTV 500 pulls our heaped 6'W 2'H X 12'L fire wood trailer up and down the hills without fail in 2L. The HST in 2L really eases it on the downhills and also pulls it up. The quantifiable aspect of my claim is that when properly-stacked; each trailer-load equals one cord+ of firewood. We get around the "short-bed complex" by using a bed extender which allows three 16" rows (buckboard to aft) of wood pieces. The extender and side boards make a hefty load (4'L X 40"H X 40W").

The RTV gets more valuable each year as I age.

I recently tore-out 6 steps made of 48"L RR crossing assemblies that were bolted together; I set all 6 on the bed of the RTV with my bucket-loader and was able to transport them (future dunnage) to where my firewood decks are located.

Recreation purposes; It is slow on the uphills but has all the speed I want on the flats and downhills.

Thanks to the generous and helpful people in this net, I was able to make the adjustments to the RPM and HST which optimized the performance. :thumbsup:

 

[Xfaxman]

As stated on a previous thread.. I'm just about to purchase a new tractor. That being said, I'm going to need an all purpose UTV for moving stuff. Hay bales, bags of whatever, ducks/chickens/turkeys/geese (wife's pets) when necessary, tree branches, firewood, tools.. You get the picture, haha. I don't plan on having to mill about the woods with it, I have ATVs for that. Strictly for moving stuff and attaching a small trailer to around the property. I don't plan on moving anything over 800-1000 lbs. I have a 10k budget but an extra 2-3k wouldn't make or break the deal. As always, I appreciate any and all responses and send my thanks in advance!

Have you considered one that doesn't use gas or diesel? There are several brands available, I got Polaris because the Dealer is close.

Rated to tow 1400 pounds.


Very stable on side hills and good articulation with the swaybar disconnected.


More info here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/atvs-utility-vehicles/287792-electric-polaris-ranger.html

 

[Pharm]

What you need is UNIMOG. New will set you back about 100K but you can find used for about 10-15k. It beats UTV in everything, you can even plow with it. And it is highway legal.
https://www.google.com/search?q=UNI...xJ5DskAf7voC4Bg&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=784

1963 Mercedes Benz Unimog for Sale on eBay

Yep - that's what I need!

 

[9973720wb19]

An RTV900 is a great work machine. Not fast, but will do what you want and then some...No belt drive is a plus for grunt work.

Agree. Have a RTV900 and it has never not done what I asked it to do.

 

[jimgerken]

One factor that is often overlooked is the rear axle. Consider the implications of owning a machine that can weigh 2500 lbs loaded, with a solid rear axle. Since you are an ATV owner, you know the consequences of this (major turf and trail or driveway damage simply from turning a corner). Many UTVs have solid rear axles, even though they have independent rear suspension. There are a few that have open differentials which are lockable, and of course they are all four wheel drive so you can engage the front wheels too. The Gator 825i and 855 are two that have open and locakable rear differentials. I can drive my 825i around on the lawn all day with Big Horn tires and not do damage, even when cornering really sharp. Some other machines simply make a corner and leave a 1-2 inch deep trench from one or both rear wheels, because they have solid rear axles. Also, the differential equiped machines survive the use of tracks much better than solid rear axle machines, because of greatly reduced stress on the drivetrain.
Your choice, but now you are informed.