Are ATV's Morphing into Tractors?

[drag_slick]

I knew Bobcat was making (or re-labeling and selling) tractors, but had never heard of the Toolcat. Very cool, just about what I'm talking about.

The Bobcat SCUT's are rebadged Daedong / Kioti's. The Toolcat is a great machine, made in ND, but pricey.

I actually looked at getting a 2300 4x4 utility vehicle with a loader and snowblade, but the loader couldn't lift higher than 2 feet.
Bobcat 2300 4x4 Utility Vehicle (UTV) - Bobcat Company

 

[boxygen]

Wow, Those Case/Mercedes units are impressive! Set telephone poles?!
Ive seen the unimog before but was un aware of the ones with all the different attachements.
As far as the blur between ATV and tractors goes, would the safety police make you where a helmet and your seatbelt

 

[Redneck in training]

Fall 1948: Daimler-Benz launches the Unimog at the German Agricultural Show in Frankfurt | Daimler Global Media Site > Heritage > Daimler Trucks > Mercedes-Benz CVs > Unimog History

Here is a link to Unimog history. Check some of the German Unimog sites for prices of used Agri Unimog. I think they are reasonable considering it has about 80 HP diesel and it is interstate legal tractor.

I also read while ago about Autotrack, that is basically fast tractor with big rear tires, front suspension and front brakes. I forgot the design speed but I vaguely remember it was quite high.

Years ago Zetor used to make small two wheels drive tractors with a highway gear allowing the tractor travel quite fast on paved roads.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Minneapolis-Moline's UDLX Comfortractor came out in 1938. Probably the first cross-over tractor-road vehicle. Topped out at 45 mph. Too ahead of its time. The problem with most cross-over vehicles is they try to do everything but don't excel at any one thing. Plus they are usually too expensive for mainstream acceptance. As an example, you can probably buy both an ATV and a CUT for less than the cost of a Toolcat.

 

[easygo]

I bought an ATV first, purely for it's utility value. I never took it out for riding it only ran when I needed something pulled or a trailerload of something moved. Then I sold it and got the tractor. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!! I have a small tractor but it is much more capable then an ATV when it comes to utility use. Sure. The tractor is a much rougher ride and it can't go to half the places the ATV can, but it is the ticket when someone can only have one machine for utility use.

 

[have_blue]

I bought an ATV first, purely for it's utility value. I never took it out for riding it only ran when I needed something pulled or a trailerload of something moved. Then I sold it and got the tractor. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!! I have a small tractor but it is much more capable then an ATV when it comes to utility use. Sure. The tractor is a much rougher ride and it can't go to half the places the ATV can, but it is the ticket when someone can only have one machine for utility use.

I love my tractor too, until I start bush hogging the field.

I'm a traditional kind of guy, and I think tradition is a good thing. Tractors traditionally have a solid suspension, but my sore spine causes me and tradition part ways.

My thinking is, it won't take a lot for ATV's to become truly useful as a tractor. Each generation seems to be larger, more powerful, and more utilitarian.

 

[TripleR]

I love my tractor too, until I start bush hogging the field.

I'm a traditional kind of guy, and I think tradition is a good thing. Tractors traditionally have a solid suspension, but my sore spine causes me and tradition part ways.

My thinking is, it won't take a lot for ATV's to become truly useful as a tractor. Each generation seems to be larger, more powerful, and more utilitarian.

I believe a UTV will be more likely to morph than an ATV. My 700 Grizzly is much less suited for work than my 660 Rhino, now 700. The Kubota UTV is even better.

 

[Ken45101]

I believe a UTV will be more likely to morph than an ATV. My 700 Grizzly is much less suited for work than my 660 Rhino, now 700. The Kubota UTV is even better.

I agree but it really depends so much on what things you are using the machine for. I really do not see any job where the 4 wheeler and the tractor are interchangeable, with the possible exception of pulling a mower (and the 4 wheeler doesn't come anywhere near the tractor in capability for that task.) I see some limited interchangeability between the utility vehicle and the tractor although perhaps I have shortchanged the usefulness of the loader.

The Bobcat machine is a crossover niche machine.


Perhaps a list of tasks that I see for each would be useful:

***Tractor***

--Mowing (5' finish mower, 6' rotary cutter and I plan to buy a 10' or 12' rotary cutter. I don't see a ATV or UTV in this picture).

--Moving loose dirt or gravel with the loader, limited digging.

--Rototiller

--grading, scraping, digging with box blade, scraper blade or rake

***UTV***

-- people transport

-- transport equipment bigger than what fits on a ATV rack

-- transporting materials that are easily loaded into bed: cut firewood, bags of feed

-- transporting gear such as chain saws, fencing supplies, etc.

-- moving hay from barn to barn (10 bales at a time), or out to feed a couple of bales at a time

-- pulling a self propelled mower (but a small tractor with a rotary cutter is much better, IMO).

***ATV***

-- single person transportation

-- limited equipment transportation such as a chain saw, etc.

-- awkward transportation of one or two bales of hay at a time.

-- access to areas where a tractor cannot go

-- transporting firewood, etc. in a cart, but an ATV is not nearly as capable as a utility vehicle

Ken

 

[ccsial]

I have a Honda Foreman with power steering and my wife has a Rancher. I don't see them at all replacing a tractor.

The quads are great for cutting and hauling firewood. I like them for general transport around the property because I can go 30mph. I have made removable boxes for the rear carriers to carry chain saws and other tools and stuff.

The quad in not as agile as a tractor. It is hard to back a trailer or log splitter, although the power steering makes it easier. The worst thing is that they tear up the lawn in a tight turn. I sure wouldn't mow with one. As for snow removal, It would be a pain doing all the turns and backing up without the hydrostatic pedal.

The utility vehicles are nice but not legal (too wide) on the trails in Wisconsin. We do like to trail ride in the fall. The narrow quads are also nice in my dense woods when cutting trees. We can pull a trailer that is no wider than the quad.