Barebones Mule or your Suggestions
- Thread starter EddieWalker
- Start date
- Views: 38043
firefighter9208
Platinum Member
Chris,
I've already paid for and ordered the factory top. Are you saying that the factory top will allow me to dump the bed with the back seat folded up and bed in the full size configuration?
This morning, I ordered the hydraulic lift for the dump bed off of ebay. $700 for the factory top and $820 for the lift is a lot of money. If they don't work together, I'm gonna be in trouble.
Guess I'll know soon enough what will or wont work.
Something that I've been wondering since pulling my lawn mower out of the mud with it, is mounting a tow hook to the front. Has anybody done anything like this? I figure that when I buy a tow hitch for the back, I'll be fine there, but I'd like something on the front in case I need to pull it for whatever reason.
Any thoughts or suggestions? There is a place for a winch, and I think that would be a good place to mount something.
Thanks,
Eddie
Eddie,
If you ordered this top Parts Detail Page - Kawasaki.com it should work. Most aftermarket tops won't let you dump in the long bed configuration. The screen hits the top, but the Kawasaki hard top has a hinge that allows you to raise the top so you can dump in long bed configuration. This is the only factory top I could find on Kawasaki's website.
Chris
KentT
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2005
- Messages
- 2,928
- Location
- Sevierville, TN
- Tractor
- 1993 Power Trac 1430 w/Kubota diesel engine
Very true...All UTV's sould have park and a foot operated parking brake. Why most don't is still a mystery to me. I have never needed to pull my e-brake during operating except to spin it out in the snow
The problem is the location of that brake handle, not the type of emergency brake. Rhinos and Teryxs, for example, have a center lever next to the gearshift, similar to a small car (or my Nissan Frontier PU). It comes in quite handy sometimes when you're maneuvering around on a steep slope, or rock-crawling, for example. You use the e-brake to hold your position while shifting gears, locking the front diff, etc. A foot-operated brake would absolutely worthless in this situation.
As far as Park goes -- if the CVT is the type that maintains belt tension at all times (like the Yamaha Ultramatic) then it operates very similar to a manual transmission when the engine is turned off. The drive wheels are tied to the engine, and movement would force the engine to turn over. Very similar to a manually tranny in that regard.
warhammer
Gold Member
I bought a leftover new 08 kawasaki teryx earlier this year for about $1000 more than the mule you are looking at. Those retail at about $10k.
Docile enough my wife can drive it. Good on gas. Goes pretty good and handles well. Really useful around the farm and will go anywhere the tractor will only a bunch quicker.
Docile enough my wife can drive it. Good on gas. Goes pretty good and handles well. Really useful around the farm and will go anywhere the tractor will only a bunch quicker.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
All my stuff that I ordered came in this week, so it's been a weekend of installing and fabrication on the Mule.
I have already bought the tow hitch. It's the tiny one that I think is an inch and a half. While looking at 2 inch balls to put onto it, I realized that the hole for the hitch was smaller then most of the balls. There was only one 2 inch ball that would fit, and it was almost twice as much as the cheap ones. Oh well.
For the front end, I bought a tow hook from Norther Tool. I cust a piece of scrap metal to fit where the winch would mount, and drilled some holes for bolts. Since I'm not very accurate with my hole drilling, I used a half inch bit for 3/8's holes and it worked out perfectly. Six grade five bolts holds it in place.
Eddie
I have already bought the tow hitch. It's the tiny one that I think is an inch and a half. While looking at 2 inch balls to put onto it, I realized that the hole for the hitch was smaller then most of the balls. There was only one 2 inch ball that would fit, and it was almost twice as much as the cheap ones. Oh well.
For the front end, I bought a tow hook from Norther Tool. I cust a piece of scrap metal to fit where the winch would mount, and drilled some holes for bolts. Since I'm not very accurate with my hole drilling, I used a half inch bit for 3/8's holes and it worked out perfectly. Six grade five bolts holds it in place.
Eddie
Attachments
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I wasn't sure about a lift for the bed and honestly thought they were something that might be nice, but really of no use. It didn't take long to realize how wrong I was, and how easy it was to load up the bed so it was too heavy to lift by hand. Unloading it by hand turned out to be twice the work. I found the same hydraulic lift that Kawasaki sells for $820 on ebay with shipping included. That's the best deal that I could find, and after playing around on ways to build one myself, I relized that this was a very good price.
It was here in about a week and a half after paying for it. The box was well packaged and in good shape. The instructions were fairly straight forward with pictures that confused me. In some of them, I just couldn't figure out what I was looking at. This confusion really added to how long it took me to get this done. All the parts looked to be in excellent shape. The lift is made by KYB out of Japan.
The instructions had me start with the electrical stuff under the seat. From there I went under the dash and then back to the engine compartment. Last thing was to install the lift itself. For whatever reason, I couldn't figure it out. I sat there for an hour trying to figure out the pictures and where it went. I don't know if I hit a mental block, if I'm just slow, or if it was too hard for me. But after awhile, I figured it out and it fit perfectly. In hindsite, it makes perfect sense because that's the only place with space for it to fit.
It didn't work.
I forgot to connect the hot wire. OOOPS. Then it didn't work again. I had unhooked the wire to the cylinder. It still didn't work, but it was now making noise. I tested the switch. It made noice in one direction, but nothing in the other. I pulled the wires for the relays and switched them around. That fixed everything and it works like a charm. My intention was to see which relay was bad. I figured that the switch was fine, but only one relay was working. If I changed them from the bad one to the good one, I was hoping to get the cylinder to move. What happend is a mystery to me, but I'm not going to spend any time trying to undersand it. It works and I'm happy.
The switch is on the dash, right under the viewing hole for the brake cylinder. Push it up and the bed goes up, push it down, and the bed goes down. I love it when things are that simple!!!!!!!!
Eddie
It was here in about a week and a half after paying for it. The box was well packaged and in good shape. The instructions were fairly straight forward with pictures that confused me. In some of them, I just couldn't figure out what I was looking at. This confusion really added to how long it took me to get this done. All the parts looked to be in excellent shape. The lift is made by KYB out of Japan.
The instructions had me start with the electrical stuff under the seat. From there I went under the dash and then back to the engine compartment. Last thing was to install the lift itself. For whatever reason, I couldn't figure it out. I sat there for an hour trying to figure out the pictures and where it went. I don't know if I hit a mental block, if I'm just slow, or if it was too hard for me. But after awhile, I figured it out and it fit perfectly. In hindsite, it makes perfect sense because that's the only place with space for it to fit.
It didn't work.
I forgot to connect the hot wire. OOOPS. Then it didn't work again. I had unhooked the wire to the cylinder. It still didn't work, but it was now making noise. I tested the switch. It made noice in one direction, but nothing in the other. I pulled the wires for the relays and switched them around. That fixed everything and it works like a charm. My intention was to see which relay was bad. I figured that the switch was fine, but only one relay was working. If I changed them from the bad one to the good one, I was hoping to get the cylinder to move. What happend is a mystery to me, but I'm not going to spend any time trying to undersand it. It works and I'm happy.
The switch is on the dash, right under the viewing hole for the brake cylinder. Push it up and the bed goes up, push it down, and the bed goes down. I love it when things are that simple!!!!!!!!
Eddie
Attachments
Bird
Rest in Peace
Eddie, you ought to be set to go for a long time now with that Mule.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Next was the top. Kawasaki didn't have them in stock when I bought it and told me it would be $65 to install it. They only sold two types of tops. With or without the stereo. I went for the cheaper version, which was still rediculous, but from what I could tell on the smaller Mules in stock, a nice top and maybe worth it.
I declined having them do it because I'm not very smart and figured I could install a top easy enough. How hard could it be? hahaha
Fist mistake was putting in on backwards, but that was easy enough to change. It didn't come with any instructions because it's so easy to do, who would need instructions. Heck, I couldn't even figure out what end was the front end!!!!
There are 12 brackets that go around the roll cage and then a bolt comes through the roof and into the brackets. It's very simple until you try to get the nuts on the bolts. That proved to be the real challenge after about half of them were on. None were tight, just getting the nuts started was a nightmare. My dad and I spent several hours working on it, and when we were done, I spent another hour wiring it up.
For $65, I sure wouldn't do that again!!!!!!!!!!!! DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB
Eddie
I declined having them do it because I'm not very smart and figured I could install a top easy enough. How hard could it be? hahaha
Fist mistake was putting in on backwards, but that was easy enough to change. It didn't come with any instructions because it's so easy to do, who would need instructions. Heck, I couldn't even figure out what end was the front end!!!!
There are 12 brackets that go around the roll cage and then a bolt comes through the roof and into the brackets. It's very simple until you try to get the nuts on the bolts. That proved to be the real challenge after about half of them were on. None were tight, just getting the nuts started was a nightmare. My dad and I spent several hours working on it, and when we were done, I spent another hour wiring it up.
For $65, I sure wouldn't do that again!!!!!!!!!!!! DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB
Eddie
Attachments
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Chris mentioned earlier about the screen hitting the top when in the long bed position. That had me nervous, and i really wasn't sure what to do until the top got here and I saw it for myself. After seeing it for myself, and wondering what Kawasaki was thinking, I decided to make the rear screen shorter.
I probably spent an hour last night just looking at it to figure out what would look the best and be the strongest. Then I spent more time thinking about it last night, and then looking at it for another hour this morning. Lots of wishful thinking going on there, and maybe a decent idea came out of it.
I decided to cut 15 inches out of the screen and then weld it back together. My goal was to have the original top slide down so it was twelve inches tall instead of 27 inches tall.
I measured, measured again, and then again a few more times. I put in a cut off wheel on my grinder and got to cutting. Then a little fine tuning and then the grinding wheel for some more fine tuning.
I cut off two bolts and slid them into the outside tubing, welded them into place, ground them to fit, and put it all together. I got lucky and it fit nicely.
After welding and grinding some more, I painted it a satin black that I just happened to have on my shelf.
Eddie
I probably spent an hour last night just looking at it to figure out what would look the best and be the strongest. Then I spent more time thinking about it last night, and then looking at it for another hour this morning. Lots of wishful thinking going on there, and maybe a decent idea came out of it.
I decided to cut 15 inches out of the screen and then weld it back together. My goal was to have the original top slide down so it was twelve inches tall instead of 27 inches tall.
I measured, measured again, and then again a few more times. I put in a cut off wheel on my grinder and got to cutting. Then a little fine tuning and then the grinding wheel for some more fine tuning.
I cut off two bolts and slid them into the outside tubing, welded them into place, ground them to fit, and put it all together. I got lucky and it fit nicely.
After welding and grinding some more, I painted it a satin black that I just happened to have on my shelf.
Eddie
Attachments
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I'm all done messing with the Mule for now. I don't have anything else that I want to do to it. Might buy a spot light, and maybe a radio, or boom box so I can have tunes when down at Lake Marabou. No rush on either of those things.
The rear screen came out real nice. As you can see in the pictures, it looks factory. You would have to look real close to see my welds, which are just fair. The grinder and paint really help a lot in hiding my lack of welding skills.
What I find interesting is how much I like the lower screen compared to the picures of the full sized screen. I think it's better like this. Of course, I don't have much of a choice and wouldn't have cut it if I didn't have to, but now that it's done, I'm happy with it and glad to have done it.
Thanks again to everyone for your advice and insight. I'm a happy camper and once again, I owe that to your suggestions.
Eddie
The rear screen came out real nice. As you can see in the pictures, it looks factory. You would have to look real close to see my welds, which are just fair. The grinder and paint really help a lot in hiding my lack of welding skills.
What I find interesting is how much I like the lower screen compared to the picures of the full sized screen. I think it's better like this. Of course, I don't have much of a choice and wouldn't have cut it if I didn't have to, but now that it's done, I'm happy with it and glad to have done it.
Thanks again to everyone for your advice and insight. I'm a happy camper and once again, I owe that to your suggestions.
Eddie
