Home Depot Bulldog 700 4x4 UTV?

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Interesting thread. If I could afford that much dinero, my friends all have used Rhinos they'd sell me.
We already have a JD HPX 2WD Gator. It drives like a 1 ton truck. My wife prefers the electric golf cart...that needs new batteries.

 

[MotorSeven]

Not yet, waiting for the extra large skid plate...don't want to take a chance on these rocks here...& we have 'a plenty. My East 40 has a very steep trail and as soon as that sucker is bolted on I am tackling it.

Hope your ready for the big chill on Monday night...-1F(and for you Yanks, that's cold in these here hills of Tennessee)

 

[MotorSeven]

Interesting thread. If I could afford that much dinero, my friends all have used Rhinos they'd sell me.
We already have a JD HPX 2WD Gator. It drives like a 1 ton truck. My wife prefers the electric golf cart...that needs new batteries.

My main requirement was a bench seat and I love Yamaha's but the Rhino has buckets. If you can get a used Rhino reasonable, grab it. My Kodiak is going on 11 years & has had a hard life as a work machine. Brakes, a petcock, a carb cleaning & a 4wd actuator cleaning is all I have done to it along with 6 front tires and 4 rears.

 

[Beltman60]

7 can't wait for the over the hills and thru the woods update
just don't do it in this weather

 

[MotorSeven]

7 can't wait for the over the hills and thru the woods update
just don't do it in this weather

No kidding.........-3F here this AM. Power went out twice during the night so I was on the Bulldog going back and forth between the house and the shop(about a mile each way) putting Coleman Lanterns in the shop apartment and the pump house to keep the pipes from freezing. Also loaned one to the neighbor for his pump house....now the wife does not think it's odd that I have so many lanterns.

I had to crank it three times to get it to start, but after that it ran fine. The hour meter and rearview mirror arrived yesterday, so I will pull it into the shop this morning and install them...already have the wood stove going down there.

 

[MotorSeven]

Mirror's on:

Hour Meter/Tach is on:

I have noticed that when passengers get out, they push down on the dashboard which is pretty flimsy so I am worried about it cracking. I decided to make a protective roll/grab bar that roes over the leading edge of the dashboard out of 3/4 EMT. I have it bent, and the angles cut, now it's off to the paint shop(a hook hanging next to the shop stove):

I need to find a bolt, or some pipe that will fit inside the 3/4 snuggly & I will weld a 3" length onto the Bulldogs tubing . This will allow me to remove the grab bar if I ever need to remove the dash & hood to work on something.

 

[MotorSeven]

I took a look at the CV boots and tried to come up with a cardboard pattern to make the boot shields. But I am confused about how they are supposed to cover when the wheels are turned all the way one way or the other....one boot wil be left exposed.

These pics are from the front and the wheels are turned to the left(from driver perspective). The right wheel is turned (IN):

& left wheel is (OUT):

Now, you can see what happens when I cover the (IN) side with the cardboard...good protection:

On the (out) side...no protection:

So, do the boot covers only help when going straight and not turning? Or am I missing something?

 

[pwright]

CV guards typically only fully protect when going straight.

Looks like those wheels turn enough to really put that outer CV in a bind. I would strongly recommend that you never turn it that much while backing up with 4WD engaged. That's how most CVs/axles on the Rangers get broken.

 

[MotorSeven]

I was just looking at the UTV "picture thread" and see that you re correct. Post # 32, Blackdogs Afgan UTV(man that thing is bad azz) shows no protection when turned all the way to the stops:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/atvs-utility-vehicles/300273-atv-utv-pictures-2.html

Phil, ok I do see what you mean, however the manual says it is a "demand" 4wd & that leaving it engaged all the time no matter what surface you are on is ok. Sounds more like an AWD system or front wheel assist as opposed to a fully locked 4wd.

 

[pwright]

Seven - The Polaris Rangers use an on-demand system as well. Let the rear tires spin a bit causing the AWD system to engage and ping goes the front CV joint or axle. When this happens it is often accompanied by a heavy foot on the throttle. So I'm just raising the possibility so that you might avoid repeating the mistake that others have made. It could be that the Bulldog system is different enough that it can't hurt itself like that. Couldn't really tell from looking at the website and manuals.