New UTV

[gauthier]

Yeah,that front cargo thing is hard to open and close,but bet we could make it work better[over two years later and I ain't done it yet],,yeah,the choke needs to be used more often than you would think,if its cold,you pull that choke out and hold it all the way out,it chokes plus give it some throttle,book will tell you about it I think,,never use the manual dump except to raise bed to check motor and stuff,and being the handle is on passenger side,doesn't bother me for that,,,what you need now is a utv/atv trailer that goes on back after you put a ball hitch on back,I got one,holds more than bed,plastic tub,atv tires and it dumps,,,than you need to put you a rear work light on back[hard to back up in dark],some sides for your bed[rails or whatever,plus wife filled ours with leaves and sticks when we first got it,much of it went down tween front of bed and cab on to motor,,I made a rail for sides and put a piece of sheet metal on front to stop that,,,than you need a nice bycycle horn to blow at things on it[will think of more things you need later:laughing:]

 

[grnspot110]

I bought a new 550 Mule 11-12 years ago, $5000at that time. Been very happy with it! I take it to a dealer every 2-3 years & have them go through it, replace muffler once, brake cables & belt once, other than that just routine maintenance. Very good machines!!!! ~~ grnspot110

 

[JeffandTamara]

5 Hour Update:
The Mule is living up to expectations.. I do think it is a little under powered, and perhaps a little loud. I say this in comparison to my father's 6x4 diesel gator. Anyway, no buyer's regret so far.

Added a roof - $12.00 aluminum scrap
Windshield - $45 at Home depot and about $20 of hardware.
Still need to come up with some kind of clamp mechanism to hold the plexiglas down instead of the bungy cord prototype.

Next project is to figure out how to build some doors....Haven't seen anything out there that

 

[gauthier]

Those windshields frost up on both sides

 

[gauthier]

As far as the power,I kinda thought that till I had a couple hours on it,I live in the hills of w.v.,,and you put it in low range,,it will amaze you where it will go,,in one wheel drive! put it in two wheel drive[4wd] its hard to get stuck.

Also was a little worried about how low it was,,but its so short,it will go over some pretty good humps without bottom centering,

Handles fine on hard top to,,but you wouldn't want to be going any faster than it will let you....

Now if you get a strange rattle up front somewheres that you just can't figure out,,and you been running on gravel,,up front around the tires/shocks,theres some metal braces/flat bars where gravel gets and rattles

Wait till you change the oil filter.

 

[JeffandTamara]

gauthier:

Thanks for the insight about frost on both sides.... I suppose that is a problem w/any windshield?? or just the Plexiglass kind??? I am concered about scratches and such...but a few screws and it can be taken off.

Glad to know about the power, I will be getting a better feel in a few weeks, Will go to the woods with my trailer to cut some firewood... Got some hills to get up and down....

If anyone has ideas on how to build doors for the mule, I would appreciate it,,,I am at a loss. Just haven't been able to come up with a straight forward solution.

 

[gauthier]

How many times have you had frost on the inside of your car or truck windshield?:laughing:

 

[txdirtfisher]

Use the 3M dual lock fastener (velcro) for the windshield. You could hang a car from a tree with that stuff. Works great.

 

[JeffandTamara]

Velcro.....Duh!!!! Good idea!! At least worth a try.... Nothing lost if it doesn't work.....

Doors??? My wife thought some of the heavy clear vinyl shower curtain stuff might work.... I guess I am not ready for that,,, quite yet...

 

[txdirtfisher]

The 3M dual lock fastener is velcro, but it is velcro on steroids. Make sure you get the right thing. Comes in a box with 10 feet of type A and B. I use it for a ton of things and works perfect.