Using Compact Tractor as UTV / RTV?

[zekeman]

If price is your major concern Tractor Supply sells a ATV for $3200.00, and a UTV for $4200.00, both are 2WD but if your property is level and open you do not need 4wd, also you can look for a used one. My situation is different. My 31 acres are heavy rock and forest on a mountain, the upper portion of my property is the top of the Mountain-for me it would be dangerous to use my tractor to get to the top with the slopes I have. The fields I have for the horses are tiered, each one being higher up than the other. If the layout of my property was different, I probably would be asking the same question, it all depends on your situation.

Ron

P.S. forgot to mention- with a atv/utv after the work is done,the
fun begins- the kids and I have spent days exlporing the old
logging roads in this part of NY. ( and I still love my tractor too)

 

[Michigan_Mike]

For my purposes, it would depend on the tires on the RTV.
I used my CUT to get to the back part of the property just this past weekend. There is a lot of multi-flora roses, and each time I've taken my JD 445 yard tractor back there I ended up with a flat tire. I guess I should have learned after the second flat, but that's another story.

 

[Riddler]

If I hadn't read these posts, I would have guessed that an RTV would be virtually essential in most folks eyes. I have to deal with 32 acres, so speed and ease of handling are rather important. My Kawasaki Mule gets used much more often than the tractor. For an investment of $5K (I found the Mule used), it won't be long before I will likely save as much or more in wear and tear on the tractor, not to mention a huge savings of time getting around and completing light hauling chores. A week does not go by that I don't tell myself that the Mule is the most useful piece of equipment I have ever purchased. The tractor has the work power, but the Mule is running 10 times as often as the tractor. Can't imagine living without it.

 

[jcp]

Is it improper to ask a question in someone else's thread? If not, can I get some of your further thoughts on the UTV/RTV/ATV options? Currently I use 2 ATV's and a CUT. For example, I've been harvesting red maples killed by the gypsy moths about 12 years ago for firewood. We drop them, cut them to 6-8' lengths and drag them out to the blacktop with a 425 ATV. There they are loaded on a trailer and pulled by the CUT to the cutting/splitting area. The split wood is trailered by an ATV to the woodshed. Our smaller 2 stroke 4WD ATV just seized its engine, so I'm thinking of repairing it and trading it in the spring. Can anyone comment on comparing an ATV with a dump bed versus a UTV/RTV? Our 5 acres adjoin a wooded mountain of jeep and atv trails. Can the UTV/RTV's run the mountain trials or are they too bulky? Also, are used 4WD UTV's generally available and what do they typically run? The new dump bed ATV's seem about $7k.
By the way, if I only could have 1 it would be the CUT. I'd pull the logs out with pulleys and a long steel cable like I did with the dump truck in the early days.

 

[familyman]

With regard to operation costs, an ATV might use the same amount or more fuel than a CUT, but I'm talking about maintanence. A flat or damaged tire on an ATV is easier to repair/replace than for a CUT, and that goes for most any other part of the machine.
Do you have to spend your money on an ATV? Of course not! You could also travel everywhere on foot or drive your bulldozer into town to Christmas shop. Right now I don't even own an ATV, but if I had big property or a very rural lifestyle IF I HAD THE MONEY I'd have an ATV or UTV to do alot of my chores (or the Suzuki Samurai mentioned or the like). If it's not in your budget, run what you brung. Just be aware of the machines limitations, especially with regard to safety, and act accordingly.

 

[bczoom]

jcp -
In this case, I'd say it's not improper to ask a question. It is related.
It may be better to hop on over to the "ATV's and Utility Vehicles" section of this forum.
You can either re-post the same question or take a look at some of the more recent posts to compare vehicles. Based on your description of how you process wood, a UTV should expedite the process over an ATV.

 

[sherpa]

Henro,
What kind of tractor was you referring to, (That's why I have a nice sized, not too heavy, not so long, not too wide, nimble, good ground clearance)? Make, model, how many HP etc?
Sherpa

 

[sherpa]

I have used ATVs for years but when I want to run down the dirt road on the weekends I drive the tractor to avoid a ticket from the forest service or NC wildlife. During the week you can usually get by OK. I am back in the woods and only see about 5 cars all day during the week.
Sherpa

 

[keeney]

"What kind of tractor was you referring to, ...?"

For similar size/weight to a UTV, we are talking the smaller compact tractors like my JD 4100, or maybe even something smaller like a JD2210, or a BX2200, etc. Under 1500 lbs, under 20hp, less than 48" wide.

The big question in my mind is the dump-bed. Its such a pain to hook up the trailer/cart., so the convenience of a UTV would be that the cargo bed is always along to toss things in like tools, materials, and supplies, and haul away things like construction scraps, garbage, etc.

I end up carrying things in the FEL a lot, but many times the tractor is configured for mowing, so there is no good place to carry stuff without dragging a trailer along.

- Rick

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "What kind of tractor was you referring to, ...?"

For similar size/weight to a UTV, we are talking the smaller compact tractors like my JD 4100, or maybe even something smaller like a JD2210, or a BX2200, etc. Under 1500 lbs, under 20hp, less than 48" wide.

The big question in my mind is the dump-bed. Its such a pain to hook up the trailer/cart., so the convenience of a UTV would be that the cargo bed is always along to toss things in like tools, materials, and supplies, and haul away things like construction scraps, garbage, etc.
- Rick )</font>

Just for the heck of it, I just pulled up the mfgr specs on the BX2230 BX2230 specs and compared to the RTV RTV Specs

Matching these 2 Kubota's side by side, I was a bit surprised. They share the same engine but the RTV is a bit larger.

RTV weighs almost 600 # more, is 1' wider and 3' longer.

The dump bed is probably one of the biggest benefits to the RTV (UTV's in general).
To use jcp's example project (hope he doesn't mind):
"I've been harvesting red maples killed by the gypsy moths about 12 years ago for firewood. We drop them, cut them to 6-8' lengths and drag them out to the blacktop with a 425 ATV. There they are loaded on a trailer and pulled by the CUT to the cutting/splitting area. The split wood is trailered by an ATV to the woodshed. "

A RTV could make this more efficient.
Take saws and stuff, put in cargo box. Hook up splitter to the rear and head off to the woods. Empty tools and remove splitter.
Chunk & split wood, put in box of RTV and drive to wood shed. Dump it (using hyd. dump). Stack it later.
Repeat process until done.
Last trip, load up tools and splitter and come home.

If you had a few people, this project would go very fast.
1 person running the chainsaw
1 person splitting
1 person on RTV
1 person stacking.