In search of the farm utility vehicle...

**Ross** · #21 09/07/07, 08:10 AM

We went with a YJ Jeep, easy easy easy parts availablity, every mechanic knows how to fix them, and there's probably more after market stuff/body parts made for the Jeep than any other vehicle. Mine has an inline 6 I wouldn't snub a 4, but the 8 is often too much for a work truck.

Up North · #22 09/07/07, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck

I have a kubota RTV, and we use the heck out of it. (well, when we're THERE, not HERE.) Anyway, it's a diesel, and built like a tractor. That was the big difference that made me shell out the extra cash for it (ten grand) All the others were built like motorcycles.

We got the winch on the front, and I'm surprised how handy it is. We use it all the time. And it's strong - we've had 14 people in it (mostly kids) for tours around the place. It pulls my horse trailer (empty) when it needs moved around. I love it.

Chuck, just for the information, does Kubota have buckety seats or bench? How many cylinders is the diesel engine?...TIA

brosil · #23 09/07/07, 11:24 AM

The local ATV dealer is importing a thing a called a Wildfire. It looks like a modernized 3 wheel Vespa, has an enclosed cabin, a pickup bed with fold down sides, gets 70mpg, goes up to 55mph and is street legal. The cabin is a bit cramped but it's $4k new.

Chuck · #24 09/07/07, 11:42 AM

It has bench seating and three cylinder diesel.

js2743 · #25 09/07/07, 12:42 PM

WAYNE02 there is a lil attachment for the tractor called a "carry all" comes as just the frame you can build what ever type platform you need on it. had one once that my dad built it was really nice for hauling things it was about 5'X5' or so and was very handy for hauling wood or fencing supplies. its all we ever used to feed the cattle lil square bales with before we changed to the big round bales. so you got the tractor thats all you need to get around on and haul your wife much safer over the property. go to tractorsupply.com they are $117 they are under the agriculture section on the site this would be the way i would go much cheaper and you can build it to what ever size you need even put the wife a seat back there.

Goatguy · #26 09/07/07, 01:24 PM

What about a JD Gator? They are pretty handy, more of a cross between a golf cart and a truck, than an ATV, but with the 4x6, pretty hard to get stuck, and the bed is on the larger side. Though it doesn't have the ground clearance that a ranger, or rhino might have.

bill not in oh · #27 09/07/07, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

We went with a YJ Jeep, easy easy easy parts availablity, every mechanic knows how to fix them, and there's probably more after market stuff/body parts made for the Jeep than any other vehicle. Mine has an inline 6 I wouldn't snub a 4, but the 8 is often too much for a work truck.

This info is spot on... Except.... If you want one for off road use/work vehicle, find one with the 6 cyl. The four is underpowered and the eight is heavy enough to bury the front in mud or cause questionable steering/control on snowy/icy conditions. The 4 liter inline six is one of the better engines Chrysler has produced in recent history and works well in the Wrangler configuration.

I really miss my Jeep....

Wayne02 · #28 09/07/07, 05:01 PM

The kubota is a nice unit but they are 14.5K around here and then you have to add dealer prep, tax and license. Good luck finding any on the used market around here (same with the ranger and mule for the most part).

The ranger has more towing capacity than the kubota, and far more ground clearance and suspension travel than both the mule and the kubota.

The mule is a solid unit as well but I'd have to put a lift on it likely, and install skid plates underneath (already busted up the atv underside and front suspension because it has minimal plates). The ranger comes with full plates.

The mule is even narrower than the ranger and it has a three cylinder diesel option (I think it is a kubota diesel). The mule has a good rep for reliability and they have been building them longer than the ranger so maybe the chance of finding a used one on the market is better. The mule has a four seat (two bench) model that has a longer wheel base. This would be really nice if instead of that second bench seat they made the bed longer...

Don't know anything about the jeeps. I definitely don't want a v8 as the vehicle should not be too heavy for this terrain. Can you get a robust auto trans in one of these jeeps?

Don't know much about the toyota and nissan small trucks but in my limited research it looks to me that the stock 4x4 units don't come with locking diffs? Same question with regards to the auto trans in these things, will they stand up to constant starting and stopping in rough terrain?

**Ross** · #29 09/07/07, 05:58 PM

The 2.5 litre inline 4 Jeep engines is just about the best 4 cyl going. I have one in a Comanche, and it's pulled a 25 foot hay wagon loaded with 200+ 50 lbs bales with power to spare (not enough brakes to stop it from hiway speed) but it'd get it going too fast very easily. I really have to resurect that little truck, it's parked with over a grand worth of new parts on the front seat. Had a 4 cyl Cherokee too, it never lacked power. Mind they were all connected to a 5 speed manual gear box. The V6 Cherokee we had after was seriously under powerd and miss matched to the 907 (904?) Chryco tranny.
I'm not sure what Bill's experience has been with the 4 cyl Jeep engine but That's one Jeep truck I truely miss having on the road or in the field!!!
Both the Jeep 4.2 and Chryco 4 litre 6 cyls are probably as good an engine as ever built and my preference simply because they run smoother than a 4, and don't crowd the engine compartment like an 8.
Auto equiped Jeeps are out there, no better or worse than any other auto tranny 4x4; for off road use I wouldn't want one but that's just me, not because they aren't functional/reliable. I had one in a J20 truck you couldn't kill, it was just a GM fitted to the 360 V8, Jeep cobbled together.

piglady · #30 09/07/07, 06:03 PM

We did a lot of research before we made our selection and everything I saw said the Ranger was the best. It goes faster (yes, we drive it on gravel roads), has the smoothest ride, and is heavy duty. We purchased ours last year, a 6 wheel, and it's the best money we have ever spent. Our terrain is horrible (rocky ozarks) and we use it every day for everything. Could not do without it and glad we didn't settle for less.

ET1 SS · #31 09/07/07, 06:39 PM

I have driven a Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG. I think they would make a wonderful farm vehicle.

Metcalf · #32 09/09/07, 06:31 PM

Cheap easy and fun...

Suzuki Samurai. Its basically almost as small as one of those side by side ATV things. They are bone cheap, simple, and very similar to the old flatfender jeeps. I have a 1942 willys jeep runout, but I would have zero problems going with the a Samurai in the future. If you want to keep it a bit and really use it...

In search of the farm utility vehicle... - Homesteading Questions

In search of the farm utility vehicle... - Homesteading Questions

Add power steering
Add a lockrite diff front and rear
Drop in a set of lower transfer case gears...they have ones all the way down to 8:1 which make these little things tractors.

If you really like it find a set of 80-85 toyota pickup axles to drop in it. The axles are the weakest factory part if you use it REALLY hard.

You can swap a VW diesel in them pretty easy for bio-fuels and killer mileage. I think somewhere in the 30-40mpg range depending on tires.

Personally I use my jeep for everything and it is a little more built than most, but if all you want to do run around a ranch a Samurai would be great.