It looks as though we are buying a small place. It's not the farm I wanted but it's still big enough that I wouldn't mind having something to putz around the place on. It's a little under 4 acres but is kinda long and triangular shaped. I'm considering a golf cart.
There is one that the current owner uses, a rather nice golf cart, and they want about $5k for it. That's a little rich for my blood and it's not really a "need", more of a "want". Oh, their cart is very nice, it's probably worth close to the $5k. Just more than I think I would need, plus, I'm not sure the condition of the batteries as when we looked at it and were told to take a ride to look at the lower pasture, it was dead as a door nail. Hmmm. Anyway...
I could probably look at ATV's as well but I kinda had something in mind.
An electric golf cart often has a 48v battery pack of deep cycle batteries. Hmmm. I'm thinking that could be an emergency supply of electricity, granted not terribly large, but enough to perhaps power some essentials in the case of a power outage.
Really, I was thinking mostly about something to haul some buckets, some garden tools, maybe some produce from the garden, stuff like that, from place to place. I have noticed that some golf carts are set up with what is kinda like a small pickup bed, some that even dump, and some are set up to be able to haul a small trailer. I think I'm handy enough to be able to modify any of that stuff to suit me. So I can see how it might be a useful tool around the place. That's mostly what I have in mind. Like I said, it's not a real "need" so much as something that I think would make life a little easier.
Whatcha think? Good idea? Bad idea? Suggestions on certain brands or features to look for or avoid?
I been using golf carts for about 30 years on my farm----want Nothing else---sold my 4 wheeler years ago---do not want another----do not want any thing to ride thats gas. I have always had a 36 volt until the last one---but I have another 36 volt. I have it set-up where I can plug up a 2500 watt inverter---run electric, saws, small air compressors, electric chain saw, electric limb saw, electric hedge trimmers to cup tall grass for the rabbits, goats, etc. I have even run several incubators at one time when the power was out. For several years I lived in a camper on the back of the farm(by choice)---Before solar panels I ran the camper off the golf cart---including a small window AC on the hot nights---I Love It---plus the golf cart is quiet. If I was Never going to use the batteries for Power----I would still want the electric because of it being quiet----ease around without anyone hearing me.
I use a cub cadet garden tractor with lawn trailer but big things I have learned depending on how the land is (mountain like here) things that are meant for off road will do well domestic stuff like lawn tractors,golf carts,things with near solid suspension and low ground clearance will get hung up on slight slopes pain in the butt good brakes are a must many garden tractors braking is very lacking coming off a hill with any load golf cart braking might be an issue golf carts usually have low ground clearance atv's/utv's are good but you would want something 4x4 depending if your land is flat
also something to consider with many of the side by sides and utv many are belt driven torque converters they slip if they get wet and the pulley will get grooves in it and grab atv's have gears and more direct/shaft drive but it really depends on the type of land its going to be used on I do favour the mini van idea but I love the Suzuki Samaria's,jeeps,tracker types or even an s10/ranger small toyota pickups I have narrow uneven washed out roads here
Already have a lawn mower. And I can use it if I need/want to. I don't have a good cart for behind it, at least not yet. The utility trailer I have now is too big for it as it weighs over 1,000 pounds.
The fancy kubota for $10,000 or better would be rich hobby farmers toy to my way of thinking. Dirt cheap entry level might be an old riding lawn mower with mowing deck removed. I've had those things given to me at times. But too small and weak for my needs. The small electric vehicle is good if budget will cover one and if it's suitable for the job. I think a standard 4 wheeler is quite limited for practical service work. It would need to be the cargo bed type to work better. But a decent one seems to cost way more than an old 4x4 pickup. My neighbor got an Isuzu pickup some years ago with rusted out frame and bad engine. He kind of attempted to get it going but then gave up. It sat for several years, and then last spring I decided I needed it real bad around the place, so I attacked it. Rebuilt an engine for it, cut it in half and replaced the bad frame with one from a 2WD Isuzu pickup that was here for parts. And it's just what I needed. Started out hauling compost to the garden this spring Been hauling tools and firewood lately, even got it licensed for road use. But the brakes still need rebuilding, parking brake cable replaced. and the front axle CV joints are about to fall apart. But I think I'll get them fixed up pretty soon. The back window shattered when a piece of firewood bumped the metal beside it, it must have been almost to go already. The parts cab has a 4 piece sliding window I can put in it, but not until I make a steel grid protector for it. Of course our place is a mile long across a mountainside, so a bit larger utility vehicle and 4x4 with good mud tires fit the bill nicely. I used to use a 3/4 ton 4x4 dodge, but the 360 engine ate too much gas. The little 4 cy in the isuzu is just right. And I even picked up an old diesel for it recently. If I can make it fit. came from a chevy chevette but is isuzu made and looks like the bolt pattern is right. That's my style for a cheap utility truck. Oh and I pulled the cab off the old dodge and put a boiler and steam engine on it. That'll be my cold weather woods truck. It could be pretty warm to run otherwise. But not near as convenient. More for fun than anything.
Don't rule out old tractors, either. I fished out a 1949 Farmall "C" that a barn had partially collapsed on. It took VERY LITTLE effort to get running again, and was only $300! Even the tires held air once aired up. It'll max about 10 MPH, but will pull ANY trailer weight and tons of attachments are available. It sure looks old - there's no red paint left anywhere on it..... But, it has electric start that works!
Might have a Farmall Cub coming to the place. Will probably be a good thing to have around but probably not a choice I'd likely make for a quick run to the mailbox or from the barn to the pond with a few more tools than I'd want to carry.
I’ve been researching this same issue for myself for over a year now. The details....
I only have 6 acres along a river. 1/2 is flat and mowed and 1/2 is somewhat hillside and woods. My driveway is 850’ with a steep section. My barn is 100 yards from the house.
I have a Deere compact diesel 4WD with loader and bucket and forks.
Both my wife and I are partially crippled up. I can’t walk my entire property any more which drives me nuts! One trip out to the barn (where my shop is) and I am done in. My wife who insists on getting the mail can barely make it to the mailbox now.
I use my tractor just about every day for moving and hauling stuff. The forks on the loader are a godsend! But the tractor is difficult for me to get on and off. So I have been seriously thinking of a side by side UTV. They are very expensive but was willing to make the payments with the 60 month 0% interest for a Deere Gator.
But....when talking with a friend who is a Deere technician he advised against it. Since my use would mostly be just running to the barn and mailbox he said I will end up with problems because of the short run times (1 minute or less at a time) and the engine never being allowed to warm up. So then thinking about it I figured an electric Gator would be perfect - especially since I am adverse to any noise any more.
That is what got me thinking about a golf cart. The only real issue would be not having 4WD. I’ve seen some on-line that were lifted and had aggressive tires which is something I would need to do. I thought I could put chains on it in the winter.
A new electric Gator starts around $13k - tough to swallow. So now I am keeping my eye out for a good used electric golf cart that will have the ability to be modded with a lift kit. But the nearest dealers are at least a 3 hour round trip for me - makes it tough.
I can drive our golf cart on any part of our property. With the factory lift kit and off road tires, it will climb any hill we have with the except of one slope by our grape arbors, and that is only after a heavy rain. Even with my tractor I have to use 4wd to climb it.
I have noticed when traveling thru local towns that more and more car lots are stocking custom golf carts; flashy colors, lift kits, lots of bells and whistles. Carts are also allowed on the streets in most of the neighboring towns. Folks are beginning to draw towards vehicles they can use for anything from running up the drive to get the mail to hauling or pulling a load of wood with minimal maintenance.
I have a (used) 4-wheeler (rack front and back) and a garden cart. Will haul 4 sacks of feed or a couple bales of hay just on the racks alone. For years I just used the garden tractor to pull the cart - or as an ATV. What are you going to have for a mower? I do have friends that love their Gators, but I don't think they are versatile enough myself - not "off-road-worthy" enough for rough pastures,swamps, woods, etc. which I have plenty of.
I have a (used) 4-wheeler (rack front and back) and a garden cart. Will haul 4 sacks of feed or a couple bales of hay just on the racks alone. For years I just used the garden tractor to pull the cart - or as an ATV. What are you going to have for a mower? I do have friends that love their Gators, but I don't think they are versatile enough myself - not "off-road-worthy" enough for rough pastures,swamps, woods, etc. which I have plenty of.
I have a decent zero turn mower. (It's green, JD.) And it has pulled around my 1000+ pound utility trailer on occasion. I don't really like doing that, though, as it's really not meant to be hauling around a trailer that heavy. Actually, it works pretty well and with a bit more reasonable sized trailer on the back, it would work for hauling stuff around the place. But it's not nearly as handy as a quick "jump on it and go" kind of thing. It will do close to 10mph but I still would probably not want to take it back the road to see a neighbor or just generally putz around on it. Kinda feel the same way about a small tractor, not feeling like it would be the right fit. An ATV / 4-wheeler type thing, maybe with a little trailer if I wanted to use it, seems like it might be another option that might work well for me.
I am seeing that the golf cart type vehicle is appropriate in certain circumstances. On a very small place, it's not all that useful where there is just not much distance to be covered. On a very large place, it wouldn't be of much use because it just wouldn't be enough of a vehicle. But on just the right place, and in just the right circumstance, it appears to be a really great little vehicle to have around. Although momma and I are still able to get around pretty well, the damages of the years have added up to the point where there are just times when having a little something to ride on could really make life better. My leg is better than it used to be, busted it VERY badly 2.5 years ago, but it will probably never be what it was before. Mostly, I'm OK. But sometimes, when it's hurting, or at the end of a long hard day, when I'd like to go out and look over the day's accomplishments, a ride would be nicer than a walk.
Need, no. Want, yes.
I've appreciated all of the replies. Don't know what will actually happen. It will probably be something I see somewhere that will catch my eye and I'll say, "I could use that." Definitely keeping an open mind.
LincTex said:" Look for a 4WD Chevy Luv.
They will go anywhere a UTV or golf cart goes, haul 2000 lbs (no UTV can do that) and can be had under 1000 (I paid $600 for mine, and all the 4WD stuff works).
Golfs carts and UTV's are EXPEN$IVE toys! Get some cheap little japanese 4wd thing for under a grand easy, and spend your saved money on other needed things."
Boy do I ever agree with you! A golf cart is not street legal and the vehicle that you buy for farm use doesn't have to be street legal either. You can find a bunch of 4x4 small vehicles at the junk yard that will run and drive for years to come, but due to a bit of body damage or electrical problem have been totaled. A 1/4 ton pickup or Japanese or Korean made front wheel drive car even can be "modified" into the farm vehicle of your dreams. I have seen small station wagons haul plenty of hay, feed and fencing tools too. You can have a whole fleet of junkyard charmers for the price of one JD Gator or a 5K fancy golf cart.
There's many 4x4 wrecked vehicles you can "road warrior" junk yard is a good source or body shops,dealerships and insurance companies they often total out cars with little critical damage
I made a road warrior vehicle that was hit in he rear end cut it in half took mobile home axle tubes ran as far forward in the tube frame welded to the old frame set the drive shaft strait and tightened the U bolts its very quiet for an inline 6 I made a gas tank from old propane tank as its fuel injected heater is nice on cold outside work and the ac is nice having 12 volt power you can use
power tools and there are many tutorials on converting ac compressors onto a jeep for the off road folks an on board air compressor comes in so handy when you have stuff to work on or jump start or flat tires out in the woods to using impacts if you work in the woods with tractors dozers or anything you will want a rescue vehicle right now all I have is the cub cadet garden tractor as my road warrior vehicle is in ohio a 2 hour trip one way with a trailer
the cub has a lot of potential
I got it for free it has a 10 hp kohler engine easy to fabricate an alternator or air compressor to
The old cubs the engine to transmission had a fibre clutch with a horizontal engine with drive shaft direct to transmission
the starter is broke on mine so i rope pull start but other wise 12 v there’s many diesel adaptations on the web it has brakes for both sides of the rear wheels there is also electric conversions heavy transmission the lug pattern can be adapted to many vehicle rims I can pull under 14 inch diameter logs wheel horse are very similar some have fabricated loaders onto cub cadets the down fall is on uneven ground one wheel spins because of no suspension golf carts have this very same problem they work great on flat ground a friend of mine uses his to push or pull cars into his transmission shop very low range gearing its a yamaha starts out electric up to a certain speed then the gas engine starts for faster speed uses a torque converter belt and goes about 30mph
it is possible to convert an old tractor to electric
Another thing, I ran across one of these https://www.spinlife.com/Pride-Vict...la&default=1&utm_term=&utm_campaign=704777979 for $225---with good batteries. I used it a lot going to the back of the farm which is close 1/2 mile, picked okra many times with it--drive right between the rows, run to the mail box etc. Had a little trailer hitch added to pull a yard cart. The batteries got weak(not much to replace)---I really was not using it so I removed the old batteries and put it under the shed---throwed a big quilt over it----that's where its sitting. But something to think about.
I clicked on this link just to see what you were talking about, and now I have commercial messages for the darned thing coming on every site I click on--news, Facebook, header screens, you name it. Turn it off, turn it off!!! Talk about insidious.
I've seen little electric vehicles in a lot of factories
They look like a brick with wheels built into the four corners And steering wheel sticking up up. There is a small well for your feet but some of them don't even have any kind of a seat.
I've seen little electric vehicles in a lot of factories
They look like a brick with wheels built into the four corners And steering wheel sticking up up. There is a small well for your feet but some of them don't even have any kind of a seat.
Electric vehicles come in lots of different shapes and sizes. I've seen little personal scooters, golf carts, UTVs, ATVs, forklifts, tractors, cars, even buses and locomotives.
I remember some of the weird looking things they used to have back in the 1980s when a high school teacher took me to some of the EV conventions. And now we have some pretty awesome Tesla vehicles that are a whole lot more than a glorified toaster. (Would love to have a Model X if funds were unlimited.)
Anyway, back to reality... maybe I'll be able to find a used golf cart for cheap that I can fix up and run for a while. Or not. Hard tellin'. I'm OK, regardless. Wouldn't mind a new toy, though, and being able to hop in with the wife beside and motor around the place or down the road to a neighbor if we wanted... kind of a nice thought.
It looks as though we are buying a small place. It's not the farm I wanted but it's still big enough that I wouldn't mind having something to putz around the place on. It's a little under 4 acres but is kinda long and triangular shaped. I'm considering a golf cart.
There is one that the current owner uses, a rather nice golf cart, and they want about $5k for it. That's a little rich for my blood and it's not really a "need", more of a "want". Oh, their cart is very nice, it's probably worth close to the $5k. Just more than I think I would need, plus, I'm not sure the condition of the batteries as when we looked at it and were told to take a ride to look at the lower pasture, it was dead as a door nail. Hmmm. Anyway...
I could probably look at ATV's as well but I kinda had something in mind.
An electric golf cart often has a 48v battery pack of deep cycle batteries. Hmmm. I'm thinking that could be an emergency supply of electricity, granted not terribly large, but enough to perhaps power some essentials in the case of a power outage.
Really, I was thinking mostly about something to haul some buckets, some garden tools, maybe some produce from the garden, stuff like that, from place to place. I have noticed that some golf carts are set up with what is kinda like a small pickup bed, some that even dump, and some are set up to be able to haul a small trailer. I think I'm handy enough to be able to modify any of that stuff to suit me. So I can see how it might be a useful tool around the place. That's mostly what I have in mind. Like I said, it's not a real "need" so much as something that I think would make life a little easier.
Whatcha think? Good idea? Bad idea? Suggestions on certain brands or features to look for or avoid?
I picked up a multi-purpose vehicle from Raven America. Its called the Raven MVP 7100. It is a gas / electric hybrid. The little guy can act as a lawn mower, a 7100-watt generator and a hybrid vehicle with off-road tires. Sold by Home Depot, Lowe's and some lawn and garden stores.
The lawn mower features a 46" fabricated welded deck with twin electric motors.
The generator is 6500 running watts with 7100 surge / start-up. Turn the key to start and drive it to where ever you need power.
The vehicle has ATV style shocks, frame, and suspension. You can tow up to 550 pounds and travel at speed up to 17 miles per hour.
I've had mine for almost three years. I blew one of the 200 amp fuses and the factory sent out a tech. from North Carolina to fix it for me. They have excellent tech support that can assist with most problems over the phone and the one instance I had to replace a part, they over-nighted the entire assembly at no cost to me.
The generator is supposed to run 10 hours on a tank of gas. Believe me, it is really nice to drive 7100 watts to where you need it rather than lifting one of those heavy generators into the back of your truck.
The generator is supposed to run 10 hours on a tank of gas. Believe me, it is really nice to drive 7100 watts to where you need it rather than lifting one of those heavy generators into the back of your truck.
I hope people won't think ill of me when I say this, but I can see how something like this could make an electric chainsaw a more viable option for some.
I used a golf cart for many years around my place. And NOTHING else except a UTV can compare to ease of use and being the best all purpose vehicle for your yard or farm. I have a jeep that I now only use for pleasure , it is not worth using for small task around the farm . My dad has used an elec golf cart for 10 years and it has thousands of hours on it , He will jump on it and drive 3 miles to hunting lease , will use it for a 100yrd trip to the barn to get a tool , its invaluable for people that need a little help on getting chores done. I now have a rtv that's 2 yrs old has over 500 hrs on it and maybe 40 has been for pleasure. Not a single day goes by that it is not used , I am 50 and in good shape but TIME is always a factor and when you can save a few minutes here and there it adds up. Get you a used cart for around 1500.00 bucks go ahead and put some knobby tires on the back and if the front wheels will roll the back will push it thru pretty much any situation.
There's many 4x4 wrecked vehicles you can "road warrior" junk yard is a good source or body shops,dealerships and insurance companies they often total out cars with little critical damage
Sure, with all the electric doo-dads and "niceties" in cars these days, it doesn't take much for a wreck to render a car more costly to fix than replace which leads the insurance company to total one out. Probably one of the reasons our insurance continues to climb.
Golf cart communities....hmm.
I'm starting the to think that the world might not be so bad if the roads were populated with cars that could only go 15 mph.
Golf cart might be ok, in town but can not see it working out on the farm, maybe except around the yard. It sure would be a seasonal means of getting around, would not work too well with the fresh snow we have on the ground this morning. My go to vehicle for so many things is a garden tractor, not a riding lawn mower, but a real garden tractor. (One built to except ground engaging tools) It can be used to pull a trailer, carrying tools, animal feed, or what have you. It can be used to blow snow, plow and maintain a garden, etc. We have two in this house hold, the one the boss lady operates is much newer, hydro transmission, power steering, etc. Mine is a mid 80's, but actually a better built unit. Some parts of the country, the older and better ones can be found for $500.00, or less.
Yup, Jack, "the right tool for the job". For you, those tractors are just what is needed. For some, those would be too small. For some, those would be too large.
It's interesting that some see a golf cart as a useless plaything while others see the same golf cart as such a useful tool.
Kinda like a plumber might not have much of a use for a voltmeter where an electrician wouldn't want to be without theirs. Both tradespeople. Both important. Just different.
"Farm" or "homestead" can mean so many vastly different things.
Bellyman, look at Craigslist for a golf cart . I would think you would have a used dealer around there. Here we have a couple . the in thing with all the hunters is a 4wd golf cart , a good used one is around 1500 to 2000 bucks . Imo it would suit your situation perfect and you will say why didn't I do this sooner.
Bellman: You are correct on the right size for the right job. The garden tractor works well for me, but also have bigger tractors up to well over 100 HP. If the conditions in a persons area are of the right nature, then am sure a golf cart would be great. My idea with what I have is they work or a multitude of needs, easily pulling a trailer weighing 1000lbs.
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