Side by Side question
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=150699
Printed Date: 27 Sep 2024 at 5:22pm
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Topic: Side by Side question
Posted By: Scott B
Subject: Side by Side question
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 4:52pm
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I'm looking to purchase a new 2018 Kawasaki Mule side by side. This purchase stemmed from looking into a golf cart purchase but thinking I need something a bit more rugged given the terrain. Choking back the costs and have two key questions: - I'm certain the Forum has an opinion on these in terms of good, bad, indifferent - What does everyone do on the insurance front? Called my Insurance guy to check on insurance for theft; they're telling me they have to right a policy that includes comp/collision/ loss, etc much like a boat. Very tempted to just buy an old pickup truck, kicking out the windows, removing the doors and walla....These things are pricey! Any thoughts appreciated. ------------- D17 Series 1 Allis B- 1939 Allis B- 1945 |
Replies:
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 5:10pm
| I don't have any hills where I live cept way back in the fields, so a golf cart type works great for me and a auctions. I can't afford the real thing, but now a lot of the golf carts are being customized into 4x4's. check (ballsoutmotors.com) and a lot cheaper new/used, gas/electric. neighbor has an electric 4x4 high boy golf cart type, he's had good luck with it, takes it hunting all the time, says it goes thru water and snow just fine! might also look at them little jap pickups, you can get them however you want them. I saw one for sale at Ponca NE one Sunday (no one around to talk to that day) it was painted AC orange! even had air conditioning and a dump box! read the reviews on line of what ever brands you might consider. some of the older mules were junk. I do think Polaris puts out the best of all of them other than Kabota or Melroe. |
Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 6:44pm
| I'm very interested in following this post as I'm in the same boat, need to upgrade my old gator and don't want something that looks like it flew in from outerspace. I like the looks of the Mule. I have my gator insured under my homeowners insurance policy not sure if thats the best or not, neighbor has his on his car policy and it's costing about the same as another car. |
Posted By: Pat the Plumber CIL
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 8:25pm
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I bought a new Kubota 500rtv side X side last year and I like it. Little slow but with 4x4 and locking differential it will go any where I want to go. My friend Chuck is tall and his knee bothers him. He says it's too small but I am fine with it. Easy to get in and out of and my 8 year old niece can drive it [when I am riding with her]. Yes pricey but with 48 month free financing it makes it a little easier to swallow. Has to be fully insured for financing deal , 100 something a year , oh best part is it's orange ------------- You only need to know 3 things to be a plumber;Crap rolls down hill,Hot is on the left and Don't bite your fingernails 1964 D-17 SIV 3 Pt.WF,1964 D-15 Ser II 3pt.WF ,1960 D-17 SI NF,1956 WD 45 WF. |
Posted By: David G.
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 9:10pm
| I have a Club Car XRT 1550 which is a real utilitarian type side by side. It has the Kubota diesel engine and is a real workhorse. It has a bench seat that beats bucket seats in my opinion. I don't have enough sense to post a link but google club car xrt1550. Club Car made the side by side for CaseIH, New Holland, and Husqvarna, and maybe others too. Not hard to find parts for either. Even though mine is a authentic Club Car, I always call the local CaseIH dealer to get anything I need. As far as insurance, all I had to do was add it to my farmowners plan and give them the specifics of it. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 9:17pm
 ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: Red Bank
Date Posted: 22 May 2018 at 11:14pm
| We have golf carts on the farm and I have been looking at side by sides because I think the golf cart is not enough vehicle and it beats the crap out of me riding across the pastures. I felt the same way about the prices and I bought an old CJ-7 and kept it for a while, but I sold it because to me it was too big for what I was trying to do. I like the Polaris Ranger but haven't bought one yet. We have looked at kubota polaris Kawasaki and Kioti. The diesel versions vibrate excessively at idle( kubota and polaris) not sure about Kioti but out all of those the Kioti seems to me to be the best one built. But if I go with gas it will be the Polaris Ranger |
Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 23 May 2018 at 8:16am
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Got a used Polaris Ranger just this spring, like it and in some of our rough terrain with rocks don't think a golf cart would work at all. We have two Ranger dealers within 35 miles so that entered into it. Kawasaki we would have to go 90 miles, same with Honda or Yamaha. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 23 May 2018 at 10:54am
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If a fast ground speed is important then maybe skip the Mule. Maybe the new ones are faster but they used to only go about 25-30 MPH down the road but one thing is for sure you won't be able to find anything that can outwork a Mule from my observations. ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 23 May 2018 at 11:26am
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We got a 4010 Diesel (The Mule, not the Deere) in 2009. It's a 4 seater. Great machine, but the diesel engine is pretty noisy and kinda rattles you going down the road. Gas engine Mules are a lot smoother from my experience. High & Low range...I usually only use High, for what we do, but like Stan said, it's slow. You can put the petal to the metal and get up to 25 mph. Speedometer goes to 45, though. We got a cab on ours, and it's really nice in summer and winter. Has a heater which works good, and in the summer just pull the doors off. 15 minute job. It's a 4x4 with diff lock, which comes in handy at times. My biggest complaint is the dump bed is manual...no hoist. Pretty rugged and well-built machine, but it's no 70 mph Polaris... I know everyone who has the Kubotas likes them. I've seen them with heaters, A/C, radio, etc. The dump beds on them are pretty nice, too. I've even heard you can get them with a PTO, but I don't know if that's true.
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Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 23 May 2018 at 4:35pm
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Will add that mine is insured on my car insurance policy, comp, collision and liability. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: Jhebel
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 7:40am
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I purchased a Polaris Ranger 800 midsize with less than 20 hours on it a few years ago and got an excellent price on it. I think it was one of my best purchases ever. The versatility of the machine is excellent. I can use it to do pretty much anything I can do with a tractor: mow, move firewood, push snow, plus more. There are lots of attachments you can get for them that are very useful. I will also add that you can keep up with cars going down the road at 40-50 mph. As far as the Mule goes, the problems I’ve heard of with them is that they’re slow and underpowered and they have poor ground clearance. Like the others said this wouldn’t be a problem if you have flat terrain. Some models other people seem to like are the Kubota RTV, the Yamaha Viking, and the Gator. |
Posted By: Scott B
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 7:40am
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Wow, Insurance came back with a quote of $375 a year. Buddy has a Kubota w more horsepower and pays $75! Guess time to do some calming around! ------------- D17 Series 1 Allis B- 1939 Allis B- 1945 |
Posted By: farmtoybuilder
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 10:25am
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The
mule's were designed to work and not a hi speed vehicle. We sold hundreds
of them and would be lost without ours on the farm! All brands have their
problems, but I'll take our 4010 diesel over a Polaris or JD anyday. If you want
high speed, more ground clearance you can buy the Kawasaki Terex
models. Hydraulic or electric bed lifts are available for them. We have
lower cost electric actuator one on ours and does fine. ------------- 5 different TT-10's,5 TT-18's Terra Tigers,B-10,2 B-207's,B-110,2 B-112's,HB-112,B-210,B-212,HB212,2 Scamp's & Homilite T-10. Still hunting NICE HB-112 & anything Terra Tiger & Trailers for them. |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 10:54am
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I bought a rusted out 2001 Ferd Ranger 4x4 from my brother 4 years ago for $800. That's my mule and I can drive it to town to fill the tank up. I don't have to worry about it getting stolen, air conditioner and heater work great, and I can sit in out of the weather during deer season. After I put tires and brakes on it when I got it, my only expense was a new fuel pump last fall, plus gas, oil, and Illinois tags and insurance. No way I could afford a $10-12,000 toy, when I have this. ------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 11:04am
Moderation in everything. If you want to go fast you get one to do it,you want to haul you get a different one. You can even play that it is a tractor,but really ?In my thinking they should be cheaper. An they don't come up used out here that often,or I don't find them anyway. So handyfor a old man that has trouble getting around on ruff ground. Would not want to be without. Sometime you can cheap out and get by,sometime MUCH EASIER to just pay the price. It fits in smaller places than a Jeep so goes more places. But I like that mine is wider so can go on more of a sidehill. Everything is up and down here so it matters(tipped a 4 wheeler twice,not a scratch,so I better not do it again). Low center of gravity (low ground clearance) is just fine. I have no idea of what brand is best,just went with a dealer that I hope stays around to get parts from. With the price I hope it is around for a LONG TIME. The one brand noted for longevity has no dealer that I think is close enough. But my life is so much easier having a side by side hope to never be without. PS I really us the 4x4 sometimes and even the differential lock every month or 2. But if you need the differential lock you better have reason for going where you are as it is REALLY STEEP if you need it.
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Posted By: TimNearFortWorth
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 2:47pm
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Still running the Yamaha gas cart with bed I had built on the back for five years now. We all pitched in about 15 years ago and bought parents one for their 10-15 acres and all the grandkids/great grandkids could not tear that thing up, so I found one locally on CL. When I picked up the lease on the 100 acres attached to my 25 I brush cut the fence lines and the old "yammers" can drive it but close on clearance as the small tree stubble sometimes scrapes the lower tube frame and the main wiring harness had to be tucked up out of the way. Local dealer wants 1300.00 for a lift kit and he get's my tires/rims/hub caps, NOT. Can't kill the darned thing and figured I would grab a new 2WD Mule when the Yamaha finally gave up the ghost as a big Dallas dealer runs a special every year for mid 4K range on a loaded 2WD Kawasaki. But the golf cart keeps pluggin along, even bringing in new calves hog-tied in the bed or across my lap from a good mile away. We are pretty dry here and I have no hills to speak of so it works for me but all smaller gates I have installed are set up to accept the Mule as well, for when that day comes. Then there is the fire hazard with the downturned exhaust on the cart when it does not rain, a D-Series get's fired up for checking fences, or I get a nice walk in 100F heat. After researching it a few years back, it will definitely be a Mule when the time comes.
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Posted By: Thad in AR.
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 3:32pm
| Here in the rough country Polaris fall apart. Every shop in the area is full of Rangers and Polaris ATVs all with suspension problems. I’d be looking at Honda Yamaha or a mule or Kubota and such. I want a Rhino |
Posted By: VFDfireman
Date Posted: 24 May 2018 at 7:09pm
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Farm has a 2017 Mule which replaced a 2008 700xp Ranger...which I bought. Mule Rides and drives more like a pickup. Has steel bed and a good hard cab with heat was added. It will go anywhere the ground clearance allows. Not nearly as sporty as the Ranger and also will not traverse the deep mud nor logs rocks etc as well as the Ranger. Crossing creek bottoms is interesting due to reduced ground clearance. The Mules tranny is better than the Ranger....no cvt to get wet and slip. Overall it’s more of a truck. Ranger is more sporty, better clearance and drives faster. No power steering on the 700xp. Suspension has way more travel than the Mule. ------------- 1954 WD45 Restored 2015 Current Project: 1953 IH R120 Pickup truck CB "It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 25 May 2018 at 9:54am
| we work on more and more 4 wheelers and side by sides every year enought that we have bought alot of equipment for them we mostly work on the polaris and arctic cat but they are dealer strong in this area all of them need clutch work more than what they get . personaly if you are not trying to be the first one up sand mountain you cant beat a honda or there transmission. i do like the bench seat in the ranger |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 25 May 2018 at 9:58am
| what tucker said, with my cj5 icanput a tow bar on it to go down the interstate or just drive it , dont have to haul it long distances |
Posted By: allisrutledge
Date Posted: 25 May 2018 at 10:13am
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Insurance Is a big question, I have golf carts lifted, one with 20 horse Honda and they serve the purpose for me. My insurance agent says my homeowners will cover it if it never goes off the property. Home property, so he wrote me a auto liability policy to cover the one I use between farms and travel with . the others stay where they are. I'm sure 12000 dollar side by sides will need more coverage . I would start by talking to my agent. ------------- Allis Chalmers still exist in my mind and barns |
Posted By: CTD03
Date Posted: 25 May 2018 at 12:28pm
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new mule is great pro fx, new mule will work and play no front dif lock. polaris ranger are reliable also. i switch to a polaris general to work and play and i am happy with it. bed space is limtieddont for get honda pioneer. 700 or 1000 john deere gators are still a great choice. ------------- 1961 D17 (sold)1968 190xt |
Posted By: 7060
Date Posted: 25 May 2018 at 2:34pm
| Dad bought a new ranger 500 a couple years ago and has nothing but problems with it now. Belts, spark controller, safety switch on the brake pedal, sway bars breaking... We have been running Honda ATVs since the 80’s and haven’t had any problems with one yet, I actually still have a 86 trx250. If I was going to buy one I would look at Honda. Even the big red side by side was good just ugly. They are all shaft driven so no belts. |
Posted By: Jon NW Iowa
Date Posted: 27 May 2018 at 6:20pm
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I just replaced my new holland side by side with a new textron stampede. They are Artic Cats new name. German engineered engines made in St. Cloud Mn. Extended cab. Wow what a machine. Now owned by the same company that makes Bell helicopters and Cessna airplanes. Very handy powerful and smooth. I am impressed. |
Posted By: IBWD MIke
Date Posted: 28 May 2018 at 6:51am
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Dang, I thought this was going to be about shotguns! |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 29 May 2018 at 1:45am
| I learned today I gotta gits them doors off the cab of my new to me EZ-GO, my other EZ-GO has the hyd dump box on it, I might try to switch that over to this one. so far the golf cart types have been good to us, and have always done what we needed them to do. if I need 4x4 i'll take the cub 4x6 out, it has the big tool box and more box space if needed. it's powered by Honda. Buhler Industries here has a mule they bought new, it has a PTO on it as they use it to test some equipment. of course the employees have about destroyed it by beating it and rolling it, just un-supervised stupidity! i'm sure they would destroy any brand. I sure would like to test drive an ARGO some day! |
Posted By: polarbear
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2018 at 10:35am
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give $176 a year full coverage thru my farm policy collision and liability Northern Mutural of IL |