Who makes the toughest side by side....for utility uses?

[bgaidan]

A little back history:
We have 2 Cub Cadets at work (sitework construction company) that we use in the field for foremen and surveyors to get around, move small tools around, etc. Agility wise, these things are bad-ass. You can pretty much pick a direction and shoot and it will get you there no matter what obstacles are in the way. But when it comes to strength, I'm starting to think they're lacking.

They are just about a year old with ~500 hours and we've had to replace at least 3 busted CV shafts in each one. And last weekend we had a trasmission fail on one of them. We have the 4x4 diesel models.

My last company had about a dozen mules on a job and we had similar problems.

So, who makes the best side by side that can stand up to daily use getting bounced around a job site?

[gotmuddy]

your abusing them and anything you get will get trashed. We have a mule and I have drove rangers/rhinos and the mule is much tougher than either of them.

[wngrog]

Mules are the "Honda's" of the SxS world. They are very strong and utilitarian, but the creature comforts and the sport ability is lacking.

Those Diesel Cub's are heavy. That is probably what is killing the CVs.

I would go back to the Mule's.

If you had the $$ to spend, Bobcat makes a very nice model. It is super expensive, but tough as nails.

[duncanstives]

Get some of those Argo 8x8s... I am sure they will hold up

[bgaidan]

Originally Posted by wngrog

Mules are the "Honda's" of the SxS world. They are very strong and utilitarian, but the creature comforts and the sport ability is lacking.

Those Diesel Cub's are heavy. That is probably what is killing the CVs.

I would go back to the Mule's.

If you had the $$ to spend, Bobcat makes a very nice model. It is super expensive, but tough as nails.

I swear we had more breakage with the mules at my old company....but they may have been beat on more there.

I wouldn't say these are being abuseds, so much as constantly used. We probably put a year's worth of the average user's wear on it in a month or two. If it's normal to replace a couple CVs every year under normal use then maybe we're not as bad off as we think.

I really like these because they're diessel and we always have fuel on site for heavy equipment. We rarely have more than a few gallons of gas so it would create a new problem to buy gas mules. Unless Kawasaki has started making diessels??

[wngrog]

Kawi does make a diesel mule.

[gotmuddy]

cvs break from abuse. with stock tires you have to SERIOUSLY abuse shit to break cvs. I would know, I run 28s and 29.5s on my atvs

[bgaidan]

Originally Posted by wngrog

Kawi does make a diesel mule.

Really? Gonna have to check them out again...

Originally Posted by gotmuddy

cvs break from abuse. with stock tires you have to SERIOUSLY abuse shit to break cvs. I would know, I run 28s and 29.5s on my atvs

We're running stock tires and wheels. We have a few theories why they're breaking so much. The jobsite that these two are on is mainly processing dredged clay - which is very slick when wet and rock hard when dry. I think 1) the wet stuff is giving them some gnarly tire spin when they start to get stuck and then it catches and shock loads the shaft, and 2) the wet clay gets pushed up around the CV and then dries. When it dries it's like concrete and probably slices open the boots filling them with dirt and making #1 even easier.


Stopped by the dealer the other day to check on them. One of them had a blown tranny and they were puting a new one in. The other was another blown rear CV. Covered both under warranty still.....but they claim we're the only ones having problems with them! They have a 2 year warranty and it looks like Cub is pretty good about honoring them. So we'll probably just run them for 2 years and trade them in for new ones.

[wheelchairman]

ever thought about cv gaurds to shield them?

[wngrog]

You must be tearing the boots and then getting mud and clay in the CVs.

[tailboardtech]

i have a cub 4x4 gas job bought it in 06 the only trouble i have had with it was i busted a cv boot when i was runing through some brush with it and to be honest i dont treat it very nice around the farm

[85cj7boy]

At work this last summer they were looking for a side by side to do trail maintenance with on atv testing trails. Also to use for the EMT team if they needed to extract an injured rider. Bobcat brought their kubota diesel side by side out and we took it through all the tight twisty hard atv trails and it was amazing. They still use it for all sorts of maintenance stuff and has been doing great. Its a beast that's how I would describe it.

BOBCAT

[Motorsports2]

I like all the side by sides, they are very cool. If could buy one, I'd probably buy a Polaris Ranger, but I don't need any utility, I would be receational use. I stopped into a Club Car dealer in Riverside, CA because my friend is looking for UTV for his farm. The owner told me that their XRT series SidebySides blow away all the UTV's made by the motorcycle manufacturers in terms of payload capacity, durability and overall function. They are all made with aluminum frames so they won't rust. If you look at their website you can see all the models they make, it might be worth your time to visit or call a Club Car dealer just to compare. http://www.clubcar.com/xrtUtilityVeh...tVehicles.aspx

[brandy_easttx]

We have been using Kawasaki mules for about 8 years around our land. They have never caused any problem and have even pulled out a few trucks that were stuck in the mud, although not deeply stuck. They haul everything we can fit in the bed and the 4x4 is virtually unstickable. They never get stuck...

Our 2500 has over 5000 hrs and the transmule is new last Christmas and has about a 100 hours.....

Cant compare with any other utv since we dont have one, but the mule is perfect for us..

[Gabe88]

Kubota.

Diesel motor and up to a 1100 model.

We have the 900 and it is plenty strong for what we do.

Great tow ratings and hydro packages are opitional for each model.

[CWBYinJEEP]

Husqvarna is now offering an HUV/side by side with the Kubota diesel as an option, looks pretty stout spec wise and have seen them in person, but not driven one. There's a Mule up at the riding property we hang out at, it gets used ALOT and some abuse (pulling 1600# tree chippers up 4x4 trails) and still keeps coming back for more. It's not much fun to drive and it's clanky as hell, but very utility capable. I've got a Rhino now and it's much more fun to wheel but no where near the utility vehicle that the Mule, Husqvarna, Cub or any others are.

[leeman1790]

We got a 08 Trans4x4 Diesel Mule last winter and I love the thing. Tow around the small boat to go put it in the pond. Just use the tractor diesel and not have to go to the gas station to get more gas. Only thing is it only has like 140 miles and like 30 somthing hours and already a torn front left boot...the lower hub one. We really had not gone in anything that would reach up and grab it, but I replaced it before the joint got screwed, and this thing has electric power steering..thought that was kind of cool.


mule

[roundeye]

I've had great luck with the Polaris Ranger. 175 hours and still running strong.
thing goes anywhere you point it.

[wes8517]

the new john deere 4x4 with full independant is hard as hell to break. hooked up some heavy ass trailers to move them around at my old job (equestrian center) and that thing never even hinted at having problems, even over extremely rough terrain where the 4wd was required.

just thought id give my 2 cents

[Elwood]

Two Words... John Deere. My Gator is not the fastest, nor coolest lookin side by side, but man, it'll pull a house. The thing has more balls and ability to pull weight than all my buddies kaws and yamy's. They can kick my ass in a race, but the Gator will pull just about anything at 30mph that you put in it or behind it. And trust me, I've made my Gator PULL and HAUL more crap than you'd ever imagine. For toughness, I'd vote JD. For coolness and speed, I'd look elsewhere.

[FoMoCoOffRoad]

Polaris Ranger hands down. Take a look at the new 09's!

[tacoblkout]

Honda's Big Red

[ridgecrawler]

Kumbota is by far the toughest for work. our ele. co-op has about 10 of them, they use them everyday, all over the eastern ky. mountains, they claim they've not had even one to breakdown yet.

[Crowdog]

Diesel Gator climbs like a billy goat.

[jeepyfz450]

I work in an underground rocksalt mine. we have 15 diesel kubotas they are absolute garbage, all of them. they have no power the 4wd sucks big time. the kubotas are hydrostatic drive which is stupid. we have a steep slope to go from one level in the mine to another and you have to put the things in low cause they have no balls. We also have 15+ old school gators the 6 wheel ones they are much better machines but not nearly as fast and the suspension isnt as good but they are much older. I have a rhino at home and love it. I use it every day on the farm and have no complaints.