Need utility Side by Side

[deserteagle71]

So are those reusable? one of my pet peeves over the yrs turned out to be loose ratchet strap ends flying in the wind. Many times I've wasted driving time to check ratchet straps after my rats nest type knots came undone and the strap ends were flying wildly in the wind. So I coil strap ends and zip tye them. These went over 500 miles with this method recently and stayed coiled and secure. As an added bonus it's much easier to tell if a ratchet strap breaks also cuz the strap ends are secure from the get go.

I use velcro straps. I fold up the loose ends of the ratchet strap over the ratchet assembly and then use the velcro straps to keep them in place. Been using the same ones for 10 years now - they work great. Very secure, and reuseable. Available in various lengths. I use 15" long ones for my short 2" wide ratchet straps, and 20" long ones for my 3" heavy duty (chain ends) ratchet straps.

Example:

https://www.amazon.com/STARUMENT-Reusable-Cinch-Straps-15-Pack

 

[jjeff]

I use velcro straps. I fold up the loose ends of the ratchet strap over the ratchet assembly and then use the velcro straps to keep them in place. Been using the same ones for 10 years now - they work great. Very secure, and reuseable. Available in various lengths. I use 15" long ones for my short 2" wide ratchet straps, and 20" long ones for my 3" heavy duty (chain ends) ratchet straps.

Example:

https://www.amazon.com/STARUMENT-Reusable-Cinch-Straps-15-Pack

Use Velcro straps on my bike rack mounted on RV hitch. They are definitely secure, thanks, I'll look into ordering some for securing ratchet strap ends. As for using a screw driver to reuse zip ties when it comes to plastic fastening devices I definitely fit the old saying of the bull in the china shop.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm more into the go-fast side by sides, but living next to a popular state forest with spare belts, tie rod ends and clutches for the broken, my suggestion is this:

1) Get the quietest machine because it is more fun to be able to jibber-jabber with your passengers,
2) and get one without a belt driven CVT.

I end up burning out the portion of Polaris RZR EMCs that retards the timing when the system senses belt slipping causing misfires.

That said, I like the Kawasaki offerings.

Kawasaki are CVT, thought you didn't want that.
If you want a non CVT sport UTV you have 2 choices, Yamaha YXZ or Honda Talon that I'm aware of.
Personally for trail riding I prefer CVT.

 

[jjeff]

Kawasaki are CVT, thought you didn't want that.
If you want a non CVT sport machine you have 2 choices, Yamaha YXZ or Honda Talon that I'm aware of.
Personally for trail riding I prefer CVT.

All Hondas don't have a belt be it Sport, utility, or a combination of both. Ive grown to enjoy using the 5 speed paddle shifter on the column of my 500 pioneer when I occasionally use it for recreational riding. It is as loud as my wolverine with the seemingly unbreakable (in my experience with Yamahas) ultramatic belt driven drive line though

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It is as loud as my wolverine with the seemingly unbreakable (in my experience with Yamahas) ultramatic belt driven drive line though

Yeaa, Yamaha easily has the best belt drive, they have that figured out and it works great.

SR

 

[deserteagle71]

Kawasaki are CVT, thought you didn't want that.
If you want a non CVT sport UTV you have 2 choices, Yamaha YXZ or Honda Talon that I'm aware of.
Personally for trail riding I prefer CVT.

Same here. The control you have, going over rough trails with varying conditions, is phenomenal.

I was worried about the durability of the belt when I bought my Can-am Defender. No more. Almost 5000 miles on it now and the belt still looks (and measures) like new. But then I religiously follow the owner's manual as to taking care of the belt - tow only in low range, use low range if driving below 15 mph, etc).

 

[gsganzer]

Yamaha Viking offer 10 years on the belt, if that makes a difference.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Kawasaki are CVT, thought you didn't want that.
If you want a non CVT sport UTV you have 2 choices, Yamaha YXZ or Honda Talon that I'm aware of.
Personally for trail riding I prefer CVT.

A few years ago I was showing a Polaris engineer a land that was for sale and brought my RZR out so he and his family could drive around the 40 acre parcel to see it. I shared that I'd just put new clutches in my RZR and he said, "Sorry about that."

I laughed.

 

[LindenBruce]

Unsure of Yamaha vikings over use of plastic fasteners. But some of my for only complaints of Yamaha Motorsports for me anyway the darn plastic push rivets were quickly disposed of after the realization I had to try and pop 4-8 without over damaging them or the plastic covers they were fastening especially in sub zero temps or dirt and mud, previously had to attempt this feat with usually four letter word outcomes every time I needed or wanted to check the oil on my wolverine...so I use rubber strap type fasteners bought a bunch on scamazon fairly inexpensive compared to other sxs accessories I've indulged in, it works great for me anyway. I also use them on other things, cuz I'm anti plastic fasteners. Congrats on the Viking btw. My Yamahas have never mechanically let me down or stranded. Besides there plastic fasteners lol.

When I have plastic panels I need to remove on a regular basis for maintenance, I install Rivnuts in the hole. Then use a metal bolt to secure the panel. No more plastic push pins. B.

 

[Minifarmerbutch]

The Kawasaki Mule is ok . Gasoline golf carts with a dump box are great but stay away from the battery types as the batteries don’t seem to last and are very expensive to replace.

 

[ArlyA]

CVT drive is all we'd buy. All we do is tow heaver loads with them.

 

[LindenBruce]

CVT drive is all we'd buy. All we do to tow heaver loads.View attachment 3881802

I worry about the CVT belts on these units. I work for a big farmer in my area, and I am always changing CVT belts. Maybe because the guys are driving at low speeds in high range? But then I see users here that have excellent belt life. And the other thing about CVT belts is their jerky nature when you first start to move. Are the new units much better about this?

 

[rontaki]

The Kawasaki Mule is ok . Gasoline golf carts with a dump box are great but stay away from the battery types as the batteries don’t seem to last and are very expensive to replace.

When the lead acid batteries in my Polaris Ranger EV wire out, I spent a little extra money to convey to lithium batteries. 500 lbs. lighter!, no watering ever. Should last 4x longer as well. With lithium, you can use all the rated capacity without damaging the battery; lead acid batteries are permanently wounded by discharging past about ½ of their rated capability. Deep-discharge lead acid batteries can handle that better, still not as well as lithium batteries.

In my case, the lithium batteries were almost direct drop in, the only change I made was to the wiring and adding the charger that came with the batteries. I left the original charger wired into the EV (except to charging the lithiums) ,to avoid having to make other writing changes.

 

[ArlyA]

I worry about the CVT belts on these units. I work for a big farmer in my area, and I am always changing CVT belts. Maybe because the guys are driving at low speeds in high range? But then I see users here that have excellent belt life. And the other thing about CVT belts is their jerky nature when you first start to move. Are the new units much better about this?

Today most CVT drives also have a wet clutch, so the belt is never loose and would not make it jerky.. What machines are always changing belts in??

 

[lilranch2001]

I have a 8 year old Ranger 570, the only maintenance I have done is its yearly lubrication schedule and fuel it as needed.
I do use non ethanol fuel, but no more that it sips, that is only 3/4 times a year.
I am finally about to need some tires, surprised they have lasted this long.

Anyone have a tire supplier recommendation?

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

I worry about the CVT belts on these units. I work for a big farmer in my area, and I am always changing CVT belts. Maybe because the guys are driving at low speeds in high range? But then I see users here that have excellent belt life. And the other thing about CVT belts is their jerky nature when you first start to move. Are the new units much better about this?

I'm curious what brand you see eating belts. I've seen more than a few Polaris belts being changed on trails but the other manufacturers seem to have it figured out. Yamaha has a 10 year belt warranty and I don't recall seeing anyone having a belt failure on the forums I've followed in the past.

 

[lilranch2001]

I bought my first ranger in 2007 and had a second one in 2016, and have yet to put a belt on either of them.

I may not beat them up as badly as other people, but I travel trails through my woods and street travel commonly, and never had a single issue with either of them, the only reason I got the new one was to get power steering because manual steering sucks on the trails

 

[deserteagle71]

I worry about the CVT belts on these units. I work for a big farmer in my area, and I am always changing CVT belts. Maybe because the guys are driving at low speeds in high range? But then I see users here that have excellent belt life. And the other thing about CVT belts is their jerky nature when you first start to move. Are the new units much better about this?

That's exactly why you are changing belts! Driving at low speeds in high range. The owner's manual for my Can-am Defender very specifically states that if the machine is driven below 15 mph then low range is to be used, else the belt will be destroying itself.

I have 5000 miles on my Can-am and the original belt but then I make sure I'm in low range when just putting around the place - especially if pulling a trailer. Other people on the Can-am forums report getting much higher mileage out of their drive belts.

But people dislike hearing the engine running at higher rpms in low range so they just leave it in high. Then someone gets to change out the belt!

 

[lilranch2001]

The only time my Ranger sees the high range is if I’m driving city or county streets/roads

 

[Torvy]

The only time my Ranger sees the high range is if I’m driving city or county streets/roads

Same with my SxS. No Revs to worry about, but batteries last longer in M. H is only for very short runs along our road to visit neighbors. L only for a couple of steep spots and when towing a heavily loaded trailer.