Test drove used John Deere Gator 6x4, have questions

[Hay Dude]

I’ve wanted (or thought I did) a John Deere Gator 6x4 with Curtis Cab for 10 years.
Finally, a local one came up for sale that I thought I’d take a look at.
This one is 25 years old with 1700 hours. Electric dump bed and curtis cab.
Used on a horse farm. It’s in excellent conditions. Original paint & plastics look great. The metal Curtis cab was excellent. Seats were perfect. Definitely stored inside.
I drove it around his property a bit. My impressions are that it seemed slower than I expected. Maybe this is just the way they are.
The drive belt was recently replaced. It started and idled perfect. It accelerated a little slowly, I guess you can’t expect speed form an 18HP Yanmar diesel trying to move such a heavy vehicle?

So here’s the problems I saw:

1. When I applied the brakes, they worked, but when the brakes were pushed harder, they made a groan/grinding sound. It stopped, but the sound didn’t seem normal. Any idea what this might be?

2. It has a factory heater under the seat. The switch didn’t turn the heater on. Owner claimed the fan quit, or possibly the fuse was blown.
3. It has factory turn signals. Fronts work, but not back lights. Probably wiring issues as evidenced by wires hanging loose. I definitely like the idea of lights for working alongside the road. Owner said taillights were replacements. OK, not a big issue.
4. Rear tires were low on tread. Pretty straightforward. But how much should a set of 4 “factory” rear tires cost including mounting?
5. When the rear diff was locked, it was noticeably slower and definitely more difficult to steer. I perceived this as a “good thing” meaning the diff lock was locked and working properly?
6. Cab is equipped with windshield wiper, but switch did not turn it on. Another wiring issue.

I have zero experience with them and didn’t know what to expect. So my questions are pretty basic. Seems like a lot of electrical repairs.

Seller asking $8,000 but said he would take $6,000. Knowing it needs 4 tires and a lot of wiring diagnosis/repairs- Is this a good deal? It seems like it based on others I have seen advertised with rust, higher hours, etc.

I have toyed with buying a new one and paying it off, but they are $20,000. Don’t know if the new ones are any better, but they look more plasticky.

 

[nybirdman]

My only comment is that they are very limited off road,long with little clearance,solid suspension.Depends on your wants and needs.I would expect some problems at that age.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Can't really speak to the condition issues that you mentioned, but it's my experience that the 4 wheel Gators turn and handle much better than the 6 wheel version. I think dragging those rear knobby tires sideways in the turns takes a lot of juice. I also think the 6 wheel Gator is easier to get stuck and doesn't handle ditches and humps as well.

 

[workinonit]

Go price a new one.

 

[Rustyiron]

HD it sure looks nice, but my initial thinking to the price was that it's high. I am not "in touch" with their values either.
One thing I will say is once you get a sxs you'll be amazed how handy they are for reasons that you've never thought of. At least that was my experience.
Are you still deciding?
Is this from one of your customers?
Is this 6x4 configuration firm in your decision making?
These are utility vehicles like my Kawasaki Mule. They are slow.
My question is do you have time to look for a more conventional sxs with the features of this Gator.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[tassmannn]

I’ve wanted (or thought I did) a John Deere Gator 6x4 with Curtis Cab for 10 years.
Finally, a local one came up for sale that I thought I’d take a look at.
This one is 25 years old with 1700 hours. Electric dump bed and curtis cab.
Used on a horse farm. It’s in excellent conditions. Original paint & plastics look great. The metal Curtis cab was excellent. Seats were perfect. Definitely stored inside.
I drove it around his property a bit. My impressions are that it seemed slower than I expected. Maybe this is just the way they are.
The drive belt was recently replaced. It started and idled perfect. It accelerated a little slowly, I guess you can’t expect speed form an 18HP Yanmar diesel trying to move such a heavy vehicle?

So here’s the problems I saw:

1. When I applied the brakes, they worked, but when the brakes were pushed harder, they made a groan/grinding sound. It stopped, but the sound didn’t seem normal. Any idea what this might be?

2. It has a factory heater under the seat. The switch didn’t turn the heater on. Owner claimed the fan quit, or possibly the fuse was blown.
3. It has factory turn signals. Fronts work, but not back lights. Probably wiring issues as evidenced by wires hanging loose. I definitely like the idea of lights for working alongside the road. Owner said taillights were replacements. OK, not a big issue.
4. Rear tires were low on tread. Pretty straightforward. But how much should a set of 4 “factory” rear tires cost including mounting?
5. When the rear diff was locked, it was noticeably slower and definitely more difficult to steer. I perceived this as a “good thing” meaning the diff lock was locked and working properly?
6. Cab is equipped with windshield wiper, but switch did not turn it on. Another wiring issue.

I have zero experience with them and didn’t know what to expect. So my questions are pretty basic. Seems like a lot of electrical repairs.

Seller asking $8,000 but said he would take $6,000. Knowing it needs 4 tires and a lot of wiring diagnosis/repairs- Is this a good deal? It seems like it based on others I have seen advertised with rust, higher hours, etc.

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I have toyed with buying a new one and paying it off, but they are $20,000. Don’t know if the new ones are any better, but they look more plasticky.

As old as it is, those don't seem like hard fixes. Tires should be between $600-$1000. Sounds like it needs a brake job, and you'll need to diagnose the electrical issues. I have a Kubota RTVX 1100C that has a 24 hp diesel in it. It's not made for speed, but very strong. It says top speed is 25 MPH, but more realistically, around 22. I guess if I were going downhill with a tailwind, it would achieve that speed. The machine looks good. No comps, but I've seen similar machines without a cab go for 5000-7000. You could have a mechanic look at it and check the compression JIC.

 

[tomplum]

Deal seems good enough. Tires for some are on Amazon complete w/ rim. I know this as I had a customer who compared that to having a local tire vendor replace what she had , which was closer to 200$ a tire installed. They aren't speedsters, though zippy enough to cart things around the place. I always thought this type of vehicle would handle, turn better than they did. I rarely work on them or their counterparts. Isn't my favorite thing to do.

 

[tassmannn]

Deal seems good enough. Tires for some are on Amazon complete w/ rim. I know this as I had a customer who compared that to having a local tire vendor replace what she had , which was closer to 200$ a tire installed. They aren't speedsters, though zippy enough to cart things around the place. I always thought this type of vehicle would handle, turn better than they did. I rarely work on them or their counterparts. Isn't my favorite thing to do.

Yeah, I worked on a similar style in Polaris, and it was not a fun experience. It did handle well in the mud, though, and like all the other UTVs....don't expect to get there fast

 

[deserteagle71]

Unless you think you'll be hauling a lot of really heavy weight in the bed, or need the flotation of the extra tires, I'd say go with a 4 wheel machine instead of a 6 wheel. 4 tire machine is MUCH more maneuverable, turns much sharper and easier. We have a 6 wheel Polaris in our Search and Rescue unit and the only time we prefer it to the 4-wheel machines is when we have to travel in the sand dunes.

And yes, if it becomes harder to steer when you hit the locker button then the locker is working.

 

[rgr33]

I tested a JD 6x4, and the turning radius was a deal killer in my situation
My hunch is that unit looks in very good shape, but will ultimately prove to need a lot of glitches fixed, even beyond what you have already mentioned

If that doesn’t bother you you much, it may be a while before you come across another one as well equipped as this one

I have mentioned this before, but there is no tool or vehicle on my place, that gets used more then my UTV.

 

[tassmannn]

I tested a JD 6x4, and the turning radius was a deal killer in my situation
My hunch is that unit looks in very good shape, but will ultimately prove to need a lot of glitches fixed, even beyond what you have already mentioned

If that doesn’t bother you you much, it may be a while before you come across another one as well equipped as this one

I have mentioned this before, but there is no tool or vehicle on my place, that gets used more then my UTV.

I echo that. We use our UTV more than the Backhoe or skidsteer.

 

[airbiscuit]

1. When I applied the brakes, they worked, but when the brakes were pushed harder, they made a groan/grinding sound. It stopped, but the sound didn’t seem normal. Any idea what this might be?

I think they are wet brakes, inside the transmission

2. It has a factory heater under the seat. The switch didn’t turn the heater on. Owner claimed the fan quit, or possibly the fuse was blown.
3. It has factory turn signals. Fronts work, but not back lights. Probably wiring issues as evidenced by wires hanging loose. I definitely like the idea of lights for working alongside the road. Owner said taillights were replacements. OK, not a big issue.

Those look like someone put trailer lights on

4. Rear tires were low on tread. Pretty straightforward. But how much should a set of 4 “factory” rear tires cost including mounting?
5. When the rear diff was locked, it was noticeably slower and definitely more difficult to steer. I perceived this as a “good thing” meaning the diff lock was locked and working properly?
6. Cab is equipped with windshield wiper, but switch did not turn it on. Another wiring issue.

Hopefully each wiring issue is an individual problem. The wiring harness runs through a tunnel in the center of the frame. Not the end of the world, but can be finicky to get to.

I have zero experience with them and didn’t know what to expect. So my questions are pretty basic. Seems like a lot of electrical repairs.

My friend had a gas one for 20 years, and treated it like a rented mule. He just bought a used diesel 6x4 and gave me his old one. They are tougher than nails. They have a nice big box and are a real workhorse (I assume yours has an electric lift). 4x4 UTVs are like a mini truck in comparison.

Seller asking $8,000 but said he would take $6,000. Knowing it needs 4 tires and a lot of wiring diagnosis/repairs- Is this a good deal? It seems like it based on others I have seen advertised with rust, higher hours, etc.

$6,000 is a fair deal given the condition, hours and cab
$5,500 is a good deal
$5.000 is a great deal

 

[LHF2019]

That is a nice looking one. I’m always looking and for diesel I think that price is reasonable. Issues stated are minor sounding and for the price of a new one you can put a lot of money into this one.

Go price a new one.

He did and he listed the price

 

[paulsharvey]

Tires, you can find them for about $85-120/per; but atleast $25/per to mount.

 

[Hay Dude]

Thanks for all the thoughts.
Now y’all have me wondering if I should be looking at something more modern….
However, none of our work we would use it for requires speed or a lot of agility.

I like the “mini dump truck” part of this a lot for trail repairs/filling low inaccessible areas with stone that are too big for truck or tractor.

I hear they are tough and will pull a crapton on weight if needed.

I have seen nothing but rusted, or damaged junk for $6,000. This one is pretty pristine, but the brake noise has me spooked.

 

[JESSE1]

I bought a new 6x4 Gator around 2000. The brakes groaned and squealed like you're describing. John Deere had a friction modifier additive that I poured in the transmission that got rid of the noise. The one I had was a pretty good machine, rode rough and not good in mud. There was a rough terrain kit that included a small shock absorber that attached to the accelerator pedal to help steady the throttle.

 

[tassmannn]

Thanks for all the thoughts.
Now y’all have me wondering if I should be looking at something more modern….
However, none of our work we would use it for requires speed or a lot of agility.

I like the “mini dump truck” part of this a lot for trail repairs/filling low inaccessible areas with stone that are too big for truck or tractor.

I hear they are tough and will pull a crapton on weight if needed.

I have seen nothing but rusted, or damaged junk for $6,000. This one is pretty pristine, but the brake noise has me spooked.

Sounds like it just needs a brake job. Pads are cheap, and if they need disks, it's not too bad either. It's an easy fix IMO. I saw this set on eBay, but I'm unsure if it's the same year and model, and thought I saw they were wet brakes. Front and Rear Brake Disc Rotors with Brake Pads for John Deere XUV560 S4 Gator | eBay

 

[RayIN]

My BIL bought one new, now his grandson has it and cannot find some replacement parts.
This is the shop manual:

 

[Hay Dude]

I have heard mixed reviews on parts availability.

 

[airbiscuit]

I can't swear to it, but I think that model has (internal) wet brakes kind of like this. A dealership could tell you more about the how big a problem that grinding noise is.,