Kawasaki Mule single seat vs 4 seat trans- discuss

[cathy liebchen]

We are in the market for a Mule for our other farm. We currently have a Mule Pro FXT for our Georgia farms - love it. Covers the dirt road distances between the 4 properties very well, everything about it is great. Often used to carry around family and visitors as well. It was $15,000 new with a lot of extras on it

For the Alabama farm, it is a large acreage tract all on one parcel and no where to go off the property. no one visits here, it is in the middle of absolutely no where. All of the internal roads and trails are 8'-10' wide. Looked at a 610 (XC) but too small, and for only $1200 more can get the Mule 4010. We had a 3010 trans for a decade, put 3000+ hours on it and sold it for almost $4000, so definitely want another Mule. BIL has an RTV so we know why we don't want that. No Polaris ever again.

Discuss: Mule single seat vs 4 seat Trans- how to decide. Relative advantages and disadvantages of each. Price difference $1,000.00 so not a factor at all. Length of unit difference 10". Bed size is the same on the units when Trans is in 2 seat mode. May be the same decision people have made on other brands between single seat and 4 seat but those don't convert 4 seat to 2 seat. Google and forum searches did not reveal a discussion on this topic

Thanks for the help!

 

[Oleozz]

Not sure if this will help but for me it was a no brainer. 98% of the time I am the only one in my Mule so why would I need more seating room. So if nobody visits your Alabama farm why buy a 4 seater unless you eventually plan to take it to Georgia.

 

[Rmally]

I just bought the 4 seater....but we have kids, parents, and visitors frequently coming by. Most want to go see the horses (but don't want to make the long walk) so we wanted something to help shuttle folks around. I think its the best of both worlds, the huge bed when you don't need the 4 passenger (heck still a decent size bed when the back seat is in use) and a great "people mover" if you do get visitors. Since you don't have tight trails or space issues I'd go with the Trans....you never know, maybe folks will start visiting one day.

 

[EddieWalker]

It's been a few years since I was out shopping and decided on the TransMule. I don't remember the beds being the same size on them. I could be wrong, but my memory was that the TransMule had a much bigger bed. If both have the same engine with fuel injection, power steering and dash layout, then it really is a choice of if you will ever have a need to have passengers. Almost all of the time it's just one person driving mine. Sometimes my wife and I will go for a ride together, but a few times a year, we have friends over and having that back seat is HUGE. I would never even consider buying another that did not have a second row of seating.

 

[cathy liebchen]

leaning towards a 4010 Trans. My neighbor has a 2007 3010 single seat with a new engine for sale for $2500, but we have had a 3010 before (indestructible and sold for what we paid after years of use) and like newer conveniences like PS and FI

 

[DonRybak]

Cathy, in 2012 I bought a new 4010 4x4 single seat with the diesel engine and have been nothing but happy with it. I chose the diesel for the extra torque it has over gas and it's been a real work horse. The single seat was perfect for me since the only time there's more than one person is when my wife and I ride the pasture checking the fencing. I found it at a dealer about 20 mile away as an online special. If I remember correctly it was priced about $1,000 more than the gas model.....Don

 

[Zebrafive]

I think you would have a hard time going from a Mule Pro to the 4010. The main reason is suspension travel, or better put, the LACK of suspension travel, 2.8" rear and 3.8" front.
This it the BIGGEST reason I want to upgrade my Mule 2510. It beats me up on the mildest bumps. When I bought it 23 years ago the only other choice was the 6x4 JD Gator that used it's low pressure tires for a suspension. So 2.8" and 3.8" seemed like a lot.

Have you looked at the Pro MX or Pro FXR? Both are smaller than the FX or FXT

 

[cathy liebchen]

I think you would have a hard time going from a Mule Pro to the 4010. The main reason is suspension travel, or better put, the LACK of suspension travel, 2.8" rear and 3.8" front.
This it the BIGGEST reason I want to upgrade my Mule 2510. It beats me up on the mildest bumps. When I bought it 23 years ago the only other choice was the 6x4 JD Gator that used it's low pressure tires for a suspension. So 2.8" and 3.8" seemed like a lot.

Have you looked at the Pro MX or Pro FXR? Both are smaller than the FX or FXT

We had a 3010 and it rode rough. We looked at the MX and the FXR. The price of the MX was only $1,000 less than an FX new, and the bed was so small. It looked designed to be the next step up from an SX XC/610. The FXR looked great but we aren't trail riders. Settled on getting a new 2019 FX EPS at just under $12,000 OTD no tax and then a great deal on a 2016 FX EPS just popped up o n craigslist, 60 hours on it and $1000 under retail Blue Book and it has worked out well. We keep it in Alabama and the FXT in North Georgia. We added the EPI clutch kit and the heavy duty springs to both (just great upgrades), and Stuart Reed hood scoops to cut down on the cab heat

 

[WM75Guy]

I never flip the back seat to expand the bed. While it is usually just the 2 of us occasionally family or company comes along and wants to ride around. The new fiberglass top will not allow the bed to dump when extended but it has a killer sound system :thumbsup:. As has been said the 4010 Trans4X4 is not as comfortable as the ones with suspensions for racing or jumping. As mine rarely gets out of low range it is not an issue. It is mainly for pulling the manure spreader or spray rig.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I went with the Mule Pro DX because I came from a Rhino 660 that had 2 bucket seats, and we would often put me driving and a passenger in the right side bucket seat and a couple in the bed. Now we have the Pro DX EPS and it has the massive flat bench that easily fits 3 American sized adults or 4 svelte and sexy adults across that surface, and there is plenty of leg room for a couple guys to have a coupe wives on laps. I have run with 5 in the DX doing the "wife on lap" method and no one has ever complained as I got them about a mile back into the woods to the Beer Camp to party.

I considered the DXT, but the bed and interference roof design was such an afterthought thing that I just hated it. Personally, if I was doing the 2 row seat I would go Kubota X1140, the bed design seems better and easier to me. I'm sure that the FXT/DXT work just fine for some, but one of my primary goals was to use the large DX/FX bed with the hydraulic dump cylinder to move and unload bulk material, the T version just didn't look as easy to live with for this job.

So far I love my everything about my DX but one thing, that being the 7MPH max speed up steep trails. I wish it was able to keep a bit of steam going up the steep trails (I'm talking even empty!), and loaded with 1,000 LBS + it gets even slower. I'm not wanting to turbo it or modify the pump on it to "turn it up", I feel that Kawasaki/Yanmar should have tested and designed it better for these conditions.