Mini trucks

[RoyJackson]

I bought my mini 3 years ago and its the most useful piece of equipment I own after the B26. I can carry logs, gravel and a mountain of branches. I carry 2000 lbs of water in that thing with no problems. No more dumping half the bucket of dirt on the ground. Got a closed cab with heat and AC. If you plan to go offroad get one with a rear difflock like me. Stock they dont articulate well so off camber offroad is not their strength. In some states you can even hit the road with it.

What brand?

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I like them and I would have one if they were appropriately priced. But they're so expensive.

Compared to what? When I picked up mine, it was used with 21,000-km on the clock. And cost about a third the cost of a used side by side. Haven’t checked prices in a while. I know they have gone up some. Look for a low km used one. New ones are overpriced.

If you decide to buy one, look for ones which have a dump or scissors/dump bed. They are considerably easier to work on. The regular beds have a 20X28-inch hole to access the top of the engine. The dump and scissors/dump beds, you just raise the bed in dump mode, and take off the engine protection plate, and you have good access to the engine. Much easier to work on.

The Suzuki and Daihatsu units are the easiest to get most parts for, and a bit easier to work on.

And depending on what set up you get they are pretty solid offroad. They can be had with locking rear differentials. Mine has an electrically locking rear diff, which can be engaged independently. It has a five speed manual transmission, and two range transfer case. The 4wd, with both axles locked, can be engaged in high range with a switch on the dash, but disengages in 4th and 5th gear. Shifting into low range, engages the 4wd in all gears, and locks everything up.

I invested in three sets of tires, and wheels. Mud and Snow for summer, Mud and Snow with studs, for winter, and a set of ATV tires for playing in the woods. It has pretty good traction. I plow with it in the winter, and have a brand new set of chains, that have been bouncing around in the tool box for five years now. I bought them when I first got the plow, thinking I would need them. But, I have never slipped, and have never put the chains on the truck, other than once when I first bought them to make sure they fit, and didn’t hit anything.

With out the plow it has a perfect 50/50 weight balance front to rear. if I mount the plow it adds a lot of weight to the front, and eases the back. So I carry 6 @ 80-lbs of concrete in the back over the rear wheels, to bring it back to a 50/50 distribution.

I drive a variety of UTVs and ATVs at work. I haven’t driven any of them I prefer over my Hijet.

When comparing UTVs and Minitrucks, it is important to remember that the mintruck are designed to be used as farm and construction vehicles. And for utilty use around an acreage, are very hard to beat.

My tiny dump truck, and the ATV dump trailer I use with it, are the perfect compliment for my sub compact utility tractor.

 

[fatjay]

Compared to what? When I picked up mine, it was used with 21,000-km on the clock. And cost about a third the cost of a used side by side. Haven’t checked prices in a while. I know they have gone up some. Look for a low km used one. New ones are overpriced.

If you decide to buy one, look for ones which have a dump or scissors/dump bed. They are considerably easier to work on. The regular beds have a 20X28-inch hole to access the top of the engine. The dump and scissors/dump beds, you just raise the bed in dump mode, and take off the engine protection plate, and you have good access to the engine. Much easier to work on.

The Suzuki and Daihatsu units are the easiest to get most parts for, and a bit easier to work on.

And depending on what set up you get they are pretty solid offroad. They can be had with locking rear differentials. Mine has an electrically locking rear diff, which can be engaged independently. It has a five speed manual transmission, and two range transfer case. The 4wd, with both axles locked, can be engaged in high range with a switch on the dash, but disengages in 4th and 5th gear. Shifting into low range, engages the 4wd in all gears, and locks everything up.

I invested in three sets of tires, and wheels. Mud and Snow for summer, Mud and Snow with studs, for winter, and a set of ATV tires for playing in the woods. It has pretty good traction. I plow with it in the winter, and have a brand new set of chains, that have been bouncing around in the tool box for five years now. I bought them when I first got the plow, thinking I would need them. But, I have never slipped, and have never put the chains on the truck, other than once when I first bought them to make sure they fit, and didn’t hit anything.

With out the plow it has a perfect 50/50 weight balance front to rear. if I mount the plow it adds a lot of weight to the front, and eases the back. So I carry 6 @ 80-lbs of concrete in the back over the rear wheels, to bring it back to a 50/50 distribution.

I drive a variety of UTVs and ATVs at work. I haven’t driven any of them I prefer over my Hijet.

When comparing UTVs and Minitrucks, it is important to remember that the mintruck are designed to be used as farm and construction vehicles. And for utilty use around an acreage, are very hard to beat.

My tiny dump truck, and the ATV dump trailer I use with it, are the perfect compliment for my sub compact utility tractor.

I'm on the east coast, you can get total beaters for 5k, decent ones for 12k, or a 90's ranger or f150 is about $1500. Cheaper if it's a farm truck.

 

[Saitcho]

What brand?

Suzuki carry DA63T 2003.With efi and a timing chain.

 

[houska]

I (now) know someone with a mini. Extremely capable machine, in many ways more so than my Mule. But that's now that they've heavily customized it, with off-road tires, lift kit, and a winch in particular.

Without those customizations, I wouldn't dare take it onto wet ground like I do with my Mule.

All that being said, one thing to be very conscious of is cab size, especially if you (or anyone in your family) is tall. My friend with the mini is 5'6". Works great for them. I'm 6'4" and need to heavily corrugate myself to fit in, and am stiff as heck after riding in it. I researched minis heavily a few years ago, thinking they were a great solution for my needs. I just wish I had found the opportunity to crawl into one earlier, to figure out it might be a great machine, but just isn't going to work for people like me.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I (now) know someone with a mini. Extremely capable machine, in many ways more so than my Mule. But that's now that they've heavily customized it, with off-road tires, lift kit, and a winch in particular.

Without those customizations, I wouldn't dare take it onto wet ground like I do with my Mule.

All that being said, one thing to be very conscious of is cab size, especially if you (or anyone in your family) is tall. My friend with the mini is 5'6". Works great for them. I'm 6'4" and need to heavily corrugate myself to fit in, and am stiff as heck after riding in it. I researched minis heavily a few years ago, thinking they were a great solution for my needs. I just wish I had found the opportunity to crawl into one earlier, to figure out it might be a great machine, but just isn't going to work for people like me.

Several manufacturers make “jumbo” versions, with the roof raised 3 or 4-inches, and longer cabs, stretched about 6-inches which you loose off the bed length, dropping from 2-meters (6.5-ft) to 1.875-m (6-ft).

 

[houska]

Several manufacturers make “jumbo” versions, with the roof raised 3 or 4-inches, and longer cabs, stretched about 6-inches which you loose off the bed length, dropping from 2-meters (6.5-ft) to 1.875-m (6-ft).

Interesting! I'll have to keep a better eye out for those. Back when I was looking, I came across (online, not in person) one jumbo, which did have a stretched cab but *behind the seats* rather than more legroom. And no mention of the roof being raised. So I didn't pay much attention (or explore if the seat/legroom could be reconfigured).

Might definitely make a difference for bigger guys like me.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Interesting! I'll have to keep a better eye out for those. Back when I was looking, I came across (online, not in person) one jumbo, which did have a stretched cab but *behind the seats* rather than more legroom. And no mention of the roof being raised. So I didn't pay much attention (or explore if the seat/legroom could be reconfigured).

Might definitely make a difference for bigger guys like me.

Daihatsu uses teh van seat track which can go further to the rear. One of the guys on the minitruck forum a few years back, added a hint on the front of the tracks, when he moved his tracks back. So, he could still get the seat base tipped to access teh engine. Honda are mid engine, and Subarus are rear engine, but they didn’t make extended/jumbo cabs.

There was a fairly large dealer in Ontario who kept quite a few in stock, it might be worth tracking them down if they’re still in business and see what they have in stock.

 

[YanmarFever]

We have owned this Daihatsu for 10 yrs, its a 4x4 deck van with a back seat for the kidos and terriers.
Not much room in the bed with the tool box, but after all its a farm truck / rolling tool box!

 

[houska]

Several manufacturers make “jumbo” versions, with the roof raised 3 or 4-inches, and longer cabs, stretched about 6-inches which you loose off the bed length, dropping from 2-meters (6.5-ft) to 1.875-m (6-ft).

I followed up (out of curiosity more than serious intent right now...I went and bought a UTV two years ago and am happy with it) with one of the middlemen importers. He confirmed there are jumbos as above, but he hasn't seen one with a dump bed.

Of course, he may just not have seen one. And I suppose a dump could be retrofitted to the smaller bed length. But it seems what would make it worthwhile for me - jumbo *AND* 4WD with diff lock, dump bed, lift kit - is starting to be so heavily customized to not be cost effective. I will continue opportunistically looking (never say never) but just sharing my experience.