Need utility Side by Side

[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.