new memeber from the UP of MI (USA)

[ArlyA]

Hi, I'm relativity new here and reside in the upper peninsula of MI.. We do get snow here. We use sleds, ATVs and UTVs for working in snow plus in the fall for trail care and construction on our ski trails. About 8 years ago, we purchased a 700 Rhino, equipped it with pods (you call tracks) cab and started using it over the winter but more heavily in the fall for doing trail work.. Shortly after that, we purchased a 700 Grizzly and equipped it for winter use and really only use it over the winter for towing implements. This past fall we retired the Rhino (ak sold) and purchased a Can-am Defender HD10 because we have a good dealer here AND the Rhino was quite short on HP while working in snow. The defender has considerably more HP. Not sure if anyone here has an interest in this type of work or machines.. I note in the reviews, they have not been updated in some time.......
--
Arlyn Aronson
Chief of bottle washing, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, Hancock MI.
The adventure dog's blog The Trail Mutt Reports
KNSC web page. Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club | Promoting the sport of cross country skiing in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan..

 

[dan ny escarpment]

Hi, I'm relativity new here and reside in the upper peninsula of MI.. We do get snow here. We use sleds, ATVs and UTVs for working in snow plus in the fall for trail care and construction on our ski trails. About 8 years ago, we purchased a 700 Rhino, equipped it with pods (you call tracks) cab and started using it over the winter but more heavily in the fall for doing trail work.. Shortly after that, we purchased a 700 Grizzly and equipped it for winter use and really only use it over the winter for towing implements. This past fall we retired the Rhino (ak sold) and purchased a Can-am Defender HD10 because we have a good dealer here AND the Rhino was quite short on HP while working in snow. The defender has considerably more HP. Not sure if anyone here has an interest in this type of work or machines.. I note in the reviews, they have not been updated in some time....... -- Arlyn Aronson Chief of bottle washing, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, Hancock MI. The adventure dog's blog The Trail Mutt Reports KNSC web page. Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club | Promoting the sport of cross country skiing in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan..

Welcome, you're lucky, the Keweenaw is a very beautiful place, been there in the "other" season of the year, and have always wanted to go back. Have spent a fair amount of time in the eastern UP, always great memories, annual pilgrimages to the UP from Ohio were always a blast where ever we went, our family has been going for more than 60 years on and off. We've talked about spending a winter there once retired, but not sure the snow here off the southern lakes is enough to prepare us for that.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the TBN forum Arlyn. Sure, we like it all. Do you have need for a tractor at some time in the future?
I went through the UP many times for work up in Sault Ste Marie back when I worked Level-1 and Level-2 computers for an engineering firm. Beautiful country up there.

 

[symphony]

Welcome!

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the CanAm Defender HD10. The HD10 was on my short list of UTVs under consideration but have yet to see one with the integrated cab. I'm leaning towards the RTV X1100C and will likely fit it with Camoplast T4S tracks for winter use. High on my needs list is an integrated cab that is well sealed to keep out the elements. I believe only the RTV and HD10 are the only manufacturers that offer an integrated cab. The HD10 has a very nice interior with many nice features but is lacking AC. Only other downside is that the HD10 has a CVT and not sure how it would hold up under the stresses of a track system?

If you have the cabbed model of the HD10 I would be interested in your opinion on how well it seals out the elements and if you've experienced any leaks?

 

[ArlyA]

Thanks mddorange. We are (that is, our club) is looking at the John Deere 4044r to help us with trail work. We need to scrounge up the $$$ but I'll predict it will happen in the next 1.5 years.

:welcome:
To the TBN forum Arlyn. Sure, we like it all. Do you have need for a tractor at some time in the future?
I went through the UP many times for work up in Sault Ste Marie back when I worked Level-1 and Level-2 computers for an engineering firm. Beautiful country up there.

 

[David P]

Welcome to TBN!!!

Just another troll.

 

[ArlyA]

Symphony, When we operated our Rhino in the winter which did not have a heater. We normally ran it with the windshield cracked open. Its mid engine did produce much heat. Why are you wondering about the cab leakage?? But then in the summer, we ran with the windshield fully up, tooooo much heat. So with that history, we care little about the cab being well sealed.

I should add that we received the HD10 very early in there production, so we could not get it with a complete cab, heater and other components as we wanted. We are still waiting on a glass windshield, wiper, hard doors and yes a heater. Maybe we should start a thread just about the HD10??? We do like it but should add, we did have belt overheating grief but we got that repaired and appropriately cooled. I'm not sure want you plans to do with your pods mounted, but we do work machines hard and we've had this engine at its max. On that subject, we've had poor luck with Camplast pods and not get them again. Hope that helps!

Welcome!
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the CanAm Defender HD10. The HD10 was on my short list of UTVs under consideration but have yet to see one with the integrated cab. I'm leaning towards the RTV X1100C and will likely fit it with Camoplast T4S tracks for winter use. High on my needs list is an integrated cab that is well sealed to keep out the elements. I believe only the RTV and HD10 are the only manufacturers that offer an integrated cab. The HD10 has a very nice interior with many nice features but is lacking AC. Only other downside is that the HD10 has a CVT and not sure how it would hold up under the stresses of a track system?

If you have the cabbed model of the HD10 I would be interested in your opinion on how well it seals out the elements and if you've experienced any leaks?

 

[symphony]

Very good to hear feedback on the HD10 as they are quite new machines. I've yet to see one with a full factory cab and was interested on how well it all fits together. We get a good variety of weather from deep and wet snow in the winter to torrential downpours in the spring and so if I'm going to spend $20K + on a UTV with a cab, I want it to be well sealed and not leak. I must be getting too old and fussy as I like to be warm and dry in the winter and cool and dry in the summer as I'm out doing the chores. I had a look at a Pioneer 1000 with the hard cab option and there were gaping holes where the windshield met the roof and hood. Unacceptable in my view for such an expensive machine. The heater, controls and vents looked like an afterthought.

There were some reports I read of the HD10 CVT vent clogging as a result of the tracks throwing up snow but I understand that CanAm fixed the problem by adding another vent that draws air from inside the cab? I'm not as keen on a machine with a CVT belt but they are relatively easy to replace if necessary. The definite advantage of the HD10 over the RTV is the HP and higher top speed however both could use a properly locking front differential. Tough choice choosing one over the other as each machine has very unique attributes.

Symphony, When we operated our Rhino in the winter which did not have a heater. We normally ran it with the windshield cracked open. Its mid engine did produce much heat. Why are you wondering about the cab leakage?? But then in the summer, we ran with the windshield fully up, tooooo much heat. So with that history, we care little about the cab being well sealed.

I should add that we received the HD10 very early in there production, so we could no get the complete cab, heater and other components as we wanted. We are still waiting on a glass windshield, wiper, hard doors and yes a heater. Maybe we should start a thread just about the HD10??? We do like it but should add, we did have belt overheating grief but we got that repaired and appropriately cooled. I'm not sure want you plans to do with your pods mounted, but we do work machines hard and we've had this engine at its max. On that subject, we've had poor luck with Camplast pods and not get them again. Hope that helps!

 

[mddorange]

Thanks mddorange. We are (that is, our club) is looking at the John Deere 4044r to help us with trail work. We need to scrounge up the $$$ but I'll predict it will happen in the next 1.5 years.

We ALL love pictures of everything. What you have now and anything you get later.

 

[Al Mac]

Welcome to the forum. I am always interested in learning from others and what makes things work for them.
After reading many posts about the UTV' I was wanting to try one out so last Christmas I rented a Kubota 1100. As the holidays were around a weekend we had it for 5 days for a weekend rental.
We all had a go at it ( myself,wife, chrildren, grand kids) it was well used. It was just the ticket to keep everyone busy (small kids and big ones to) over the holidays.

We enjoy photos here. A photo is still worth a thousand words for me.

Al