New UTV

[gauthier]

Yeah,that front cargo thing is hard to open and close,but bet we could make it work better[over two years later and I ain't done it yet],,yeah,the choke needs to be used more often than you would think,if its cold,you pull that choke out and hold it all the way out,it chokes plus give it some throttle,book will tell you about it I think,,never use the manual dump except to raise bed to check motor and stuff,and being the handle is on passenger side,doesn't bother me for that,,,what you need now is a utv/atv trailer that goes on back after you put a ball hitch on back,I got one,holds more than bed,plastic tub,atv tires and it dumps,,,than you need to put you a rear work light on back[hard to back up in dark],some sides for your bed[rails or whatever,plus wife filled ours with leaves and sticks when we first got it,much of it went down tween front of bed and cab on to motor,,I made a rail for sides and put a piece of sheet metal on front to stop that,,,than you need a nice bycycle horn to blow at things on it[will think of more things you need later:laughing:]

 

[grnspot110]

I bought a new 550 Mule 11-12 years ago, $5000at that time. Been very happy with it! I take it to a dealer every 2-3 years & have them go through it, replace muffler once, brake cables & belt once, other than that just routine maintenance. Very good machines!!!! ~~ grnspot110

 

[JeffandTamara]

5 Hour Update:
The Mule is living up to expectations.. I do think it is a little under powered, and perhaps a little loud. I say this in comparison to my father's 6x4 diesel gator. Anyway, no buyer's regret so far.

Added a roof - $12.00 aluminum scrap
Windshield - $45 at Home depot and about $20 of hardware.
Still need to come up with some kind of clamp mechanism to hold the plexiglas down instead of the bungy cord prototype.

Next project is to figure out how to build some doors....Haven't seen anything out there that

 

[gauthier]

Those windshields frost up on both sides

 

[gauthier]

As far as the power,I kinda thought that till I had a couple hours on it,I live in the hills of w.v.,,and you put it in low range,,it will amaze you where it will go,,in one wheel drive! put it in two wheel drive[4wd] its hard to get stuck.

Also was a little worried about how low it was,,but its so short,it will go over some pretty good humps without bottom centering,

Handles fine on hard top to,,but you wouldn't want to be going any faster than it will let you....

Now if you get a strange rattle up front somewheres that you just can't figure out,,and you been running on gravel,,up front around the tires/shocks,theres some metal braces/flat bars where gravel gets and rattles

Wait till you change the oil filter.

 

[JeffandTamara]

gauthier:

Thanks for the insight about frost on both sides.... I suppose that is a problem w/any windshield?? or just the Plexiglass kind??? I am concered about scratches and such...but a few screws and it can be taken off.

Glad to know about the power, I will be getting a better feel in a few weeks, Will go to the woods with my trailer to cut some firewood... Got some hills to get up and down....

If anyone has ideas on how to build doors for the mule, I would appreciate it,,,I am at a loss. Just haven't been able to come up with a straight forward solution.

 

[gauthier]

How many times have you had frost on the inside of your car or truck windshield?:laughing:

 

[txdirtfisher]

Use the 3M dual lock fastener (velcro) for the windshield. You could hang a car from a tree with that stuff. Works great.

 

[JeffandTamara]

Velcro.....Duh!!!! Good idea!! At least worth a try.... Nothing lost if it doesn't work.....

Doors??? My wife thought some of the heavy clear vinyl shower curtain stuff might work.... I guess I am not ready for that,,, quite yet...

 

[txdirtfisher]

The 3M dual lock fastener is velcro, but it is velcro on steroids. Make sure you get the right thing. Comes in a box with 10 feet of type A and B. I use it for a ton of things and works perfect.

 

[Brokermike]

you will probably find that doors are not needed with a windshield. I had doors on my ranger and hated them. My 610 xc only has a windshield and roof, and even on the coldest days it is fine. Keep a small tarp in the hood and use it to cover the seat if it is snowing, just give it a quick shake and you'll have a dry seat when you get back in the mule to head home

 

[gauthier]

Well if you look around you can find all kinds of mule assesories,they ain't cheap though,Mines got a factory top,no windshield or doors,,,the only time you need a windshield is if you are running in the rain,I don't do that generally speaking,,they are more trouble than they are not trouble,,doors,,,why would you want doors?

 

[Redgoatea]

Our Gator came with PVC fabric doors. Took those straight off. Keeping the windshield and canopy though. 7

 

[gauthier]

Well,[because it was talked about on this thread],,,I finaly fixed the hood so I can open it and close it now easily on my mule, after three years of not easily,,,bought two mini hood latches from northern tool,,took those two factory hood hooks off,and put the mini hood latches on[the kind that have a rubber bungie like thing you streach a little and hook] works real good now,,[still don't have anything to put in it,but that will probably change.

 

[JeffandTamara]

Update:
Bought a cheap 3000# winch at a yard sale... I think it is a Harbor Freight special...Bolt pattern is 3" x 6". Is there enogh room inside a 610 mule to install this thing? Also, I don't see much of anything to bolt up too.. I suppose someone would sell adapter plates...Anybody tried this before....

Oh Yeah...a whopping 15.8 hrs on the Mule so far...pulled quite a few loads of wood to the house..handled the trailer pretty well. But, brakes going down a fairly steep hill seemed a little weak.. Just have to make to smaller loads....and More TRIPS...not a bad thing... Fuel consumption is what I consider pretty good...Used my first tank (4.1 gallons) at about 12 Hrs...

Grand kids love it. Not quite sure if that is a positive or not...yet...

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

i had an 04 hpx man it was a great workin machine too then i bought the 08 rhino and it was a smooth riding machine but couldn't really do alot of work. i upgraded the clutch to a mudder clutch kit with the white spring and put better tires on it now she pulls to good i done broke two motor mounts pulling a truck and 5th wheel out the mud. best thing is it's covered by the 5 year warranty.i break it they fix it.lol.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

here are some mud riding pics and yeas i got a ticket for one of them but sisne then i talked to the guy and it was a all ironed out.lmao

By hpx4x4man at 2009-08-01

By hpx4x4man at 2009-08-01

By hpx4x4man at 2009-05-16

By hpx4x4man at 2009-05-16

By hpx4x4man at 2009-05-16




IMG]http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4618/1007299.jpg[/IMG]
By hpx4x4man at 2009-05-16

By hpx4x4man at 2009-04-20

 

[two_bit_score]

Plenty of mud there my friend!

 

[Hawk J]

Howdy Folks.

In 2002 i bought my 1999 John Deere Gator 6x4 atv from United Rental fer $2500 buckaroos. I haven't had any problems. I've only changed the battery & two front tires. Have done regular maintenance myself.

She has the Kawa 18hp gas engine. When the engine is cold i startup easily by pulling the choke out, crank, starts up, push in choke.
I put Sta-Bil in my gas.

I use my Gator to haul firewood from by my logging roads.

Help with chores around my place.

Explore the BLM lands, look fer new fishin' holes, mine eyes behold new beautiful views :laughing:

I truly love my Gator. :thumbsup:

 

[jcmseven]

Though far from the best performing and off-roading UTV out there, the 6x4 Gator is tough to beat for utility and dependability. My neighbor is a tree farmer and does not do any really heavy off-roading. He needs something that can haul heavy loads on slick terrain safely and that will not give him trouble. The Gator is perfect for that. He has over 2000 hours on his and it looks horrible and beaten up, but still runs great and has given him zero trouble. These stories are pretty common.

John M