RTV vs. Small pickup

[Highsmith]

RTVs look like a lot of fun. But I don't understand spending the same amount of money that would cover a used small pickup.

The only reason I have heard that justifies the expense is for the hunter needing to access places that the truck is too wide for.

Can y'all provide uses for the RTV on a farm/ranch that could not be met by a Toyota truck? Perhaps a huge savings on fuel?

 

[darkday]

mobility, fun, hydraulics, dump bed, etc.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

well i mini truck will go faster and more places and as for as a dump bed goes you can rig up some air rams pretty easy on a bed of a pickup truck.so for the price of an rtv or a toyota 4x4 i think i would take a toyota 4x4 or a nissan but i would get something that isn't new that way if you bump a tree it won't matter.and the truck can be driven on the road . but then again if i had a truck i would want a toy too .lol

 

[archerynut]

I am able to hunt far more places since I had gotten my ATV a couple of years ago. Around here there are tons of places that a truck won't go that a ATV/RTV will go. Another question would be, why buy a more expensive RTV or UTV rather than a less expensive ATV? Well, its all about the toys I suppose. Also getting animals out of the field is considerable easier for one person when an ATV is involved.

 

[riptides]

RTVs look like a lot of fun. But I don't understand spending the same amount of money that would cover a used small pickup.

The only reason I have heard that justifies the expense is for the hunter needing to access places that the truck is too wide for.

Can y'all provide uses for the RTV on a farm/ranch that could not be met by a Toyota truck? Perhaps a huge savings on fuel?

I am fortunate enough to have both. The RTV is hands down the MOST used and versitile vehicle on our place.

Everyone uses it, that means kids too. They cannot drive my stick shift truck yet, nor would I want them too. They help out with the chores and the RTV is the vehicle they use.

My fuel sources are different so there is no comparison. Although the RTV seems to never need diesel.

The dump bed, "three" seater ability, 4x4, pulling power and rugged stable feel make it the differentiator against the truck. For MY needs.

Good luck in your choice.

-Mike Z.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

get both. lol. i have a utv and i want a small truck too. so if i had a small truck i would probably want a utv too. so i would sugest get a utv and find a cheap old nissan or toyota 4x4 .i always wanted a yota-4x4 i would try to find a eraly 90's model they are about the smallest even the late 80's in you can they still have plenty down here running around that are in new condition and they are just about the smallest your gonna get.to me the newer they get the wider they get.but if you need a news-on-wheels magazine let me know i'll see if i can get it too you. they have some nice 4x4's in there here is the website for the book they don't have a whole lot of trucks on the website but the magazine is loaded. NEWS ON WHEELS i don't know where you live so it might be a good deal on atv's and utvs in there driving wise.

 

[darkday]

I have two trucks and a gator HPX... Guess what gets used all the time ? The only thing a truck is good for that a gator can't do (and do better) is go to town to get things or pull something on the highway for a good distance.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

well to me an hpx is better than a rtv it can go alot more places them rtv's seems to sink in the mud .they don't have to many of them down here they are mainly a worker/hauler. now my buddy has a yota that can follow me on the trails even in the woods as long as you don't go over board with big wide tires you are ok. most places are outlawing trucks on trails but with the utv's i think they will start to alowe them back on again because some of the mini trucks are not that much wider i'm gonna try and get a o.d measurement of my buddys truck and see what it is he has some moderate size tires on it .but when i pull my hpx up to it they look pretty close to the same size just maybe my turning radius is better. but if your lookin for just a working thing around the house or farm and there are no trail riding or joy riding get a utv like a rtv but if you wanna hit some trails get something like a hpx or the new xuv they are faster than the rtv. they say the xuv does 30mph but i turned my screw down under my gas pedal and my hpx does 30mph too i just gotta do some tinkering with the govenor and get the rest of the umf!! and i'll be up to 35mph or 37mph. but what ever you choose i think you will enjoy it. oh highlifter is working on a lift kit for the mule and it will fit on the hpx and it will be able to raise it anywere's from 5" to 14" and it has a gear reduction built into it so you can turn some 35" truck tires and the engine will not even know it. it's still being tested but you will be able to see it at the mud nationals they are going to put the first kit on a mule transport.they say it's for a solid rear axle utv or atv but they will have one out soon for a irs utv. so that's something to look for in the future too.

 

[darkday]

Jesus 35" tires! That can't help accel with all that weight...

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

???? he makes a gear reduction that mounts in the lift kit. here's a link to the thread if you wanna follow it . right now he's just got pictures of some of the 4 wheelers he done and some pictures of what the mule is gonna look like when it's done . i'm selling my 04 and looking for a 07 or 06 hpx. i don't want the xuv i like my solid rear axle.lol . i lol. i follow right behind the toyotas and i don't get stuck if it bottoms out in the rear i just let the front drag the rearend. maybe in a year or two i'll get a xuv but as for right now i think they need to fix alot of stuff on them to much stuff is wide open them rear cv boots are wide open the engine is askin for a bruisin and the clutch enclosure is begging for a stump or stick to go right through it..i figure they will figure all that out in the first year and fix it . but check out the link on the mule and the lift kit .i can imagine my hpx with a 12"lift .lol

UtilityOffRoad.com Message Board - Muleasaurus Wrecks...

 

[darkday]

When you add weight to tires/wheels (read unsprung weight) you're going to significantly slow things down. For instance I had some 24-25 pound tires on my car last year (vs 18 or so stock) and I could feel a decent slow down. The tires were the same outer diameter as well.

That said I would really like the have a 4-wheel like he has. That T-rex thing half way down the page is amazing.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

yes but if you make a gear reduction in a lift kit to compensate for the big tires then it will be like your turning the same small tires . thats what his t-rex kit does too.the tire you ghanged on your car were different you just changed tires you didn't changes gears he's lowering the gear ratio on the lift kit now you might wear down the brake pads faster stopping but as for as take off power you won't notice any diference it's just like if you put 44"mud tires on a 4x4 truck and you change the gears in the transmission to match them you still have all the power to turn them because you dropped down the gear ratio . .

i wanna see the mule transport with the 33"and the 14"lift thats gonna be wicked.i would like to see my hpx with 14"lift too.lol i just removed the rest of the lift kit ut of my hpx and i'm getting it ready to sell.after i sell it i'll probably take a step back for a week or too and look at all the utv's and decide me and the wife passed in front of the ranger dealer on the way out to eat tonight and they had a few 700xp's out there . i sure would like to just try one for a year or too.

 

[darkday]

Oh I was thinking the gear reduction kit was so you kept the same gearing not to compensate for the added weight. Well then your stuck with a slower top speed

But really if you got one of these for rock crawling or the sorts who cares about speed ?

 

[keving]

I bought a small toyota pickup to replace the RTV and now I find that I'm going to keep both! Nice financial decision... I bought the truck ($4K) to replace the RTV ($15.5K). My wife, kids and even I just "like" driving the RTV out in the woods and around the property. We also like the ability to drive the toyota around to augment the RTV during wood cutting season. My 15 year old has been driving toyota around on the trails to get familiar with driving a stick.

For now, I'm keeping both!

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

Oh I was thinking the gear reduction kit was so you kept the same gearing not to compensate for the added weight. Well then your stuck with a slower top speed

But really if you got one of these for rock crawling or the sorts who cares about speed ?

yes from what i understand the gear reduction is to compensate for the added wieght and size of tire it's so you can still keep up you average speed without doing harm or bogging down the engine. from watcking the mud bogs them machines sure ain't any slower..

and Keving.. i knew the toyota would fit on most of the same trials as the rtv because we would ride the toyotas and nissans on the same trails as the utvs and 4 wheelers down here . it's just sometimes you gotta do some hard turning in the corners but i wish i had both like you i could use a little 4x4 truck too.

 

[darkday]

What I want to do is take an old 4 wheeler and put some tractor tires on em. But that would probably end up costing a ton.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

put you some of these . i bet the hpx would bite in some mud with these too.



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