RTV - vs- Yamaha Pro Hauler1000 -vs- Mini Truck?

Bob_Skurka · Feb 1, 2005

For the past year I've been kicking around buying some sort of a utility vehicle for the property.

There are some "needs" and there are some "wants" and then there are the "fun" factors to consider and I'm simply confused to the point where I think I need to buy 2 different machines, but the lovely Mrs_Bob will have none of that so I either need to make a choice to buy one, or hold off and get nothing now.

Here is what I've come up with. From the pure work standpoint, the best choice seems to be a Japanese Mini-Truck Picture of Japanese Mini Truck . The mini-truck will carry about 2000#, it is 4wd, fairly small but obviously larger than the largest of the utility vehicles. For work I rate it a 10, for fun I'd give it a Minus 2. Being a used import, parts may be an issue.

The Kubota RTV. I like it better than the Mule, so I dismiss the Mule entirely. The Kubota seems to be a reasonable compromise between work and fun. It has a reasonable payload, but could easily be overloaded. The RTVs have a limited fun factor to them but from my testing sure aren't going to get the blood boiling. It seems unstoppable and is obviously well built. For work I rate it about a 6, for fun I'd give it a 2.

The last option is the Yamaha Pro Hauler 1000. I think this one pretends to be a work unit but really is pretty limited, it has a 500# capacity bed so there is no real way to dump a bucket of dirt into it. It also pretends to be a fun unit, but certainly is not a Rhino, although it has more capacity than the Rhino. I'd rate it a 4 for work and a 4 for fun. The BIGGEST advantage I see with the Pro Hauler is that the lovely Mrs_Bob will see its shortcomings as a work machine and will realize we need something that is more capable, thus leading to the purchase of something that is more work oriented like the mini-truck.

Help.

flyingn · Feb 1, 2005

one word. RTV.. No contest..

bczoom · Feb 1, 2005

( It has a reasonable payload, but could easily be overloaded.)

Bob,

In what way can you overload the RTV?

In comparison to the mini-truck, yes, the box is smaller although I don't recall the truck box size.

I too am interested in the mini trucks but would really like to get a first-hand account on its capabilities.
How much weight can the hyd. dump really handle?
How powerful is the engine?
Can it handle rough terrain (hills, deep water, mud...)
How easy is ingress/egress from the cab?

I really can't tell how the mini-truck would work "off road" but think they would probably be great for medium to light terrain and yard work.

Bob_Skurka · Feb 1, 2005

In what way can you overload the RTV? 

Try dumping two bucket loads of dirt into the back of the RTV, it will be well over the rated capacity of the unit, and farther over the capacity of the hydraulic dump.

As for the mini-truck. I've ridden in them and for as tiny as they are, they are amazingly spaceous. The are easy to get in/out of without any problem, but having doors makes anything harder than any that doesn't have doors. As for the capacities of the beds, they can carry up to a ton, easily twice what an RTV can carry. Can they dump a ton? Truthfully I don't know.

As for the other questions, the RTV will go places the mini-truck won't go but the mini-truck will go to a lot of places, it will drive modestly rough terrain and climb a reasonable hill. I don't know how well it would do at crossing streams or pulling itself out of deep mud, but then again, I'm looking at using this on my property to help maintain it and to build the landscaping futher. I'm not looking for a hunting vehicle, I'm not looking to drive down wooded paths at 40 miles per hour. I suspect it would fall short on those types of tasks.

I also suspect that if I had a RTV I'd make a few runs throught the woods, and I strongly suspect that if I had a Pro Hauler I would run around even more. I doubt that I would do much more than meander at slow speed in the mini-truck, but it would help me do a lot more than the RTV in terms of work and it would only cost 50% of the price.

Mini-truck = Lots more practicality, not much fun.
RTV = less work, more hours to do the same tasks, but has some fun potential.

TYPICAL TASKS would be hauling mulch, trees and dirt. I bring home mulch by the palletload. 75 bags per pallet, typically I bring home about 12 pallets every year. I could easily load a full pallet on the mini-truck. The Pro-Hauler could probably take a dozen bags. The RTV maybe 25 bags?

Dirt, again, roughly 2000# on the mini-truck. About a bucket load on the RTV. Not even worth the effort with the Pro Hauler. And if the RTV will only carry 1 bucket load of dirt, then why not just scoop it up and drive the tractor back and forth?

Trees, shrubs, landscape stones, etc. All 3 could carry and move these things, all 3 are subject to the weight limitations. A ProHauler might be able to carry one decent size tree with a rootball. A RTV could probably carry 2 of the same size trees. A mini-truck could carry a couple trees and some dirt and some mulch too.

So there is NO QUESTION what the PRACTICAL choice would be. On the other hand, I suspect the lovely Mrs_Bob whould prefer driving around in the smallest of the units as she would find it easy so that would be the ProHauler. I suspect the RTV would be just as easy/comfortable for her as well. The mini-truck has a manual transmission and is crude by comparison so she might shy away from that completely? But who knows. . .

However with all the practical applications, there is not much fun in the mini-truck. It is not the type of thing to take out to drive along the farm fields on a nice spring day or go running through the woods just for the fun of it.

bczoom · Feb 1, 2005

Never tried dirt in my RTV box but it easily dumps as many chunks of firewood I can fit inside. (Probably 1200#).

Others (flyingn, Dargo...) have hauled a lot with theirs.

Check this out. hauling with a RTV

I went back to the replies in your original mini-truck thread and so far, there's no confirmation that the mini can dump more than 1000#. Yep, you can fit 2 loads of dirt in but you may need to shovel some out... We need Darin to confirm what these things can lift.

Not digging on the mini at all as I'm on the list to get one myself. I just wish we knew more about them...

With the possible exception of 2 bucket loads of dirt in the mini-truck box (which we're not yet sure if it can dump), for what else do you need a large box? The mulch and stuff is on pallets so I assume you open and dump bags individually.

Where I'm going with this is... a trailer?!?!?

I use my RTV constantly but it's quite common for me to have a trailer in tow. I have 6 trailers that I use strictly for off-road and yard use. Most are 4x8' or 5x6' or that general size.

Firewood - load on the trailer, pull it up to the house and disconnect.

Leaves - grab one with tall sides on it and load it up... take to the compost pile.

Mulch (for you) - load the pallet(s) on the trailer and haul around. Quit anytime by just disconnecting the trailer. (Or load some on the trailer and drop it off for Mrs. Bob to work that area while you take the RTV with another load elsewhere).

Cutting firewood - throw the logs on the trailer. I use several trailers for this. Fill a trailer, take to the wood pile, disconnect and grab another trailer. Later, unload and stack from the trailer.

Bales of hay - easier to clean off a trailer bed. The hay has a tendency of getting stuck in the rear cab grate of the RTV (or any little crevice of any vehicle)

Landscape Stone - can haul a lot of volume. Again, just disconnect whenever you want.

The list goes on and on. I guess (in my long-winded fashion) I'm saying the RTV is great but for volume and convenience I still use trailers a lot.

Brian

Bob_Skurka · Feb 1, 2005

Brian, I knew there was a reason I liked TBN. I never even considered a H.D. trailer behind one of these things. In fact I was trying to figure out a way to get rid of the crummy trailer I have now. But it would make a lot of sense to get a GOOD QUALITY H.D. trailer (especially if it had a hydraulic dump bed) to replace the light duty small junky one I own.

Now I have even more to think about.

bczoom · Feb 1, 2005

( Now I have even more to think about. )

Sorry...

OK... If we're going to talk trailers for a minute, I'll digress.

A couple things I found. Not sure if they apply to your application(s).

Although a few of mine have a tilt, I rarily use it. Not sure if it's from lack of need or the fact they're not hydro.

If you're only going to have 1 trailer, I'd probably get something with a bed of at least 32 sq/ft.

Tandem axle is a nice option, preferably with the axles centered front to back (the trailer then sits level without a tongue jack).

Watch out for wagon style (axles front and rear). They can be a bugger when backing up with a UTV or similar.

Make sure the tongue is long enough so if you make a tight turn, the corner doesn't hit the towing vehicle.

Sides are good, removable sides are better.

Get one of a size (height and/or width) that you can see when backing up.

Tires mounted under the bed are easier to work around. Ditto with lights (if you're going to keep them). All the fenders, light brackets... will inevitable be catching you in the shins.

Brian

riptides · Feb 1, 2005

( Try dumping two bucket loads of dirt into the back of the RTV, it will be well over the rated capacity of the unit, and farther over the capacity of the hydraulic dump.)

Some info for you. I have dumped 3 buckets of wet soil from my B7800/LA402 loader into the RTV. The wife then moved it off to another spot. The RTV did not have any problems dealing with that.

Also, perhaps your wife should go for a test drive? Mine did and the deal was done that day. She was really impressed with the unit.

In fact, she liked it so much, my truck ended up outside and the RTV is in the garage.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bob_Skurka · Feb 1, 2005

perhaps your wife should go for a test drive? 

She's been in several Mini-trucks, the RTV, and a Cub Cadet 6 wheeler. The easier the better is what she believes.

As for the capacity issues, I'm going with the rated/published capacities in the brochures we picked up. The RTV is theoretically overloaded with 2 scoops from the FEL. Now the fact that it will move that much doesn't really surprise me, most things are rated lower than they will carry, but most things will also be stressed over time from being over loaded. I'm not looking for something to drive around with, I'm more looking for something for hauling stuff. But Brian's concept of the RTV plus a trailer really has me thinking that might be a really good way to go.

Tractors4u · Feb 1, 2005

( Try dumping two bucket loads of dirt into the back of the RTV, it will be well over the rated capacity of the unit, and farther over the capacity of the hydraulic dump.
)

I figured that the dirt would be rolling off the sides before you could even get to the load capacity of the RTV.

See the link below for pictures of my Gator with electric dump loaded. It's electric dump works everytime.

Overloaded Gator?