yamaha kodiak setup

[ArlyA]

We are assembling a 2018, 700 Yamaha Kodiak which we use for towing snow implements and a mower. We do about 300 hour per season doing this. The mower towing business is pretty insignificant in volume. So far its had heated grips and throttle added, front and rear tool box and windshield. And as seen in the photos is a rear box and light pole. That's for a amber strobe and 2 LED lights. The rear tool box is a MTM ammo box that we really, really like. Later a whole bunch of wiring will need to go on it. Also are Kimplex Commander track pods which are on order. What I'm I forgetting? Oh yes the fender flares.

If anyone has interested in seeing this get put together, please let me know.

 

[ArlyA]

More devices have been added to this machine. This front rack is to carry class II fuel cans and a 25lbs standard barbell weight. We work these machines rather hard and can drain the tank in less than 3 hours, so we normally bring extra fuel along. So the front racks we built keeps the front weighted, both fuel and the barbell weight which keeps the front down and us steering the machine in the right direction... The rear weight rack is not normally used but in case we need to remove weight from an implement, so we have somewhere to carry it back on.. All these items I built since they are not manufactured by anyone.

 

[airbiscuit]

So, are you mowing and grooming trails?

 

[ArlyA]

We'll put about 300 hour per season on this machine. Its used to mow as well but that's insignificant in time.

 

[airbiscuit]

You still haven't described what you are doing. Are you pulling a groomer - rough cut mower? Attach pics of the implements.

 

[ArlyA]

Kodiak which we use for towing snow implements

 

[WilliamBos]

So these are still absolute fuel hogs? Yamaha needs to address this.

Nice set up, keep the pics coming.

 

[ArlyA]

Well sure, I guess we could call it a "fuel hog". Nonetheless, we operate it much of the time, near its maximum HP output. I don't operate it (we have a grizzly which is now semi retired) as much as my cohort does. But it does get ran at high levels of HP which I'd surmise make ones fuel mileage go south. I'm not an expert of such things. Seems that normal users go for long periods of time with its 6+ gallon fuel tank. I do wish we could have got something with a larger engine, like the Can-am Outlander.....

So these are still absolute fuel hogs? Yamaha needs to address this.

Nice set up, keep the pics coming.

 

[ArlyA]

Here is a few photos I personally like. This is our "now retired" grizzly.

You still haven't described what you are doing. Are you pulling a groomer - rough cut mower? Attach pics of the implements.

 

[ArlyA]

Kimplex Commander pods arrived today.

 

[bspeedy]

Why was the grizzly retired?

 

[ArlyA]

We wore its engine out and spent $$$$$$ repairing it. What we do is quite had on tow machines so we schedule to have them replaced in 5 years.

 

[ArlyA]

New pods might be going on shortly. We got 5" to 8" of white stuff here today and it will continue to fall.:thumbsup:

 

[ArlyA]

Our brand spanking new Kodiak was put into the field and we have received snow here. Snow control fender flaps remain to be added, but that will get done later. Ops! At least one photo is a grizzly.

 

[dfkrug]

We wore its engine out and spent $$$$$$ repairing it. What we do is quite had on
tow machines so we schedule to have them replaced in 5 years.

When you say, wear out the engine, what exactly fails?

My experience in repair/resto of all brands of ATVs it that the engines are good for many
thousands of hours if maintained properly. Other parts of the quads are usually long gone
before the engine is toast.

If you do 300h per year, does your machine get 1-2 oil and filter changes per year?

 

[ArlyA]

Yes, we do 2 oil changes per season, plus we do not skip maintenance in order save $$$. We have nearly all there service done at the locale Yamaha dealership and the engine started to knock, and they said it wasn't worth repairing. I can't tell you what the knocking was from but it sounded like a rod bearing to me. (unprofessional opinion) My cohort is a school trained power sports, mechanic type who's been wonderful to have around and he also said that's what it sounds like. For our tow machine replacements we cycle them at 6 year intervals, but found that we work our atv's so hard, we needed to do them in 5 years. We also hope to get larger HP and CC ones for the next replacement cycle. We can't get 1.5 years of service from there CV belts!!

This might be hard for sport users to imagine, but we operate them at high percentages of there max HP for much of there time. This is why we need to go to larger engines. Hope that helps!

When you say, wear out the engine, what exactly fails?
My experience in repair/resto of all brands of ATVs it that the engines are good for many
thousands of hours if maintained properly. Other parts of the quads are usually long gone
before the engine is toast. If you do 300h per year, does your machine get 1-2 oil and filter changes per year?

 

[ArlyA]

as seen working today

Taken while out today. I've been working daily for over two weeks now. Good news is snow will shut down for a a day. We rolled over 75" today for the season.

 

[ArlyA]

As stated above, this had been a good machine but a tad short on HP. We're getting a more powerful ATV this fall and we'll delegate this machine to easier towing job. I should add its a 1000 Outlander we'll be purchasing.