4 wheeler for work/rough conditions

[ddd75]

ddd75 what's wrong with the auto shift?

I have an 03 Rancher 350 that has been a great machine and it has the dreaded electronic shift. Its been over used and abused but keeps on ticking. The only replacement part has been a starter. The electronic shift angle sensor was done under a recall. Its now my spot spray rig.

I'd much rather have a CVT.. 1 single speed ..1 nice powerband..

no shifts.. no clunks.. not finding a gear. etc.. Just go..

EPS has all sorts of issues.. just type if in a google search and see for yourself.

I have a 2010 rancher and I do have 9k miles on it and its been a good quad. but I have had the angle sensor issues, computer issues, and shift issues. I just need to sell it and get a grizzly as I don't even ride it anymore.. all because I hate the shifting so much.

 

[ddd75]

i'd also like to point out that honda's new lineup of quads starting in around '16 are overpriced and optionless. The standard ranchers comes with a solid rear.. not IRS.. etc.. by the time you get it to be the same as my '10 rancher you're looking at over 6k. You can get a new Kodiak for around 6200 and a grizzly for a little more..

 

[greybeard]

I have ridden one just like that as I think it was an 87 also. They are good 4-wheelers. That one looks better than the 88 TRX I have. I bought it used and it looked like it had sat outside all its life. I painted the plastic and did what I could to help as new plastic is very expensive.

I and the prev owner both patched over breaks and cracks in the plastic on the fenders of this one. Used wide belting and pop riveted it in place.
Front end is a bit squirrelly...worn bushings and it doesn't help that the left rear tire is bigger than the right one.

 

[Atimm693]

ddd75 what's wrong with the auto shift?

I have an 03 Rancher 350 that has been a great machine and it has the dreaded electronic shift. Its been over used and abused but keeps on ticking. The only replacement part has been a starter. The electronic shift angle sensor was done under a recall. Its now my spot spray rig.

I'd much rather have a CVT.. 1 single speed ..1 nice powerband..

no shifts.. no clunks.. not finding a gear. etc.. Just go..

EPS has all sorts of issues.. just type if in a google search and see for yourself.

I have a 2010 rancher and I do have 9k miles on it and its been a good quad. but I have had the angle sensor issues, computer issues, and shift issues. I just need to sell it and get a grizzly as I don't even ride it anymore.. all because I hate the shifting so much.

I much prefer the CVT as well. Mostly because I don't care for Honda's rear brake handle button reverse doohickey.

 

[greybeard]

"Mostly because I don't care for Honda's rear brake handle button reverse doohickey."
I do find that kinda awkward.

 

[talltimber]

What do you use it for?

1 Honda foot shifts like mentioned
2 Kawasaki Prairies or Brute Forces

For 10K you could get a nice utv. There is no atv worth 10K IMO.

For the farm. Checking cows, check fence, feeding, hauling mineral feeders, etc. UTV is not agile enough for me here and the way I like to do. My wife wants one to ride around on. I don't have much time to just ride around. With a atv, I can pick a straight line and go where I want. I carry a fence insulator on the gun rack, and when I get to a single strand hot interior fence I use the insulator to raise the wire and shoot the atv under it, and I'm on my way. I dont go to the gaps when I'm on atv, takes too long. I have some woods and rough creeks to go though/cross. I borrowed Dads utv once when my bike was in the shop. It was nice to haul stuff, can carry a bigger tank and fencing gear, but I was spot spraying at the time and I can do a much faster and efficient job with an atv that I can stand up and spray on all three sides. I couldnt go some of the places on it that I could on my atv either, woods/creek crossings etc

I'm calving now and the cows are on a patch with taller grass. I almost run over a calf occasionally now. Cant see near as good on a utv.

 

[Lucky]

Really need one of each. They both have there place and it's a relatively small investment for as long as they last.

 

[Atimm693]

What do you use it for?

1 Honda foot shifts like mentioned
2 Kawasaki Prairies or Brute Forces

For 10K you could get a nice utv. There is no atv worth 10K IMO.

For the farm. Checking cows, check fence, feeding, hauling mineral feeders, etc. UTV is not agile enough for me here and the way I like to do. My wife wants one to ride around on. I don't have much time to just ride around. With a atv, I can pick a straight line and go where I want. I carry a fence insulator on the gun rack, and when I get to a single strand hot interior fence I use the insulator to raise the wire and shoot the atv under it, and I'm on my way. I dont go to the gaps when I'm on atv, takes too long. I have some woods and rough creeks to go though/cross. I borrowed Dads utv once when my bike was in the shop. It was nice to haul stuff, can carry a bigger tank and fencing gear, but I was spot spraying at the time and I can do a much faster and efficient job with an atv that I can stand up and spray on all three sides. I couldnt go some of the places on it that I could on my atv either, woods/creek crossings etc

I'm calving now and the cows are on a patch with taller grass. I almost run over a calf occasionally now. Cant see near as good on a utv.

You can duck under limbs on an ATV. A UTV pulls them back so they whip you in the face.

 

[jltrent]

What do you use it for?

1 Honda foot shifts like mentioned
2 Kawasaki Prairies or Brute Forces

For 10K you could get a nice utv. There is no atv worth 10K IMO.

For the farm. Checking cows, check fence, feeding, hauling mineral feeders, etc. UTV is not agile enough for me here and the way I like to do. My wife wants one to ride around on. I don't have much time to just ride around. With a atv, I can pick a straight line and go where I want. I carry a fence insulator on the gun rack, and when I get to a single strand hot interior fence I use the insulator to raise the wire and shoot the atv under it, and I'm on my way. I dont go to the gaps when I'm on atv, takes too long. I have some woods and rough creeks to go though/cross. I borrowed Dads utv once when my bike was in the shop. It was nice to haul stuff, can carry a bigger tank and fencing gear, but I was spot spraying at the time and I can do a much faster and efficient job with an atv that I can stand up and spray on all three sides. I couldnt go some of the places on it that I could on my atv either, woods/creek crossings etc

I'm calving now and the cows are on a patch with taller grass. I almost run over a calf occasionally now. Cant see near as good on a utv.

You can duck under limbs on an ATV. A UTV pulls them back so they whip you in the face.

I couldn't get to a third of the places with a UTV on this mountain land that I can get to on an ATV. I would have to walk my azz off. A UTV is mostly for flatlanders.

 

[dilogdp]

I'm into ATVs (and Side-by-Sides) for work, and for pleasure.
With that said, If buying used I would suggest a Kawasaki Prairie 360 (make sure it's the 4wd version).
Adv. except for the color, they are the same machine from 2004 - 2017 (last yr they made them).
Parts are always cheap and available on ebay
Very basic and easy to work on
Reliable - i have a 2005 and a 2009. i ride them hard in mud and woods, but i also use them to plow snow, attach a sprayer, haul a utility trailer around.
At least around here, they are always popping up on craigslist, usually for $2000-$3000
In the woods (max speed around 20mph) i have no problems keeping up with the V-twin Polaris, CanAM, etc. Actually, an advantage is they are a bit narrower, so easier to fit through tight spaces.

Solid axle, carb, no EPS, locking front diff i.e. posi-traction

IMO - for the money the Polaris are the best value. I have a RZR, Ranger Crew and Sportsman 570 - no problems.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

Looks to be confusion .
EPS- electric power steering , its almost never a problem in atvs or utvs . I have never heard anybody complain about power steering

 

[JMJ Farms]

You can duck under limbs on an ATV. A UTV pulls them back so they whip you in the face.

Stihl makes a very reliable pole saw to help with this :hide:

 

[Atimm693]

Looks to be confusion .
EPS- electric power steering , its almost never a problem in atvs or utvs . I have never heard anybody complain about power steering

I think he meant ESP, electronic shift pattern. Its what Honda calls their push button shift setup.

 

[Brute 23]

You can duck under limbs on an ATV. A UTV pulls them back so they whip you in the face.

Stihl makes a very reliable pole saw to help with this :hide:

:lol: I can honestly say I have never been hit in the face by a limb on my utv but then again I have never grabbed a hot coal either.... just lucky I guess.

 

[talltimber]

I went with a Polaris 570 4x4. 5225 out the door, 2018 model. I am not convinced it will be better than what I have, as far as a arm bushings durability, but I am looking for after-market hd bushings.

Honda was 4k higher, and the shifting on the DCT wasn't something I was interested in. Too much jerking around for me. Not the same trans as the 05 I rode prior, which I liked.

Was also looking at the Polaris 850. Big grin factor, sucker will run, but couldn't justify the additional 2k for hp I doubt I would ever use.

 

[scottstot]

I bought a 2015 Polaris 850. They never installed the snap rings on the ball joins. I had to get new ball joints and A-arms but Polaris did pay for that. A year and a half later I had the fuel pump go out and two months after that it caught fire and burnt to the ground. Polaris did issue a recall on that model two weeks later so I ended up with a new one. I traded it for a Polaris 900 ranger that has had some minor issues.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I bought a 2015 Polaris 850. They never installed the snap rings on the ball joins. I had to get new ball joints and A-arms but Polaris did pay for that. A year and a half later I had the fuel pump go out and two months after that it caught fire and burnt to the ground. Polaris did issue a recall on that model two weeks later so I ended up with a new one.

Sounds like it had a very low cost of ownership. ;-)

 

[Atimm693]

I bought a 2015 Polaris 850. They never installed the snap rings on the ball joins. I had to get new ball joints and A-arms but Polaris did pay for that. A year and a half later I had the fuel pump go out and two months after that it caught fire and burnt to the ground. Polaris did issue a recall on that model two weeks later so I ended up with a new one. I traded it for a Polaris 900 ranger that has had some minor issues.

Sounds like a Polaris.

Have a 06 700XP Ranger. Went back to the dealer early on for an EFI issue. Ball joints at 800 hours. Drive belt exploded at 1000, the cooling fan control in the ECM quit shortly after. Engine started knocking and was rebuilt at 1100. Has never really ran right since we got it back, it surges going down the road and idles rough. Exhaust manifold has vibrated loose twice, heat shields are all busted and missing from vibration.

Had it up on the lift a couple months ago for an oil change and stuff, rear wheel bearings and tie rods are loose, all A-arm bushings are shot, and the tailgate latch is all screwed up, with only 1500 hours on it. Junk.

My biggest gripe is that Polaris put the radiator unprotected up front where it gets all sorts of chaff in it if you take it across a field. Guess Polaris never thought people would want to take a UTV off road.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

sounds like all wear parts to me . Most people i ride with would have replaced ball joints and arm bushings as normal mainta.. 3 or 4 times by 1500 hours . 1000 hours on a $60 belt is nothing to complain about

 

[Atimm693]

sounds like all wear parts to me . Most people i ride with would have replaced ball joints and arm bushings as normal mainta.. 3 or 4 times by 1500 hours . 1000 hours on a $60 belt is nothing to complain about

You're right about the belt.

Everything else is just a piss poor design that is not made to last.

You shouldn't have to completely revamp the suspension at 1000 hours. On a car that's equivalent to only 50,000 highway miles.

We have several other machines as well (not Polaris), their suspension is in good condition with more hours than that.