# ATV versus UTV??



## hoosier daddy (Jan 13, 2011)

I know several of you use ATV's to collect firewood. I also know that there are several using a "Ranger" or similar UTV. I have convinced the wife that this "tool" is almost necessary to the harvest of firewood and since we have yet to light the LP furnace this year she's receptive...I don't really want to start a debate over the differences but if you can give me an idea of what you really like about ____ (insert your rig)___ and what you'd change if you could get a do over it would help me out. Right now I am thinking 500 or 800 Ranger but can see where an ATV could get through fence rows-woods a little easier. Most (80%) of what I cut is on my property or within 1 mile of the house. Very seldom get to fall anything a 20" bar can't make a single pass through and prefer to buck it and split it right there. will average 10 -12 cords a year...not a professional or making money...just heat.

Thanks in advance for the advice and life lessons.

HD


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## TMFARM 2009 (Jan 13, 2011)

personally i like the kubota brand utv my neighbor runs... with it , and a small trailer behind, it could haul a lot of wood at a time... i have heard the polaris is good also but have no experience with it.i have had atv's they wont haul as much, but dont cost as much either.... its all in what you want to best suit your needs... another good consideration is the bob cat tool cat. check it out before you buy.


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## Guido Salvage (Jan 13, 2011)

Is there a reason an old $1000 4x4 truck or a small tractor with a loader would not work? For the money, I would want something more versatile than a ATV/UTV.


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## komatsuvarna (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a 07 Ranger xp. Its about like everything else, it has pluses and minuses. All the UTVs take more room than a atv. I have a cab on my ranger and it does play a role in where you can go in the woods. That limb that you used to duck and go on under on the atv, cant do it anymore in the utv. They dont turn as sharp as an atv, but they still cut pretty deep.

IMO, the pluses of an utv out weight the negitive side. I can fit my family of 4 in the ranger....safely. Dont have to pull a trailer....which really helps in the woods. Has plenty of power if you did want to pull a trailer. Its more of a small truck than a atv i guess.

Not to start a war, but I had a kubota and didnt like it after I rode in a ranger. Leaf spring suspension rides WAY worse than a log truck. 22 mph top speed. In 4x4 only one front wheel pulls, and its the one with less weight and usually not touching the ground...because of the stiff springs. But, they have power dump!!


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## Greenthorn (Jan 13, 2011)

I have had my Kawasaki Teryx about 3 years now, and it has been the greatest firewood machine for me. The biggest advantage is it's pulling logs, manual states 1200 tow limit. I have pulled logs up ravines and valleys on my land that would have just gone to fodder, I know I have pulled a 6,000 pound tractor up and over hills. I have pulled vehicles out of ditches and mud bogs in my area. So, it has got some real power it's a 840cc Big Block I installed myself. It will go 70 mph! The weight of the machine is close to 1,800 lbs, that has it's advantages and disadvantages. No, I can't get through a lot of 4 wheeler trails. I have spent over 2 years widening all my trails! It's been fun, oh yeah....I will never own a ATV again.


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## wesgillock (Jan 13, 2011)

I love my Yamaha Rhino. Little (lot) expencive but I use for hunting also as can't walk woods and hills like I use to. Rhino has 3000lb winch I use to pull out logs I can't get to to cut up. |Super 4wd with high and low range and wheel lock where all four wheels pull like a tank. |Neeve been stuck where winch and saw couldn't get me out. The winch will hang it in a tree if you want. |Pull spliter behind and load as I split.


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## TMFARM 2009 (Jan 13, 2011)

i have also been looking at the miniature trucks.the ones from japan and china. they have fold down sides on some...but a good old toyota would do same work.probably cheaper too.


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## svon89 (Jan 13, 2011)

I like an atv because most of the places I can ride are narrow trails. 
That said, I have no experience with utvs. But have often thought about the cost of a nice utv and compared it to a small kubota tractor with loader. That is another topic though.


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## msvold (Jan 13, 2011)

I've got a Polaris Sportsman 700 ATV that I purchased in 06, at the time believing I would use it for 50/50 work-play, 4 years later it gets used 99/1 work-play. Make no mistake, I'm very happy with the ATV, however if doing again, I would have gone the UTV route. As you mention it is a tool not a toy. At times I pull the splitter, and other times I pull a trailer without brakes. Going down some of the hills especially in fall and spring when ground is wet, pulling a trailer loaded with firewood can be tricky, think we all understand laws of physics- 1000 lb trailer pushing down hill a 700lb ATV. 
The good is the ATV is very nimble and quick and I can often make numerous light load runs quicker than I can make same runs with a heavy load on a compact tractor. 
Hope I gave you a little of what you were looking for. I'm 47 years old, but the kid in me wanted to get a toy, the reality is I needed a tool. If I were to do it again, i would go the UTV route. If I had the cash, I would go with a diesel Bobcat ToolCat with a hydraulic dump bed.


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## bundysgn (Jan 13, 2011)

i've had 2 polaris sportsman 4 wheeler that were great wood haulers. you can use them like a skidder if you like. but i have found something way better. it is a polaris ranger. it is a 2010 xp le 800. you can haul a lot more wood with it if you stack it to the top of the roll cage.it has seating for 3 plus alot of storage space. it has true 4 wheel drive,high and low range in the tranny. it is a little pricey but it will do way more than atv will. i use mine on the farm almost everyday.


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## TMFARM 2009 (Jan 13, 2011)

ok just spend $15000.00 on a bob cat tool cat with loader and pallet forks...lol it would be the cool thing to have.you can even get a glass sided cab for it to stay warm.... if price wasn't an option i would just buy a feller buncher...lol


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## stihl_in_texas (Jan 13, 2011)

My old man bought a 2wd Gator three or four years back. It was probably the cheapest out of the bunch with no kind of extras. It had a straight rear axle and that made it ride rougher than my one ton pick up. He recently sold it to a neighbor and bought the 4x4 680 with a "hydraulic" dump bed. I'll say it's a 1000% improvement. Four wheel independent suspension makes it ride like a dream. Not as fast as the Rhino but it's fast enough especially for him. If I had my choice between that and my old Yamaha atv, I'd have to go with the Gator. More versatile, easier and safer to take passengers, and a beverage holder to keep from spilling your beer. 
One more thing that's been mentioned about a UTV being too wide for ATV trails. Some friends went to Colorado this past year elk hunting and took their Rangers with them. They were told by the game warden they weren't legal to use on the ATV trails because of their width. 

Steve


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## nba123 (Jan 13, 2011)

Sir my opinion is the kabota is the best quality but rides ruff as hell and is heavy the ranger is inbetween fun and work the rino is more play than work, and for what you will spend on these, and if you are serious about getting wood u should look at a used skid steer I could collect more wood with my skid steer and root grapple than 3 of those other things with hard working men running them. Granted u cant go 30 mph but were talking about wood collecting. I have fun running it. I didnt read all the post so I might have missed the part where u wanted to go trail rideing.


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## dave_dj1 (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a Teryx and have had 4 wheelers all of my life, I will NEVER go back to a 4 wheeler....period!! I have been places with my Teryx that I wouldn't even think of going on a 4 wheeler. You won't be sorry with a utv, work and play, I hauled 3 loads on the back with tailgate down the other day, as much as I could pile in and no problems. 
I have had more people tell me how I can't go because of the size..BULL, after I go they are simply amazed. 
If you have a use for a utv, get one, you won't regret it. I'm not especialy brand specific, the last four 4 wheelers I had were Polaris' , I just prefer bucket seats and found the RZR to be too small for me, I'm 6-2, 250 ish...lol
good luck and enjoy whatever you get.


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## loadthestove (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a cub cadet big country that i purchased new in 04.I honestly dont know how I ever lived without it.It has a little bigger bed than most but top speed is only 28-30 mph.I added a hydraulic bed dump and winch.I hope I never have to do without it.
As mentioned most UTVS are much larger than an AtV but I;m usually working around our own place so making trails WIDER has never been a problem.
As for brand,I'll not go there,IMO they are all good.dependability and longevity just depends on how you treat it and how its serviced


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## bluestem (Jan 13, 2011)

I have used the Kubota UTV, and both the Polaris Sportsman 6x6, and the Polaris Ranger 6x6. If you are traveling through any wet ground at all you will, I repeat you will get the Kubota stuck, it weighs about as much as my little car. The Ranger 6x6 is what I plan on getting in a few years when our useless gator dies, it as a large bed for lots of wood and turns almost as well as the 4x4. If you decide on an ATV I would definitely look at the Sportsman Bigboss 6x6, it has a little bed on the back and turns pretty well. We drive through alot of wet, mucky ground at work and these machines are hard to get stuck.


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## cedarman (Jan 14, 2011)

I use my polaris atv for dragging 24"+ logs out the woods to be bucked and split.

Its nice for getting in narrow trails and has plenty of power.

the utv would be nice for carrying splits in the back bed, chainsaws, etc. but they just seem to bulky for me to manuver in and out of the woods. plus theyre sloooooooooooow compared to an atv.

my next rig is going to be a used compact tractor w/ a bucket, pto, and 3 point hitch.


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## hoosier daddy (Jan 14, 2011)

*Thanks for the input so far...*

Just to clearify...I don't plan on trail riding...don't even know where to do that. It will be used as a tool...sure hope I can find the time to "play" with it and then we will see...


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## Racerboy832 (Jan 14, 2011)

I have the Polaris 500 Sportsman 6X6. It's basically an ATV with extra drive axle and a dump bed. I use the living sheet out of it. I've moved alot of dirt with it. Tons of loads of wood. It fits in the back of my Toyota pickup with the rear wheels barely on the tailgate. I plow it to, foot of snow is no problem. I Personally do not like polaris's but I picked it up as a trade in at a dealer I work with. It was the best money spent. The are called the Polaris Big Boss also. I would love a Rhino but they are too wide for a Bridge I made and it would be like having to deal with another car. I can park the 6X6 under the deck.


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## atvdave (Jan 14, 2011)

A lot depends on how densely your wood growth is. If you have open fields to access your downed trees then a old beat up puck up will do just fine, If the woods are a bit open (but too small for a pick-up) with a lot of room to get turned around then a ATV with a trailer will do fine also. However if your woods are thick with small narrow trails and hard to get turned around in then I would think a UTV would fit you better.

I have thick woods and tried to use a tractor a few times buy pulling out the tree to my barn to cut up. This was a big pain as the chain, and log would get hung up on just about everything trying to get it out of the woods. I just started to cut up the trunk on-site and haul the pre-cut timber to my splitter area with my UTV. Made things a lot easer, faster, and less of a pain on my back.

Just my $.02

Good luck
Dave


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## rmount (Jan 14, 2011)

I have both a Polaris 250 Trailboss 4x4 ATV and a JD Gator XUV. The ATV is definitely more nimble and able to squeeze through trail-less bush, unless the trailer is on. But on the trails, or slightly off them like backing along a tree you've dropped and split, the Gator is great. I cut on our own place and across the road on my in-laws. When we got the Gator I thought I might have to widen some trails but over several mile of trails I only had to cut out 4 or 5 trees in spots that were fender scrapers for the ATV.
If I could only have one it would be the Gator. Its main pluses are:
-Built in box, no need to tow a trailer (although I have used it to tow a 4x4x8 trailer full of firewood).
-More comfortable ride, sit back and steer with one hand and a beer in the other
- Safe space for a passenger, important to me.
- Box easily holds 6 or 7 grandkids, also important to me.


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## Guido Salvage (Jan 14, 2011)

hoosier daddy said:


> Just to clearify...I don't plan on trail riding...don't even know where to do that. *It will be used as a tool.*..sure hope I can find the time to "play" with it and then we will see...



You answered your own question. Get a small tractor with a loader and 3 point hitch, I suspect you will find more uses for that then an ATV/UTV. No need to go 70 in the woods to get a load of wood.


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## jcappe (Jan 14, 2011)

*My Experience*

We use to have a Polaris Ranger we got rid of it and now have a Cub Cadet Volunteer. The Ranger was a little more "plush" but the Cub is more of what I would call a work horse. I still have a Polaris ATP quad that I use as well. The ATV is quicker, more agile and easier to get around in. I use both to pull my log arch depending on where I'm getting wood from. If I'm going to get stuff out of the woods that is already bucked up I use the UTV, if I'm hauling logs with the arch I usually use the ATV because it's just easier to get around in the woods with. If I had to pick one of them to have solely I would pick a UTV. As far as brands both that I've had (Polaris, Cub) they both have their plus and minus factors but the plus out bid the minus on both. Don't have any pics of the cub in use yet but maybe this weekend if I get out to cut. Either way good luck with your purchase.


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## hoosier daddy (Jan 14, 2011)

Guido Salvage said:


> You answered your own question. Get a small tractor with a loader and 3 point hitch, I suspect you will find more uses for that then an ATV/UTV. No need to go 70 in the woods to get a load of wood.


 
I have a small tractor-loader and a large tractor-loader...they both work fine in some cases but not all cases...Thanks though.


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## Cowboy Billy (Jan 14, 2011)

I have a 2002 Kodiak 400 and a 2008 Kawasaki mule 3010 diesel. And they both have there place. But the atv is usually just used to ride around in now. Or when its really wet or muddy.

The two things I like best about it are that you can just jump in and don't have to climb on. And I can drive it on the road and don't have to have a helmet on.

We mainly got it because dad was having a hard time getting on and off of the fourwheeler. We got the two bench seat model and can easily seat five adults when we all go out. But we can fold up the back seat and extend the bed giving us a lot more room. It can carry 1100lbs with the back seat folded up.

Its always been a pain to tie the saw down on the atv. With the utv I just through them in the bed and don't have to worry about it as well as carrying a lot of tools. I usually take at least two saws with me and a milk crate with mis stuff with me and its not a problem. It is a lot heavier that a atv and when it get stuck its Stuck! I replaced the stock little batter with a optima and it starts better in cold weather than my car. Its also rated to pull a 1500 lb trailer.

My three biggest complaints of it are. It doesn't have any engine braking going down hill and starts to free wheel after 10 to 15 feet. Maybe I am used to power brakes but they seem wimpy. And there is no locking front diff.

Two person with the bed extended






Four person with the bed short.






If the with is important they do make narrower models that fit in the back of a pickup that are only a few inches wider than a atv.

With that said a compact tractor with FEL is the best way to go to get work done. I have B21 kubota 21hp and get a lot out of it. I feel its a little small and only picks up 930lbs and would not be able to handle that if it didn't have the backhoe on it. A tractor with a 1500lb lift cap and grapple bucket would be about perfect for working and still small and nimble getting around in the woods. I have a 90 hp kubota and endloader it will lift 3900 lbs but I can't move around in the woods with it.
















And you will find a lot more uses for it than just moving wood. We got the B21 for about $ 2000 more used than I paid for the mule new.






Billy


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## flewism (Jan 14, 2011)

Guido Salvage said:


> You answered your own question. Get a small tractor with a loader and 3 point hitch, I suspect you will find more uses for that then an ATV/UTV. No need to go 70 in the woods to get a load of wood.


 
Yep, That would be the best general work machine for around the property including firewood gathering/processing in my opinion also. 
I've thought about a UTV myself, as we have three ATV's all utility, 4x4, one Foreman 450 and a pair of TRX 300's. I've considered replacing the ATV's with a UTV with a box for medium duty stuff, and tooling around the neighborhood. 
The 4x4 compact tractor with loader is what I use for gathering processing firewood in the local vicinity. 
If I was buying my first machine for general property work including firewood, it would be the tractor/loader. 
Price wise looking at the heavy duty UTV's new, you are over 2/3 of the way there on a top of the line compact.


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## nickblaze466 (Jan 14, 2011)

I have a little bit of each of these around my place. 

like everyone says, four wheelers are far more nimble and agile than a UTV. You're pretty much stuck using a log arch or a small trailer to get wood out though, so all in all I don't think there is much gain here. if you go this route, I would not even consider looking at anything under 500cc.

I have a couple UTV's, used gators and polar rangers - all that stuff...they are nice but I can't get over how much money they want for one of those things new. I have 3 used cushman trucksters and i could not ask for anything better - well, 4x4 would be nice, but other than that...

i have a couple compact tractors, a john deere, a ford 6000 and a farmall cub. the ford and the jd both have loaders on 'em. they work great for hauling wood and/or pulling moderately heavy loads. they are slow and relatively uncomfortable to ride on.

if i was going to have just one item, i'd probably go with the tractor. if price is a major issue, take a peek at a cushman. generally those are a little cheaper, and i love 'em.


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## lon (Jan 14, 2011)

I also like my Rhino 700 very much. I use it all the time hauling items around the place or doing well and irrigation jobs. As previously stated, the 4x4 system works great. I purchased a 3000# winch that I can place on the front or the rear. I have a 4x4 tractor with a front end loader that I also find very helpful. If I had to choose between the two, I would keep the tractor. There are many good deals today on both of these items. Like anything, take your time and look for one that has been taken care of and seen regular servicing. Good luck.


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## IndyIan (Jan 14, 2011)

hoosier daddy said:


> I have a small tractor-loader and a large tractor-loader...they both work fine in some cases but not all cases...Thanks though.


So does your land need a 4wd vehicle to get to your firewood? Due to hills or wetspots? 
I use my old 2001 300 kingquad atv (has front dif lock, and 15 forward gears) for my firewood and my next step would be to go to a 4wd compact tractor. IMHO a UTV isn't enough of an upgrade as a firewood tool for the price of them. 

If money is an issue you can probably find my quad for $1500-2000 in great shape because they are a slow trail machine, but with gears and 3 ranges it works pretty hard. Get a bush buggy trailer and you can haul small loads from all sorts of tight spots.


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## Iska3 (Jan 14, 2011)

We cut a lot of our wood 30 miles from home so we decided to purchase a 4 wheeler. After looking around we went with the Polaris Sportsman. I started out looking at the 500’s and ended up with 800. The 800 has the power of a small jeep 4WD and narrow enough to get in to most places. We have 80a of woods so taking out the wood with an old trailer to the splitter with a tractor and then reloading it in to the second trailer to take home started to look like extra work. After we got the 800 we pulled the splitter out to the cutting area, split the wood and load it in to the good trailer to take home. The 800 has enough power to pull a 5x8 trailer load of cut green oak with the splitter connected behind it. We can also snake our way through the woods without making a lot of extra wide trails.

The good part about the 800 is if we want, we can load the wheeler in to the trailer and take it home or if I cut down a tree that is off the path, I either connect a tow rope to the trunk and pull it out in the open or I can use the winch on it. 

We happen to be close to the trails so we do get in a little fun time. I see the people on the UTV’s and their wheels are much wider so they end up ridding in the rocks while the average ATV goes down the paths. 

I also have several deer feeders so the ATV is handy to go down the trails and fill the feeders and if we have a few days of rain, I can get in to the woods with the ATV when the tractor or the larger UTV can’t. 

I have a 5 ft county plow on the 800 so plowing my road is a snap and I have very little in the way of piles. I also pull a 4 ft dish when I do my gardens 

The bad part is, we found the ATV to be so handy that we picked up a second one for the wife and now she pulls the splitter and I pull the trailer. Cutting wood for us got to be an enjoyable day in the woods. 

Pick up a good used ATV and you’ll find all sorts of use for it. But it you never plan to leave the property, get yourself a little tractor and you'll be better off.


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## some zilch (Jan 14, 2011)

i am not sure you can really compare a UTV/ranger/teryx/sportsman (atv-like machine) to something like an RTV or toolcat. the rtv/toolcat are work machines, not play toys. they are bulky, heavy, much slower, much more expensive, and built much heavier and entirely differently. you are not going to go mud-bogging and jump a toolcat over jumps. i know from working at a bobcat dealer for years, that toolcats have 3 and 4 cylinder diesel engines, and weight almost 6000lbs before adding any attachments, or an enclosed cab. they are not really geared towards homeowners gathering firewood, but much more for large industrial parks, school campuses and municipalities. even basic ones cost more than buying any new half ton pickup truck, and i prepped several that were "loaded" and cost over $60k.


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## fields_mj (Jan 15, 2011)

I would think a lot of it depends on what you are willing to spend. I have an older yamaha big bear ATV. I use it a lot, but a 6 wheeled UTV would have been nicer. But for the $2K I gave for the ATV it's the best I could do. I like that the UTV has a box, and most of them can pull a pretty decent trailer. I like the ones with two rear axles as they seem to be a heavier duty work machine. However, before I'd spend $10K plus on a new machine for firewood, I'd take a long hard look at a used skid steer. 

Just my 2 bits,
Mark


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## Cascade Failure (Jan 15, 2011)

As much as my 07 Suzuki KingQuad 450 has impressed me it can't lift a damn thing. I should have bought a small tractor.


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## Ambull (Jan 15, 2011)

I have a mini truck. The bed can hold almost 1/2 cord of wood.


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## GeeVee (Jan 16, 2011)

You didn't ask, but I'll offer my suggestion. 

Get an ASV RC 30. 

I have bucket, forks and Grapple.

The machine is so versatile, I couldn't imagine not having it. I'd bet you can get one these days for 10 k with a mere 400 hours on it, easy. 

I will try and upload a link to my webshots albums, you can check it out. I have carried 3 - 28 inch red oak logs eight feet long in the grapple through 2 foot deep plastic mud at my ranch. Un-stoppable. Low ground pressure too, if you are driving over your "lawn" a bunch.

I feel dollar for dollar, a used (or new) RC-30 will deliver more work per dollar over the long haul when you factor purchase price, maintenance and repairs, between it and a ATV/UTV.


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## rmount (Jan 16, 2011)

Ambull said:


> I have a mini truck. The bed can hold almost 1/2 cord of wood.



That is one cute bush truck. I can't see any badging but I assume it is Japanese?


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## Ambull (Jan 16, 2011)

rmount said:


> That is one cute bush truck. I can't see any badging but I assume it is Japanese?



1999 Suzuki Carry. 660cc 3 cylinder EFI, about 45 HP, goes about 60 mph. 5 speed manual, hi lo shift on the fly 4WD. Cab heat, killer stereo w/ cd. Windshield Wiper and washer. Disk brakes. Driver's side airbag.

I paid $4500 for it, and I put about $2000 more into it with the stereo, lift kit, and ATV tires and alloy rims, and the Camo Kit. It will pretty much go anywhere.


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## zipper1081 (Jan 16, 2011)

OK here is my 2 cents. I have a 450 honda 4x4 foreman it works good for getting into the woods to cutup the wood and pull out a little bit of wood. I have 2 neighbors one has a Kubota UTV & one has a polaris ranger that I can use any time I want to. The kobota is a pulling machine the ride is not that great but it will pull down a house. It has pulled my fullsize truck out of being stuck acouple of times with a full load of wood. The ranger is a good ride it will haull some wood I have not pulled a trailer with it. For a an all around work truck. I would take the Kobota hands down.


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## DocDryden (Jan 16, 2011)

*Bobcat 2100*

I use a 2001 Bobcat 2100 made be Club Car. 
The Bobcat 2100 is the same as the Club Car Pioneer 1200
I got the trailer from HF


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## bowtechmadman (Jan 16, 2011)

I have a 2up Arctic Cat TRV 650 and couldn't be more impressed. Little longer wheelbase than normal ATV about 8". I pull a 4x6 trailer w/ 3' side loaded down with wood wherever I want. Nice that it has a small box to carry saw's/supplies or for play I can pull off the box and put on 2nd seat for toting passengers.


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## Sandhill Crane (Jan 16, 2011)

I use an ATV, trailer and log arch, and am very happy with it and surprised by the load it can pull. That being said, I agree with those who suggest a small tractor and bucket. A tractor/loader with a fork attachment would be a real multipurpose, all season machine, and built for the task. Good luck, it will be interesting to hear what you choose.


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## indiansprings (Jan 16, 2011)

We started out in 1985 by buying a Honda 4 wheeler with front and rear racks for the farm, a 250cc was big back then, we bought a JD gator, 2 wheel drive when they first come out, hated it no ground clearance back then, bought and additional Honda four wheeler a 500cc rubicon, hated the automatic, traded it for a Polaris 500 4x4 four wheeler, it has been great. We purchased our first Kawasaki Mule in about 2000, a 3100 4x4, it was a great improvement for overall utility on the farm, hauling saws, wood, feed etc, bought the four passenger trans mule as an addition to the original when they first come out, hated it, loaded with four people it was gutless, sold it after having it three weeks, bought a little 660 mule, it will load right in the back of a standard pickup.

If I buy another one, it would be the Polaris Ranger, they will flat outperform the Mule, the mule is so slow, max speed is around 25-28mph, it takes forever to get anywhere.
The little Japanese mini truck are really catching on around here, just a hair bigger than the normal UTV, cheaper, cab, heat, air, and here you can licsense the little buggers and drive them on the road, they have four wheel drive and some come with dump beds.

The big factor for me anymore is the cost. I can shop around and buy a good solid S-10 or Ranger 4x4 pickup with a little age on it cheaper than I can buy a Kubota, or new Ranger, Mule etc and have a hell of a lot more versatility.
For pure work they would be hard to beat.

But if you want to tool thru the woods and place where a truck won't go, the utv is the way to go, with a 4 wheeler you almost have to pull a trailer to have any capacity for hauling equipment to the woods. If you have to travel to your wood cutting spot you have to trailer a UTV. 

You really need to sit down and decide what you want and expect the vehicle to do, before you purchase. By the way most of the mini truck are bringing 4 to 4500 for a 4x4 model around here, add a grand for a dump bed.


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## polardoo (Jan 16, 2011)

While I dont cut wood for a living, I cant see myself taking a skidsteer camping. I do own a fourwheeler also and I suppose if I were going after a large quantity of wood it would be nice to take both. Only one would be the Ranger hands down.


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## angelo c (Jan 16, 2011)

Ambull said:


> I have a mini truck. The bed can hold almost 1/2 cord of wood.


 
that thing is cool as CHIT man ! Can you get one with a small 3 cyl cat/kubota engine ? Man how cool would that be. I may need to find my way up your way !!!


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## Ambull (Jan 16, 2011)

angelo c said:


> that thing is cool as CHIT man ! Can you get one with a small 3 cyl cat/kubota engine ? Man how cool would that be. I may need to find my way up your way !!!



Hey man, as soon as some of the snow melts, bring that big Kita of yours up to PA and we'll do a little cutting. Hit me up anytime.


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## angelo c (Jan 16, 2011)

Ambull said:


> Hey man, as soon as some of the snow melts, bring that big Kita of yours up to PA and we'll do a little cutting. Hit me up anytime.


 
Yea Man !!

Now that the Eagles are done it's safe for me to go back to PA. I'm planning to start looking for some land between you and John. Getting the itch to go "country".


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## zogger (Jan 18, 2011)

*neither*

I wouldn't bother. For what they want for those things you can get a decent used tractor, that is useful for firewood and numerous other practical chores, growing a whopper garden, running a PTO generator, a sprayer, log splitter whatnot. that is what is cool about a tractor, you are buying a multi tool powerhead with wheels that is self propelled and has a zillion attachments possible. Heck, I wish I had all the attachements for my baby wheelhorse for that matter. someday...

I live/work on a big farm that employs several farm families, plus guys who drive here to work every day. Some of them have atvs, etc..but everyone defaults to a real tractor to do work with. I see them more used for just joyriding to the mailbox more than anything else.

I have access to just all sorts of equipment..do my firewood with a tractor and a cargo box on the back. I built the thing so I could use the hayfork to just slip into it, pick it up a little, tip it forward, done, down the road..or trail.

I don't have a big winch, but just using chains I have skidded out big logs to an open area to cut them up. Used the same deal when pulling down snagged trees as well, chain them up at the butt and grannyiest gear pull them down and out. If the log is light enough, I can slip out of the box right then, go around, pick up the log with the forks in the middle and start sawing at my best most practical height off the ground. Can't beat it with two sticks. 

You just can't do that stuff with an atv or utv.

As an alternative, what one of the other posters mentioned, get a used four wheel drive truck, make it not road legal then, as in don't bother insurance/tags all that stuff, just keep it off road, beef it up a little, cut the fenders off maybe, and put real ag style/tractor tires on it, maybe chains. A rig like this is called a "trucktor" any number of home brewed variations out there, some I have seen are really spiffy, too. 

A decent used 4wd truck can be had for less than what they want for a little sport buggy. You won't be driving it all that far, so fuel costs won't be much of an issue, and wear and tear won't be that bad if you refrain from overloading it, and you'll always have a cab to ride in that is more or less weatherproof and has a real heater and stuff and a place to stash your tools behind the seat if you get a kingcab/crewcab. Parts are more available too. I mean, heckfire, they want as much for a new two cylinder motor for one of those things as a v-8 crate engine! What's up with that?

Just a thought. For what one of those atvs or utvs cost new (not counting the cheaper chicom ones out there now) you could get a good used truck and go nuts modifying it, have some fun and build a unique to you personal woods work machine. Just think "never to be used onroad again" and it REALLY opens up the modding potential. Bwa, if it was a diesel then you could use offroad farm diesel in it and not worry about getting caught...

with all that said, there is ONE sorta ATV thing I have wanted a long time, if I ever see one well used and ultra cheap I will get one. Saw a guy demoing one at a dealers before, shazzam, best little point A to B little machine I ever saw, any terrain, anywhere, anytime. Plus it has attachments and you can haul with it, a trailer, or skid smaller stuff or.. and do some real work, and it can be street legal as well! Check this thing out:

ROKON

If I get one ever I will try to make it a single cylinder diesel, that's about all the mods necessary for it over "stock" I think. If they ever have a factory diesel option..that is one of the few things I would go in hock for and make monthly payments for.


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## JDCOMPACTMAN (Jan 18, 2011)

Ambull said:


> I have a mini truck. The bed can hold almost 1/2 cord of wood.


 
That rig is INSANE! Pretty cool!


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## TreePointer (Jan 18, 2011)

:agree2: Definitely cool.

Put some wings and legs on it and it will look like like a giant grasshopper. Possible Insecticon?


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## Hedgerow (Jan 18, 2011)

Since you already have a loader tractor, you've got most of your bases covered there. I have a 4x4 arctic cat atv and love it, but don't use it much for wood. I find myself taking the the old 626 dual rear axle Gator out instead. It can't be overloaded, and it doesn't rut up fields. I can fit a rick of wood in it, pull a 4X8 trailer behind it, and take my son with me. (That's the most important part) "Gotta make room for the help" That being said, IT'S SLOOOWWWWW..... Annoyingly slow..... So if ya need to move over 20 miles per hour, get a ranger... Just wish they had a larger bed on em'..:bang:


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## Coach B (Jan 18, 2011)

We have a Kawaski Mule that we have found very useful. We've got alot of steep/thick areas that you just can't easily get a truck into. The mule will get right in there most of the time. Obviously, you have to be careful with a load of wood combined with steep ground and turns. But we have found we are getting to alot of wood that used to go to waste.


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## lly_duramax (Jan 18, 2011)

My dad has a Kubota RTV and it has its place. It is not built like a Rhino or a Ranger. It is more heavy duty like a cross between a tractor and an UTV. When we go out and cut I take the RTV with the splitter behind it and the saws on the back. Dad has a Kubota 4x4 tractor and a 12' Bri Mar dump trailer that he takes. The RTV works good on flat ground and small hills but is underpowered and too top heavy for the steep mountains we live in. That being said I have an 81 Toyota 4x4 Pickup that goes better and will go more places than the RTV. The Rangers and the Rhinos dont even have what I would call a bed on them for hauling so you are stuck with a trailer. I would recomend to get a small pickup like my Toyota. You can haul twice the wood and go about anywhere in them.


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## chumwithrum (Jan 19, 2011)

You could always fab up a grapple for the Rhino. lol


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## uglydukwling (Jan 23, 2011)

I believe that anything worth doing is worth overdoing, so I chose a different solution. I use a Cat 955H tracked loader. Admittedly, it would be a PITA if I had to transport it (It's slow and it tends to attract too much attention if I drive it on paved roads) but since I just use it on my own farm, it has a lot of advantages.

It cost me $5000, which puts it in the same price range as a good used UTV, and it came with a cab and a 30 000 lb winch. I hate to think what it would cost new, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for them when they get this old, even if they're still in decent shape.

The cross-country ability is amazing. I've never been able to get it stuck on level ground, even in mud up to the tops of the tracks. The odd time I've had it stuck nose-down in a hole, I've been able to jack it out with the bucket. So far. I've never needed to use the winch to get it out. I'm not sure how steep a slope it will climb. I've always run out of nerve before it gave up.

It's far more manoeverable than a truck. It will spin in its own length, like a skidsteer. It's just a little bigger. It takes less space than making a u-turn with my atv. Since I'm on my own land, I don't worry about narrow trails. Whatever trail I drive down automatically becomes wide enough.

It has a 2 cu yd bucket that will handle more weight than I can possibly load into it. The bucket lifts high enough to dump into a truck, over a fence, or on top of a pile. It will tow just about anything I can get a cable on. Literally a stump-puller.

All the firewood handling capabilities were a bonus that I discovered after I bought it for the more usual tracked-loader jobs of moving dirt, gravel, and rock piles, building and grading lanes, etc. In ten seconds, it will pick up more dirt than I could load into a utv in two hours by hand.


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## scag52 (Jan 23, 2011)

Can we get a pic ? 

Also the rhino grapple loks cool. Any pics of you using it ? 

thanks


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## deerehunter (Jan 23, 2011)

*Ranger*

View attachment 169515

Just bought a 2011 400 HO Ranger and love it so far. If the pic works here it is with a load of split wood. Good bang for your buck in my opinion.


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## mbergeon (Jan 24, 2011)

I use my Honda Foreman to carry saws and tools:










And usually use my utv to haul wood:





This is a Lesco, it is similar to the JD Gator, just a little bigger with an 18 hp honda and front and rear suspension. It is identical to the cub cadet big country.

If I'm cutting away from home we use the truck.


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## johnnylabguy (Jan 24, 2011)

deerehunter said:


> View attachment 169515
> 
> Just bought a 2011 400 HO Ranger and love it so far. If the pic works here it is with a load of split wood. Good bang for your buck in my opinion.


 
Nice ride deerehunter! If you don't mind what does a unit of that size cost out the door? I'd like to go this route eventually as my woods is about 3.5 miles from my house and I'm always debating whether to take the truck for hauling out/splitting or the quad for felling and skidding logs out to the lane. A UTV,while not as good as a tractor, will get me to the woods quickly and more comfortably with a passenger(usually one of my kids) and gear. And I can also take small loads home with the bed and and a trailer. Someday...


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## dirtyj (Feb 9, 2011)

John Deere 620i - it is very versatile for my needs and rides great...


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## Hedgerow (Feb 10, 2011)

That there's a good dog... I think he likes the deere...


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## duane9835 (Feb 10, 2011)

chumwithrum said:


> You could always fab up a grapple for the Rhino. lol


 
Whoa!!! Is that a Rhino?? Got any more pics of that?


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