Question on UTV with tracks & no power steering

[BlueberryHill]

I was thinking about picking up a used UTV. I'm gonna go look at a Deere Gator 620i. I would end up buying tracks for it. I want to use it for hauling sap out of the woods(and 1000 other non maple things!). Last year I skipped a ton of taps because I could not get to them in the deep snow. My only concern with the 620i is that I am pretty certain that model does not have power steering. Does anyone have experience with tracked UTVs that don't have PS? I have heard that it can really be a pain with tracked 4-wheelers. Not sure how much different the UTV steering setups are and if it would make a difference. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I have the Kubota RTV 900x with tracks. It has power steering and still pretty much must be moving to turn. The tracks are camoplast and require constant maintenance. There are bushings that require changing every 100 hours of use, 16 of them at $6 apiece. Need to be greased daily. Tracks retentioned a couple times a week if using them everyday. Tracks let me go about anywhere but they do require constant attention.

[n8hutch]

If you buy Tracks I would Recommend Mattracks. They are rugged and require less maintenance. Cost more up front though.

[Sunny Hill Farm]

We have a 570 Ranger with Prospector tracks. Last winter was the first year with tracks. It handled well, although it needed to be moving to turn easily. Making tight turns or "three points" with it does take some effort. At the end of the season pluses far out weighed the minuses. It would go most anywhere.

[gcec]

I have a Yamaha Rhino 700 that I put two 35 gallon tanks on the back for gathering. Turning is not an issue when there's snow on the ground but when it's bare ground it does turn hard. Not bad when moving but if I have to turn around from a stopped position you have to rock it back and forth like an old manual steering truck. it is great for deep snow though I have hauled 70 gallons of sap with two guys in the cab through 2 feet plus of snow.

[BlueberryHill]

Thanks for the awesome replies guys. Do the 570 Ranger or the Rhino 700 have power steering?

[gcec]

No the Rhino does not have power steering

[Sunny Hill Farm]

The 570 Ranger does not have power steering. We put 225 miles on the tracks with no apparent issues.

[BlueberryHill]

Awesome. Thanks again guys! I think I am going to go for it. It'll take me a long time to put 225 miles on tracks. Its good to hear that there are guys out there without power steering that are making it work without too much trouble. I might even just by the Gator now and then wait on tracks. Maybe I can put of buying the tracks for a year or two if we don't get any deep snow to contend with. Fingers crossed!

Now I need to get out and set up some tubing!!!

[BlueberryHill]

I had a weak moment and I just picked up a Pioneer 700. It does not have power steering, but if I end up regretting it, there is an aftermarket power steering kit available for $600 that has good reviews. I am going to just run this with the stock tires for now. If the snow gets too deep then I can always fork out the dough for tracks. But hopefully I'll be able to make it work for a while with tires. Maybe I'll get lucky and we won't get any real deep snow for a couple of years.

So... on to my next question! What do you guys have for setups as far as UTV tanks and pumps? It looks like the 125 and 145 poly leg tanks would fit nice. And the Pioneer is rated at 1000# cargo, so 145 gallons might be stretching it a little but it would probably be OK. But the prices are not very cheap on those leg tanks! Curious what you guys use for tanks with your UTVs and how you have it plumbed to make life easier. Don't be shy with your pictures, haha.

I have a WX10 gas pump that I plan to use to fill the sap hauler tank with from the woods tanks. But I was thinking that it might be nice to automate or streamline the process with some sort of on board 12V pump. It would be cool to just grab a hose out of the bed, stick it into the woods tank, and flip a switch. Has anyone done this? Just wondering what the pros and cons are vs using the WX10.

[MISugarDaddy]

We use a Kubota 1100 with a 125 gallon tank from TSC and a WX10 pump to pump out our barrels in the woods. Works great. We put Camoplast tracks on it each winter and even 4' of snow hasn't stopped us. We have had real good luck with our tracks without a single problem after using them for three years. 12237

[BlueberryHill]

Whoa, that is bad ***. Thanks for the pic!

[Big_Eddy]

I have a WX10 gas pump that I plan to use to fill the sap hauler tank with from the woods tanks. But I was thinking that it might be nice to automate or streamline the process with some sort of on board 12V pump. It would be cool to just grab a hose out of the bed, stick it into the woods tank, and flip a switch. Has anyone done this? Just wondering what the pros and cons are vs using the WX10.

At my sugar house, I pump up into my main storage tank. I used to mess with hoses and valves and quick connects. I now use a small submersible utility pump (110V) connected to a hose that is permanently mounted to my main tank. I back the trailer in, drop the pump in the tank and hit the switch. It takes a few minutes (up to 10) to empty out the 100 gal tank, but there is no noise, no exhaust, and no cursing frozen valves etc.

It is much easier just to drop the pump in and flip the switch. And I can always find something to do with myself for the few extra minutes it takes to empty.

If I were to have woods tanks, I'd be looking to do the same with a 12V submersible. I use a clear smooth vinyl?? hose so it drains well (no ice blockage) between loads and have the cord taped to the hose. I would probably do better with a pole mounted on the pump to help get it into the corners, but the hose is stiff enough that I can position it where I want and it usually says put until the tank is empty.