Utv for sap

[mudr]

Hi everyone. Someday I'd like to get a better sap hauler. I'm currently borrowing my father's polaris 500 four wheeler,which is great for now, but limited in capacity. I have 2 kids under 5 right now that I'd like to get more involved in the hobby, plus my wife and I hunt, we'd like to camp out in the woods, and have something to plow snow and haul firewood. As of now, I think a nicely used UTV would do a decent job with all those tasks. A 4wd Tractor may be better at hauling weight, but is limited on person capacity and would be more expensive.

I will need to haul about a half mile down a lane way and may have some sticky conditions. Looking at 150-200 taps max out back. The three utv that I have looked into are the kubota rtv, gators, and polaris ranger. They kind of span a gradient in heft, with the kubota being heaviest and polaris being lightest.

I like the idea of the kubota 900, it's a tank, but then again, it's tank with limited ground clearance. It sure how well it will do in mud. Plus it's the most expensive. No doubt they are built for heavy work though.

The polaris 900 is *rated* with the highest towing a capacity (2000 lbs. vs about 1400 for both rtv and gators). Not sure how much I trust that number, especially doing it often and treating it like a tractor. It's the lightest, so it may float on mud better, but how long will it last being used like a tractor? They can be gotten at a reasonable price used, too.

I feel like the gators are somewhere in the middle. Thinking the hpx, solid rear axle, built for work. Maybe the xuv 825. Similar towing capacity as the kubota, built more for work than the polaris, but not so darn heavy like the kubota. Also can be found cheaper than the kubota.

What do you guys think? I do not care one bit about speed. I want something built strong, can haul 2-3 people, reliable over the long run even with being used like a tractor, and can haul 150 gallons or so of sap. If i need 2 trips on high flow days thats ok. I don't really have any brand allegiance, but i am not interested in a ford vs chevy debate (just no dodges :) ).

[ADK_XJ]

Hi everyone. Someday I'd like to get a better sap hauler. I'm currently borrowing my father's polaris 500 four wheeler,which is great for now, but limited in capacity. I have 2 kids under 5 right now that I'd like to get more involved in the hobby, plus my wife and I hunt, we'd like to camp out in the woods, and have something to plow snow and haul firewood. As of now, I think a nicely used UTV would do a decent job with all those tasks. A 4wd Tractor may be better at hauling weight, but is limited on person capacity and would be more expensive.

I will need to haul about a half mile down a lane way and may have some sticky conditions. Looking at 150-200 taps max out back. The three utv that I have looked into are the kubota rtv, gators, and polaris ranger. They kind of span a gradient in heft, with the kubota being heaviest and polaris being lightest.

I like the idea of the kubota 900, it's a tank, but then again, it's tank with limited ground clearance. It sure how well it will do in mud. Plus it's the most expensive. No doubt they are built for heavy work though.

The polaris 900 is *rated* with the highest towing a capacity (2000 lbs. vs about 1400 for both rtv and gators). Not sure how much I trust that number, especially doing it often and treating it like a tractor. It's the lightest, so it may float on mud better, but how long will it last being used like a tractor? They can be gotten at a reasonable price used, too.

I feel like the gators are somewhere in the middle. Thinking the hpx, solid rear axle, built for work. Maybe the xuv 825. Similar towing capacity as the kubota, built more for work than the polaris, but not so darn heavy like the kubota. Also can be found cheaper than the kubota.

What do you guys think? I do not care one bit about speed. I want something built strong, can haul 2-3 people, reliable over the long run even with being used like a tractor, and can haul 150 gallons or so of sap. If i need 2 trips on high flow days thats ok. I don't really have any brand allegiance, but i am not interested in a ford vs chevy debate (just no dodges :) ).

FWIW, I've never owned a Polaris Ranger myself but a good friend works for the US National Parks service and, at one point, was managing trail building deep in the mountains of West Virginia...he swore by the Polaris Ranger he used. Said it could haul an incredible amount of gear just in the back "bed", had several setups for passengers and also has something I Really look for — factory accessories.

He tried to convince me to buy one but I wasn't in the position $-wise to pull the trigger on one at the time, so I bought my used Yamaha Grizzly. It's worked fine but it's just me and a couple acres. Hope that helps.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'm on my second Kubota (still using the first). The new 900x has higher ground clearance than the old one. They take a beating and come back for more. I sometimes haul a full tote (275 gallons) over a mile of very rough and rocky road. Wouldn't touch a lighter machine. These things are workhorses. I won't belittle the others but I sure like my Kubota's.

[ADK_XJ]

FWIW, I've never owned a Polaris Ranger myself but a good friend works for the US National Parks service and, at one point, was managing trail building deep in the mountains of West Virginia...he swore by the Polaris Ranger he used. Said it could haul an incredible amount of gear just in the back "bed", had several setups for passengers and also has something I Really look for — factory accessories.

He tried to convince me to buy one but I wasn't in the position $-wise to pull the trigger on one at the time, so I bought my used Yamaha Grizzly. It's worked fine but it's just me and a couple acres. Hope that helps.

Lock and Ride Accessories. That's their big thing — could see where a number of the Farm & Hunting setups here could be a huge help: http://www.polaris.com/en-us/ranger-utv/shop/accessories/spring-planting-necessities

[stoweski]

I have an RTV-900 and absolutely love it. You have it right with the tank analogy. I have a 150 gallon tank that I put in the bed with a gas pump to transfer the sap. I've only gotten stuck when I sank in really heavy, wet snow and bottomed out. I was stupid. Knew there was a snow drift and then it had rained and was very warm. It's gone through some deep mud & ruts without a problem. I have one tank that's down in a ravine. Usually I pump it out with a long hose. This year, with no snow to speak of, I back down to the bottom and pumped out the tank. Got up the hill with just over 100 gallons, low gear, and 4wd.

Definite workhorse. Expensive but worth it! Get the hydraulic dump too - it's a back saver whe hauling firewood!
Oh, and get a winch. Although I don't have one, it's a nice backup in case you do have any issues.

[bprifle01]

My personal experience is very limited, but, that being said, my brother has the Polaris six wheel drive Ranger. He and his son use it as an all around farm vehicle, for hunting, hauling fire wood, etc. I have never seen it get stuck in very swampy areas of their farm, but my nephew said there was a learning curve on how to drive it through the swamp. The ground clearance is pretty good. I have been in it when my nephew hung it up on a stump, but was able to get it off again without anyone having to get out and push. The trails they have through their woods don't go around much of anything and through most everything else, snaking around only trees and the deepest water holes. The box on it isn't very big, but I think a 150 gallon tank would be very doable. There is sufficient room in the cab for three adults or two adults and two little kids. If you're going to have to make lots of tight turns in the woods, you definitely don't want something with a solid rear axle. You won't be able to make those tight turns. The Polaris has differentials, but being six wheel drive, it still has a tendency to push a little in turns. Perhaps the four wheel drive Ranger would be better, but probably wouldn't be as low impact (high float) on muddy ground. I have no opinion about the other models you mention because I have no experience with them and I have never shopped for one, new or used. Just my opinion about the one I have experience with.

[bprifle01]

My personal experience is very limited, but, that being said, my brother has the Polaris six wheel drive Ranger. He and his son use it as an all around farm vehicle, for hunting, hauling fire wood, etc. I have never seen it get stuck in very swampy areas of their farm, but my nephew said there was a learning curve on how to drive it through the swamp. The ground clearance is pretty good. I have been in it when my nephew hung it up on a stump, but was able to get it off again without anyone having to get out and push. The trails they have through their woods don't go around much of anything and through most everything else, snaking around only trees and the deepest water holes. The box on it isn't very big, but I think a 150 gallon tank would be very doable. There is sufficient room in the cab for three adults or two adults and two little kids. If you're going to have to make lots of tight turns in the woods, you definitely don't want something with a solid rear axle. You won't be able to make those tight turns. The Polaris has differentials, but being six wheel drive, it still has a tendency to push a little in turns. Perhaps the four wheel drive Ranger would be better, but probably wouldn't be as low impact (high float) on muddy ground. I have no opinion about the other models you mention because I have no experience with them and I have never shopped for one, new or used. Just my opinion about the one I have experience with.

[asknupp]

Second year with 825i. Though I haven't been put in any real sticky situations. Yet! It does haul a nearly full cage tote though it is well above the recommended payload.
While hunting it has proven very useful as it will crawl uphill and not lose track. At one point a buddy got nervous enough to sit on the hood. Don't know about the others but the only thing I wish I would have gotten is power steering. Oh yeah and the kids love it too.

[johnallin]

2006 John Deere Trail Gator HPX over here. It's a real work horse, almost impossible to get stuck and has lots of ground clearance. I'd recommend it highly.

[VT_K9]

I use a RZR XP 1000 in our bush. My father uses a Polaris X2 550. Both work very well for what we do and how we do it. We also have a Kubota 42 hp tractor. I built a right on a quick attach plate to haul 2 55 gallon drums for the pump line drain back (about 80 gallons of sap in 725' of 1 1/2") after pumping for the day. If I really wanted a workhorse UTV I would be looking at the Polaris Ranger. I was really interested in the Kubota when they came out, but I was concerned about having the ability for a little more mud/play time. I went with the RZR and it works great for me, but like I said if I wanted a work machine I would go with the Ranger.

Mike

[mudr]

Interesting stuff guys. Have seen positive responses for all three so far. If I were positive that the weight and ground clearance were not an issue for the kubota (and had the $) I'd be getting it. If I knew the ranger was stout enough for more work and less play, I'd get that. The responses seem to support both. :)

[wishlist]

I have a 2014 Kubota 1100 rtv with a Boss V plow. I've built racks for the bed and filled with firewood and pull a full 5x10 trailer as well, mostly ash. The thing is made to work . It won't break any speed records , 25 mph tops. Full enclosed cab with heat and ac. I have a 225 gallon tote as well in the bed for hauling sap . Got it stuck once this spring hauling sap, bottomed out going down a lane that unfortunately was plowed last fall. I would highly recommend the Kubota.

[MISugarDaddy]

We got rid of our Gator when we got our Kubota RTV1100 and have had no regrets. We receive 150 to 200 inches of snow each year so we had to have something that could get through both snow and mud during syrup season, since we normally encounter both during a normal season. We went with tracks on ours which increases the ground clearance by 5 inches. As others have said, it isn't a speed demon, but it is nice to be warm when you are hauling sap long distances...our sugarbush is half a mile from our sugarhouse. We have a 125 gallon tank in the back with a Honda WX10 pump for collecting sap.
Gary
14246

[stoweski]

Guess all I can say is good luck! If you do a search online you'll probably find mostly negative reviews for the machines - seems the theme when searching for reviews of products online. Got a lot of good info on here. Go test drive all of them. See which one 'feels' the best to you. Check the turning radius, that's the one negative of the kubota in 4wd. Guessing they all have a wider radius in 4wd. Will the bed on each fit your tank? See what the dealer has to offer. A lot of 0% financing out there.
Something tells me you'll like any of the three.

If you have the cash, check out some that are used. Saw one the other day locally that never was off of pavement. Looked sweet.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

I have a Can Am Commander for personal use and we also have a Kubota RTV 900 with tracks for the sugarbush. The Kubota is definitely a true work horse. When it comes to hauling heavy loads, it is a beast. However, I'm not as thrilled with it as others seem to be. It does good getting supplies to some parts of the bush but in the STEEP terrain, it is useless. Too heavy and not enough power. Great on the flatter ground though.
If you plan to only use it for work around the house and maple syrup, you will be happy with the Kubota. If you have ANY plans of leisure/trail riding go with the Ranger. I don't think you will be disappointed either way but they are certainly 2 different machines. We are fortunate to have both available but if I could keep only one, I'd keep the Can Am and sell the Kubota.

[BlueberryHill]

No one mentioned the Honda Pioneer. I recently got one and it is the balls. Hauls a lot of weight with no issues at all. Decent price. Reliable.

[Diesel Pro]

Hi everyone. Someday I'd like to get a better sap hauler. I'm currently borrowing my father's polaris 500 four wheeler,which is great for now, but limited in capacity. I have 2 kids under 5 right now that I'd like to get more involved in the hobby, plus my wife and I hunt, we'd like to camp out in the woods, and have something to plow snow and haul firewood. As of now, I think a nicely used UTV would do a decent job with all those tasks. A 4wd Tractor may be better at hauling weight, but is limited on person capacity and would be more expensive.

I will need to haul about a half mile down a lane way and may have some sticky conditions. Looking at 150-200 taps max out back. The three utv that I have looked into are the kubota rtv, gators, and polaris ranger. They kind of span a gradient in heft, with the kubota being heaviest and polaris being lightest.

I like the idea of the kubota 900, it's a tank, but then again, it's tank with limited ground clearance. It sure how well it will do in mud. Plus it's the most expensive. No doubt they are built for heavy work though.

The polaris 900 is *rated* with the highest towing a capacity (2000 lbs. vs about 1400 for both rtv and gators). Not sure how much I trust that number, especially doing it often and treating it like a tractor. It's the lightest, so it may float on mud better, but how long will it last being used like a tractor? They can be gotten at a reasonable price used, too.

I feel like the gators are somewhere in the middle. Thinking the hpx, solid rear axle, built for work. Maybe the xuv 825. Similar towing capacity as the kubota, built more for work than the polaris, but not so darn heavy like the kubota. Also can be found cheaper than the kubota.

What do you guys think? I do not care one bit about speed. I want something built strong, can haul 2-3 people, reliable over the long run even with being used like a tractor, and can haul 150 gallons or so of sap. If i need 2 trips on high flow days thats ok. I don't really have any brand allegiance, but i am not interested in a ford vs chevy debate (just no dodges :) ).

I have a Polaris Ranger 900. It works very well for me. I did add stronger rear springs to carry more load. My neighbor has the Kubota RTV. It is a tank no doubt. We do snowmobile trail signing together. He drives around anything challenging as he knows he'll sink out of sight. His Kubota is best used on his farm.

Pics of my rig re in here:

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?20140-First-attempt-at-sap-buggy&highlight=sap+buggy

I carry 130+ gallons in these 2 65 gallon poly leg tanks. Yes it does squat, but it still carries nicely.

If I were to consider another it would be the Honda Pioneer, but only the 1000cc and not the 700. I say consider because all I have seen of this machine is on paper so to speak.

[Bucket Head]

A gentleman near me has a Kubota. His only complaint is the weight. He said it didn't like soft ground or much mud. He avoids that type terrain now.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

I have a polaris ranger 900. No tracks. I used a 65 gallon leg tank to haul sap 2 miles out of my neighbor's sugarbush, onto a gravel road, then onto a tar road, to my place and to my evaporator. I had regular springs on the ranger. I hauled the 65 gallon tank through mud and ruts that my neighbor could not get through with his dozer and up some steel hills. I also could travel 50 mph down the roads without difficulty. It worked well for me. Good luck picking the machine that works well for you. I'm happy with mine.

[Burnt sap]

Two years ago I bought a 1995 jeep wrangler for 1800 bucks. I put about 700 bucks in parts and drive it every day it's legal on the road great in the woods and has many uses and saved me 4-5 thousand dollars. And can out haul out tow any utv made and fits on all our trails. I'd say buy a jeep and save some money to buy new maple equipment.

[Woodsrover]

I haul two 60gallon plastic barrels with my Kioti Mectron. Nice machine. Good ground clearance, carries plenty and I like that its a diesel. I have the hydro option and as well as the power-dump I have a pair of rear remotes that I can run my dump trailer with. Very handy. Probably won't find a used one as they're not that common but for a new machine they're cheaper than the Kubota.

[Maple Ridge Farm]

Have a 6 wheel Ranger 700 and it is used in every season couldn't get by with out it. Get a winch at some point you will get stuck and you will need it believe me.