Smart/Best Mule or UTV to Buy

ckruzer

ckruzer

Infidel
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Location
asheville nc
Work is in the market for a 2 or 4 seater mule utv. Need it to have a bed and a 2in receiver hitch.

My brief foray into SXS i learned that some mfg/models are known for their wet clutches being complete shit and most have to pull them and do a welding mod. Accuracy on that, idk. Point point, looking to see if any of yall have more knowledge than I and can make a recommendation for an ideal brand/model to get. We are currently waiting on a quote for the Kawasaki mules.

Thank you
 
If you are going to tow anything with it and the clutch is a concern, get a Honda Pioneer.
Real transmission, real drive shaft, no drive belt bs.
They excel at towing and its a damn honda so itll last
 
A friend of mine once said "I'm not rich enough to buy a cheap SxS."

Buy once cry once, especially if you're using it for work and need reliability. His cheap one was down so much and paying someone to work on it it cost him in the long run.
 
Mule and Kubota side by side equals work and little play.
Each are fairly strong reliable and zero frills. More torque and heavier built than a Cushman golf cart. Almost identical suspension performance and probably slower.

I needed KISS and I didn't want a glorified golf cart. I bought a Mule.

Main reason is I wanted a tool and not a toy......because I would be tempted to play.
 
@Ron @WARRIORWELDING

Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT 1000 (diesel or gas?) vs Honda Pioneer 1000-6? Same price range around 21k
The rear seat fold down to extend the bed on the Mule, is the most attractive feature to me
 
What do you plan to use it for?
 
Idk if that mule diesel is an experimental engine or not. Diesel is attractive, because we already have a large diesel tank on site for all equipment
 
Based on that usage, I'd definitely consider a Mule or one of the Kubota UTV's with the longer bed. Carrying fence posts is a lot more difficult if the bed is only 3ft long. You don't need sporty, and most of the big names in the ATV/UTV world are a little more sporty than work focused. With that said, sporty can often give you a better ride and less sore back at the end of the day too if you're covering a large area.
 
Buy an XJ, remove the rear seat and hatch. Throw fence posts and bags of concrete in the back. Can also tow with it.
 
drkelly said:
Buy an XJ, remove the rear seat and hatch. Throw fence posts and bags of concrete in the back. Can also tow with it.
Click to expand...
To big, large turning circle, heavy foot print and it a great example of a gladiator trying to be a pickup. ........but for a 1500 dollar junker I agree. Are they gold yet?
jeepinmatt said:
Based on that usage, I'd definitely consider a Mule or one of the Kubota UTV's with the longer bed. Carrying fence posts is a lot more difficult if the bed is only 3ft long. You don't need sporty, and most of the big names in the ATV/UTV world are a little more sporty than work focused. With that said, sporty can often give you a better ride and less sore back at the end of the day too if you're covering a large area.
Click to expand...
Yes, and more yes but if I want to haul beaucoup anything it equals truck. I considered a small trailer just for the Mule....then I thought "your stupid" to myself. Again truck. Four doors and hauling people? Truck. Or the above Jeep. I'm very much principle centered and a tight wad. So no extra doors bed or stuff that makes it horrible at nothing and excellent in nothing. The Mule remains nimble, Small repetitive task minded, and always flexible as long as I don't attempt truck/trailer task.
Even when doing things remote from whatever and the Mule can handle it barely I'd rather put a trailer behind the tractor vs load it down and make double work of sorting it all out.
ckruzer said:
@Ron @WARRIORWELDING

Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT 1000 (diesel or gas?) vs Honda Pioneer 1000-6? Same price range around 21k
The rear seat fold down to extend the bed on the Mule, is the most attractive feature to me
Click to expand...

2 door. Gas. 400 cc. Fuel injected. Short manual dump. Absolutely boring to drive. Trying to do anything exciting with it would equal breaking it or myself do to the suspension. Basic. I can't justify a size bigger or more money for all the other reasons listed. For 21k I'm looking at better tractors.
 
drkelly said:
Buy an XJ, remove the rear seat and hatch. Throw fence posts and bags of concrete in the back. Can also tow with it.
Click to expand...
Too heavy, tears the shit out of the fields.
 
Fwiw I run a 2019 Yamaha Wolverine X2 SE for similar to what you’re describing.

850cc’s, spool rear end, adjustable KYB shocks, ELocker front end. It shits n gits. I’ll trail ride with it one day and pull a hay rake or spray roundup with it the next. It spends most of its time loaded down with saws, tools and other general mess I carry around the farm. I find myself using it a lot more than my pickup unless I actually need the truck for something. It’s more nimble, lighter, easier on my pastures, faster, more comfortable. 1500+ miles over 4 years now and all I’ve done is oil changes and a few plugs in one tire after some booze fueled driving with @SPOA87YJ one night. 🤣

9776B4FD-D503-4138-97FA-AC8B9FDCC394.jpeg
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StretchASU said:
Fwiw I run a 2019 Yamaha Wolverine X2 SE for similar to what you’re describing.

850cc’s, spool rear end, adjustable KYB shocks, ELocker front end. It shits n gits. I’ll trail ride with it one day and pull a hay rake or spray roundup with it the next. It spends most of its time loaded down with saws, tools and other general mess I carry around the farm. I find myself using it a lot more than my pickup unless I actually need the truck for something. It’s more nimble, lighter, easier on my pastures, faster, more comfortable. 1500+ miles over 4 years now and all I’ve done is oil changes and a few plugs in one tire after some booze fueled driving with @SPOA87YJ one night. 🤣

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Click to expand...
A much funnnnnnnnmer mule.
 
CanAm has one called the HD10 or something like that. Has a LONG ass bed on it. That being said, I'm not a CanAm fan, but it looks like it would be very useful.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
To big, large turning circle, heavy foot print and it a great example of a gladiator trying to be a pickup. ........but for a 1500 dollar junker I agree. Are they gold yet?
Yes, and more yes but if I want to haul beaucoup anything it equals truck. I considered a small trailer just for the Mule....then I thought "your stupid" to myself. Again truck. Four doors and hauling people? Truck. Or the above Jeep. I'm very much principle centered and a tight wad. So no extra doors bed or stuff that makes it horrible at nothing and excellent in nothing. The Mule remains nimble, Small repetitive task minded, and always flexible as long as I don't attempt truck/trailer task.
Even when doing things remote from whatever and the Mule can handle it barely I'd rather put a trailer behind the tractor vs load it down and make double work of sorting it all out.


2 door. Gas. 400 cc. Fuel injected. Short manual dump. Absolutely boring to drive. Trying to do anything exciting with it would equal breaking it or myself do to the suspension. Basic. I can't justify a size bigger or more money for all the other reasons listed. For 21k I'm looking at better tractors.
Click to expand...
Let's dig into this a little bit. I like the convertible bed on the mule. Are there other reasons to prefer the Kawasaki or Kubota over a Ranger, for example? Locking rear diff?
 
shawn said:
Let's dig into this a little bit. I like the convertible bed on the mule. Are there other reasons to prefer the Kawasaki or Kubota over a Ranger, for example? Locking rear diff?
Click to expand...
I believe they all have a locking rear diff FWIW. The Rangers default to locked, and have a "Turf Mode" button for 1wd that disengages the locker with a 12v solenoid.
 
shawn said:
Let's dig into this a little bit. I like the convertible bed on the mule. Are there other reasons to prefer the Kawasaki or Kubota over a Ranger, for example? Locking rear diff?
Click to expand...
My Mule has a locking diff. I actually have built several "brush trucks and rescue packages" on many platforms including John Deere Gators. The Gators went to Fort Bragg. Most all have that as standard or optional. Without a bunch of specs and numbers my first hand experience is the Kubota platform hands down is built to handle more weight. The little Diesel equipped units just ran quiet, had a stupid low power band and used to have auxiliary hydraulic power. Beds had more reinforcement as did frame sections. CV axles and related a arms all beefier. The take away.....less travel, comfort, and top speed. As a tool Kubota wins. It's price in my tier also reflected the same.
I have another beekeeper friend and his diesel Kubota out does everything utility my Mule could attempt.
 
shawn said:
I don't know anything about the guts of the differential, but that sounds like a suboptimal design choice for the use case.
Click to expand...
The turf mode varies a bit by brand, but the idea is for contractors who are using them while working on lawns you use that to not tear up grass but leave it off 99% of the time.
Also lots of golf courses use them, etc

The 1000cc Honda has I think 6 different tans/diff settings ranging from triple lock to wtf
 
The question is whether it should be normally off or normally on, and whether the settings reset with each ignition cycle.
 
shawn said:
The question is whether it should be normally off or normally on, and whether the settings reset with each ignition cycle.
Click to expand...
Cant speak to all of course.
On the honda its a manual lever or switch. Not a "setting"
 
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