# Utility Vehicles



## Doug Montanari (Dec 23, 2006)

Looking for some help with putting a plow on a small utility vehicles like a mule, kubota rtv, bobcats new utility vehicle or a polaris. does any one use a vehicle like this now and what are your pros and cons to what you are using?


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## cog-1 (Oct 7, 2005)

We have a mule with a plow on it we bought to try and plow a small ice rink on a pond. Totally frickin' useless for plowing, not any power here but may be better at lower altitude you are at-we are at 9000' so lose about 30% h.p. Now we use a ATV with chains till ice gets thick enough to support a pickup to push banks back


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## flashinglight (Nov 19, 2007)

My father has a mule 610 4 wheeler. All I have to say is most golf carts go better than that thing. But we just got a Polaris 700 6 wheeler at the fire dept. That thing is a tank! It has very good power hi / low range. I would highly recommend it over a Mule.


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## the_experience (Feb 28, 2007)

MY neighbor mounted up a 6 foot (?) plow on his 6x6 ranger. It was a purpose built plow for that machine and was just like any other ATV plow only wider. It didn't make it a season before the plow frame pretzeled from the pushing power of the machine versus that wimpy pushframe. I would hope that was just some sort of quickie retrofit that Cycle Country or whomever did because it was when the Ranger had first come out. I would like to think that they have since engineered a much sturdy UTV plow, but it is worth looking at closely.


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## cog-1 (Oct 7, 2005)

flashinglight;442203 said:


> My father has a mule 610 4 wheeler. All I have to say is most golf carts go better than that thing. But we just got a Polaris 700 6 wheeler at the fire dept. That thing is a tank! It has very good power hi / low range. I would highly recommend it over a Mule.


Flashing light: Any idea of horsepower on the polaris? 
Thanks


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)

cog-1;443412 said:


> Flashing light: Any idea of horsepower on the polaris?
> Thanks


According to the Polaris website the 700 has a 683CC engine that produces 40HP.


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

Blizzard makes a 680lt mount for the kubota RTV thanks too Jerre. Also the bobcat 2300 has a real nice plow/loader attachment. Both are diesel and work very well.


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## Spudgunner (Aug 23, 2006)

I recently purchased a Bobcat Toolcat 5600T D-series. It has a turbo'd Kubota engine (should help at high altitude) that's good for 56HP. I have 84" blade, 72" blower, and 68" bucket for the thing and so far it has worked very well. Haven't used the bucket for snow but have for roadmix, sand,... It has a 1500# capacity skidsteer quick-attach. In addition to the blower, I have it loaded with about 800# of ballast in the dump box.

I'm very much a newbie with this thing but I'm pretty optimistic about its possibilities for all-season applications. The major con with this machine is its price. For a new one you're probably talking better than $45K-$50K depending on what gingerbread you add on. I've found Bobcat support (Boise H&E dealer) to be outstanding...which it should be for that price range. Just my opinion: If one can get over the sticker shock, it's a better value than buying a new diesel pickup for $35K-$45K...your mileage may vary. You might also consider tractors with cabs. They are kinda pricey as well, though.

Happy shopping!


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

I have a Kubota RTV with a 5/720 Erie Special, works awesome. Load it up with ballast and it plows like a truck, although we use it on sidewalks. Awesome machine, talk with Jerre about it, he's done several.

Also put a Toolcat D Series on the road with a Blizzard 810. Only used it on our crappy ice storm so far, but I am thoroughly impressed. I am quite sure in most small lots it will outplow a truck. Too bad it was built on a Monday AM or Friday PM, but my dealer is taking good care of me as well. 

Spudgunner, keep an eye on your main drive belt, they have been having problems with them shredding. The hydro pump mount is off 1/16" and causing them to go. My parts should be in soon and hopefully that will be taken care of.


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## Spudgunner (Aug 23, 2006)

Mark, Thanks for the heads-up. I bought my Toolcat with 120 hours on it. It had suffered the same fate as yours but with the previous owner. I've read that Bobcat has issued a recall. There's a fair amount of info on this problem over at TractorByNet in the Toolcat forum.


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## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

can you not put a jet kit in the carb for high altitude? maybe get the power back.


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## Doug Montanari (Dec 23, 2006)

Mark Oomkes;445678 said:


> I have a Kubota RTV with a 5/720 Erie Special, works awesome. Load it up with ballast and it plows like a truck, although we use it on sidewalks. Awesome machine, talk with Jerre about it, he's done several.
> 
> Also put a Toolcat D Series on the road with a Blizzard 810. Only used it on our crappy ice storm so far, but I am thoroughly impressed. I am quite sure in most small lots it will outplow a truck. Too bad it was built on a Monday AM or Friday PM, but my dealer is taking good care of me as well.
> 
> Spudgunner, keep an eye on your main drive belt, they have been having problems with them shredding. The hydro pump mount is off 1/16" and causing them to go. My parts should be in soon and hopefully that will be taken care of.


Mark, What is a 5/720 Erie Special? I'm leaning towards the Kubota RTV after looking at all the machines on the market. Plus I'm very happy with my 3010 Kubota Tractor.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Doug, Jerre--mostly Thomas actually--cut a Blizzard 720 LT down from the 7' 2" to 5' wide. This was mainly because we are using it for a sidewalk vehicle. They then added vertical ribs and tubes to the sections they cut off that can then be pinned to the main moldboard so we can have a 5' wide plow or the full 720. It's a cool setup, even though we don't use the wings very much, we still have them if we need to plow a small area.


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