Mini Trucks - Farming and Hunting

BCMac

BCMac

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Horsefly, BC
Hey all,

For the past few years we have been getting by on the farm with an old ATV. Time is a coming to upgrade to a SxS (or so says the wife).

Been also looking at some of these Japanese Mini-trucks (Carry, Hijet, etc) as an alternative. Any of you guys run a mini truck on the farm? As a hunting rig?
 
we have been thinking about getting one for quite sometime, for myself I'd like the van type model, more comfortable room for my dogs on forest trail cruises, but my sons would prefer they truck type so a quad can be carried in the back and would be of more use around the acreage. I believe you had better be careful as to which make/model you put your money into! I know one that has been sitting at a local repair shop for many years, "waiting for parts", I think it's a Mitsubishi make. Has the A.T., just what I would prefer. If we were to get one, I'd love to put tracks on it and use it for snowmobile trail signage and maintenance, as well. I see a few of these mini trucks, but very few running around. I'd be worried about parts availability, so I just can't see buying one. Perhaps someone with experience with them will chime in.
 
I considered a side by side for farm duty for a few years. but ended up buying a jeep rubicon. Side by side wasn't going to cut it for moving small equipment.
 
Had a Subaru 4x4 truck. It was fun but kinda useless off road. Had no articulation because of the 4 wheel independent suspension. I knew it wasn't a rock crawler but the tire hit a 8" off camber bump and tires were off the ground.Mine didn't have diff locks so that was a downfall. Sold it to a trapper that drove logging roads and wanted to drive into town for coffee after checking his traps. I'd buy a SXS long before another mini truck. Or if you want road legal , Toyota 4 runner or a jeep. Just my opinion.
 
I'm not worried about moving equipment, we have the tractors and the dually for that. I'm more looking for something to boot around the farm, get into tight spaces when fixing fences, moving cows, and having a bit of bed capacity for moving electric fences, carrying posts, gear, etc.

The ones we're looking at are all 4wd with diff lock, lifts and proper tires. And about 1/3 the price of a SxS.
 
Our farm has went a little SxS nuts. We have a couple Kubota RTV 900's, couple Yamaha Rhino's, and a crappy old John Deer Gator.

The Rhino's see the majority of use do to the suspension and speed / agility they have while the Kubota's do the work horse stuff with their diesel engines and hydrostatic drive train.

The Gator is good for cleaning up leaves and gardening, but beings the rear axle has no suspension thats all we use it for. It is also as gutless feeling as a smart car towing a grain truck.
 
BCMac said:
I'm not worried about moving equipment, we have the tractors and the dually for that. I'm more looking for something to boot around the farm, get into tight spaces when fixing fences, moving cows, and having a bit of bed capacity for moving electric fences, carrying posts, gear, etc.

The ones we're looking at are all 4wd with diff lock, lifts and proper tires. And about 1/3 the price of a SxS.
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as for hauling...

It will haul...sorry for the gore:p

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I have two Polaris Rangers and I just love them, a six wheel that I use around the Hacienda every day and a 4 wheel one the wife uses...........life just wouldn't be the same without them. Saves me 1000 steps every day and speeds up what I need to get done..........can't recommend them highly enough, 10 times better than a quad, which I also have two of, that haven't run in 3 years...........for hunting I have the Argo, and when I go with it I have a helicopter on standby. ;););)
 
you will want to look at where the rad is and how easy it is to clean out. We had a Kubota at work (mining around the shop) they kept cooking the engine by overheating due to mud in rad. They were really badly set up cooling wise hard to clean etc. Not really made for mud and also too many users that could care less as well.
 
wce323078 said:
you will want to look at where the rad is and how easy it is to clean out. We had a Kubota at work (mining around the shop) they kept cooking the engine by overheating due to mud in rad. They were really badly set up cooling wise hard to clean etc. Not really made for mud and also too many users that could care less as well.
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The bigger problem there was/is the operator error by those who dgaf...

The mini trucks from Japan I have seen doing duty as hunting rigs have been the type where the owner drives logging roads and has a winch on the deck and a spool or 5/8 line of up to a couple hundred yrds . for when they shoot something they can run the line to recover the game animal with some work.
Biggest issue I have seen if the guys are 6 foot and 300 lbs, they dont fit in the mini trucks, because of the ergonomics in the cab.

Test drive a couple and see how they fit and go from there...they are cheap enough to buy and parts are available through the importers.
Not to mention they have a heater a windscreen an auxiliary point for charging ones cell phone and thye are street legal and can be insured for the trip back to town for grub and the likes.

Rob
 
ht tp://www.minitruckcanada.com/index.html
Lots of Youtube videos. Lots of modifications you can do.
These are not ATV's. These are mini-TRUCKS. These look great for farm use. Dump box and have see some with a scissor lift for the box. Heater and A/C available. Put some off road tires on it, licence plates and drive it to town. Right hand drive may take some getting used to. The only problem that I could see is the amount of leg room inside.
 
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The Bobcat and Kubota side by sides are heavy built critters, but lack the higher speeds that a mini truck can get up to.

A neighbour has a Kubota, and it probably won't get much over 20 mph. SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign takes care of the registration. (If you farm it's a lot easier to get away with this trick) Otherwise, I guess you're stuck to off road only.

Some of the models (of Kubota anyway) have very heavy duty axles and are rated for serious work. Problem with that weight is when you get stuck, you need a good winch to unstuck yourself or it's a long walk back home...

My $.02
 
I have neither owned nor driven a mini truck but I have heard of a down side to them. Being a right hand drive, if you have to pass a semi, it can get interesting.
 
couple years ago I looked into mini trucks, the van style looked good until I got close and checked into parts, ended up with the Kioti side by side, great unit got the diesel motor, 4x4 with locking axles, has the bench seat, a plus to get in and out both sides and easy to work on.

down side it has no cab, they are available but never considered it back then and it will top out at 28mph, you could change this by removing the lock screw and get better rpm but its plenty fast enough and will carry 1000 pounds in box
 
I'm on my second Kubota 900 3 cylinder with hydraulics. Tonka Tough, ultra reliable, good fuel economy. The factory rims are very delicate, I replaced them early, got decent rubber, never looked back.They hold their dependability and value very good.
 
kamlooky said:
Suzuki Tracker/Sidekick, pull the top awff and back seat owt.
There yuzz go........in style.
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better than ATV's when modded and don't have to worry about ATV restricted management units when hunting.

I had a Samurai but upgraded to a 4 door for extra room and better options

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Everybody I know who has a Polaris Ranger loves them, but no side by side is cheap.

When I wanted a little more than an ATV I looked at lots of things, but the $20K or so price tags I found on side-by-sides were just stupid.

I went with a $2500 Jeep YJ and $2000 worth of upgrades, and I just drive to where I want to be; forget all this loading a vehicle on a trailer to be pulled by another vehicle stuff.
 
Deerdr said:
I'm on my second Kubota 900 3 cylinder with hydraulics. Tonka Tough, ultra reliable, good fuel economy. The factory rims are very delicate, I replaced them early, got decent rubber, never looked back.They hold their dependability and value very good.
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my neighbour gets a lot of use out of his -- it gets him where he wants to go pretty quick.... and he likes it a lot. I am "pretty sure" that some of the Bobcat utility vehicles are built by Kioti .. as it happens I have a Kioti and 2 JD tractors at the farm ... Kioti came with the farm ... I bought the 2 JD's thinking that the Kioti was not going hack it! Well the Kioti is not made in China as I originally believed -- they are Korean built and they seem to have copied old JD designs...heavy frames and they are plenty tough; plenty dependable and easy to maintain the usual stuff. I would look carefully at the Mechron ... IF you have a dealer in your area.
 
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