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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,901 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,901 Likes: 2 |
Gentlemen, Recent post on a Japanese mini truck got me to thinking. Look like they would be good to use around the farm/ranch through the year and then be great for hunting too. Light weight means they would not rut up the roads near as much as our standard pickups, which is a big concern. Looking for any information from folks that have used them. Are they reliable? Can you get parts in a timely manner? How do they handle in slick mud? Normally not that deep but slicker than owl [bleep]. What problems have you had with one? What do you like best about them? Your help, as always is appreciated.
Little background. We hunt 2800 acres in Middle South Tennessee. Rolling hills, some of which can be fairly steep but most are not. A little paved road but not much. Most is yoiur standard farm road/track. Lots of potholes, etc. though none are super big.
Last edited by travelingman1; 01/21/23.
Some mornings, it just does not feel worth it to chew through the straps!~
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29 |
Ever thought about a mule or a ranger side by side
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,653 Likes: 75
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,653 Likes: 75 |
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,361
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,361 |
Look into a Suzuki Samurai.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,792 Likes: 42
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,792 Likes: 42 |
Ever thought about a mule or a ranger side by side this
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,189 Likes: 11
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,189 Likes: 11 |
Kubota, mule , side by side
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29 |
Roxor jeeps are street legal but you could by a real Jeep for the price
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3,810 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3,810 Likes: 2 |
Should you decide on a small truck, they come with small engines. If you lift the truck, oversized tires, enhance it in other ways you really change the performance of the power plant and not for the better. I learned this by trial. If it’s going to stay at the property and used for little else it probably doesn’t matter. For the cost of a sxs anymore a guy might get a decent Jeep and a trailer to tow?
Osky
Last edited by Osky; 01/21/23.
A woman's heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth and I can find no sign on it.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,733 Likes: 26
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,733 Likes: 26 |
Gentlemen, Recent post on a Japanese mini truck got me to thinking. Look like they would be good to use around the farm/ranch through the year and then be great for hunting too. Light weight means they would not rut up the roads near as much as our standard pickups, which is a big concern. Looking for any information from folks that have used them. Are they reliable? Can you get parts in a timely manner? How do they handle in slick mud? Normally not that deep but slicker than owl [bleep]. What problems have you had with one? What do you like best about them? Your help, as always is appreciated.
Little background. We hunt 2800 acres in Middle South Tennessee. Rolling hills, some of which can be fairly steep but most are not. A little paved road but not much. Most is yoiur standard farm road/track. Lots of potholes, etc. though none are super big. I will be moving up there in about 2 years. If you need any more members in your club, shoot me a PM.
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 15,527 Likes: 29 |
I got farm use tags on the mule have gotten it up over 50mph and still had room to go the dump bed is handy.If you go the side by side route don’t do the smaller 400cc there glorified golf carts and get stuck on wet leaves😉
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,792 Likes: 42
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,792 Likes: 42 |
Roxor jeeps are street legal but you could by a real Jeep for the price I looked at it, but IMHO, it was too heavy for what I'd use it for. My Mule works much better, and is light enough to not sink and get stuck as easy due to much lower weight. Got like 900 hours on my Trans4110 4x4 Mule. Love it.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,374 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,374 Likes: 5 |
The advantage I see is heat, maybe AC and weather protection. Don't know about parts though. SxS are so expensive now. Some construction guys on my base ride around in a mini truck hauling crap. Seems to work fine but they arn't off road.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 79,321 Likes: 2
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 79,321 Likes: 2 |
Roxor jeeps are street legal but you could by a real Jeep for the price Roxors can be made street legal and you can make them fast enough to travel on the interstate if you uncork their 2.5 liter turbocharged diesel. I briefly considered getting one when they first showed up. But for the money one would need to put in them, they're not worth it, to me.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,918
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,918 |
I purchased a canam hd7 defender for 14000 last year, well built machine, goes anywhere, tight turning radius, 1000 lb bed capacity, 1000 tow capacity, sits three across front, and was brand new. The mini trucks I see are 8000ish grand, and Ive always worried about getting parts.
guns to me are like legal crack
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3,092 Likes: 6
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3,092 Likes: 6 |
Look into a Suzuki Samurai. Here's a 1986 with 72,000 miles for 8K. Pretty cool little trucks for a hunting lease.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,257
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,257 |
Side-by-side‘s are out of my price range. Plus, trailering then is an extra expense.
Regarding the previous suggestion of a Suzuki samurai, last year I bought a Chevy tracker which is very similar for $4000. It has 136,000 on it and runs great. It is parked outside next to our 96 Geo tracker. They’re very dependable vehicles and have a great four-wheel-drive. (Plus they are great for the kids to learn on.)
I know it sounds silly, but we lay the seats in the back down put a tarp in there and some totes. We have taking elk out with no problem before. Many times with our light weight we Half past larger trucks because we can stay on top of ruts better with our small wheelbase.
Your buddies may make fun of you, but for what you describe it may be a more affordable option.
The never-ending flight Of future days. Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 221
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,713
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,713 |
For 10 years I ran a GM intermediate truck with 4WD. It hauled quite a few moose home for 1,000miles plus gear. I never had to use 4WD for more than a few minutes at a time to get clear of bogs, etc. I hated to get rid of it but my wife had quit driving and I had no need for two vehicles any more.
For me it was a great compromise, decent mileage, comfortable ride, adequate bed capacity for my needs. Not made for construction work, but a good truck for someone living in the city and wanting a multi use vehicle.
Jim
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 87
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 87 |
TM - I had a Diahatsu super cab for several years. I bought it from a friend of a friend and it was stock with mud tires. They never had any issues with it. When I got it I needed more than traction and clearance for muddy River bottom areas so I lifted it 3” and put better shocks, Dana 44’s and larger mud tires on it. That’s where the problems started…. It began breaking CV joints every other week. We modified that to a fix. It did pretty well and the real cab was great with a great heater. It would haul whatever we put in it - 1000# corn - no problem. When we moved to another lease - much more gumbo mud, it stayed stuck due to on clearance . Get in a rut? Break out the winch.
I decided to buy a sxs and gave it to my youngest son (who builds rock crawlers). He wanted power and lift. Put a Honda engine in it and an auto transmission. It needed the bugs worked out and he tired of it.
My advice is get a Dihatsu or Honda. Common Parts are fairly available from several sites. My biggest advice is keep it stock and realize clearance issues will be there. No one but you will probably work on it, so that’s a consideration of your mechanical talent. Driving a standard from the right side was no issue for us. I also hunt a huge 40,000 ac ranch in central Texas and their ranch hands drive them. Fairly rocky terrain so little mud and they keep on rolling.
Don’t expect it to go anywhere near where a decent sxs will go. Hope this helps. - Txwildman
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
Mini-trucks have an infinite utility that few can understand.
But they will not do anything magical in the off road department.
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,793
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,793 |
I will be moving up there in about 2 years. If you need any more members in your club, shoot me a PM. I doubt they want a member who is afflicted with anal warts.
l told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Mother Gue, I says, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world, and by God, I was right. - Del Gue
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