Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What is the Best UTV for climbing steep rocky slopes?

What is the best UTV for climbing steep rocky slopes?

I've come to realize in the UTV market there is a lot of emphasis on speed, but not much on good ground clearance, low range low RPM low speed hill climbing ability.

I'm looking at the Kubota RTV*** models, Kawasaki Mules, Honda Pioneer. Does anyone here have suggestions?

I like my Kubota RTV X1100C
That Said
It is a real Turtle going up hills.
The power is there just no speed to talk about.
Diesel HST's are not known for there speed.

funshooter, on a steep slope, does it just chug away at a steady SLOW speed without bogging down? How would a Kubota RTV 700 compare to the 1100C?

Does it have a good ground clearance? I have a steep rugged 4wd trail leading up our "hill" that beats the hell out of normal 4x4s that need to keep up a certain speed to avoid bogging the engine.

I am no authority by any stretch, but I wonder if any of them are that good? I see a lot of them in chukar country in Northern Nevada, and see them stymied, hung up, high centered very frequently. They are lawyer proofed to the point where they won't clear a cow pie. A couple asshats were driving one up a two track road through tall sage and fairly deep ruts last year, my buddy and I were following in my p.o.s. old Chevy pickup...they wouldn't let us get by, and then high centered in the f'ing road. It was a Kawasaki...from the rear it looked to have about 8'' clearance... maybe.

I will have to say the Kawasaki Teryx is the best rocky hill and off camber machine I have ever owned...I have owned a few ....Although I sold mine due to Heat and Noise in the cabin...It had great ground clearance...

I put a lift kit on my RZR. In the instructions they said that for trail riding, remove the torsion bar struts. That will allow the front tires to articulate more to keep the tires on the ground. The torsion bar helps for racing and jumping but not for rock climbing.
I tried it. It works.

Low gears, high ground clearance, locked rear wheels and posi in the front are some things I would look for

We've had good luck with Polaris - several machines.
That said, there's a fine line between being cautious - and being stupid.
Don't bothering asking how I know.

Lol, Dats what roll bars and seat belts are for Bro!!

Coot.

A LWB Mule is impressive but you might check a Yamaha or Honda for the very best

Get a part time locker for front , fugktard

Cuse me I shoulda axed you da self appointed exspurt or do youeven no bout puttin it n2 4wheel drive, or do u ever get outta mamas basement?

For what it's worth it's not climbing them it is coming back down that is more important. Especially for ground clearance.

Can-Am Maverick RC model. Thank me later!!

The funny thing that I learned about the hill climbing was in High range it really slows down and crawls .
In low gear when it starts to slow down if I take my foot off of the gas a bit the Hydraulic pump seams to catch up a bit and it will go a bit faster and when I stomp the peddle it slows right down again.
Backwards from what I thought would happen.
The top speed on the X1100C is 25 MPH. I got it up to 28 MPH going down the hills.
Going up those same hills in I can get between 5 to 8 MPH
To me that is a Crawl.
I bet if I put a heavy trailer behind it. It would do just about the same speed.

I agree! (though mine's the Sport vs X3)

Does one need lockers for Dade county. back country?

Ruckus is the ride of choice there.

My ranger xp900 climbs like a goat.
It's all in the route you go up/down.
I do have a 2" lift and 27" tires, pretty stock overall, but 16" clearance and sun f tires, they work like a charm in all terrain