Me being me

[cayuga]

Have you ever purchased something and then felt ... what a rip off. Well I purchased a front rack for my new Polaris four wheeler. $100.00 and it was some tiny metal tubing that stands about three inches off the rack. After it was on, I thought .. wow that is worthless. I mean when I go in the woods to cut wood, I have both racks full. I have chainsaws, gas, oil, tool, wedges, bow saw, axe, chains, pull straps, and sometimes I will take a car jack (helps to free tools that you get stuck in logs). When I looked at that tiny front rack that costed $100.00 I thought ... what a rip off.

Then I had to decide if I wanted to spend another $100.00 for a similar back rack. So I tried to see how much I could tie/strap on the front rack. Well I wasn't impressed. It was not high enough. So when I asked the dealer if the back rack was any taller, he said ... ohm, NO. Well I decided I would just strap my old Milk Crate to the back rack. But even that wanted to slide around. So as I stood there staring at my back rack, something came over me.

Getting out my stick rule, the main support holes were 3/4 inch. Then a thought hit me. Going to the shop I got some PVC 3/4 joints. And guess what ... not only did they fit the support holes but you can almost lock them in place. So I thought ... $100 for something that will not help me, or .... build something.

The PVC rack costed me just under $12.00 (although I had a few parts around the shop). I did not glue it because it can then be removed easier. And its surprising how tight it fits to the rack. Each of the tall parts I can tie a chainsaw too, a gas can, oil jug, and the outside I can tie my axe and bow saw to it. I guess we will see how well it works. As long as you don't pull from it (and who'd be dumb enough to do that) it should work. Oh, and my milk crate fits perfect in the center of it.

Sometimes old people might appear to be cheap skates, but really we just like what we want to work. I thought you might get a kick out of my NEW RACK!! :mrgreen:

 

[ShawnT]

Cool Dave. Bet it works fine. Sometimes it pays to just apply the old K.I.S.S method and not over think it.

 

[03mossy]

I use my wheeler for the same purposes as you do. Do yourself a favor and buy a drop basket. Some of the best money I've spent. Fits 3 5 gallon buckets for ice fishing or bear baiting. Hundreds of uses. Basically triples the rear racks capabilities

Here is the one I have although mine came from Craigslist for $50

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Champion ... 392&rid=20

 

[cayuga]

I use my wheeler for the same purposes as you do. Do yourself a favor and buy a drop basket. Some of the best money I've spent. Fits 3 5 gallon buckets for ice fishing or bear baiting. Hundreds of uses. Basically triples the rear racks capabilities

Here is the one I have although mine came from Craigslist for $50

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Champion ... 392&rid=20

that is pretty neat. I could really load something like that up. And that just fits over the top of the existing rack?

 

[03mossy]

Yeah it just sits right on it and mines attached with hose clamps. I'm sure new ones come with some sort of fasteners but what project is complete without hose clamps! He is the only pic I have of mine on my phone from bear baiting this summer. No way I'd have got all that on there without it.

 

[cayuga]

I like that !! I could take some heavy chain in there and all sorts of stuff. That would really be nice if I were still bear baiting. But I stopped that foolishness. Too many people decided they wanted to make a ton of money and they over baited all the federal land around my place.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I found an old small boat trailer, probably only for a 12' and no more than 14'. Shortened the tongue, built a platform with side rails. Shortening the tongue allowed tighter turns. Its so light weight, you don't even know its back there. It'll carry all the necessary tools with room to spare. I use the same trailer to carry my 2-man portable ice shanty and a 20# LP tank for ice fishing. It keeps the racks empty and when running after dark, there's nothing on the front to reflect light when using the h-beam. I installed the hi-beam update on my Polaris, where when the hi-beam is on, so are the lows.



When I updated the machine, I updated the box. Just installed a ball for the trailer.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Great stuff posted by all....now if I only had a 4-wheeler :mrgreen:

 

[ENCORE50A]

Having used quads since 2002, I believe that if my main purpose for a machine would be working in the woods, it would be a Polaris Ranger or maybe the John Deere (some parts are identical). If hunting is the main purpose, then the quad is much more maneuverable. I have two Polaris quads, one a 400 Sportsman and the other an 800HO Sportsman. I (well the wife) also have a 2000 2x4 John Deere Gator w/electric tilt bed. That Gator has done more work than the law should allow. I replaced the belt just a couple years ago and it still has the original battery. I use the Gator for all my wood cutting and hauling of equipment. That trailer also hooks up to the Gator :wink:

 

[cayuga]

When I purchased my first Polaris back in 1995 I wanted pulling power and speed. So I got the 400 cc Xplorer. That thing can/would fly. And its been a great machine.I still have it and it runs perfect. I'm not sure why I bought the new one. Impulse buy. It was on sale and I figured what the heck. But as I worked in the woods doing this and that, at the time in 1995 they sold a 6 wheeled ATV with a dump box. It was called the Magnum and had a 425 engine in it. I almost purchased that. And looking back I really which I had. But my friends that were with me, had a fit! It can't turn in the woods. To heavy if you get it stuck. To big. Hard to trailer. On and on. But then they hated my Polaris too. See my old one is straight rear axle, and chain drive not shaft. All my buddies that worked with me were getting Suzuki King Quads 4x4 and they were 4 cycle. Independent rear end suspension. Not 2 cycle like mine. But what they found was that 2 cycle of mine in 4 low could pull trees out, theirs only dreamed of. Twenty years later, not one of them Suzuki King Quads they purchased still run. They broke drive shafts, ripped boots, lost their drum brakes in the mud. But my Polaris went on and on and on. Its still on the original chain and sprocket. But, I am anal about maintenance, and spraying down the chain and sprocket with chain lube.

In fact my new one kind of worried me. It 4 cycle, shaft driven, and so far seems powerful enough. But that shaft drive, in the woods ... lots of rocks and stumps to jump. I have a small trailer I drag behind the wheeler. If the wheeler fits through a hole in the brush the trailer (home made out of a rear axle off a Ford truck, a lot of steel, and marine plywood.) will follow. So after I cut firewood, I will load that trailer to the gunnels. And then out of the woods it comes. The old one always pulled it out, over the hills, through the mud, and holes, etc. I will see if the new one can do the same.

As for those UTV's like the Ranger. Test drove one. Didn't like it. If my old buddy was still alive I might have bought one just to haul him and his walker around. But I see no need for one. And they are really expensive here. Hard to justify the cost when the ATV will do the same thing.

 

[ENCORE50A]

That 570 fuel injected will pull what you want, and if it doesn't, it'll bury itself trying to do so. Lots of power there.
Install the headlight mod system for more light, which only takes a relay switch, couple pieces of wire and some splices, then add the heated thumb and grips along with the 2500# wench. Don't forget the Glacier III plow system :wink:

Although the Rangers are more expensive, at times they're great to have. Just like the JD Gator is. Especially when you have a rider (helper).

 

[WV Hunter]

The newer quads have some great features for sure... but racks ain't one of them. My bro in law bought a new polaris last year... it is one sweet machine, but damn the stupid racks (or lack thereof) suck. My older honda has a great (big) sturdy rack. His old yamaha - same thing. And they came on the bikes, not for addl $.

A buddy of mine has the drop rack/cage, he likes it. My cousin has one of them big bolt on plastic compartments... which is nice for hauling stuff, but not so good if you have to ride two people or haul out deer.

When I get a new one here in a couple years, I guess I'll have to search out what options I want in advance

 

[ENCORE50A]

Polaris sells expansion anchors for the lock & ride.
They have just the expansion anchor and also the expansion anchor with an R angle bracket. Although anything Polaris is expensive, it is an alternative to build what you want and still lock to the machine.

 

[WV Hunter]

Polaris sells expansion anchors for the lock & ride.
They have just the expansion anchor and also the expansion anchor with an R angle bracket. Although anything Polaris is expensive, it is an alternative to build what you want and still lock to the machine.

What are they for? :huh?:

 

[03mossy]

Look at the back rack from the red Polaris on the 1st post. See those little holes? Those clip in there and anchor things down. Both Polaris and artic cat have accessories like that.

 

[ENCORE50A]

Look at the back rack from the red Polaris on the 1st post. See those little holes? Those clip in there and anchor things down. Both Polaris and artic cat have accessories like that.

100% correct. :yeah: The anchors are adjustable for tightness, to where you couldn't get it off the rack without pulling the rack off. Remarkable little rascals. My fist use was on my earlier quad, shown with the trailer attached. When I went with the MOOSE box, I used two in the center back with the brackets and just drilled holes inside the box to match the holes in the rack, for use without the brackets. You won't pull that box off that quad.

Just wanted to show Cayuga these and maybe he could improvise.

It’s a bit amazing to think that one man, Edgar Hetteen, founded both companies (Polaris/Artic Cat) in quite small northwestern Minnesota towns and that both have gone on to become not simply snowmobile industry leaders, but world powersport product leaders as well. Between the two of them, they do somewhere over $3 BILLION a year. Polaris much larger and has many military contracts.

 

[WV Hunter]

Gotcha. Makes sense, and certainly a good idea. Looks like a boat drain plug :lol:

Encore, you are right... that is pretty impressive. Both companies have nice stuff... I didn't know it was the same guy. :yeah:

 

[JStanley]

Great stuff posted by all....now if I only had a 4-wheeler :mrgreen:

I hear ya, brah! I'm always borrowing my father-in-law's 4-wheeler. (which has a big plastic crate bungeed to the front!)

 

[ShawnT]

Just saw this in an email flier form Sportsman's guide.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/ ... k136tsgatv

 

[cayuga]

Just saw this in an email flier form Sportsman's guide.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/ ... k136tsgatv

I see you can get front and back racks for the Polaris (what its mounted on in the picture). I don't see how that would fit on my new Polaris as the attachment holes are different. But my old one would be a real custom fit. Man could I haul out the stuff with that!!