So I got a Mule.....

[D-FENZ]

Think of how expensive they will be next year with the communist regime's 8+ percent inflation. And that's if you can find one to buy.
I had some funds sitting there losing value by the day and figured I might as well convert them to something useful.

Having read and understanding the hyperinflationary periods throughout history and around the world, that is precisely how it always starts- or at least kicks into a higher gear. In later stages people will buy anything that is available- shoes that don't fit, gewgaws or even junk, just to have anything that's not the depreciating currency.

 

[Irons]

The Mule got some farkles today! I don't think I'm going to put much else on it I just wanted a couple basics. I wanted a windshield I could flip up out of the way and drive with it up, down or just cracked for venting and this one fits the bill. Freaking expensive though. I would have preferred glass over poly but no one makes what I wanted in glass. This one is from superatv.com and it has really good reviews and lots of youtube videos of people using them on different kinds of UTV's. Even though it has excellent hard coating over the poly you still have to be careful cleaning it.

The deer basher (brush guard) and rear pipe bumper are OEM Kawasaki. Looking good, Roy!

Supposed to be sunny and nice tomorrow so we're going to put it on the trailer and go Mule'in over in the yuma hills!

 

[Irons]

Did some exploring and even a little prospecting today, it was just the perfect fall day here. I found a stretch of river that's all clay but son of a bitch there was no Gold! Blew my mind, had that been clay bottom creek it would have been a dozen specks in every pan. The last picture shows it from the top of the ravine, what looks like sand is all hard clay. Had fun though!

 

[hammerhead]

The Mule got some farkles today! I don't think I'm going to put much else on it I just wanted a couple basics. I wanted a windshield I could flip up out of the way and drive with it up, down or just cracked for venting and this one fits the bill. Freaking expensive though. I would have preferred glass over poly but no one makes what I wanted in glass. This one is from superatv.com and it has really good reviews and lots of youtube videos of people using them on different kinds of UTV's. Even though it has excellent hard coating over the poly you still have to be careful cleaning it.

The deer basher (brush guard) and rear pipe bumper are OEM Kawasaki. Looking good, Roy!

Supposed to be sunny and nice tomorrow so we're going to put it on the trailer and go Mule'in over in the yuma hills!

View attachment 230210View attachment 230211View attachment 230212View attachment 230213

Pimping it out. Hope the windshield survives.

 

[ttazzman]

seemed like a good thread to post to.......my "mule" a 89 toyota pu with 2xxxxx miles on it tossed a timeing chain today and bent some valves...was using a bit of oil also (smokeing) etc .........so ........my choice .......repair it as is ....timing chain..head work...would get it running probably cost ~1.5-2k ......and still have a truck that needs bottom end work...........OR .....buy a mule/gator etc (10k+) with no HVAC .....OR.......just put a rebuilt engine in it and go another 20yrs ....

i do all the farm equipment work (tractors/dozers/backhoe etc) but i have a mechanic known for years that does my road vehicle work for me so i went and talked to him about a "new" engine..........he said he could do a long block and labor for $4500 if he could find one .......he looked for a wk and couldnt find one .......so he said he can get my stuff rebuilt with warranty for 4300 and actually get it done faster .....so i told him to schedule me in and i told him we might as well do the clutch kit while it was out.....and it needs a radiator ....we agreed .......after a bit of discussion i offered him to pay for it with GOLD .....he agreed so we agreed to approx 2.5-3 oz of gold for the work .....1 yr warranty etc....good for him tax wise ......good for me also......

Point is .......Gold is money.......and all and all it will be cheaper than buying a Mule and be road legal with heat and air to boot :)

 

[Irons]

If it works and drives it's worth fixing. New trucks cost so much and are made so cheaply full of bullshit electronics that will fail. When my old S10 needs a new engine and trans I'll get it done rather make payments on shiny new built to fail junk.


.

 

[Scorpio]

.

full of bullshit electronics

and tracking mechanisms

what about the modern 4 wheeler?
is there anything on those that allow tracking?

 

[KnowWhy]

Honda offers gps and others likely do. My last atv’s screen scrolled my first and last name on the screen at start-up. The dealer programmed it before I had a say.... I didn’t worry about it

 

[Irons]

.

and tracking mechanisms

what about the modern 4 wheeler?
is there anything on those that allow tracking?

I'm sure that's an option on some of the fancier ones.



.

 

[hoarder]

seemed like a good thread to post to.......my "mule" a 89 toyota pu with 2xxxxx miles

An old pickup or Jeep is almost always a better option than an ATV or side by side in terms of cost, cab heat and longevity, but there is one other variable, ride quality. ATV's ride much better than road trucks and side by sides ride even better than ATV's. Soft ride is really the main reason to buy the overpriced plastic and electronics ATV's and UTV's. Around here it is accepted that old Toyota pickups are the best candidates for mountain beaters and many a cord of firewood has been sucked out of these mountains using them and the drivers didn't have to choke on dust there and back.
Ditto on Irons comments about electronics. This is what I like the least about my Pioneer.

 

[Scorpio]

mine is just a '73 jeep cj5, 6 cyl, 3 spd

no tracking, no muss, no fuss
not allowed on atv trails though

 

[Irons]

An old pickup or Jeep is almost always a better option than an ATV or side by side in terms of cost, cab heat and longevity, but there is one other variable, ride quality. ATV's ride much better than road trucks and side by sides ride even better than ATV's. Soft ride is really the main reason to buy the overpriced plastic and electronics ATV's and UTV's. Around here it is accepted that old Toyota pickups are the best candidates for mountain beaters and many a cord of firewood has been sucked out of these mountains using them and the drivers didn't have to choke on dust there and back.
Ditto on Irons comments about electronics. This is what I like the least about my Pioneer.

My 4 wheel drive and rear locker are both push button and I expect them to fail at some point. Those are some of the parts I am going to keep in stock at home. Brake parts, oil filters and air filters are others. Luckily it just takes straight 10W-40 oil so that's easy. I am reading through the different Kawasaki Mule forums to see what others owners have problems with.




.

 

[Casey Jones]

If it works and drives it's worth fixing. New trucks cost so much and are made so cheaply full of bullshit electronics that will fail. When my old S10 needs a new engine and trans I'll get it done rather make payments on shiny new built to fail junk.


.

Exactly. Old Toyotas last nearly forever, but often, what kills them is rust and corrosion.

They've gotten much better with rust resistance, but nothing that's used will last forever. So, eventually, with a broken frame or collision damage, it's taken to the wreckers.

You might have to put some time into a search, but eventually you'll find a good engine that's a drop-in.

 

[DodgebyDave]

it used to be that you could buy a "body in white" then you had to sign a thing saying it was off road only

 

[Irons]

Mule got it's first service done @ my local Kawasaki dealer and everything checks out fine. Pretty thorough to I was impressed they went through three pages of checks and changed every fluid except anti freeze. I can do the next one @ 1200 miles.

Good to go!

.

 

[DodgebyDave]

did the dog approve?

 

[Irons]

did the dog approve?

 

[nickndfl]

 

[DodgebyDave]

an official finney smirk!

 

[Irons]

Picked up some new farkles for the Mule and utility trailer over the winter, and also updated my emergency pack that goes into the passenger side storage. Farkles are a rear vented poly windshield and an OEM Kawasaki storage box for the bed. I got the storage box and mounts off ebay as a floor sample from a Kawasaki dealer in Idaho. New but has some signs of usage, IDC it looks great and I saved $80.

The Mule emergency kit has a lithium jump starter, a 20 foot tug strap & soft shackle, a heavy duty T handle tire plug kit and a 12v tire inflator. I also got a basic waterproof rechargeable bluetooth speaker I'm going to velcro to the dash. The OEM radio and speakers are $560, I may get that in the future but not right now.

The trailer gets a locking aluminum storage box that bolts to the A frame. I already lined the entire inside and made a lid seal with stick on neoprene padding.

I will get some pics tomorrow when I get up north but for now here is a couple stock pictures.


Kawasaki KAF 700 Mule Pro-MX 2019 Spike Powersports Rear Windshield 77-8850V-R

Kawasaki KAF 700 Mule Pro-MX 2019 Spike Powersports Rear Windshield 77-8850V-R | eBay

Spike Powersports Rear Windshield Clear 77-8850V-R. Trailerable-Must use front windshield. ALL Rear Shields are made from 1/8?. ǥ General Purpose Polycarbonate.

www.ebay.com

 

[Irons]

I almost forgot to add another benefit of getting a utility based sided by side is insurance. Because these things are so hard to get they are a huge target to get stolen in my area. We use it in public so I called to get basic liability insurance to cover us if some fool hits it. Turns out because it's a utility vehicle full coverage with medical is just under $300 for a year. If it was a KRX, RZR or other hot rod model ORV insurance would be expensive as fuck.

Once again, I am really happy we got this Mule!

 

[newmisty]

 

[Irons]

I will get some pics tomorrow when I get up north but for now here is a couple stock pictures.


.

Well no pictures, the Mule project got put on hold until next weekend. My buddy Rich was coming over to pay for and pick up our last quad Saturday, and when I was pushing it out of the shed I noticed one of the front calipers was tight and squeaking. So being a real person and not a dick who would dump a problem on a friend I jacked up the front end and figured I'd quickly solve the problem.

Yeah.........of course there was nothing quick about it! One caliper was seized tight and the other one was barely releasing the rotor. So I ran to the store and got a bottle of brake fluid, emery cloth and a C clamp and got busy. First I pushed the caliper pistons all the way out then unhooked them from the brake lines. I flushed the system with new brake fluid, polished the pistons and worked them in and out with the C clamp. Got them so smooth I could push them in easily with my thumbs.

While the calipers were out I polished the glaze off the rotors and started putting it all back together. About that time Ritchie showed up and wondered WTF I was doing to his new quad! With him squeezing the brake lever and me working the bleeder screws we pushed several more ounces of brake fluid through the system to make sure it was all clean as feck.

Then we loaded it up and off he went. Old Ritchie was pretty damn happy about his purchase, and I'm happy an old friend was going to a good home. Those Yamaha Bear Trackers were never big dollar flashy show off quads but they always got the job done and never let us down in 20+ years.

 

[Goldbrix]

Is that a UFO in the B&W pic. at the 1:00 O'Clock position ?

 

[Irons]

Is that a UFO in the B&W pic. at the 1:00 O'Clock position ?

Yep, the feckers are all over up here. Flying rods too.



.

 

[Goldbrix]

Well, Now IDK if its a UFO or a CRITTER/ROD.

 

[Irons]

Mule got the bed storage box and rear windshield installed today. The rear windshield was a bitch! I got that one because it fit inside the headache rack instead of bubbled over the back. This way the rack can still be used for securing stuff in the bed. Because it fit inside it took some fancy bending and twisting to get it all tucked inside and secured.

Looks great though and we took it for a ride in the rain and snow and were very comfortable without cold wind and rain sucking into the cab from the back. These are supposed to really cut down on dust getting sucked in too.

Good to go!

 

[KnowWhy]

It’s that season! Looking fun and I like your style of window.

 

[Casey Jones]

You're all set for Carmageddon.

Biden Admin Reverses Trump Fuel Efficiency Rules, New Vehicles Must Average 49 Miles Per Gallon By 2026 | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

There will be no cars to sell, because these fantasy figures cannot be met. It's hard, even with motorcycles. Believe it or not, golf carts do not get this kind of mileage. Even the Prius doesn't get it consistenly; and it's the most fuel-efficient of the hybrids.

Electric cars are not gonna work. Not the technology nor the infrastructure.

We become Cuba. Mostly, we become a nation of pedestrians.

 

[Irons]

Did some hill climbing over at fire tower and got it muddy! This frickin' thing is awesome!

 

[hammerhead]

Did some hill climbing over at fire tower and got it muddy! This frickin' thing is awesome!

View attachment 253324View attachment 253325

How does the little beast do with gravity? Does it ever feel like you'll roll?

 

[Irons]

How does the little beast do with gravity? Does it ever feel like you'll roll?

It's 60 inches wide so it will roll if you really try.

EDIT: Want to see the world's luckiest side by side driver? Skip to 5:18 in this video.

Here is a textbook way to roll a UTV,, this guy ought to be dead plus a shattered arm but he was saved by a boulder.

.

 

[Bottom Feeder]

damn! Yer makin me jealous Irons.

BF

 

[Irons]

Everything you might want to buy for a side by side is 4 times the price if "UTV" is in the title. I was just looking for a cargo net for the bed, it's 35"x 44". Type in "UTV cargo net" and everything is $36 and more. Typed in 36"x 48" cargo net and got the exact same cargo net, same brand and model # for $5.99.



.

 

[wallew]

after watching that one about the bisons 'crossing the road', the next one in the 'stack ' was this one

The Story of the Abandoned Bison Calf - May 2019 - Yellowstone National Park​

12 mintes - worth the watch

 

[Irons]

Now that the Mule is broke in and I'm familiar with how it works, it's time to put it to work! This scrub cherry has been annoying me for years so it was time for it to go. I got a D Ring shackle for the Mule's 2" receiver to hook the tow strap to and hauled the trees out back. Mule did not give one shit that I had hooked several hundred pounds of downed tree to it. It just dug in and hauled it all away without ever acting like it was working.

The wife and I took it exploring into a new to us area Friday and had a ball! I was punching the gas and whipping the back end out around corners and we also climbed a couple sketchy hills with the 4 wheel drive and rear locker engaged. It was pretty damn impressive, this is not a fast machine but with the torque it has and the excellent ground clearance and suspension 4 wheeling in this beast is awesome.

Mule Pro MX is a keeper!

 

[coopersmith]

Great thread! Im glad it does what you want it to do, good review.



The flag is golden.

 

[Irons]

Great thread! Im glad it does what you want it to do, good review.



The flag is golden.

Calico Jack Rackham had the best Pirate flag. Skull and sabers!
It's the only one I use and the Mule needed one.

​

 

[coopersmith]

Ive been a pirate for a long time, and didnt even know it.

 

[hammerhead]

Calico Jack Rackham had the best Pirate flag. Skull and sabers!
It's the only one I use and the Mule needed one.

View attachment 264563

​

Fecking argh.