All thanks for the inputs please keep um coming I would really like to hear from some owners on their experiences everyone else has been very helpful thanks!
All thanks for the inputs please keep um coming I would really like to hear from some owners on their experiences everyone else has been very helpful thanks!
I don't have anyting to add, I have never been told what was wrong with the transmitions that were sent back for rebuild. The last one piled up at 38hrs. I think that's 11 of them that I know of from this area that have detonated. The general consensus around here is that the Conquests were a much more reliable machine.
I was in the local Argo Dealer last week, and was listening to his sales pitch to a prospective buyer. His exact words at one point were
" They have a tendency to blow up transmitions, but Argo has been good about replacing them on warranty "
I kinda feel like I'm slamming ODG when I talk about the HDI's, but in all honesty, I and my friends, have not had really good luck with them.
Weaker body's, Broken seat frames, broken Motor plates, Faulty O2 sensors and Neutral sensors, Detonated Transmitions, ect.
Personally, I would take a Conquest, and upgrade the engine, bearings, tires, clutches, and have a damn good, more reliable, significantly less expensive, great machine. But that's just my 2 bit opinion.
RD
Rock doctor , thanks for the input. It's good to hear from all you guys and get an honest from experience insight.
I like my conquests. Very little trouble.
Slim
Here is my experience with the Admiral-My belt still squeals from time to time but that is under very heavy load conditions and as Mudbug said if I put my max under the same conditions the belt would howl, as Lewis said it is just physics and we are asking a lot of the machines.
I rarely use the low range on the trail because at any kind of speed the counter rotation works against you and the transmission will make a popping sound.
The counter rotation is great in light mud or when a quick turn is required on the trail.
My machine does have some heat issues and like mud bug I have started to run with my hood off and this makes a big difference. I believe that most of the heat in the HD is caused by the very restrictive exhaust system.
In a few minutes I will be posting a video of my machine running in some extreme mud and swamp conditions. I ran the HD without a hood all day and had very few problems considering the extreme conditions and 86 degree temperatures.
Here is my input on the HDI-absolutely great machine if you don't have to pull a trailer or use low range much
If Argo would design the machine so that the counter rotation feature was a separate switch the HDI would be cat heaven!
Last edited by mightymaxIV; 05-01-2011 at 07:05 AM.
I agree with you rock doctor. I. Barley have to do repairs on the conquests. I know they are old machines. But well. Built. I. Feel the new. Ones have thinner. Tubs
Damn I use atrailer and haul a heavy load every year. I might just be getting the mudd ox after all but the HDIwas so smooth.
The Conquest was a solid machine but I don't think there is any real comparison to the Avenger. The Conquest is a lot slower with smaller tires and it can't go half the places the Avenger can when unmodified. Much of the Conquest's reliability comes from simply not going the places an Avenger can or being run as hard because it's not as fast and agile. I really like the Conquest for just working hard and hauling lots of gear, but when the going gets tough you better get an Avenger. Those bald little Runamuks just won't take you far.
For example, I have a 1985 Honda 250 2x4 that is probably the most reliable quad ever made. It runs forever with no maintenance. However, it's not very capable and it's home is on the farm just cruising around. When I want to ride a real machine, I get on a Polaris 4x4. It won't last as long and needs more maintenance.... but then again when I ride the Polaris, it is spinning all four wheels through deep mud with the engine revving to the moon or crossing a creek with water up to the seat. It will never last as long as the Honda because it's capabilities allow it to be run hard.
The Admirial trans probably has some issues to work out, but for non-commercial use it's built very tough. The Conquest's trans has been used since the 70s so I would think the issues have been worked out of that one.
Everybody dies, but not everybody lives.
I completely agree with most of this ^ . A bone stock Avenger will do things that a stock Conquest will not (I've also seen more than one Conquest do things that an Avenger won't though)........BUT, the last Conquest I got cost me about $3,200 with a set of rubber tracks. Now, for roughly $5,000 I can upgrade to a 27hp engine, install the new Bearings/seals, and put 24" Frontier tires on it, (Moding the clutches costs nothing). So now I have about $8,200 into a machine that will do almost anything that an Avenger will do (I am willing to say that, although I can't think of anywhere that an HDI can go that I can't), and some that an Avenger won't do, and I have less than half the money into it. I have yet to see an Avenger that will go anyplace I can't, nor are they faster than me on the trail. Personally, I have a slightly different slogan than yours, it's more like " When the going gets tough, you better get a Conquest"Originally Posted by MaxRules
I also believe the same as you, that the Admiral has issues, personally I would take an older Avenger over the HDI in a heartbeat, but at the end of the day, I would take a Conquest over either of the Avenger Models at this time.
I can be a little hard on my equipment though. Rough trails and heavy loads will damage any machine over time.
RD
gas ox with trailer.jpgPic says it all 50+ miles off the road full camp for 10 days and bull moose in the back.
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