Anyone else having trouble (and sick of it) with constant maintenance?
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Yep, they start out at about $35K list, but a comparable MuddOx will cost you at least that much and you won't get a pure track system or a single controller like on the MuddTrax. MuddTrax also has real suspension and higher ground clearance than the Ox, they just aren't as established yet as the Ox brand, but I think when potential buyers compare the Trax with the Ox they will see that the MuddTrax is a better value. Just my observation though, I haven't test driven the MuddTrax and I know the MuddOx is a very good vehicle having driven it at Matt's place a while back.
My concern with all aatvs is the abundance of chains. In an industrial maintenance mechanic, I know how long the best of chains and worst of last. And when you have 8 of them to upkeep plus a snowmobile clutch, that’s a lot of maintaining. A lot. They can’t even remotely compete against quads and sides sides. Plus the tub gets wet, which helps ruin everything.
Don’t get me wrong, I love these machines. But I’ve been pondering a better way since I bought one. For the small number of riders there’s a lot of trouble with them. I think muffin may have kicked some serious ass with the vengeance, because everything’s over engineered for the lower power. But reguardless, can you run this 50-100 hours without touching anything? That’s what makes this market a difficult one to thrive in.
I dont really have maintenance issues. Even after a long weekend of beating on them I go home and spend maybe an hour cleaning and greasing. I dont run the top of the line bearings or chains. I keep the bearings greased after each ride. I run o-ring chain and lube that after each ride.
Rabbit929, I share your concern about all the chains and the stretch you get from them, the idlers and chain tensioners that you have to keep up with, the lubing of the chains, and finally, the eventual snapping of the chain if you don't replace it in time. The beauty of the MuddTrax is that there are no chains, just two hydraulic motors turning two sprockets for the true track system. All the maneuverability of the MuddOx due to the hydraulic drive but none of the chain hassles the Ox has. And you mention getting things wet, the MuddTrax description says that it has no holes going through the body of the machine so that will go along way to keeping everything dry below water level since the track system is external to the body, unlike the Ox that has the wheel bearings fighting water intrusion every time you swim it. On paper, the MuddTrax seems to be a superior machine and better value than the MuddOx, would love to see a shoot-out test in one of the off-road magazines between the two of them.
The problem with MuddTrax and the Cushman Tracksters and similar machines is that when they throw a track it will sideline the machine until the track is put back on. With just a single hydraulic motor per side and a driven sprocket, once the track is off its a bear to get back on. With your typical 6 or 8 wheel drive Max, Argo, or Ox, you still have multi-wheel drive with tracks or not. Several years back I threw track on my Argo, I winched it out of the mud hole, spun the machine around, and winched the track out and reinstalled it in the dry. If that was a machine with a single hydraulic motor per side, it would have been difficult, at best.
I like the idea of hydraulic machines, as well as tracks. I really like the fact that those have a suspension system as well. I guess it's a matter of every machine having advantages and disadvantages that can materialize any place you may be.
Just my 2 cents but I have very little if an MX issue's, my chain's haven't stretched, O ring chain, bearings are a non issue, engine, clutch, tranny are all fine and I ride my machine hard when I do. the only issue's I have is I always try to modify something.. but those items are not needed
This is why I’m becoming more interested in a muddox veng because my 94 vreaks down on me every time I use it. I feel it will be much better with a new tranny and clutches, but with all the undersized non-print chains, once those chains stretch, I’m back to square one again
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