thinking of getting an argo

[mgsolakis]

Ive been thinking of getting a used Argo. I need some advice though. What are the advantages or disadvantages of 8 wheels vs 6 wheels? How old can I go? In other words are there a lot of great advantages to the newer models? How easy is it to replace the engine? My plan is to use it mostly in the winter and in snow and on ice. Is it good for this application. I see some with the tank treads are those useful?

Thanks a lot any info from those experienced would be much apprecated.

Mike

[thebuggyman1]

The biggest advantage of 8 wheels over 6 is people/cargo capacity. The 6 wheelers are smaller, lighter, more maneuverable, and just plain sportier. It takes a little care when winding through the woods to keep the rear end from slapping trees with my avenger (8 wheels).
As for working on them......I just replaced some axle bearings and jackshaft bearings. I replaced "good" used inner bearings with new ones because of how hard it was to get to them. Trust me, I'm cheap, I did not want to spend the extra $30 some per bearing. But I also did not want to have to do it again in a year for those inners. It is very tight in the front of Argo's, If I was doing an engine swap, I'd pull the top.
I would not go for older machine than late 80's. Look for the 1 1/4" axles, smaller ones are not as durable.
Where are you located? There are a couple of group rides coming up http://www.6x6world.com/forums/trail...14-2012-a.html and http://www.6x6world.com/forums/6x6-a...r-20-21-a.html If you could attend one of these, there would be many different machines there to check out.
For deep snow, tracks are a must. There are different types of tracks, plastic, rubber, adair, and variations of each. They all seem to have advantages and drawbacks....just like the different tire treads.

[kodiak kid]

Ive been thinking of getting a used Argo. I need some advice though. What are the advantages or disadvantages of 8 wheels vs 6 wheels? How old can I go? In other words are there a lot of great advantages to the newer models? How easy is it to replace the engine? My plan is to use it mostly in the winter and in snow and on ice. Is it good for this application. I see some with the tank treads are those useful?

Thanks a lot any info from those experienced would be much apprecated.

Mike

I can't consider myself an expert, but I've had an Argo for seven or eight years. First of all, I would not advise anyone to get an Argo unless he or she is rather handy with tools. They are excellent machines, but require constant maintenance, and at times to reach the part that needs maintenance it's necessary to take out half of the other parts first. Even changing the oil and filter is a pain in the arse. On snow and very soft mud it's necessary to have tracks not to get stuck. Argos get high-centered very easily in wet, heavy snow or in mud, and then the wheels will spin freely while the Argo sits on its belly. But the tracks don't do very well on ice unless they are studded, and even then, going downhill on ice in a skid-steering vehicle is always a nightmare, with or without tracks, with or without studs.
The Argo is great for crossing water, but not fast-moving water. And a fast moving shallow stream that a regular four-wheeler (which maintains contact with the bottom) could cross easily might be impassable for an Argo because it would start floating downstream, where it may or may not be able to complete the crossing safely.
Another potential problems with crossing water, especialas long as the axlesly ponds, is the long, thick, tough strands of weeds often found in ponds. They tend to wrap themselves around the axles and stop you dead in the middle of the water. I guess there is a trick to avoid this problem: one takes sections of PVC pipe as long as the axles but of diameter a bit bigger than the axles, slits them lengthwise and snaps them onto the axles. Thus, the spinning axles will be covered and the weeds will not wrap themselves around them.
My Vanguard does not have a generator, but a magneto, which is non very efficient in recharging its battery, which is rather small and easy to drain. That's why I carry a large automotive battery in the back well of the Argo, together with jumper cables. If I were to need the winch for an extended period of time, I could get extra juice from the spare battery.
Also, if you have a breakdown in a God-forsaken place where four-wheelers can't get, only another Argo could come to your rescue. Where I live I believe I am the only one who has an Argo, and if I had a serious breakdown or got irremediably stuck somewhere, I would have to hire a couple of mules to pull it back to civilization, or a helicopter to airlift it. Or just leave it there...
Well, I didn't mean to discourage you. I love my Argo, and I've had a lot of fun with it. But it requires a lot of work, and certainly has its limitations.

[spookum]

Try to avoid any argos with pinned axels shafts. Try to get one that has splined axel shafts, bearing extenstions on front and rear and hydraluc breaks.

[Rusty-Gunn]

I can't consider myself an expert, but I've had an Argo for seven or eight years. First of all, I would not advise anyone to get an Argo unless he or she is rather handy with tools. They are excellent machines, but require constant maintenance, and at times to reach the part that needs maintenance it's necessary to take out half of the other parts first. Even changing the oil and filter is a pain in the arse. On snow and very soft mud it's necessary to have tracks not to get stuck. Argos get high-centered very easily in wet, heavy snow or in mud, and then the wheels will spin freely while the Argo sits on its belly. But the tracks don't do very well on ice unless they are studded, and even then, going downhill on ice in a skid-steering vehicle is always a nightmare, with or without tracks, with or without studs.
The Argo is great for crossing water, but not fast-moving water. And a fast moving shallow stream that a regular four-wheeler (which maintains contact with the bottom) could cross easily might be impassable for an Argo because it would start floating downstream, where it may or may not be able to complete the crossing safely.
Another potential problems with crossing water, especialas long as the axlesly ponds, is the long, thick, tough strands of weeds often found in ponds. They tend to wrap themselves around the axles and stop you dead in the middle of the water. I guess there is a trick to avoid this problem: one takes sections of PVC pipe as long as the axles but of diameter a bit bigger than the axles, slits them lengthwise and snaps them onto the axles. Thus, the spinning axles will be covered and the weeds will not wrap themselves around them.
My Vanguard does not have a generator, but a magneto, which is non very efficient in recharging its battery, which is rather small and easy to drain. That's why I carry a large automotive battery in the back well of the Argo, together with jumper cables. If I were to need the winch for an extended period of time, I could get extra juice from the spare battery.
Also, if you have a breakdown in a God-forsaken place where four-wheelers can't get, only another Argo could come to your rescue. Where I live I believe I am the only one who has an Argo, and if I had a serious breakdown or got irremediably stuck somewhere, I would have to hire a couple of mules to pull it back to civilization, or a helicopter to airlift it. Or just leave it there...
Well, I didn't mean to discourage you. I love my Argo, and I've had a lot of fun with it. But it requires a lot of work, and certainly has its limitations.

Would a nerwer Maxx II be any better at not needing much work as you mentioned?

[Cougar]

It does not matter what you get they all need constant maintenance. I have seen 20 year old Maxs that look like new, but a guy that lives here has a Argo thats 3 years old that has set outside from day one. I was told that the tub is full of water, I bet it needs new chains and bearings. Just look over any used machine real good. Myself I like 8 wheelers the best, but that's just me. Cougar