Help ? about 18 hp Argo 8x8

[liveclean]

I am looking around at rigs and ran across an 8x8 in my area. It has an 18hp briggs in it and I am curious about its power level. I am seeing the same 8x8 out there with 25 hp motors. How will a rig with a 18hp vs a 25hp perform in a marsh setting with tracks? I would guess the 18 would be under powered with the tracks, but I am new to this whole game!

Help

Steve

[Beeman]

18hp is less than 25hp and therefore less power.

Then again..... I imagine that your question is more in the form of, are you making the right choice in buying the 18hp 8X8 then getting something else with a stock engine that is more powerful?

Well, that question is answered by purely a matter of personal choice, unfortunatly. However to guide your choice, you must understand the reasons for which you would want tracks/tires, more power/less power. Considerations could be fuel consumption or mileage, weight of the vehicle (for towing or winching or lifting), traction vs speed or price (to name just a few).

Although I do not know hardly anything about Argo's I would say that if you want to run tracks, you will probably want more power. Traction is only good if you have the power to use it... otherwise, you may as well be running without the tracks.

[GREASEMONKEY]

I don't have tracks, but my argo 6x6 has an 18hp. I can tell you it has plenty of power. Myself weighing in at 250lbs, and my best friend at 275lbs, then all oure gear 75lbs + cooler with beer! 25lbs, and the trolling motor! I have no problem in mushy soft mud, and have towed a small trailer behind us for 2-3 miles, no problem at all. The trailer was about 900lbs with another friends boat on it! Power has never been an issue with me, the 18 has done just fine. I think you'r power will not effect you as you think it will!

[artist1018]

Horse Power

My Argo Conquest has a factory 18hp & with the tracks it goes almost everywhere I ask it to!! Common sense will prevent you from over extending your vehicles limits. If not, that's why there's a winch on the front of most AATV's

[GREASEMONKEY]

Don't forget about a 30ft extension. I seem to get stuck with nothing near by!

[evil8x8]

My Argo has a 18hp Kohler Magnum. I was never in a situation where power was an issue. 18hp is plenty for most aatvs in most situations.

[liveclean]

Thanks Guys

I appreciate all your feedback! I am going to take her for a run on Sunday I think. I really wanted to hear from someone who ran tracks on a 18hp. That helped alot!

[liveclean]

Argo 8x8 Pricing

I am test driving an 8x8 tomarrow and would like your guys input on pricing. It is a 2003 with low hours. I think less than 100. It also comes with a canopy, bilge pumps and winch. The guy is asking 8500, is this a reasonable pricing? From what I am seeing it is Ok but nothing special. Is there a blue book for these things some where?

LiveClean

[Blacklight_skid]

LiveClean,
I am no expert on the 8x8 but I do own one and spend a lot of time looking at them on ebay and the list.

That price looks pretty good. Low hours are always good.
Make sure that both cyclinder are firing and that you can turn the machine from a stop(in high gear). I got mine and it had a misaligned cyclinder head. It took me some time to figure it out but now works great.
Pull the back floor panel up and see if there is any rust on the chasis or water under it.

IMHO ask $7k and see if he bites.

Good luck.
Joe

[argohunter]

I am test driving an 8x8 tomarrow and would like your guys input on pricing. It is a 2003 with low hours. I think less than 100. It also comes with a canopy, bilge pumps and winch. The guy is asking 8500, is this a reasonable pricing? From what I am seeing it is Ok but nothing special. Is there a blue book for these things some where?

LiveClean

It depends a lot on what the market will bear in the area that you are shopping. I don't know your location as it was not listed in your profile. The asking price sounds about average for my area. If he is the original owner, I would ask him what he paid for it and ask to see the invoice from the dealer.

NADA and Kelly Blue Book cover Max and Argo in their ATV/Motocycle section. I don't think that they reflect realistic pricing for our machines at all. You can search the Web for these guides and get their values.

eBay prices are all over the scale but it will give you an idea what people are asking for them and what they sell them for.

This Argo is on Craigslist now: 2003 Argo 8x8 wheel amphibious ATV - $8500.

It's a Conquest with low but unspecified hours, winch and an outboard motor mount. Nothing special and it's the same price you are looking at. What are you looking at a Response or a Conquest? The canopy top is a high cost option.

There is a 1997 Conquest near me for sale at $4250.00 It has 300 hrs., super tracks with ice cleats, winch and a canopy top. I think it's too high for a an 11 year old machine.

Good luck and tell us how your test drive went.

[liveclean]

A Real Stupid 8x8 adventure and shifting question.

Heres a story for you guys! It demonstrates obessive stupidity!

Well I went for my first 8x8 test drive. Wow an adventure it was. The area I wanted to test it in open water on had frozen over a bunch over night, but there was open water on the river. The worst part is the guy didnt have the plugs with him and I mainly wanted to test it out on open water to get a feel for it. So we attempted to make some plugs out of wood with a pocket knife!! Not so smart, for a 12 degree day and a hard to access river point.

The machine was awesome, we ended up dumping it off the edge of 6 inches ice into the river and fired up the mud motor. We didnt go far as there was alot of ice and one of our plugs was leaking to much water, good thing as I got to see the bilge pumping full time! We did start sweating when we couldnt get out. You guys are right, they are slow even with an 6 horse outboard. Our real adventure happened when we couldnt get out! We had to winch up a bridge embankment to get it out, and it was just short of a vertical climb with a foot of snow. We made her out, I wish I had pictures as we really pushed the limit. Once we were out of the water, that sucker just cruized up the vertical embankment with out the winch, and we ended up with about 10 or 15 gallons of water pooled up in the back! Close call, but quite exciting, as least I hadnt bought the rig yet if it had sank!

The machine was amazing and it certainly showed me the capabilities! It all looked very clean on the inside, however there was one issue with shifting it into gear. Some times you would have to almost grind it into gear, almost like the idle was to high. Could that be a belt tension issue? The idle seemed pretty reasonable to me, not enough to throw off shifting into gear. Your input would be great. Or could it also be a tranny issue?

liveclean

[Rock Doctor]

I have standard tracks for my 6x6 and Supertracks for my 8x8 Conquest, I can tell you that Tracks do steal power. Supertracks moreso than Standard, but that's why we have high and low gears. I have the 21 hp motor in my Conquest, and find that with the loads that I typically haul, it is just enough. However, I usually have the Argo loaded pretty good and a tandem axle trailer behind as well.
In a marsh setting, I really don't think you will run into any significant problems, in fact you might find that you don't need the tracks at all. I spend alot of time in Muskeg Country, and if I know I will be in a particularily bad setting, I will run tracks but otherwise I will leave the tracks at home. If your definition of "marsh" includes swimming the argo very much then I think you will find that the tracks are more trouble than they are worth (tracks don't swim well, in my experience)
I did a comparison on swimming my Conquest through a Beaver Pond, with and without tracks, and videoed the whole thing. Vids can be found in this forum someplace if you want to see.


liveclean,
lol, your story sounds like something I would get myself into
About the idle issue......personally I like a slightly high idle, and both of my machines will grind gears when shifting if the operator is not familiar with my procedures. Before shifting my Argos I give the throttle a little "bump" (quick on and off) this causes them to idle down low enough so that there is NO gear grinding. It has become a habit with me and I don't even realize that I'm doing it any more. A higher idle has advantages at times, and I find that it's easier to just leave it high and deal with it, than keep changing it.
Just a thought.

[Mike]

Liveclean, that was quite the adventure. I have only been in the water once when it was iced over and I couldn't get back out. Luckily I could jump to dry ground fairly easily to winch out just like you guys.

Are you going to buy the Argo now?

[liveclean]

Not Sure

I am really thinking hard on this buyand I loved the machine. In some ways the argo would prove great to me, in others not so great. I was really hoping to get more water speed out of it. I did look at the transom and noticed I could easily build a stronger reinforced steel transom to run a bigger out board on it.

By marsh, I mean floating bogs. When you walk on it with regular waders you fall through up to your waist or more. A friend of mine witnessed an argo with tracks just cruizing right through the stuff at full bore. To get to my hunting spot I have been doing what we call Marsh skiing which is walking with giant skis, kind of like cross country skiing across the bogs to our spot. If I could just motor in with an argo it would be great, producing some kick ass duck hunting with out killing myself like I do now! The only problem is it is a ways in on a water dyke first, that has been why I have been obsessed with the outboard motor idea.

There are several other facets in which I plan to use it also.

[micmac]

Liveclean,

I'm not sure how much speed you'd get even with a larger outboard. I'm no expert on hydrodynamics but in aerodynamics as speed increases, parasitic drag (friction from stuff sticking out I.E. tires axles etc) increases exponentially therefore the faster you go the power required will need to increase exponentially as well. The short of it you might spend a lot of time, $, and effort for little return. just my 2 Cents

Mike