Travelling with a 6x6!

[Jago]

Hi All

I have been investigating Argos and Max(s?) as a solution for my family travels. We are building a Tatra 6X6 truck to take my wife and 3 young kids (4,5 & 6) round South America for a couple of years.

Obviously the truck is BIG! (16tonnes) and therefore not the most accessible or practical for nipping to the shops, so.....

We have looked into atvs that we can mount on the back to use as a local vehicle when we set up base camp. The vehicle needs to be able to take all 5 of us, up to say, 5 miles easily, and comfortably on the road.

Would a Max IV or Argo Fontier 650 be suitable for this?

What are they like on the road? (All the videos only show them off road).
Is the top speed practical or too slow for this sort of use?

I like the seating style of the Max IV (but the look an quality of the Argo) but would the Argo diff steering be better than the Max skid steer on road?

What's easier to make road legal?

The max is a fair bit lighter which is good but outside the N. America I think the Argo has more worldwide support? (certainly no Max dealers in the UK I know of).

So what would you go for or am I on the wrong track completely (although I doubt it as I presume a certain bias towards 6X6! )

Thanks for any tips and advice you can give!
Cheers
Jago

[Castro]

Argo is the way to go. They make a uk road approved model. Just under 30 mph on road. Sounds like an adventure best suited for an AATV

[amphibious drew]

to me it sounds like an 8x8 argo would be best for you. It has more room and storage than a max iv. Keep in mind that I would personally buy a max iv before an argo. I am trying to be objective here and your needs seem better suited for argo though.

[Bud]

I love my Argo 8x8, but for the amount of on-road traveling that you describe I would get a crew cab UTV.

[Jago]

Guys

Thanks for the suggestions but we've narrowed it down to a 6X6 based on size - an 8X8 or a UTV is too big to put on the back of the truck as the overall width is 2.5m (98.5inches) and the probably 2m high we were are mounting. So the 6X6 would just about fit.....

The question was more would it do the job and if so which would do it better?

Cheers
Jago

[Castro]

I thnk you would be pleased with an Argo.mi suspect the admiral handles better on pavement and road ways than the the old style transmission. Just a though when you pick your machine out. And the quad cab utvs are JUNK!

[amphibious drew]

I think either machine would handle what you need. I would look at how much storage room you need and try and figure out which machine can haul what you need to carry. You can put a rack on the back of the max iv (over the engine) for additional storage. Both machines could be fitted with racks for behind the machine similar to a receiver hitch rack on the back of a car or truck. I've seen people put gun or tool racks on the front of an argo above the engine, but storage here is minimal due to the engine being in front of you and you still needing to see where you are going. If hight is not a concern, I would outfit the machine with a roll cage of some sorts. A cage is a good idea especially if the kids are going to be riding in it. These machines are very stable, but I'm a dad too and it would provide me some piece of mind. Additionally, you could put a basket set up on top of the cage to hold even more gear if needed.

I told you before I want a Max IV, and am trying not to show biased against the Argo. They are both fantastic machines with good parts availability. Although the tranny's do the basically same thing(skid steer), they do it in completely different ways. I have no personal experience with an Argo tranny, old style or admiral. I hear mixed things, but have never owned one and don't want to comment on it. I will say the t-20 tranny in the Max IV has been utilized in AATV's for about half a century. It is tried and true, and close to bullet proof. There are several different motor options available in an Argo or Max IV. These are just small engines with horizontal shafts. The very same motors could be found in a lawnmower, go-cart, or any other device that uses a horizontal shaft engine. The very same engine that was stock on my trail machine was used on log splitters. My suggestion would be to find out if there is service available where you are traveling for the motor you think you decided on. If you can't get parts for a briggs vanguard where you are going, but whatever engine you can get in an Argo is common on tractors in the country you are going to, I would get the machine with that engine. Just an example.

I hope you can make some sense of my rambling. But I would start with function and then research the motor's parts availability where you will be traveling. I guess you can always get parts of ebay, but shipping may cost enough to end your trip early. Good luck.

[1975 Argo 8x8 2-Stroker]

I think you would be very pleased with the new Argo tranny, they don't skid-steer per say. Skid-steering is locking up one side while keeping the other side driving, esentially skidding the locked side, the new Admirial tranny does not do this, it turns VERY smooth on any surface, due to the fact that in low, one side turns backwards 1/3 the speed of the other, and in high, one side SLOWS DOWN 1/3 the speed of the other side, eliminating the actual "SKID" in skidsteering.

I know... my uncle just bought a 2011 Argo HDI!

Best bet for you is the Argo 650 HD 6x6, poweful, equiped with the new Admirial Tranny, and it is a 6x6.

My opinion.

[maicolover]

I think you should try each before deciding. And see which has parts & service available down there. You shouldn't need much for UTVs. For use your describing I would deathly buy a 4WD UTV for family use. You could get a Polaris Ranger 400 or a Kawasaki Mule 610 and put a seat the bed for the kids and be lots more comfortable than a 6X6. We have both an old 70's 6X6 and have Kawasaki Teryx RTV for play and Mule 4010 Diesel 2 seater for work and family. The Teryx will go more places than the old 6X6 other than WATER Each has their place. Sounds like a Great Adventure! And keep us posted.

And Castro I totally disagree that UTV_RTV 2 seaters are Junk. The numbers being sold are huge! We can't - wouldn't be without ours!

[Jago]

Thanks Drew/maicolover

Good points there about parts etc although we hope to go all over so the most generally common will be the best I guess.
It does seem that the Max IV has more space than the Argo due to the forward seats and the luggage rack over the engine. I guess it's a more effecient design in that regard (less space lost to the bonnet on the front of the Argo?) but I suppose overall they are very similar in size?

Would be good to drive and compare them in the flesh obviously but just doing my homework first (and you don't get many oppurtunities to drive AATVs in London! :-)
BTW does anyone know any UK Max dealers?
Can't seem to find anything but Argos over here....

Cheers
Jago

[Jago]

You really think that a UTV would be that much better? In terms of ride and speed I guess?
That's the trouble I'm having (from my sofa viewing angle!) not having ridden an AATV or seen any online clips on the road - only slopping through mud etc.

That's a shame as even the smaller UTVs like the mules and Teryx won't fit - I think I compromised and looked at the smallest John Deer Gator that might just fit but that has a lot of compromises and hardly sets the world alight so I thought a 6X6 would be more fun and almost as good on road? (Trying to justify to my wife that it will double as a boat as well!)

Thanks

[Uncle Vin]

Keep in mind that AATVs do not have a legitimate suspension. The tires (or as you Brits say, "tyres") are the suspension. The ride, therefore, is rough -- very rough. Moreover, it's tight in the backseat of a Max IV. Shuttleing the family back-and-forth to the nearest town, over rough roads, may prove to be brutally uncomfortable. I would strongly suggest that you at least test ride an Argo (if that's what available on your side of the Pond) before you make any final decisions. Uncle Vin

[maicolover]

small one is size of a 6x6

Mule 610 is 52.6" wide X 109" long and 70" tall with ROPS. So its same size as most 6X6's. And you wouldn't have all the maintenance a 6x6 will require! No chains to fool us etc!!!! I love playing with our 6X6, but there's no way I could take whole family on one and enjoy it! Especially for the length of time your doing. Again we wish you the best on this great journey.

Regards
maico lover

[Jago]

Thanks guys that's honest advise from 6X6 owners! ;-)

I'm trying to set up a test drive next week to see if they are practical and I'll have to see about the size constraints about how to fix either an AATV or UTV to the back of a truck 2.5m wide by about 2m high without hanging too far of the back of the truck (so either the width of a UTV or maybe the height of an AATV is I mount it vertically with the wheels on the back of the truck.

Cheers
Jago