Less Popular 6x6s vs the Big Two

[dzg]

I dont mind spending some time wrenching, but i wanna do more riding then wrenchin

The trailer issue isnt a big deal, i got a single axle landscape trailer in my parents polebarn that needs a new axle but thats it (130 buck from TSC), I was just hoping it would fit in my pickup

WHen i get one, the only things i really wanna do right off the bat is larger tires, and a winch...

The more i look around the more i really like the looks of the hustlers....

One more question...If i find one with say, a bum engine, will a 16hp from a lawnmower or something work or is there some sort of special outputs for the ATV's?

The car dolly modified is cool though....that is pretty creative...

[gearhead1937]

Engine needs to be a side shaft (horizontal) motor. Wish there was an easy way to put a vert shaft motor in one. I've got a cheap 14hp honda clone in my attex and it does fine for the amount of riding i do. someday my next machine (got 2 amphicats) will have a larger engine.

[thebuggyman1]

Lawn mower engines are the typical 4 stroke motors used. A lot of guys use the honda clones just cause they are so cheap. DUROMAX 16 HP GAS ENGINE GO CART MOTOR LOG SPLITTER | eBay In a small machine with stock tires they should be fine, but I wouldn't put one in a big 8x8 or a machine with 26" vampires. lol Seriously, it's all a matter of gear ratios, that's why the cvt clutch systems work so well.
Swapping in a 4 stroke for a 2 stroke becomes a little more difficult. They have different operating RPMs and power bands.

[dzg]

I got a 11hp wisconsin side shaft i bought for a lawn mower.....11hp mite be kinda weak though....

[North Country Tough]

Are some of the less popular brands of 6x6's, like the attexs and things as capable as the big two? (argo and max)? I was looking at the attexs and things seem to be cheaper on average, but i havent seen one in action....

Having owned a number of machines in my life this is my experience,back in the seventy's the six wheeler craze took off and like snowmobiles of that era there were a ton of manufacturers some good some bad but all unique,back then with so many different choices there was a lot of cool factor and living in Canada the choices were not as good as on the U.S side,the internet was a couple of decades or so off so checking out all that was offered relied on magazines like popular mechanics and the outdoors magazines,that all said the latest offering from the company's still building are impressive you can load them to the limits and beat them and they stand up well.Drawbacks they are heavy and slow and expensive, but ultra dependable and parts are easy to get if you have a specific need such as drawing heavy loads into a camp or using it for a bush pickup truck /tractor work horse nothing better.If you want a fun mud mobile the older machines were a hoot, quick ,nibble ,and light weight and some rather sporty looking not what you normally see out on the trail,myself back in the day I thought that the Attex was the coolest and with the recent to me internet and finding this site (I lived under a rock) Iam starting to look for the Attex of my dreams which will take some research to find out all the specs on them and hopefully find a ground up resto for sale,who says you cant live in the past.Cheers

[hydromike]

back in the day I thought that the Attex was the coolest and with the recent to me internet and finding this site (I lived under a rock) Iam starting to look for the Attex of my dreams

Hey NCT,

What IS the Attex of your dreams? It's surprising how many of them have been popping up all over the northeast U.S., lately. ABS and Poly bodied machines both seem to be in relative abundance compared with what was offered 10 years ago. The online classifieds and this message board seems to draw a lot of the cool old stuff out into the open. You can always post a wanted ad here on the Site with what you're looking for. The "specs" of them were basically the same from 1971ish through the mid 1980s when Attex closed shop. Basically the same frame, same transmission and drive setup, with few changes to the bodies and engine options. There are hundreds of pictures in the photo gallery showing what's what.....

[North Country Tough]

Well not knowing enough about the machine I would be looking for a two stroke for sure I had a mid seventys Argo with a factory Kohler 440 2ams I believe was still a Kohler that was Canadian built in Mississauga Ontario it was a blast,but it had its issues that plagued it with 1 inch axles and a factory adapter wheel spool that would accept either the proverbial donut rimless tire or the rimmed Runamuks with a three bolt rim,and the Argo transmission has always been a compromise although sturdy and dependable the use of a planetary style differential has been the biggest let down,no positive all wheel drive without judicious lever play and the fact that you are driving the one side of the trans two times faster when you lock up one set of wheels,as I understand the trans that Attex used had none of these issues.So for me I would like to have a Attex that was the best two stroke best body and trans available(me and lot of other guys) I will be asking a lot of questions and researching,why did Attex close its doors and why from what I remember they were the most popular on the U.S side,in the latter part of the seventy's a guy from Cleveland that fished up in northern Ontario where our camp is brought a Attex up and that was the last time I checked one out I really liked the machine and always wanted one but we had no dealers close,now Iam certainly in a better position to buy one and still enjoy it,my Avenger is a great machine and a much needed asset at camp but about as exciting as a washing machine.

[mustangwagz]

about as exciting as a washing machine.

i use the same reference for my ole lady..lol.

Howdy NTC, as for a recommendation, i will leave you with this. When you find your attex, id suggest getting one with a poly body and a 4 stoke motor. If it DOESNT have the 4 stroke, no sweat my friend, Swap it! Get a motor, and a drive clutch, and then enjoy your build. As long as its got the t20 trans, you cant go wrong. Simple working and maintaining Transmissions. i just did a swap in mine, and now i love the machine. I ride it more than my sidebyside. My woman is damn lucky i hadnt trried out a 6wheeler, before i bought the mule...otherwise...there wouldn't be a mule. lol

Biggest thing to remember, (and im sure it aint no surprise or info you dont alreayd know) Have fun with whatever you buy/build. Cuz if you dont, whats the sense in building/buying it? lol

[George]

HI NCT,

From all the stories I've heard, Attex went out of Business because Recreative Industries (Max) and the people who built the Hustler bought the rights and tooling to produce the T-20 from Borg-Warner. I've heard that they were still willing to sell the T-20 to their competition but at such a high price that the competition could no longer remain competitive.

Anyway, I once had a conversation with Richard Clark. He told me that the only machines he would rebuild to resell were Argo, Max, Attex and Hustler. He was of the opinion that they were the only ones worth rebuilding.

[North Country Tough]

Thanks for the advice a poly body yea thats a must what year did they start with that,and what year did they start 4 strokes?

[amphibious drew]

I think 76 is when poly came around. the 4-stroke poly bodies were the tamahawk and little truck. however, the little truck was available in 2stroke.

[George]

They only came with single cylinder 4-strokes.

I used a motor-mount from the Superchief (or a G50B engine) to mount a Vanguard inside my Li'l Truck. The mount is flat, roomy, and easy to drill. It will also fit on the frame of the Chief, Thunderchief, Superchief, Tomahawk, and Li'l Truck without having to modify the frame.

FYI, The Superchief, Tomahawk, and Li'l Truck are the models that had poly bodies.

[jpswift1]

.

FYI, The Superchief, Tomahawk, and Li'l Truck are the models that had poly bodies.

And don't forget the not so common Attex 250 Spirit with the G250B Chaparral sinlge.

[North Country Tough]

But basically all used the same frame and axles when it comes to the poly body ?Were there a lot of transmission gear ratio differences or was it done at the axles,and the mention of recreative industry's buying the patent and the rights to the transmission that makes sense eliminate the competition in a dwindling market.I once went to the recreative factory in Buffalo I believe it was and checked the max out before a new Argo buy in the eighty's tried one out, steered great and went real good for a four stroke what I didn't like was not enough cargo area and the hollow axles but other than that it was a nice unit but the Argo 8 wheeler fit the bill better for what I needed which was a heavy cargo mover,but that transmission always struck me as the answer it must be locked up large in patent rights.Iam thankful for the Attex one O one and will research it and start a search for the one I want.Thanks guys NCT

[racerone3]

I've been out of town for a few days, so I'm a little late to the dance on this one. I've owned Argo, Max, Attex, and Hustler machines as well as many others. My current trail machines are a Hustler 980 Bigfoot, an ABS bodied Attex Wild Wolf, and an ABS bodied Attex 8x8. My Wife runs a newer Max II. They all drive a little differently, and all Do something better than the next one.

anyone who has ridden with me knows that I'm not easy on machines, and my ABS bodies have held up very well. My wife managed to rip a 9 inch gash in the bottom of her Max (poly). Either material is quite strong, but ABS is much more easily repaired. My preference is an ABS body with a poly skid plate. My point to this rambling, Don't rule out an Attex just because it isn't a POLY body.

All 3 of my Attex machines (the 2 referenced above and my racer) all started out as 2 stroke machines, and have been converted to 4 strokes. It is a relatively easy swap, and the engines are the one part of the machines I hardly ever need to work on.

Hydro Mike has 25" tires squeezed under an Attex with similar modifications to what a Max II requires to run them. A hustler 950 will fit 25's no problem and a 980 can easily fit 27's.

Axles are a major weakness on a lot of the older machines. Attex used 1" axles and I tend to bend/ break a lot of them.(Amphicat and some others used smaller than that) Also with the small axles, come smaller bearings, and I've noticed that the Attex eats outer bearings at about twice the rate that the Hustler or Max does (Same brand of bearing in the same riding conditions) Both of my attex trail machines are getting upgraded to splined 1 1/4" axles /bearings this winter. I believe once that's done, the machines will be incredibly reliable.

A huge advantage to rebuilding an older machine is that you will know every inch of it. You also have the opportunity to modify and upgrade it as you see fit. Another advantage is cost. If you take your time to research (ask a lot of the people on this site where they get parts) you can find great deals on most of the stuff you will need for a rebuild. My wife's max is a '97... I picked it up needing bearings and chain for 2k. With all the repairs and upgrading the engine to a 35hp monster I still have less than 3k in the machine. We have 5 machines in the fleet and have less coin in all 5 than the cost of a new Max II.

I personally would stick to an Argo, OR a T-20 based machine, although I know of a few members who have made very capable and reliable machines from other brands.