Dear Recreative Industries this is my wish list for you

[FREQ42]

I would like to offer a suggestion that rather than overwhelm RI with a wish list as long as a wet Sunday and scare them to death with our wants,why not use the experience and wisdom of this forum to prioritize a couple of the very most important items and see how that goes.I don't believe any manufacturer will even entertain any suggestions from an enormous list.Remember no manufacturer builds things for any individual just for larger cross-sectional groups. IMHO only.

I for one agree with Eldon, I think the top suggestion every body can agree on is
Make a deeper tub available for both the Max II and IV to accommodate larger tires AND tracks. 6" should be more than enough to accommodate up to 12" rims and the biggest tire's out there. this has a double benefit of allowing a suspension seat to be used.

[Robinhood02]

3" is the maximum that the tub can be hightend on a Max II and 4" on a Max IV because of the distance between axles, you will hit the tires between before youll hit the tub

[Eldon]

You are right about that Charlie,is there any wiggle room to set the front axle slightly forward and the rear axle slightly back with the existing framework? The Max would be a fearsome weapon though with bigger tires as indicated by freQ42.

[Dirty Harry]

Even 3" and 4" taller tub, respectively, is still a HUGE improvement on what kind of rubber could be stuffed under these machines. As I've said elsewhere before, it's still too bad they can't engineer an amphib-specific tire that's minimum 27" tall and desgined to fit an 8" beadlock rim. Imagine how much more comfy our MAXes would ride with all that additional sidewall flex!

I agree with most of the requests here on the realistic 'wants' for the R.I. machines, especially the #60 chain throughout, an legit alternator for running extra lighting & various other accessories (GPS, radio, CB, etc.), suspension seats and 2" receiver hitch.

I would recommend that R.I. upgrade all of their axles to 1 1/2" diameter. (Most especially on the Max IV & Buff truck since one is carrying 4 people and the other is purpose-built to haul heavy loads.)

[Robinhood02]

You are right about that Charlie,is there any wiggle room to set the front axle slightly forward and the rear axle slightly back with the existing framework? The Max would be a fearsome weapon though with bigger tires as indicated by freQ42.

nope no wiggle room, the axle sprokets would get too close to the frame, in fact in the Max IV they are already too close
personally i think it is better to post every possible upgrade imaginable and let RI decide what they can and can't do, sometimes it is very easy to do a second upgrade once a first one is done, for eg, if your gonna mod the tub why not build into it the ability to strech the frame 2" each way. also if your gonna mod the frame "at all" yur gonna want to make all the changes to the frame that you can dream of at once so that you do not have to change it again later

[6X6]

3" is the maximum that the tub can be hightend on a Max II and 4" on a Max IV because of the distance between axles, you will hit the tires between before youll hit the tub

True, only thing I see is that with a bit more clearance you can use the large tires AND put tracks on them. Should make the max line great in the snow since the nose plowing is what stops/"stucks" you. (Plus you don't need to get another set of smaller "tracks" tires/rims.

[micmac]

I emailed a link for this thread to RI. I'm sure I won't hear back from them but it's worth a shot. Maybe some folks who frequent the factory could bend their ear a little as well. I think the longer the list is the better. If a few things are really popular they will stand out, also there maybe somethings that would be easy to incorporate that they may not have thought of. Brainstorming by committee always brings out interesting ideas. These are after all just ideas, I don't think anyone is demanding RI put them into production. I'm sure the people up in Buffalo are business professionals and can determine what if anything is financially worth pursuing.

[smog]

any of you tried to do the +4" tub instead of just pushing up the lowest part under the "fenders"?


edit : can't we just buy an uncut lower tub, make a jig to hold the wheel wells while we stretch the vertical parts to a +4" design using a lot of heat and an hydraulic jack against a jig on the bottom to stretch it?

edit 2 : I think I just told you the proper way to do it

edit 3 : now I WANT a +4 tub.... to ride my custom 1.5" rubber tracks over the 26" tires !

[Ronaldlewis]

If its ok i would like to get in on this too LOL
the tiny little engine access on a Max II really isn't big enough you can hardly get at the pull start cord let alone do anything else
I would like to see some other upper bodys made, you should see the upper robinhood made from fibreglass for his 700mxz II its unbelieveable , a hood on the front, robinhood post some pics of that thing it's evil LOL
60 chain is definatly a good one
2 speed would be nice
an 8 wheeler model once the 2 speed comes
a stereo place
bigger battery and charging system
hand brake cable like a skidoo
get the tub waaay up so we can run some agressive skidoo tracks on them with big tires
if i think of more ill post them

[Robinhood02]

Ronaldlewis, you have mail

[mightymaxIV]

Lengthen the wheelbase on the MaxIV four inches and space the wheels evenly. Allow more room for bigger tires and develop a 27" swimmer tire, make the tub three inches wider for better stability and flotation in water
-Put the gas tank under the front seat like an Argo frontier and have some storage space for tools
-Give the passengers in the rear seat more leg room.
-Low range on the T-20, you already have the best skid steer system now lets make it a work horse
-Swimmer tires of your own design or work with Matt O. who is working on his own swimmer tire
-Swimming track option-already designed-just add the option
-Heavy duty bearings and chains with axle extensions similar to the Argo (or use their extensions-I am sure that would sell them them or the supplier would be happy to sell them to you). #60 chains a sprockets

-Thickly Padded seats or suspension seats




MOST OF ALL-AUTOMATIC CHAIN ADJUSTER THAT LIFTS THE CHAIN AWAY FROM TO TUB SO THE CHAINS DON'T SLAP THE TUB!

Let's make the Max almost maintenance free so we can ride it instead of fixing it.


A MaxIV with a 62" wheelbase, 25 inch swimmer tires, a T-20 with a low range and a set of Adair tracks would be an absolute terror, beast, unstopable-Bad to the Bone! Oh ya, and it would ride smoother!

[smog]

about the bearings, I can't tell for older MAXes but my 2008 MaxIV-500T have the same bearing size as the Argo HDI; I had them all side by side on the work bench and the bearings are the same size but RI had larger bolt pattern on the flanges while argo made the HDI flange bolt pattern the same as the older argo that had smaller bearings so they could use the newer flanges as a retrofit.

[phil_1066]

Not so techy as most of you so here are my little suggestions
how about a top in a primer state that will take paint without flaking off
some sort of small secondary tank.... on mine when she is running low on petrol (gas) it sloshes around and has caused air in carbs.
adjusters to move engine back to tighten belt... similar to the chain tensioners. mine just wont shift without a fight.

[Robinhood02]

here is an updated wish list

1. Move the T-20 on the Max IV out from beneath the engine stand and place it under the rear seat making it easier to access.
2. Make a deeper tub available for both the Max IV and II to accommodate larger tires AND tracks.
3. Develop your own "in house" swimming tire selection available in different sizes.
4. Make a swimming track system available.
5. Hydraulic emergency / parking brake system moving the rotors to the center axle. Make the system a hand brake
6. Lower the engine down into the tub for a Max IV allowing for a lower CG. Possible because the T-20 moving forward.
7. Offer different options for sprocket gearing.
8. Develop a Low range (2 or 3 speed) system for the T-20
9. Provide an Alternator kit for all models to run a full Automotive type alternator.
10. Place into production a 8X8 Max with more cargo capability then currently available on the Max IV
11. Include under-seat storage for all models
12. Look at competitor bearing extension and support and develop a comparable system. Rather than the Ad Hoc system currently offered by RI
13. Old fashion bearing / flange system needs updating. Look at some suggestions for a heavy duty ultimate type bearing
14. Incorporate a 2" receiver hitch system.
15. Full and complete skid plate system.
16. Get rid of the jackshaft
17. Make enough of the engine cover/ cargo area removable to be be able to lube/ adjust chains without having to open the body.
18. Make different height laterals available. (I just built a set 6" taller for my wifes machine, and it is WAY more comfortable)
19. Redesign floor pan with "foot rests" in several locations.
20. up-grade to #60 chain throughout
21. how about getting rid of the belt drive? Maybe using something similar to a hydraulic torque converter like our cars and trucks have.
22. springer from the factory
23. a few different options of upper bodies;sport, utility, lowrider, with appropriate accesories
24.
25. suspension seating
26. a different rim size. I mean the 8" wheel was standard in the 70's & 80's. But tires now a days are very limited for a 8" wheel.
27. How about something like syncro's for easier shifting (in the T20)
28. Argo type axle seals (double sealed aluminum case)
29. Cabin heater
30. Defrost system
31. windshield wiper system
32. heated hand controls
33. heated seats
34. folding or removable windsheild for the Max IV
35. bucket suspension seat
36. move lateral controls farther to one side
37. make tubs wider for more stability in the water
38. move the axles farther apart to accomodate larger tires
39.
40. upgrade axles to 1.5"
41.
42. hand brake (like skidoo)
43. stretch the Max IV and space axles evenly
44.
45. more rear leg room in rear
46.
47. thickly padded seats
48. automatic chain adjusters that hold the chain away from tub
49. a paintable upper body
50. a secondary fuel tank

I did leave some out (they ARE on the newest models)
wow, now there is some things to think about

[Eldon]

Well now Charlie you have a real list there.Have you put a price tag on these improvements?A buddy who used to deal in Argo's put it very well by saying "anything in regard to improvements can be done,but folks are complaining about the price now".LOL I put the cost of a unit with these improvements somewhere between $40-50 K.