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I'm really wanting to purchase an atv and the wife has approved, but i have 2 young boys and i'm thinking about the mule. I just want to know if anyone has had any experience pulling a small disc with this mule? Towing capacity is rated at 1400 pounds and the disc u use is 600 pounds without the disc in the ground. I like the idea of my oldest son being able to do work with me and be buckled in next to me. any insight would be great. thanks.
Towing capacity is different than the power you need to pull a disk.
If you have light soil it will work fine, but in heavy clay you will have issues. If you plan on doing large food plots you will abuse the machine with an automatic transmission. I am talking acres of food plots.
I have a disk that is the same width as my ATV for small plots and it works fine, the bigger plots I use a tractor and disk.
I also have a small S-tine cultivator that I use more than I use the disk. And it works great.
Good point..as of right now my biggest plot is 1/2 acre and it's tills up pretty easy.
Utv's are not meant to be tractors. Towing wheeled trailers or hauling feed/seed yes. Plowing/disking not so much. A compact tractor would be better suited for the job. Also with available attachments it would be more versatile and be able to do more work for you. More bang for your buck (pun intended)
Maybe they aren't but twice a year I pull a disk for a few hours.the rest of the time I'm working around the house were the mule is more practical. Plus I can buckle my son in and go for rides. Its more often I wouldn't be pulling anything. I've been using a quad for about 6 years and it's worked fine.I get a tractor is the best for just pulling a disc.
It is funny. A friend and I had this discussion about a Polaris Razor and Ranger a little over a year ago. I said to buy a Ranger cause of the box and hauling capacity. I also told him to buy the biggest possible, which was a 850 at the time. He ended up buying a Razor 570. I have used it and can not believe the power the thing has. It is also safer with his kids as they can be buckled in using a 4 point harness. The Razor is also has a lower center of gravity so it is safer that way also. He plows a lot of snow with it and has no problem, really kind of amazing what it will do. I can tell you I would not have a problem pulling my Mossy Oak Tufline disk with it. It may pull it better then my ATV 850XP.
I would not narrow your search to one brand.
I started out using a Polaris 700 ATV. We used a 48" ATV disc and it worked "ok" but not ideal. With the heavy/clay soil we were always having to take a break because the ATV got overheated. I always felt like I was beating the snot out of my ATV to put in food plots.
I ended up buying a John Deere 1070 4x4 utility tractor and then bought implements like a brush hog, back blade, sprayer and most important, a King Kutter 6.5' disc. This works better for food plots for me. The ATV disc is too light and it wanted to just roll over the top. The KK disc weighs 800+ LBS and works well.
This past year I sold my ATV and bought a Polaris Ranger 900 XP. The only thing I've used the Ranger for was pulling a chain drag and my 40 gallon sprayer works nicely in the bed of the Ranger.
There are a lot of options out there and you have to do what works for you and your budget.
I stopped by the Kubota dealer today and I can get a small tractor 18horse diesel for 10 grand.0% for 60 months...
Also checked out the Honda pioneer 700.. Seems like a nice machine 7 or 8 grand
Check out used machines as well. Although the 0% interest is hard to beat. 18 HP isn't much and you'll be wishing you bought bigger. I'd say 25 HP minimum if you're gonna buy a tractor. I bought my 39 HP John Deere 1070 for $9200 of Craigslist. Lot of hours on it (5000) but I've had it since 2009 w/o any major issues.
I guess that's my issue I'm not super knowledgeable about tractors..
Good advice....this started with getting a mule...then went to tractor now the tractor isn't powerful enough..guess I just have to pick one a live with it
