Real-World vs Popularity
Deere needs to update/upgrade that transmission, to be sure of it. At no point should there be so much baulk at putting anything into, as well as staying in gear. Aside from that though, I just can't digest a "Snapped Belt" (which is the next issue I have with the alleged story here...belts get smoked and unravel to the point of being trashed, to be sure of it, but in all my years of CVT use, I have NEVER seen a drive-belt, "Snap") Nor is it likely a belt letting lose would or even COULD, bend a crank. I have had several 100 HP+ two-stroke triple sleds running CVT setups, and not even with THAT vicious daily abuse and tax on a drive-belt, have I witnessed a scenario where a belt snapped. They will turn into a bird's nest and get all caught-up in the clutches and start spitting chunks out the housing and quickly leave the unit immobile, but snap? Something else had to be at play here. This sounds more like seeded doubt. I've been a Polaris fan for a whole bunch of years, and have had the entire Polaris offering from the old 400L ski (jet ski) to as recent as the 900XP RZR, and most things between, down to their last nut and bolt, and I have to say, not even the Subaru/Fuji motors that were once used in Polaris motorsports, are really any better than the Chery engine/TorqueTuff trans setup in a Gator. (Now polaris mostly uses a in-house engine line [really a farce...the degree of "design cues" they take from outside sources hardly finds Polaris the creator of their current mills] which I completely find inferior to the genetics of the Subaru power-plants of Polaris past.) I would get into my engineering degrees to better substantiate my opinion here, but I will refrain, as simple trial and error/experience and being fortunate enough over the past 30 years of at some point owning most of the popular brands and models, be what guides my opinion, knowledge and wisdom. Most brands birthing a new product line will suffer development characteristics of any particular model...just the way it is. This brand vs that brand is nearly ridiculous an argument to make. Not easy to rationalize that way when YOU are the person with 13 grand invested in a new unit fraught with issues, which I'm open to believing...had a few all my own. But this story has something more underlying in it, for so many units repeating an issue I've yet to see. Not calling-out the author, but I have to believe that if this all in fact transpired, there is almost certainly something outside of the norm these machines are being subjected to that would most likely have similar effects on comparable machines of ANY brand. Nut for nut, this current Gator line is at least on par with anything else out there, and in many ways, far superior. Only Kubota offers a chassis so robust and well designed as the newer gators. I won't beat-up on any one brand but, there is a reason I use Kubota and Deere chassis exclusively in my custom builds, and chassis alone is enough reason for me to adopt Deere in my future projects. Polaris (of which I've had a fond history with) vs Deere?...you DEFINITELY are not doing yourself any favors by dropping a Gator for a Ranger. Not wanting to hijack the author's post here with, "This vs That", but if these forums are primarily supposed to be useful avenues for accurate information, then I'd like to at least contribute truth and accurate information; although not entirely the basis for what solidifies and argument, but there is an almost commonsense logic behind the fact that a very large and old implement/machinery company has better resources for design and development of a machine designed to be abused, than say a motorsports entity, who solely exists on their motorsports. Some would argue this makes them specialists, and to a degree that is partially true, but not entirely, and certainly not to a degree to trump the tools and experience Deere has when designing off-road equipment. I offer to the author of this post, that. No big coincidence that the current two manufacturers I dump thousands of dollars into exclusive use of their products for off-road customs, BOTH happen to be tractor building entities. Truth and logic. Buy what makes you feel best when you head for bed at night, but be informed enough that you have made a sound choice based on fact, and not popularity. Finally, lay a Gator fame on the ground next to a Ranger, Rhino, or Kaw frame. If you know what you are truly looking at, I wouldn't need to say another word. Sorry for the rant. I just - I eat/sleep/ breathe abusing these things. I don't buy a brand...I buy a better product. ALL have areas that need improvement, and some of the neglected areas I find perplexing but, which neglected product has the most overall to offer...lesser of evils we buy. Pound for pound, the Gator is the better product. Amen. Sorry for any typos...in a hurry, as I have things to go destroy.
