Does a side x side give you an advantage??

[Jaker_cc]

Do you own a side x side (ranger,mule,rhino,4 wheelers) and do you feel it gives you an advantage come hunting season?? I beat the piss out of my truck on NF roads and BLM and was tossing around the idea of buying a side x side to help spare my truck. Other than not beating up my truck anymore than I have to, whats the advantage??

 

[MuleyFever]

I can get down the bad roads 4 times as fast without any wear and tear on my truck. I can also get places I simply don't even want to try and take my truck.

 

[AZ8]

I use my side x side for the exact reason you stated: save the wear and tear on my truck! Got tired of getting beat up and tearing up my truck.

Is it an advantage? I don’t know. I consider it part of my gear. I can get from camp to my walk off point much quicker. Going 25-30mph over rutted, wash board roads vs crawling at 5mph in my truck is a no brainer. With that said, you are exposed the elements. Cold, rain, snow...etc.....so there’s a trade off.

Besides, during the off season, it’s a fun hobby!

 

[Tbone58]

After last year i want to get one for the bad trials i traveled in my pickup. Also for the snow I had to then walk through and other side by sides drove right past me to get to the top of the trial. There were blm trials I couldn’t Get down because of mud and rain. But then you have to haul it around with a trailer, which can be a disadvantage due to traffic and small trails also. But that means leaving the truck behind early and using the side by side earlier.

 

[wapitibob]

They double as a snow plow at home.

 

[cnelk]

For sure

 

[204guy]

Yes and yes, for all the reasons mentioned above. I have a 1 ton diesel though so the disparity is greater. You can also have a full cab & heater etc. Just takes $.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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[Jaker_cc]

Yes and yes, for all the reasons mentioned above. I have a 1 ton diesel though so the disparity is greater. You can also have a full cab & heater etc. Just takes $.

I drive the same, lots of nice used rangers and rhinos down here. I’m not buying new, crazy money

 

[snowtoy83]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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Yes. Advantage of way smoother ride and being able to travel the roads faster. A Jeep or Toyota still doesn’t ride that great on a rough road

 

[rob86jeep]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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They can more likely go faster over the same terrain, but you also have to put up with more of the elements so there's a trade off.

 

[shredder97]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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I have and old Jeep for a hunting rig. I like it. No trailer to mess with, always have all your gear and no chance of it getting wet. As for washboards and rocks I just let air out of the tires and let her rip. So far so good

 

[PathFinder]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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There are a lot of variables to this question. A Toyota with the right suspension setup (doesn't have to be over the top) will hang with most any SxS. I used to pass Razors all the time on canyon roads in my 04 Tacoma. Granted the right driver would beat me, but a Tacoma with a couple grand worth of suspension will outdo most SxS in the hands of most drivers. Only a long travel/sport SxS can outdo a mid travel Toyota. The utility ones have pretty abysmal suspension.
I've thought this through in great detail for a hound rig (nothing gets beat like a dog rig). A SxS will give me maybe 3k-5k good miles before it's trashed. It cost 15K+ new with mediocre suspension, junk tires, and no cab. Can maybe run 35s in some cases, most can't be trusted with tracks (rubber band transmission can't hack it for long). A Toyota can be had for 5k-10k, and with 5k of suspension, diffs, recovery gear and tires will hang with a SxS most places. A live axle setup can run 40s with upgraded steering if you are reasonable with it. It's good for at least 300k total, likely significantly more. Comes with a cab, probably A/C, lots more storage, and is narrower than a long travel Rzr... My dream dog rig is an extended cab 80s pickup. FJ80 axles, 5.29 gears, chrome moly half shafts, 42s, lockers at both ends. Linked at both ends on coilovers. It will cost me around 16k doing all of the fabrication myself, and will probably outlive me too.
There are places a Toyota can't go. By the time things are that bad, a big 4 seat SxS can't either. An ATV can go just about anywhere it shouldn't and then some. Comfort and gear storage are sacrificed. Often by the time it's that bad, I'd rather be on a dirt bike with panniers. Or even a fatpack bike.
It depends on where you live too. Lots of places have few ATV access trails. Where I live in CO, it's either trucks or snow machines in winter. Where I grew up, there's not hardly an inch of mountain that doesn't have an ATV trail on it.

 

[TexasCub]

There is no comparison between a quality SXS or ATV, and a truck or jeep. I don’t care if you’ve got the best suspension lift available, Raptor, TRD or whatever.I can’t count how many times I have passed jeeps and trucks built completely for off-roading slow creeping like they were standing still on a rocky rutted out trails here in Colorado. The only downside is you don’t have a warm cab (unless you spend a bunch of addditional money) but for actual maneuverability it’s not even a fair comparison. You can maneuver around obstacles that trucks have to go over and can literally cover ground way faster and you don’t have to worry about breaking the rig that drove you there when it’s time to go home. Plus heavy snow covered two tracks off the beaten path don’t become winter death traps if you get stuck in a heavier rig, a little creativity and you can get them unstuck much easier.

FWIW, not all side by sides are created equal either. A low end Kawasaki mule is not the same as a TeryX or Wolverine or many models made by can-am and Polaris. Some are pure utility use and others have some pretty damn awesome suspensions. I’m referring to the latter.

 

[NJDiverDan]

I say yes for all the above reason. I have a ranger 850 and it can climb better than my can am 800 4 wheeler. The wheeler’s nose want to come up where the ranger seems glued to the ground going up steep climbs.

My only downside to the range is the 4x4 is not a true lock. The rear axels do not engage until the fronts spin.

still avoiding the where and tear on my 60k truck is worth the colder ride in the SxS.

 

[MuleyFever]

Yes. Advantage of way smoother ride and being able to travel the roads faster. A Jeep or Toyota still doesn’t ride that great on a rough road

And reliability. Also recovery if you do break down..

 

[gearguywb]

The big advantage is not beating the hell out of your normal rig. Smaller, lighter is also a good thing. Being able to toss your gear into a side by side is nice, then when you are at a camp, if you need to haul wood, haul an animal out, etc.

Once you have one its hard to do without

 

[Wapiti1]

Here’s another question. Does a side-by-side offer any advantage over, say a lifted Toyota pick up or Jeep CJ 5 or 7, with Detroit lockers and a V-8? I’m asking because I’m contemplating just buying a older Jeep or Toyota, either with these mods or doing them myself, and having a designated hunting vehicle. With the prices of a newer side-by-side, I think it would be very easily to do this with one of these vehicles and probably even be money ahead.


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AKTB, i think you have a more unique situation than most on here given the swampy nature of Alaska. IMO, a SXS is a lot easier to unstick from the mud and swamps than a larger heavier rig. I have seen a few lifted tundra buggies, but those seem to be really wide after you get the enormous paddle tires installed. Getting one of those out of the mud would be a bitch. Bigger winch, bigger anchor, and a lot more cussing.

It's amazing where you can go with two winches and a land anchor.

That said, a larger rig might work better for you if you just need a one vehicle solution. My old Willys Jeep made it all over the mountains of MT and we never had any issues getting stuck or unstuck.

Jeremy

 

[11boo]

This one, I thought was unstoppable. Still like it better than my lifted Jeep.

 

[wytx]

Some atv trails have width restrictions, you can not take a jeep or truck on them.