OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[Jim]

Hi,

Has anyone had these amphibious Argo ATVs (see http://wilddogmachinery.argoatv.com/dealers/default.aspx)? Considering buying one for the farm and would love to hear whether anyone has experience with them.

Thanks,

Jim

[Earthmover]

mate iI seen one not long ago getting new tred it must have cost the bloke a fortune because he had duals on all four axles ather then that thay float as you know
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[Jim]

Thanks Earthmover - the one I'm looking at is a 6x6 and each tyre is about $230. Apparently, you can put standard tyres on them but because the Argo doesn't have suspension, they use specially squashy tires at low pressure, so it could make it a pretty rough ride, I guess.

[Dino]

Hi Jim,

Dino here in Brisbane. I was actually the designated driver for one of those things on a coupla piling jobs. Did a about a 120 hours on a 8 wheeler. If you really need to float and traverse soft ground with a few hundred kilo of men and gear, they'll do the job. Linited as that may be.
The Australian distributor is up the highway from me. ummm, they are a specialised bit of gear. I wouldn't reccomend spending that sort of coin unless you really need it. If they're to be a long term proposition, they need comparatively more maintenence and care than other things that you may be used to. Still fun to drive.
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Remember. We elect politicians, but we have to deal with bureaucracy.
Notice that crazy in the bureaucrats.

[yogie]

A mate of mine tried one at a feild day once, the bloke who was demonstrating it said they cant flip, he took it up a hill that over 35 degrees (angle) and he was doing doeys on the side of the hill, but if they have a flaw its that they are too SLOW...
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2005 KFX700
With a few bells and whistles
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American Star A-arms, tie rods
elka stickers
Shorty Shifter
I have a Waco
rossco gave me a flexx sticker
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[Jim]

Thanks Dino and Yogie,

I want to use it on a dairy farm - mostly at very ow speed - and thought it might be good for me or the other half with our little girl alongside.

She's starting to get to big to be a (safe) passenger on the Suzi Eiger.

Money's pretty tight in dairying these days and I've found a really presentable low km yet cheap unit. Other options are the Kawasaki Mule, etc, but they all seem to be another 5K dearer.

[cowchaser]

Jim wrote:

Thanks Dino and Yogie, Money's pretty tight in dairying these days and I've found a really presentable low km yet cheap unit. Other options are the Kawasaki Mule, etc, but they all seem to be another 5K dearer.

Dam right it is Jim I milk the sh!tters down in sth west Vic feel like i'm doing it for the love of it at the moment.

Must be bloody wet where you are to need one of those
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Smitty

[Jim]

Yeah Smitty - there's nothing like working 12 hours, 7 days per week knowing you're just sliding further into debt, is there.

It gets stupidly slippery in winter but all we need is some form of AWD so we're not doing donuts at 3km/hr behind the cows in the "green grease".

What I'm more interested in are the two seats and the safety of it from a rollover perspective. The unions and WorkSafe are working themselves up into a frenzy over ATVs and I reckon it won't be long til we're all wearing leathers and full-face helmets on the cow track.

What do you use on farm?

[cowchaser]

We are on coastal sand so except for the irrigation getting bogged is not an issue for us. We have two Can-Am Outlanders an 800 and a 500. We also have a 4x4 diesel Club Car side by side it's a two seater and not a bad jigger, it's got a good size tip tray too
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Smitty

[Haggis]

My old man is a deer stalker in Scotland and he has 2 argo's 8x8, he uses them to take the deer from the hill to the larder so the butcher can pick them up. They will nearly go anywhere you want , not 100% sure but they used to run a Kolar engine but might have changed. The old ones used to use shear bolts on the axles and were a pain but new ones are great. Think its a argo conquest . They also changed the braking system to cable recently rather than using mainly engine breaking , old man had one snap on a steep decent ....wasnt pretty
can find out from him if you need to know anything else

[Jim]

Thanks guys.

The Club Car sounds really good - had a look at that aluminium ATV on their web site - but the local dealer tells me they've gone "belly up" and is pushing the Bush Hog now.

Love these names: Tom Car, Bush Hog, what's next?

The Argo sounds like it's going to do the job, albeit thirstily and with a fair bit of maintenance. The dealer says a grease and oil change every 50 hours.

[Jim]

Hi Royboy, thanks for the heads up about the braking. Did your dad say this was a design fault or just pure bad luck?

[Haggis]

think maybe a design fault , as they came and fitted dual brake levers after that . Think the old set up had 2 levers , so as you pulled one it acted as a brake and you turned ( skid steer ) and if you pulled both ,well you stopped. The new set up is like a handle bar that pivots same skid steer but cant pull it back to stop. Thats why they are using the cable now. But im talking very steep hills with a lot of pressure when it gave way.

[Haggis]

see the 750 hdi has hydraulic brakes now , might be why!!!