The Many Faces of the ATV
By: Anicka Quinn
For fishers, hunters, hobby farmers and cabin owners—to name a few—ATVs and UTVs are much more than big kids’ toys. They’re the work horses of the operation. And while the vehicles themselves are often owner-modified to make them suit the operation they’re needed for, there are now dozens of parts designed to suit those individuals who need more than just a joy ride from their ATV.
For Protection
Much as we might wish for it, not all fishing trips have the fortune of good weather. And while seasoned outdoors people may shrug off the odd rainstorm, there’s something to be said for staying dry on a backroads trip. A freak blizzard in the Idaho mountains inspired the development of the ATV Cocoon, when company co-owner Jeff Lampe and friends were forced to wait out the storm on their ATVs. “We huddled to trap heat under our coats until it blew over and it worked,” says Lampe.
The ATV Cocoon is stored in a pouch on the back of the machine and opens out to completely envelop the rider from head to toe, snapping right on to the body of the ATV. Its design keeps a layer of warm air from the heat of the engine trapped next to the rider’s body under the product's high-quality waterproof material.
“It's cold crack resistant to -22C,” says Lampe, “but with the heat of ATV it doesn't get that cold. In a demonstration we did in Virginia it was -22C outside and 22C inside the Cocoon.”
Pipefitters in Alaska are just a few to use the ATV Cocoon daily, and the company is currently in negotiations with the US Border Patrol for use of the product. Lampe says the company intends to stay focused on its already successful online and dealer direct sales, and that it “stands behind its product if there's ever a problem with it.” Find out more about the ATV Cocoon at www.atvcocoon.com.
On some trips, the ATV itself needs as much protection as its rider. Warn offers a new line of body armor for both ATVs and UTVs, made from aircraft-grade aluminum with recessed hardware.
“It's going to be a multiple piece kit featuring a chassis set, front A-arm set and end A-arm set,” says [title] Andy Lilienthal. “For UTVs Warn body armor will feature rock sliders and side a chassis.”
Reinforcing beads add strength and reduce drag over rocky ground, while holes allow for service and drainage, he adds, noting the armor fits a wide variety of ATVs and UTVs.
For Hauling
For those that use ATV for farming work, forestry, construction or errands around the property, a number of trailers and spreaders are designed to make the ATV more functional for said tasks.
The M.U.T. (Multi Use Trailer) Trailer Company offers the Ten-in-One Multi-Use Trailer, which owner Larry Edgar calls, “the last trailer you'll ever need.”
Its unique design has three defining features including the winch, which allows users to load and dump a wide variety of materials and objects in a controlled manner. Rear and front panels on the all-steel box can slide out to allow for loading longer materials such as posts up to nine feet long. The MUT's lock bar allows the box to be fixed at an angle so users can winch things in that are too heavy to lift, says Edgar.
The box becomes a spreader when the rear tailgate is raised and the box is tilted. A rear ball hitch receiver allows for tandem hauling and wall extenders increase carrying capacity for lighter loads.
Once the box is removed, the trailer is open to any number of accessories including a flat bed, a barrel cradle, a long bar for for loads up to 16 feet and a log arch and chain grab, which Edgar says is the most sought after thus far.
“Many people are into skidding logs,” he says. “We mainly sell to farmers, land owners wanting to work around the property, hobby loggers and people clearing fields or lifting heavy rocks or other over sized loads.”
The MUT is designed to take a lot of abuse and could handle up to 2000 lb, but Edgar recommends a safe carrying capacity of about 800 lb. He is currently having the product manufactured overseas and says to keep an eye on the company's website in late fall for progress, dealer direct sales and marketing information. Product and accessory images and specs are available at www.muttrailers.com.
For Working
ATV-ready winches are useful for both work and play—hauling wood from the bush, or a snowmobile out of a ditch. WYSE has designed an ATV winch platform with a patented cable guide, keeping the winch cable centred on the cable drum, which keeps the winch perpendicular with the direction of the pull. It also means that the winch can be attached to any structurally sound point on the vehicle—allowing for 360 degrees of pull in any direction, and 360 degrees of attachment capability (not just the front or the rear).
Eldon Davis, marketing manager, says the mounting platform will convert any industry standard winch to a multi-vehicle, multi-purpose portable system.
“It was designed for broad market appeal - snowmobile, ATV, Rescue and Recovery operations, and industrial and marine applications,” he says.
The soon to-be released "Portable Conversion Kit" will easily adapt to winches available from Warn, Superwinch & Ramsey, in addition to mass marketed, imported winches. “The Wyse 'kit' provides quick and easy set-up, is lightweight, compact and portable, and comes complete with a remote control, straps and carry bag,” says Davis.
The units are sold through Powersport dealers, and additional customers include field enforcement divisions of Fisheries & Oceans Canada and Provincial Forestry & Wildlife. Contact www.wyse-design.com or 800.604.9829.
WARN offers several lines of winches, including the new XT and RT models that feature patent pending disc brakes, a low amp draw and three-stage, all-metal planetary gear trains, says [Title] Andy Lilienthal.
“The XT line comes standard with synthetic rope and is geared toward the recreational user that is pushing his pushing limits, and the RT series is more for those using the ATV for work purposes ... situations where the aircraft-grade wire rope is more suitable for heavier abrasion.”
The XT30 is the newest to launch and comes standard with Warn's new Wireless Control System—allowing the user to operate the winch from anywhere within a 50-foot radius.
“The hand-held remote is ergonomically designed, featuring a simple two button control and an activation sequence.” says Lilienthal, “The antenna is internal so you don't have to hunt for a good place to mount it.”
The waterproof receiver isn’t confused by interference from other signals, and comes with large buttons (useful in the winter, when the user is likely wearing gloves). Visit www.warn.com for full details on all Warn products.
ATV users with a heavy workload can covert their machines into highly-efficient compact tractors with a universally fitting mounting kit from Swisher Inc. The Quick Switch Utility System connects at both A-arms and at the rear hitch, making it suitable for any ATV and eliminating clearance issues on the belly of the ATV whether the rider is trail riding or plowing. A suspension component attaches across the A-arms for heavy lifting.
“The system allows you to interchange between attachments with no tools required,” says ATV Product Manager Al Werthauser. “By pulling one pin you can change from blade to bucket and move mulch, sand, dirt or other materials. We've got one of the heaviest blades on the market at 135 lb. so it will grade gravel or scrape compact snow so it's digging instead of rolling over it.”
Swisher's wide array of attachments include 44 and 60-inch Trailmowers, a six-reel, 60-inch Acreage Rake with 12" pneumatic turf tires and a box scraper with scarified teeth. A 48 x 60-inch drag harrow with a powder coated plate for corrosion-resistance, a rear-attachment disc harrow and a front-mounted forklift attachment with 1.75-inch square tube forks round out the list. Visit <www.swisherinc.com> for information about these and other products.
For Protection
Much as we might wish for it, not all fishing trips have the fortune of good weather. And while seasoned outdoors people may shrug off the odd rainstorm, there’s something to be said for staying dry on a backroads trip. A freak blizzard in the Idaho mountains inspired the development of the ATV Cocoon, when company co-owner Jeff Lampe and friends were forced to wait out the storm on their ATVs. “We huddled to trap heat under our coats until it blew over and it worked,” says Lampe.
The ATV Cocoon is stored in a pouch on the back of the machine and opens out to completely envelop the rider from head to toe, snapping right on to the body of the ATV. Its design keeps a layer of warm air from the heat of the engine trapped next to the rider’s body under the product's high-quality waterproof material.
“It's cold crack resistant to -22C,” says Lampe, “but with the heat of ATV it doesn't get that cold. In a demonstration we did in Virginia it was -22C outside and 22C inside the Cocoon.”
Pipefitters in Alaska are just a few to use the ATV Cocoon daily, and the company is currently in negotiations with the US Border Patrol for use of the product. Lampe says the company intends to stay focused on its already successful online and dealer direct sales, and that it “stands behind its product if there's ever a problem with it.” Find out more about the ATV Cocoon at www.atvcocoon.com.
On some trips, the ATV itself needs as much protection as its rider. Warn offers a new line of body armor for both ATVs and UTVs, made from aircraft-grade aluminum with recessed hardware.
“It's going to be a multiple piece kit featuring a chassis set, front A-arm set and end A-arm set,” says [title] Andy Lilienthal. “For UTVs Warn body armor will feature rock sliders and side a chassis.”
Reinforcing beads add strength and reduce drag over rocky ground, while holes allow for service and drainage, he adds, noting the armor fits a wide variety of ATVs and UTVs.
For Hauling
For those that use ATV for farming work, forestry, construction or errands around the property, a number of trailers and spreaders are designed to make the ATV more functional for said tasks.
The M.U.T. (Multi Use Trailer) Trailer Company offers the Ten-in-One Multi-Use Trailer, which owner Larry Edgar calls, “the last trailer you'll ever need.”
Its unique design has three defining features including the winch, which allows users to load and dump a wide variety of materials and objects in a controlled manner. Rear and front panels on the all-steel box can slide out to allow for loading longer materials such as posts up to nine feet long. The MUT's lock bar allows the box to be fixed at an angle so users can winch things in that are too heavy to lift, says Edgar.
The box becomes a spreader when the rear tailgate is raised and the box is tilted. A rear ball hitch receiver allows for tandem hauling and wall extenders increase carrying capacity for lighter loads.
Once the box is removed, the trailer is open to any number of accessories including a flat bed, a barrel cradle, a long bar for for loads up to 16 feet and a log arch and chain grab, which Edgar says is the most sought after thus far.
“Many people are into skidding logs,” he says. “We mainly sell to farmers, land owners wanting to work around the property, hobby loggers and people clearing fields or lifting heavy rocks or other over sized loads.”
The MUT is designed to take a lot of abuse and could handle up to 2000 lb, but Edgar recommends a safe carrying capacity of about 800 lb. He is currently having the product manufactured overseas and says to keep an eye on the company's website in late fall for progress, dealer direct sales and marketing information. Product and accessory images and specs are available at www.muttrailers.com.
For Working
ATV-ready winches are useful for both work and play—hauling wood from the bush, or a snowmobile out of a ditch. WYSE has designed an ATV winch platform with a patented cable guide, keeping the winch cable centred on the cable drum, which keeps the winch perpendicular with the direction of the pull. It also means that the winch can be attached to any structurally sound point on the vehicle—allowing for 360 degrees of pull in any direction, and 360 degrees of attachment capability (not just the front or the rear).
Eldon Davis, marketing manager, says the mounting platform will convert any industry standard winch to a multi-vehicle, multi-purpose portable system.
“It was designed for broad market appeal - snowmobile, ATV, Rescue and Recovery operations, and industrial and marine applications,” he says.
The soon to-be released "Portable Conversion Kit" will easily adapt to winches available from Warn, Superwinch & Ramsey, in addition to mass marketed, imported winches. “The Wyse 'kit' provides quick and easy set-up, is lightweight, compact and portable, and comes complete with a remote control, straps and carry bag,” says Davis.
The units are sold through Powersport dealers, and additional customers include field enforcement divisions of Fisheries & Oceans Canada and Provincial Forestry & Wildlife. Contact www.wyse-design.com or 800.604.9829.
WARN offers several lines of winches, including the new XT and RT models that feature patent pending disc brakes, a low amp draw and three-stage, all-metal planetary gear trains, says [Title] Andy Lilienthal.
“The XT line comes standard with synthetic rope and is geared toward the recreational user that is pushing his pushing limits, and the RT series is more for those using the ATV for work purposes ... situations where the aircraft-grade wire rope is more suitable for heavier abrasion.”
The XT30 is the newest to launch and comes standard with Warn's new Wireless Control System—allowing the user to operate the winch from anywhere within a 50-foot radius.
“The hand-held remote is ergonomically designed, featuring a simple two button control and an activation sequence.” says Lilienthal, “The antenna is internal so you don't have to hunt for a good place to mount it.”
The waterproof receiver isn’t confused by interference from other signals, and comes with large buttons (useful in the winter, when the user is likely wearing gloves). Visit www.warn.com for full details on all Warn products.
ATV users with a heavy workload can covert their machines into highly-efficient compact tractors with a universally fitting mounting kit from Swisher Inc. The Quick Switch Utility System connects at both A-arms and at the rear hitch, making it suitable for any ATV and eliminating clearance issues on the belly of the ATV whether the rider is trail riding or plowing. A suspension component attaches across the A-arms for heavy lifting.
“The system allows you to interchange between attachments with no tools required,” says ATV Product Manager Al Werthauser. “By pulling one pin you can change from blade to bucket and move mulch, sand, dirt or other materials. We've got one of the heaviest blades on the market at 135 lb. so it will grade gravel or scrape compact snow so it's digging instead of rolling over it.”
Swisher's wide array of attachments include 44 and 60-inch Trailmowers, a six-reel, 60-inch Acreage Rake with 12" pneumatic turf tires and a box scraper with scarified teeth. A 48 x 60-inch drag harrow with a powder coated plate for corrosion-resistance, a rear-attachment disc harrow and a front-mounted forklift attachment with 1.75-inch square tube forks round out the list. Visit <www.swisherinc.com> for information about these and other products.
