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Sure do love my Mule

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Gene/Mi
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Posts: 1
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2002-03-27          36784

I have a 2510 Diesel mule that I feel is the best toy I have and I have a lot of them.The mule is a 2000 that has 1500 miles on it.I use it around the farm 365 days a year.4Wd and its 1600# load capacity make it a great utility vehical.

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2002-03-27          36793

Tell me more.
I'm currently running a Honda Foreman ATV and am satisfied, but always wondered if a Mule or a Gator would have been a better fit to working around a tree farm.
How does the tranny work, and does it have limited slip on front and back?
Does it handle side hills okay? I have to work hard to keep the ATV from cartwheeling merrily thru the trees.
jim ....

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Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 962
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2002-03-28          36799

Jim, there's just no doubt the Mule would be a better farm/ranch machine. My brother had one until recently and a few years ago I took a rancher neighbor on it to do some fence repairs and after he saw what kind of gulleys we could go through, brush piles we could go over, etc., he promptly went out and bought one just like it. Can shift between High/Low range, 2WD/4WD, differential lock for the rear wheels, etc. A real workhorse. ....

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Gene/Mi
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2002-03-31          36923

I had a 4wheeler prior to the Mule and I went through two trailers behind it.With the mule I find the cargo box to be big enough for my needs.Several friends have gators and they can not hold a candle to the mules capacity,speed ,power,room or reliability. ....

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BeeFarmer
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 85 Ohio
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2002-04-01          36940

My mule is a two wheel gas powered unit. It is about 2 years old now. I don't think I would get another gas unit as it doesn't start well especially in the cold. Also, it doesn't have enough power to pull itself out of deep snow. I do like it in many ways. If I was to do it again I would go with a 4x4 diesel! ....

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Gene/mi
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2002-04-01          36956

I can tell you the diesel has it all.In the coldest weather it starts the same as at 70.Power?It is a real horse.The standard 4wheel drive is about like it is with anything else 4wheel drive.When you need iteven if its only a few times a year its wonderful to have.
A friend has a new 4 WD gas and he is sick that he didnt go for the diesel.
I have a cloth cab with zipper doors for winter use.By next winter I am going to invest in a hard cab.The one I have now serves the purpose but the wife is getting tired of putting new zippers in the drivers side twice a winter. ....

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2002-04-01          36960

Gene:
Ok ok, i can faintly surmise from your comments that the mule is working out fairly good (just kidding).
so now give me the bottom line -- how much is Kawasaki going to gouge me?
Need the diesel 4wd and whatever else maximizes the performance.
thanks -- I really do appreciate the good info.
I'm trying to acquire a copy of a recent ATV mag issue that i was told ran a comparison of mules vs gators vs a few lesser known brands, but can't find it.
jim ....

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Gene/Mi
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2002-04-01          36967

Jim,
If you shop real hard you should be able to pickup a diesel for something like 9000.00 plus tax if applicable. ....

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vick12
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Syracuse, NY
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2002-07-10          40244

Anyone put a plow on one for snowplowing? If so, will it handle 12" of wet snow? ....

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l. carlson
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2002-10-26          44250

I am interested in a mule for hauling firewood and using on my small farm. any owners out there that know how it would do and what model is best gas or diesel. thanks ....

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OhioBeeFarmer
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2002-10-28          44295

Have you thought about a ranger? I have a mule and now looking at the ranger. The mule is nice but a bit slow. The ranger can go more than twice the speed. I am not really looking for speed however, 15 - 18 on a mule just doesn't cut it sometimes. I also think the seat on the ranger is a lot better. My mule seat has started to look like an old cushion. I am not really a big guy... 6 foot 210 .. but the seat just doesn't seem to hold up. Just some thoughts.. BTW I use the mule to haul beehives around and they get really heavy.. The mule can HAUL! ....

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DH83
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2002-11-14          45002

Here is my solution for my hauling needs at a little less
money...I bought a 92 yamaha 4 stroke golf cart ($900) and
built a alum.dump box for it($150).Will haul 500 lbs.rides
great,great gas mileage,the kids have a blast on it and is
easy on the grass.For bigger loads I have a 1980 chevy
3/4 ton 4x4 w/8ft box ($1500)I put a hyd.dump hoist under
the box from northern hydralic ($900)great for hauling
fire wood out of the timber,have hauled/dumped 5000 lbs
of lime with it,etc. Total price..$3450 a little bit
cheaper than a mule.I think I'm going to sell my polaris
explorer 4x4 since I have not used it in 9 months.
My neighbor bought a golf cart like mine but put a
lift kit on it and ATV tires...great for off road hauling.
Just my 2 cents........ ....

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Night Hawk
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2003-01-23          48019

I too love my (old style) 2510 Mule. I was assured that Kawasaki would not update the styling of the Diesel for various reasons. So much for that! That is one disappointment. I test drove the gas version but became annoyed at the constant fiddling with the choke.

It is a very handy machine. Getting in and out in particular. And I just can't take anything seriously that has handle bars, They belong on a bicycle! The Ranger was nice to look at, but under powered and the solid axle would chew up turf.

Two other things though. One, the performance in snow is not great given the small (dinky) tire size. I wonder if anyone knows through experience, if it is worth it to put larger tires on this machine, and what the draw backs may be.

Also, I am annoyed that the machine does not offer a block heater. The machine has started very well in cold temps, but this is indeed cruel. I have racked my brain, but have not been able to think of any way to heat the engine. There is no room underneith to get the oil warm and I am not sure about the effectiveness of a collant heater.

That's my two cents worth. Tom. ....

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BeeFarmer
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 85 Ohio
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2003-01-24          48058

Interesting to hear that you thought the ranger was under powered. I tested the Ranger and the Mule units and was very suprised at the get up and go the Ranger had. If you weren't carefull you could sling gravel all over when you got into the trottle. The mule on the other hand at a top speed of around 25 or so was not very quick at the bottom or top side of the speed catagory. The seating was better in the Ranger and the unit was much more smoother.

As far as the mule goes I have driven it extensivily and in the cold it is very hard to get started although once started it seems to run fine. This would be the GAS engine unit. I hear the diesel does start better. As far as driving in the snow.. I can only say that in about 2 foot snow with 2 wheel drive only.. locked in it is ok as long as you don't get into a sloped area ... I got stuck a few times and had to get out and push and pull with my ATV's assitance. I think four wheel drive would of done alright.

If the Mule was just faster like the Ranger 40 MPH I would probably look at the diesel unit.. if Ranger had a Diesel unit I would have one now.


....

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Night Hawk
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2003-01-30          48390

Several other impressions of my Diesel Mule. We have had some rather (record breaking) temperatures and I should get out and see if the mule starts, but on the other hand, hesitate to torture the machine unnecessarily.

The machine seems to have all kinds of tricks up its sleeve for difficult conditions, low range, limited slip FWD, def lock and 4WD, but all these things don't seem to help much in deep snow. One ad. I saw for "black water" or something like that, tires which are higher and more like skinny tractor ag tires. That might be the trick, but after having hummed and hawed for ever before finally forking out the money, I couldn't get myself to spend more and discard the original tires.

A trip in maybe a foot of snow, some couple of miles, had the drive belt smoking, to the point that you could smell the belt. Since this, I have used low range and have not had this happen again.

A prolonged drive to our dump, some five or so miles away, did make me wish that the machine was faster. Also, a gear drive would be nicer (I think) such as on some commercial utility vehicles. On the other hand, I am hardly a safety nut, by a long stretch, but I do question the safety, or lack thereof of higher speeds on such vehicles. Especially a consideration if children may use the machine. ....

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petethib
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Aptos, CA
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2003-02-19          49581

We have a new gas 3010 4x4 Mule and it is fantastic. Plenty of power, never had it even hesitate when pulling heavy loads. It has the 2 speed transfer case, so there is plenty of torque. We also have the hydraulic lift on the bed. Looked at the diesel which is no doubt very good but had some comments regarding some problems so decided on the gas model. pete ....

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Jelliott
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 58 North Georgia
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2003-07-02          58705

I really wanted a diesel mule, but could not justify the $9k price. Bought a ragged, but mechanically sound '86 toyota std cab short bed 4x4 for $2,000 to use for a farm/utility vehicle. My neighbor has a gas 4 x 2 mule, and I can go lots of places he can't go, while hauling considerably more with my Toyota. If you are not worried about scratches, dents, etc, it is amazing where you can go with a little Jap 4x4 pickup. For my purposes, this truck is a very cost effective soultion, however, if I hit the lottery, I'm still gonna get that Mule! ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-07-02          58727

Did the same a number of years ago with an old Landrover. Not sure you could get an old landrover under 2K now. ....

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RickHarper
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1 Central Iowa
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2003-07-12          59392

I have a '95 2510 with tractor cab, heater, and wipers. I bought it used with 500 hours. I added a Westendorf electric plow and plow 900 feet of driveway. It also has 25-12-10 oversized tires. It pushes snow better than my Chevy pick up did. I push snow down in the ditch and drive right out of the ditch again. It works great! The first year I had chains on the rear tires and 800 lbs. of sand. the second, third and fourth year I haven't bothered with the chains or sand. ....

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