ATV gizmo's, accessories, etcetera...

[bearfat]

Looking for home made devices, modifications you have made for you ATV's. I have been using 3 different ATV the past 20 years in Northern Minnesota and looking for idea's.

I'm particularly interested in winch work since I've got my 1st winch, never used one before, simply used a cheap $30.00 come-a-long if I got stuck or needed pulling. I've got a snatch block and some really heavy line, cable, etcetera... Got any pic's?

How about home made trailers? I'm back to needing one with my Polaris MV7.

[bearfat]

Different angle of the Polaris MV7 not quite as loaded down. Still experimenting with that rear rack. Previous ATV was a 6x6 Polaris and I really miss the  big cargo box it had. I have thought about jury rigging aother big box on the rear rack of the MV7 or a heavy duty poor mans trailer to haul my junk in and out.

Northern Tool & Equipment  has a really slick tow bar you could slap on any axle and put a cargo box on top of. The tow bar only costs about $130.00 and has a life time guarantee. Pick up a junk rear axle at junkyard for $50.00 you got a serious hauler that can take ruts, holes, etcetera. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200314983_200314983

Comments?

[JD11]

Wow, you really load that baby down!!   As far as accessories, I bought the electric hand grip and thumb warmers (greatest thing since sex), rear view mirror (which I use more than I thought I would), Tamarack canvas-type storage box, rack rails, boat-type non-spill self-leveling beer holder (a MUST HAVE from Cabela's), Kolpin rifle rack and Kolpin flat tire repair kit.  Never did get a winch, but I do carry a come-along and rope.

[markc]

Holy cow, you must be really tall to be able to see over all the things loaded on that front rack.  I had some things I had made for my atv back when I had one.  I have a small trailer I am working on as a pull behind the Rhino./  I am making it from an old pop up tent camper. I cut it way down to a 4'X4 1/2' and shortened the tongue considerably.   I have used it already but still need to finish a deck for it and add some fenders.

I reaqlly like what you did to the rear rack..

[bearfat]

There was some madness to my thinking with the rear rack. The photo of it sitting in the truck shows the large white cooler on front rack which is almost level with the rear rack allowing me to bring up the 28 foot ladder if I need it or lumber over 12' long etcetera. Normally this is the way it sits in a small 8x10 tin shed, except I have a what they call an "Otter" snow sled perched on top.

I've hauled my ATV's on trailers before but don't like it. Just too expensive of a toy. I did pick up a nice 4'x5' aluminum trailer ramp last trip down from cabin.  Some guy lost it off his trailer. Bet he was surprised when he got home!! I'm trying to think of how to use it in conjuction with the idea I stated above using the tow bar and axle.

The hollow tree was filled with mice. Didn't know it was hollow or packed with vermin until chainsaw started bleeding. It was very weird. I killed the engine and stepped back. I was actually scared for about 15 seconds wondering what the heck is going on. I've never hit an animal in a tree. 

Yaaa I overload the MV7, that's why I need a trailer. Had a big old girl sitting on rear rack Labor Day and kicked it down; it reared up like a little bronco and dropped her in the dust. Good thing too or it might have gone over all the way I think.

[markc]

Those  are some nice pics.  Where is your cabin located?   Keep the pics coming!

[bearfat]

The rat shack is in Northern Minnesota. If you or anyone wants to visit the shack hit the little .www world icon off to left under my avitar of Yogi and you'll see the buck mountain chateau website. All the site is about is the rat shack and the goings on up there. It's a work in progress. I have 17 years worth of material I hope to put in, plus the next 30 years?

Unfortunately, I just got into digital cameras, and computers, April of 2005, and I'm still self learniing. Got too much video on some of the pages, might take a minute to download. Like I say I'm learning. Even coming to this website has taught me how to condense a pic from 1.66MB to under 128KB. 

Pic's below show some he man rigging using the 2" reciever hitch, and how I haul my guns. Didn't like the the gun bracket holders I've looked at. The bunge cord was real cheap and they ride very secure in that position. The gun scabbards are the cheaper "Plano" compared to "Koplin" which run 30-40? dollars more. Plano work fine. Most importantly if you keep them pointed downward it is impossible for rain water to get inside. And it seems like it's always raining when I get up north in the middle of the night after work.

[markc]

I bet it gets plenty cold up there..

[bearfat]

This is the honest to God truth. The rat shack cabin has no insulation. Tin roof and tar paper on the outer wood walls. Two winters ago I was up there for a week and it got down to minus 20 degrees outside one night. We burn wood heat and I had the little stove packed full all night running wide open.

I keep a thermometer on the center cabin wall in the bunk room. It is one foot away from my head. The morning of minus twenty below the fire had gone out an hour or two before I woke up and I was cold. I looked at the thermometer and it read minus 4 degrees.I suppose we should insulate the rat shack a little.

The ATV's actually run fine in that kind of temp but there are two things I do. Bring the battery in the cabin with me for the night and I pull start it. I was always able to pull start the last ATV Polaris 6x6 in the worst weather. This new MV7 pull start going to be harder with bigger engine. I know it sounds strange but the 6x6 didn't start as well with the starter in super cold weather so that's one of the reasons I insisted on getting the bigger 700cc engine with a pull start. Only the MV7 had it. We'll see how it does.

[Maryland Hunter]

Sorry, no pics right now, but I've put a few items on mine. A gear bag on the back rack, extensions on the front rack. A gun scabbard on the side, and I just ordered a Kolpin drop rack for the rear. The drop rack is the one with the fold down tailgate, should be good for strapping down a deer.

MH

[bearfat]

Maryland Hunter I wasn't even aware Koplin made anything for ATV's (other than gun scabbards)...wow lot's of stuff after I goggled "Koplin drop rack".


                                        Koplin drop rack

We feed the deer in Northern Minnesota during the winter. Attached photo of corn feeders on Polaris MV7 being moved closer to where deer yard up in the winter. Deer yards are unique along the big Lake Superior in winter. Because of the huge body of water the air temps are a little less brutal. There are approx 8-9 deer yards along the north shore. We have watched the migration of deer literally during early extreme snow falls. One of the worst deer openers we had in MN was referred to as "The Halloweeen Storm" and I believe it was two 19" dumps back to back within 36 hours. It was one of our best buck years. The deer were all around us. We are located less than 1 mile from a known deer yard.

Believe it or not the 350 Honda Foreman I had was still able to get around on flat ground! Sorry no pic's of that.    


                          Poor MV7...once again loaded down to the extreme

[Maryland Hunter]

Bearfat,
Yeah, they make quite a few ATV accessories, most pretty good quality. I also put the Gear Grips on the front rack, for an extra gun or to hold my bow, a shovel, etc.

MH

[Two Bears]

Maryland Hunter I wasn't even aware Koplin made anything for ATV's (other than gun scabbards)...wow lot's of stuff after I goggled "Koplin drop rack".


                                        Koplin drop rack

We feed the deer in Northern Minnesota during the winter. Attached photo of corn feeders on Polaris MV7 being moved closer to where deer yard up in the winter. Deer yards are unique along the big Lake Superior in winter. Because of the huge body of water the air temps are a little less brutal. There are approx 8-9 deer yards along the north shore. We have watched the migration of deer literally during early extreme snow falls. One of the worst deer openers we had in MN was referred to as "The Halloweeen Storm" and I believe it was two 19" dumps back to back within 36 hours. It was one of our best buck years. The deer were all around us. We are located less than 1 mile from a known deer yard.

Believe it or not the 350 Honda Foreman I had was still able to get around on flat ground! Sorry no pic's of that.    


                          Poor MV7...once again loaded down to the extreme

That is awesome! The MV does not even sag with all that stuff on it.

Here is what I did, I got sick of the rear end on my 05 700 sagging to the ground by only putting a little bit of stuff on the rear rack so I ordered the 700 MV rear springs and just put them on it on Saturday and now I could put 2 BIG FOOTS and a moose on the rack and it would not squat the wheeler.....

Polaris needs to put heavier springs on the sportsman wheelers.....

[bearfat]

The MV7 definitely has heavy duty suspension and good metal plate protection on bottom. I read where an Army Ranger was driving one in Afghanistan and hit a land mine. He was slighed wounded, returned to duty, and they saved the MV7.

I finally pulled in a trailer to cabin with it last weekend. I had 300 pounds of corn on MV7, and approximate gross trailer weight of 1200 pounds (wood, trailer & topper). Well under the MV7 stated capacity. I hit two wet holes and the front wheels had to engage to pull the trailer thru it but the MV7 hardly seemed to mind.

It better get used to it. I have much worse punishment in store for it. MUCH WORSE!

I'm still working on my poor man's trailer, although the trailer posted has been doing fine and cost was under $600.00 for what you see. My "Otter" fish house slides slick as snot into the trailer.

I've been wanting to take the MV7 and the "Otter" sled/fish house on a winter ice fishing trip on some of the really big lakes we have in MN. Maybe this winter!


                               MV7 getting close to max load...but not quite!