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8-Wheeler ATV Never Gets Stuck
"It'll go through deep mud without getting stuck and is far more stable on hillsides. The difference is unbelievable," says Mark Bader of Green Bay, Wis., who added duals all the way around on his 2005 Kawasaki 650 4-WD ATV.
    He bought four new "deep mudder" tires and rims and mounted them on the inside, moving the original wheels to the outside. The outside rear wheels measure 10 in. wide and the front ones 8 in. wide.
    Bader says he came up with the idea after getting his ATV stuck in deep mud and later watching the wheels spin in sandy soil while pulling a small disk. "I worked at a sod farm and noticed their tractors all have dual wheels. They never got stuck."
    Each set of wheels is connected by four long bolts that run through pvc spacers between the wheels, using the rims' existing bolt holes. The rear wheels have 12-in. long bolts and 3-in. long spacers while the front wheels have 9 1/2-in. long bolts and 2 1/2-in. long spacers. Washers were made by cutting 1/8-in. thick steel into 2-in. squares and drilling holes through them.
    "I never expected dual wheels on an ATV would make such a big difference," says Bader. "I had been using my ATV to pull a 6-ft. disk before planting food plots for deer. However, the wheels would often spin in the sandy soil which caused the ATV to bog down. It's no longer a problem. Also, now I can go through mud so deep my friend's dog can't even walk across it.
    "I think the same idea would work on any ATV. I paid $400 for the wheel rims and $280 for the tires."
    "I put the deep lug wheels on the inside because I thought they would be less likely to spin and hold up better. The add-on wheels have a deeper, more aggressive lug design so they pull better."
    Bader says the 8-wheeler does steer a little harder "and I've got to be more careful when going through narrow openings between trees in the woods."
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Bader, 1484 Eliza St., Green Bay, Wis. 54301 (ph 920 433-9931).


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2007 - Volume #31, Issue #6