I am now considering a Ranger after looking at one. My question was and still is, how does this machine do when hill climbing and in off cambers places? Most of where I hunt is straight up and then of course straight back down. The roads are old washed out rock infested ATV killing logging roads.

 

The Sportsman 6x6 machines I have seen will go just about anywhere. I would assume the Ranger had somewhat similar capabilities. Some guys have a 6x6 with tracks on the rear they come out with for hunting, and I am always amazed at where they go. I met them once & asked how hard they are pushing the limits, and the driver said compared to some places they go, our neck of the woods is like a walk in the park. They were going on as steep a sidehill as I would take my Xplorer, and going up the gnarliest, most rutted old trails. I would have been happy just to get to the top at all with my Xplorer myself, and they were riding double, with rifles, and not at all concerned. Uphill & downhill - amazing! Off camber, I didn't notice. Straight sidehills it seemed to take better than my Xplorer.

 

Is the only differnece between the six wheel and the sportsman the lack of factory engine braking? What about fuel consumption compared between the two?
outlawd

 

I was a rider last wk end on a new Ranger 6x6,it does have engine braking.Low range was powerful and slow,we never did get to high range though.It climbed anything we asked it to with ease.

We went thru a hugh marsh with the worst looking mud you ever seen,it got stuck,even in 6x6.I pulled him out and attempted it on my Mudrunner equipped Xplorer,I got stuck to and the Ranger had to pull me out.

The Ranger looks like one bad as- hunting toy with lots of room.It rides WAY better than it appears,the Ranger's suspension soaked up the worst ruts we could encounter,I was suprized,
Bill

 

The only thing the same on the Ranger is the moter. Not even the brakes are the same.

 

 

The Ranger is basically the same thing as the Sportsman6x6 except it is side by side and is shaft drive all the way through. Same engine and everything. And to comment on the Sportsman6x6's going just about anywhere, its true, TRUST ME!