I thought that it would be interesting to give a little description of your worst stuck adventures. I will start with mine.
I tried to go across a spring, and sunk my Polaris 4x4 up to the racks. (both) I had to walk out. I came back the next day with a handy-man jack and a Horse. After sitting all night with the mud completely over the engine, it fired right up. Between the jack and the horse, we got it out. Dave

 

Well, I have not had my Scrambler stuck yet and doubt I will. But I did have to pull an Artic Cat 500 4X4 out twice now. He got buried in two holes following me. I told him to follow and go through the same holes I go through but when I turn around he is buried. The first time I had to go all the way out of a swamp about 2 miles just to get my come along at my house and then go back through the swamp to the CAT and the scrambler500 never got stuck. I gave him the come along and told him to get busy. The second time was last night, he called me at work and said he sunk his pussyCAT again, but this time it was in a small gulley covered in thick mud. He was right in the middle and could do nothing but spin, I hooked up to him and with a sudden blip of the throttle I yanked him right out. ****99 Scrambler 500 The Only ATV to Own****

Later, Steve

 

Saw Steve's story in here so I guess I should share a recent good one.
We have an area we ride in that is the basin to a small tributary that feeds a River. It is usually not so wet (unless there's been a good rain), but is always mushy & slicker than Horse S**t & Apple Butter. After you ride the same tracks a few times it gets deeper and deeper. About a month ago, after a good rain, a small group of us were riding and reached this area. There is one straight 75 ft run which has been travled alot and is deep and wet. I was on the Scrambler 400, a friend was on the 500, and we had 2 300 4x4 Hondas and a SP 500. I went first. Hold the Brake, torque the engine, and let it rip! It just skimmed across the mud. Jarrod on the 500 Scrambler went next with the same successful results. Needless to say, the Hondas & the Big SP just couln't make it. After pulling them through, they tried a few more times, but never came close. These Scramblers really are great bikes.

Jerome Coker
'99 Scrambler 500 & 400

 

Jeremy and Steve,WOW fellows,some machines you have.Steve,first off,if you've never had your Scrambler stuck before,and dont think you ever will,guess what?Im not at the least impressed.That just tells me you've really never been in SERIOUS mud before.Being the owner of a 99 Sportsman with 26 inch GoodYear Mud-Runners.I've been so stuck before that another 4x4 quad could'nt budge me.It took a Land Rover two tugs before he finally got me out.Now thats stuck.Jeremy,as far as you out mudding the Sportsman,well,you know that rider experience has alot to do with whether you make it or not out of a mud boog.I've been in some mudding events and even won a few,from what I've personally seen,in serious mud,the Sportsman will usually top the Scrambler because of it's low gear,and superiour ground clearance.I will agree that with the Pols AWD system that they are generally better in mud than the others,giving both riders experience being the same.BILL

 

Bill, My worst stuck was buying a brand new 97 sportsman 500. I added the 26 vamps and a nice horsepower increase and then I took it every where. I had alot of fun on it but it was a piece of crap. I owned it a year and a half and got to ride it maybe for six months total. It stayed in the shop, but it was bad to the bone I guess I had too much power from the extras and the tires dug to deep so I traded it for a more nimble performer that WILL GO anywhere my Sportsman would but with a little less effort from the rider. Plus after owning a couple hondas and putting them through the mud and seeing how long they lasted compared to my sportsman in the same conditions well, you could say I stay out of the deep stuff now. I tell ya when you do get stuck on a sportsman you better have a winch cause they sink quick. Getting the Scrambler 500 was the smartest buy I've ever made, I absolutely love it!!

Later, Steve

[This message has been edited by myscrambler (edited 09-14-1999).]

 

To: Anyone who thinks that their quad could never get stuck.

Come on down here to the Everglades.

ha haha hahahahahahahahahahha

oh, and bring a winch, even though you will never need it ;-)

 

If you haven't been stuck before, whether your riding a Bayou 220 with bald tires, or the Highlifter Foreman 500 with lockers, 27" tires, and performance kit, you haven't been in real mud. I haven't seen a quad yet that hasn't been stuck unless it hasn't been in the deep stuff. Even those 27" tire equiped locker machines with good riders....

I can believe the Scrambler stories though. They are awesome mud machines, they can keep the tires clean extremely well! I made it through some holes that Honda 450's with 26" Swampers couldn't, and I had stock tires. Usually the Sportsman is a better mudder than the Scrambler, but a few times I made it through, or farther, than the Sportsman can go. In the mud though, on average, I prefer the Sportsman, it's "easier" to mud with.

I have been stuck pretty bad too. Took 2 winches and the quads tied to trees to get me out, and that was close. My dad got his Sportsman stuck real bad, and I didn't think we would get it out! This stuff was thick, and impossible to walk in. Shovels were even not helping, it was too hard to dig the mud out. Finaly, with his winch hooked another machine, and that machines winch hooked to him, and another winch hooked to the last one that was hooked on the tree too. This stuff was bad!

 

Well mine isn't exactly stuck, but more like drowned. I tried crossing a swift moving glacial creek, it was a little too deep, the bike stalled, and started floating away. I jumped off and swam for land. The quad got stuck in some trees in the middle of the creek(wierd) with half of 1 tire out of the water. It was pinned in there good. This was about 7:00 pm and the temp was about 45-50 degrees. We were about 15 miles from the trucks.
Some guys with a winch came by and got it out, plastic busted to hell. It took like 3 hours to get the oiled drained and about 13 oil changes in a row before the oil started coming out brown. Over the winter the sprague clutch rusted up and I sold it. Man that bike was beat.

Lesson here is if you like to crossing water get off and wade in before you drive in.


------------------
"Ride it like ya stole it!"

 

Let me clarify one issue. Every machine has its place. One machine will always outperform another in different conditions. Comparing the SP 500 & Scramblers really isn't fair, because they tackle the same terrain in different ways. Remember the old Mud Bogg Trucks with 454s, 36" Lift Kits, and tractor tires.....thats your Sportsman. See the new low to the ground, wide stance mud bogg machines with the small tires....thats your scrambler. If I had to follow a SP through a mud trail & try to run the same speed, better keep the winch handy. But if I can get even a small launch off of solid ground, you'd best stand clear because the mud is gonna fly, I usually I'm not sure where its gonna stop!! Anyway, I've had my scrambler stuck, my wifes scrambler stuck, my brothers honda stuck, hell I've had the riding mower stuck. Like Steve said, know your limits & you won't get stuck. I've never been stuck.... by surprise.


Jerome Coker
'99 400 & 500 Scramblers

 

I have a great mud hole back in the woods. It appears to have been a pond at one time. When I first moved here this mud hole was filled with water and basically looked like a water hole. I drove my Max into it with no problem and floated around. In the middle I could feel it touching the ground and churning up mud. After this long drought we are having, all of the water dried up. While riding home one night past this mud hole, I decided to run through it once. I shot off into it and I was instantly two feet down in thick mud. I gunned it and "floated" to the other side and drove up the bank. This is the best mud hole I have ever mudded. No Problem.
PS - I did it with a stock machine.
Ya gotta love muddin'.