I am considering either a Rancher 4X4 or a Kodiak 4X4.

I live in Florida and hunt down on the west coast. During bow season, we had a lot of water in the woods and things get muddy in the swamp. I think I can get more ATV for the $ with the Kodiak, but I am really concerned about the belt drive. I will primarily use it for hunting and hauling things in and out of the woods.

Should I be worried about the belt tranny in the woods? Is it going to start slipping on me the first time I run through a mud hole?

 

the belt might slip but the honda doesn't have alot of ground clearance

 

If you are talking about the Kodiak 450 don't worry. It's got low gear. I've drug 2 deer at once up steep hills over fallen trees and through swamps. Nothing will stop it in low. Plus the differential lock is great!! The Kodiak 400 only has high and no diff lock so it might not crawl through the thick stuff as good.

 

Be sure you get low range. Kodiak 400s have it as long as you buy an older one. IF buying new, the 450 is the way to go. On the belt, dont worry. The belt will not slip if you do these two things:
1: when you buy your kodiak, check its factory snorkle connections on the front and rear of the trans. They are often loose from the factory. You might even seal them with something to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
2: DONT go in water over the top of the plastic with the factory snorkles. They vent just under the plastic.

IF you want to go deeper, the Kodiak is the simplest quad in the world to snorkle. Nothing to it at all. I snorkled mine and have put everything but the handlebars under with no problems.

I have nothing bad to say about the Kodiak unless you are talking about the newer 400s. When Yamaha came out with the 450s they took away low range. This is bad. On top of that, they raised the gear ratios on the newer 400s and 450s. This makes the newer 400s dogs in deep mud if you have put tires and such on it. Stay with low range 400s in used models.

 

The kodiak 450 is a beast. The day before yesterday, I had a 150 lb. 8 point on the rear rack, me driving, a buddy on the seat behind me, and my 180 lb. brother on the front rack on the way back from hunting. It walked through a small mud hole in high gear in 2wd like it was nothing w/ all of us on it.

 

The belt will not slip unless you are in water so deep it gets into the snorkle. If it does there is a small plug in the bottom to drain the water,and away you go. I find the Hondas hard to steer and I'm always pulling them out of the mud.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. It's a good thing I found this forum. With any luck, I'll have a new quad soon...

 

Just have to agree with everyone else about the low gear. I have a 2001 Kodiak 4wd and I use the low gear all of the time. I believe it is the best all around 4 wheeler out there. I would not want a new one without the low gear.

 

i ride with my friend he has a kodiak 450 and he goes through the mudd stops in the middle get off helps me get out than drives out and this is serious mudd

 

Kodiak 450 is a great machine. They are right, dont buy a yamaha 400 without a low range. I havent had to drain the belt case yet and if put it through some torture tests of my own. If you opt for the honda, DO NOT get the electric shift. Otherwise its a good bike too!
I won a 350es 4x4 honda and traded it for the 450 kodiak because i'm a yamaha guy. I felt the ES was a goofy idea. I can change a belt in the middle of nowheres if i had to but the 350es comes with a backup foot shift. I felt it was not all that great if it came with a backup system. Also, the locker was the selling point that got me hooked on the kodiak 450. wouldnt have got it otherwise!