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| Utility Means Hard Work? |
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Utility Means Hard Work
Stihl, Polaris And Swisher Working Together.
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Ray (Hawkeye) Sedorechuk
Outdoorseditor@atvconnection.com
Utility Means Hard Work
ATV use and working go hand in hand, farmers, ranchers, and just your typical land owners look to their ATV for work and chores. Cutting and hauling firewood is probably the most common ATV chore. The utility ATV is the easiest way to reach far into the woods. Hauling a log splitter and the necessary cutting equipment can bring an impressive load of firewood back to your home or cabin. The large utility cargo units are the most productive when it comes to hauling people, equipment and cargo such as firewood. We put together what has turned out to be quite an impressive package. A 2003 Polaris Ranger 4x4, a Swisher 34 ton pull behind log-splitter, and a new MS270C Stihl Wood Boss chain saw. Sure, this sounds like quite an expense but think of oil prices or natural gas. No one knows where these prices are headed. One thing for sure, you can bet they are on the rise! I guess you could buy a cord of wood delivered and ready to go but even that gets expensive. Perhaps, the best way to look at it is self reliance; doing the work and enjoying the outdoors.
Utility Workhorse:
Let’s start with the perfect combination for the rough and ready crowd, the Polaris 4x4 Ranger. This unit is powered by a 4-valve, 4-stroke liquid-cooled Polaris 500 engine with 30 crankshaft horsepower. The engine has dry sump lubrication, 34mm Mikuni carburetor, 250-watt alternator, and electric start. The power-plant delivers hard-working performance for hauling and towing. Engine power is managed by the dual-sensing, automatic PVT (Polaris Variable Transmission). This transmission has high, low, neutral, and reverse. The manufacturer recommends always using low range when towing or moving slowly on the wooded trails. The PVT requires no shifting and is a dual-sensing transmission that responds to both engine RPM and vehicle torque requirements for superior backshifting in all riding conditions. Our test vehicle was the Ranger 4x4 with Polaris’s on-demand true 4-wheel drive. The on-demand true 4-wheel drive option makes for an even more capable vehicle for heavy-duty land use. The true 4-wheel drive makes work an easy task. Muddy conditions are never a problem. The pulling power of a 4x4 Ranger unit is unbelievable. The unit has great acceleration, handling, suspension travel and plenty of comfort. Getting back to the true 4-wheel drive, within easy reach of the operator is a user-friendly dash mounted switch that activates the four wheel-drive system automatically and senses rear wheel traction loss which transfers full torque to both front wheels. The large utility vehicle can haul 1350lbs. and still have room for the occupants. On a typical day out, we just throw all the tools in the cargo box, tow anything we need and haul our proceeds where we need them.
Stihl Wood Boss:
When it comes to cutting wood no chain saw has a better reputation than Stihl. We have tried them all and always pick Stihl. I would like to tell a quick related story of why I consider Stihl to be the best. I was hunting Grouse about ten years ago on a cool autumn afternoon. I stopped walking and squatted down to look under some brush in a laurel swamp. From time to time I would do the same in different locations, stop and look low on the forest floor. You would be surprised at how many birds just hang tight and let you walk by. At one point, while looking under the brush, I noticed something orange in the distance. A quick investigation turned up a slightly rusted Stihl chainsaw, an old 028 Wood Boss. What a surprise, what a find, I never expected to find a chainsaw. I figured the engine would be rusted and frozen up for sure. Can you believe after about three pulls the saw started? Till this day that saw is still one of my favorite cutting tools.
Saws have come a long way since finding that old saw. The new MS270C Wood Boss has simplified and amplified the use and quality of today’s Stihl chain saw. New models are available with Stihl’s exclusive toolless Quick Chain Adjuster (QCA) for fast and easy chain adjustment. This is a no tool required adjustment of the chain. Just pull up on the hinged clip and loosen the wingnut, then turn the adjusting wheel clockwise for proper fit. A great feature, you can adjust the chain tension in just a few seconds.
The Wood Boss is engineered for the firewood-cutting enthusiast. Features include, an excellent anti-vibration system, heavy-duty air filter for longer cleaning intervals, toolless fuel and oil caps with retainer, and carburetor preheat shutter for summer/winter operation. The MS 270C Stihl Wood Boss is powered by a 49.6 cc (3.02 cu. in.) engine and only weighing 5.4 kg (11.8 lbs.), we were excited at the cutting ability this saw posses. This saw could cut quickly and efficiently setting a days work limitations not by how much the saw could cut but by how much the man could work.
Swisher Log Splitter:
Anyone who burns firewood has split wood by hand using a wood splitting maul, now that is exercise! Picture setting a heavy piece of oak up and hammering down on it with the heavy steel maul. My back hurts just thinking about it. Imagine splitting a cord of wood that way. If anything can make a man out of you that will! Of course there is the Swisher model, LS934 log splitter. Talk about convenience. This 9 horsepower, 34 ton splitting force, log splitter is built on a durable steel frame with comparable pneumatic tires. This log splitter attached to the Ranger using a 1 7/8 toe ball type tow hitch pulled wonderfully. We found maneuvering about the wooded trails hassle free. The log splitter only has about 6?of ground clearance. Not a problem, the large tires and short over all width made trailering through the woods quite easy.
Once we found our location and cut the downed tree to proportional sizes our splitting process would begin. Setup was quite easy. Just turn on the fuel valve, choke the carburetor for cold weather starts and pull the cord type engine starter. The unit was quick to fire up and ran superbly. Other features include vertical or horizontal operation. The log splitter can rotate down to ground level for the large heavy logs. This is an option depending on what size logs need to be split. Next, just insert the logs and use the hand lever to operate the cylinder resulting in quick and easy splitting time after time. NOTE: only one operator should handle the logs and the cylinder control, keeping hands totally free from the compression area.
The Swisher log splitter is a top of the line unit and we found nothing but quality and ease of use with the product. The engine supplied easy starting and more than enough power to split any wood we put to test. This is a highly recommended tow behind log splitting tool.
The Ultimate Firewood Cutting Package:
As we stated earlier, the combination of the Polaris Ranger, Swisher 34 ton log splitter, and the Stihl Wood Boss chain saw is surely a fire wood cutting operation to be recognized! We found that by adding the wooden bedrails to the Rangers cargo box, two full loads would fill a six foot pickup box. Each part of the operation is at the pinnacle of performance. The saw cut quickly and worked quite well. The splitter is a working jewel, with the work ethic of Paul Bunion. As for the Ranger, this unit does it all. Hauling everything anywhere you need to go and the power to do more than its share of the work.
Stihl was informative on the safety and operation of their products and supplied us with a set of black protective chaps, made of black 400 denier nylon. These garments contain pads of cut-retardant material designed to reduce the risk of severity of injury to the body parts covered by the pads in the event of contact with the rotating chain. The fibers in the pads provide extra layers of material and are designed to rip apart when they come into contact with the moving chain and to clog the sprocket and stop the chain.
Also, supplying the Stihl helmet system with an impressive combination of comfort and protection. The Stihl helmet reduces risk of injury to the head while woodcutting. The flip-up face shield worked great at keeping small saplings, picker bushes and wood chips from poking you in the face. (Stihl also recommends using the safety eyeglasses issued with every chainsaw.) The ear protectors did a nice job of muffling the noise, but still allow hearing for normal conversation.
Like all good and responsible corporations, Stihl stresses safety with all of their products. They have an excellent web site offering cutting tips, tree identification and good cutting safety practices. Visit the Stihl site at: http://www.stihlusa.com/
Special Thanks:
Stihl Corporation
http://www.stihlusa.com/
Swisher Inc.
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