JD Gator, Opinions Wanted

[Eugene]

Going to look at a JD Gator 4x6.

Opinions? What to look for?

Year appears to be in the early 1990's.

Asking price $2900-.

[SamsFarm]

My brother has a 2x4 gator!

Him and his wife love it, but it grinds like crazy when you put it in gear!

I would think there is some adjustment on the brake pedal to the trans that is outa wack!

He is a millwright maintence professional, but for some reason he is just being lazy with this thing and not messed with it......

I guess it will be better to replace the trans when it is junk vs making some adjustments!

[dgrapes59]

My neighbor traded his gas, 4 wheel Gator on a diesel, 6 wheel one, I believe it was a 1999 model year. He drove it around his property (12 acres) 2 or 3 times then loaded the bed with a garage closet contents and parked it in his barn. There it sat for 2 years.

Sadly he died a year ago and I addressed EVERYTHING in the barn for his widow. Some air in all tires and a fresh battery and it fired right up. It had the electric dump bed and it didn't work. There's no way to disengage it without fishing your way from below, with limited access to disconnect the ram. Non electric dump has a simple release. There's a massive skid plate under it (and limited ground clearance) which I guess is a good thing for protection, but not so good for access. Couldn't dump the bed, can't access the engine to check the oil. One of the son in laws wanted it so I didn't pursue it further.

I have a 2006 Kubota RTV 900, and in my opinion, the JD was more like a golf cart (ride and feel, bed was plastic) and not the work horse a Kubota is. But, for a 20 year old machine, it appeared to hold up well and functioned ok (other than the dump bed). So, might boil down to the intended use and your expectations.
Is it gas or diesel?

Here's the only picture I have of the one he had:

Good luck!

[Eugene]

Bought it. Farmer, 1000 acres, has a new Gator 6X4.

Obvious farm use and obvious it has been sitting for a while.

Jump started, drove it around a bit. Shut off, talked, started without jump starting. Did kick the tires. Two back tires flat. Valve cores replaced, fixed.

Can lock in/out the rear wheels for two wheel or 4 wheel drive.

Needs servicing and the box bed painted.

Think wife will drive it. Automatic and she won't drive anything with a clutch.

On battery maintainer for night.

Tomorrow will see if it will climb the steep slopes of the acreage south and west fence line.

[Rick Prentice]

I own a 2000 6x4 that I fixed up. Mine was used on a golf driving range and originally had a curtis cab with lexan windshield and expanded metal in place of side and back windows. After selling the cab I bought new fenders and a John Deere top and windshield. I also added other goodies like hitches front and rear for a winch etc.and rear lights
They all grind according to the gator forums. If the belt is spinning at all, it'll grind. Focus on getting it to idle down and make sure the drive clutch moves out and releases.
I actually use my hand brake for brakes. Easier for me than lifting my leg onto the foot pedal. They are both hooked to the same place. Mine has "wet brakes" mounted inside the transfer case on each side and run in fluid. Changing fluid helped but still grinds unless it idles down. I now jumpered the safety switch and I just leave it in forward all the time. Apply the hand brake and it stops the secondary from spinning.
Here's 3 pics

[Don McCombs]

I own a 2012 Gator 825i. No complaints, other than parts are very expensive.

[Rick Prentice]

Tomorrow will see if it will climb the steep slopes of the acreage south and west fence line.

I've done alot of experimenting with mine. It'll climb great when it's locked in to 4wd, but doesn't turn very good at all, just pushes the front tires forwards. Another thing to expect with the wife driving, once the gator rolls over a hill, the front end will be suspended in mid air till the rear wheels roll over the hill. Dont go too fast because the front end will slam down and jar your teeth. I'm 270# and it'll still do it with me driving. Watch some youtube videos of the younger generation making jumps and you'll see what I'm talking about. Keep your chains adjusted and lubed up. The front sprockets wear and then wear the chain and clicking will develop as the chain moves.

Rick

[Eugene]

Use the Gator for several hours today. Worked fine. Grinds when shifiting gears. Valve cover gaskets leak.

Removed the bed to help access for service. Definately been used on a farm. Bath/pressure spray time to remove the mounds of dirt and plant debris.

Printing out the Service manuals. Used up two print cartridges. Walmart trip tonight to purchase several more.

Wife did drive the Gator around a bit. I don't think she is very happy with it. Two wheel drive, son drove the Gator up one of the steeper slopes. Should do well for maintaining the south and west fence line.

Another thing to expect with the wife driving, once the gator rolls over a hill, the front end will be suspended in mid air till the rear wheels roll over the hill.

We found that out when loading after purchase. Trailer headed down hill, steep ramp climb. Gator climbed up the ramps, front wheels were off the trailer deck until the mid wheels hit the top of the ramp.

[SamsFarm]

Now you need one (or two, or three ) of these EZTrail compact gravity wagons, and you'll be set for black walnut harvest!

[Eugene]

Hosed the Gator down. Not rusted out. Couple of spots for paint touch up, mostly the battery box.

Couldn't find a JD Service/repair manual that was very informative. Looked up the Kawasaki engine service and repair manuals - - very informative. The electrical section has complete wiring diagrams with wire colors. Then pictorals on how to test each appliance, test points and expected Ohms.

Valve cover gaskets and tie rod boots on order. Not JD parts, twice the price of Kawasaki and generic.

One fender cracked and a chip broken out. $229- for a plastic fender. Won't replace. It would just get broken again.

Something else. The drivers position is a bit on the small size, even with the seat slid all the way back..

[Eugene]

Fello Gator owners. Kawasaki FD620 D engine, 2 cylinder gas.

Is there an easier way to drain the coolant from the engine block?

Book says to remove the muffler and oil fill dip stick holder. Don't want to remove the muffler. Probably hasn't been removed in 26 years and I don't want to break one of the bolts holding the muffler to engine block and then still have to purchase two new gaskets.

Crappy last couple of days. Gator under tarp in back yard. The valve cover gaskets, mailed USPS, still in California. Been there for several days.

[Eugene]

In to 4wd, but doesn't turn very good at all, just pushes the front tires forwards.

12 each 80 lb cement bags, 960 lbs, in Gator bed. Hauls the load without problem. 2wd, minimal, almost no steering with driver and passagner, 450 lbs, in seats.

We are moving the cement from the drive in front of son's house to the rear where we are pouring a sidewalk. Don't want to load the bed with more than a couple hundred lbs when working on the steep slopes along fence line.

Still need to clean and lubricate the clutches and some other minor work on the gator.

[Rick Prentice]

I had to jumper the neutral start and slip the shifter into gear, then hold the brake and start it. I couldn't get the primary clutch to release far enough to allow the secondary to stop spinning. Engineers should've put a brake pad on the secondary to stop it. Plus I installed new transfer oil (very expensive) to stop the growling of the wet brakes, located inside the transfer and running in oil. Two things older gator owners have to live with, I guess.

[Eugene]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WKmx3YvTB8

Above link, guy put a brake on the secondary clutch. Not sure if using the parking brake to stop the clutch is practical. Will investigate and see if there is something more practical, like applying a clutch brake in conjuction with the regular brakes.

So far, Ebay and Amazon have the JD parts considerably less expensive than JD dealers.

[Rick Prentice]

I like that idea on youtube but I would've put the brake lever on the shifter lever. Soon as you let go of the brake to shift it starts spinning again. On mine, the Ebrake and foot brake are tied together and only apply pressure to the internal wet brakes. There's no effect on the spinning secondary.