the Walnut Diary

On Saturday Kijiji showed a photo of a 2013 Kawasaki Mule 410 Trans equipped with tracks at Weagant Farm Supply in Brockville. I resolved to have a look. Monday dawned -22C and clear. What better day to test how a Mule starts than a sub zero morning? With any luck I’d get to drive the tracked one in snow, as well. I’d read that vehicles need power steering to turn successfully with tracks mounted. The Mule 410 Trans has electric steering assist standard. That’s a thousand-dollar option on other brands.

I kidded John MacDonald about creating a “halo” Mule to improve sales: people like me would come in to see how well the thing handles deep snow, then buy a Mule on regular wheels with the mental insurance policy that they can get tracks for it if another heavy winter like this one comes along again.

With our fists we pounded the ice off the front seat. From the ground on the right side John reached over and turned the key. A quiet purr began somewhere around the rear axle. That was starting. No fuss at all with the EFI system. I stepped aboard.

The Mule backed down off its snowbank perch with only a little roughness in the driveline. This vibration went away quickly after a full turn of the tracks. Must have been a bit of ice trapped somewhere. John drove us to a nearby snow-covered lot. Progress down the shoulder of the road was quiet and slow.

The tracks reduce the drive ratio by 2:1. The 20 hp engine works best on tracks if left in low range, producing another reduction in final drive ratio. In winter mode the Mule is definitely a slow and steady machine.

But it floats over deep snow like a good pair of snowshoes.

I found some drifts to explore. The Mule slowly pushed through without hesitation. I ran it up a steep, icy bank. Same engine sound, no problem. Then it backed down easily when I realized that there was a precipice at the edge of a chain link fence on the far side of the snow pile. I couldn’t find any snow which could change the Kawasaki engine’s tone. It sounded as though it would idle along, regardless of load, for as long as I wanted to push through snow.

On my way out of the field I tried unsuccessfully to high-centre the Mule on a snowbank. Too much ground clearance with the tracks installed. That was a relief. My back is still a little tender from another belly-hang with a Ranger where I should have used a tow rope, but chose to push instead.

From what I have read online and observed, a Mule with a few hundred hours on it shows every prospect of many years of faithful service. If you need a workhorse which seats four or more people and starts very well more than you need high-speed performance, one of these Mules back off lease might be a good choice.

Today I stopped by the local farm equipment dealer to have a mid-winter look around. It’s a Kubota/Kawasaki dealership, and I noticed some extensively-used four-passenger Mules on special. The sales guy told me they’re back off lease. All of the returns are 2013’s. The one which interested me has 725 hours on it, blue/purple paint, not too many dents on the box, and a year left on extended warranty. The price caught my attention.

I drove it around. The EFI engine started well on a sub-zero morning. Electric power steering helps. The 20 hp Mule felt gutless after my much lighter 18 hp Ranger, which is eager to get to its 25 mph top speed. Mind you the sales guy says these engines are all about low-end torque.

Basically the Mule is ugly but highly functional, with belted, rollover-protected seating for four people.

They rent the Mules to the installers of solar farms, so there are a lot of them on the go right now. The only trouble they’ve had with them has been in fall when the mud balled around the drive shafts the day before has frozen hard. Then the operator jumps on and tears off in the morning, occasionally snapping a 1″ axle.

Downsides? The extra-seat Mule seems long and cumbersome. It’s polite and quiet, but slow. It’s not my Ranger. I caught myself wondering if it would do the little u-turn at the end of my driveway when I drop off the garbage on Wednesday mornings.

I think the Mule’s hampered in an initial test drive by its lazy 20 hp engine and considerable weight. Online I read that the suspension travel’s not great, in the order of 3″. Ground clearance is 7.1″, less than my 2WD Ranger’s.

Of course Kawasaki claims only that the Mule starts well, uses little fuel, and pulls strongly at low speeds. The shifter looked to me as if it would stand a lot of forward-and-reverse work while plowing snow. The Ranger’s shifter to me feels too fragile and notchy for such an application.

I watched a video of a Mule equipped with a good plow fighting with a foot of heavy, wet snow. It wasn’t fast, but it moved the snow pretty well. In another video I watched a Mule try repeatedly to climb a steep, sandy hill. It seemed to run out of power or traction, or driver ability, but to my surprise it didn’t make it up a slope I thought my 2WD Ranger would climb.

The Mule’s more tractor than sports car, but it might be a good machine to own.