Honda's FourTrax Foreman Rubicon nearly won our hunting shootout, and it impressed us as a solid-performing machine with the potential to be a real trail-burner with a little work. We added a mix of goodies with the intention of creating the ultimate hunting rig.
For starters, we wanted to increase the Rube's ground clearance and traction. For that, we chose Progressive Suspension's front and rear shocks. The shocks lifted the machine about 1.5 inches on each end, and installation was a snap. High Lifter supplied a set of nice-looking (and affordable) black Lite steel wheels, and we mounted GBC 26-inch Gators on them. We had thought those would raise the quad a bit more, but the 26-inchers have a much flatter tread than the stock Dunlops and we actually lost a half inch or so of ground clearance. We then addressed the undercarriage protection. The Rube's stock skid plates are pretty flimsy, and we fitted the Honda with three Moose Utility Division (M.U.D.) kits that protect the underbelly, A-arms and rear differential with thick aluminum plates.
A winch is a must-do for any serious backcountry machine, and Superwinch sent over the latest and greatest, the ATV3000. The mounting was about an hour's job and enabled us to pull out the machine from the nastiest slop. You lose the stock front bumper cover, which is one of the pieces of plastic likely to get broken when crashing through brush anyway. The 3000 has a 1.1-horsepower motor, is powered both in and out and has enough capacity (3000 pounds) to lift the quad right off the ground.
On the rear, we found waterproof boxes to be the best option. I like them for their ability to carry lots of gear securely in bad weather; and Kimpex offers a new model that has a nifty rack on top and a handy gear net or optional hanging pouch that mounts in the lid.
Grip warmers are important for a machine that will see a lot of cold-weather use, so we added a set of electric heaters, also from Kimpex.
We've used a Kolpin Gun Boot IV on our hunting quads in the past and felt the company had one of the better units on the market. It sent over its latest offering, the Gun Boot 5.0 Transport, which has a revised mount that is a bit easier to adjust and includes a soft gun case housed inside the plastic case. The 5.0 also has a provision for a lock and is airline-approved for firearm travel. A set of tough-looking Kimpex bumpers joined the crowd of modifications. They look good but just bolt to the stock set and don't appear to add much strength. We'll see how they fare after we bounce off a tree or two while dragging deer out of swamps this fall.
M.U.D. tank top and fender bags give us lots of room to stow hunting gear. Along with the ATV trunk box, we have enough storage for an overnight trip. We also added FMF's Powerline exhaust. The muffler is designed to add power without too much noise. The unit looks great, is quite a bit lighter than the heavy stock unit and gives the Rube a definite bark. Power seems to be up a bit in the midrange.
If we could do it again, I'd be tempted to try 27-inchers for the ground clearance gain. I'd like to add a front differential that offers the ability to disengage the front wheels and lock them solidly for heavy mud use. We also need to add a deer stand rack. The stock floorboards are made from plastic and thin steel, and I'll add nerf bars if I can find a good set, as well as a camouflage cover for the fenders and seat.
The ATV looks tough and drives much like stock. The accessories make the machine pretty capable for any hunting tasks we want to tackle. So far, our only complaint is that more steering effort is required with the big meats up front, but we're betting our mud hole doesn't have a prayer of stopping us.
| PARTS LIST |
| FMF Powerline exhaust | $269.99 |
| GBC Gator tires, 26x10-12 front (2) | 114.06 |
| 26x12-12 rear (2) | 132.82 |
High Lifter Air Lock tire sealant,
32-ounce bottle | 15.95 |
| High Lifter black Lite steel wheels |
| front (2) | 103.80 |
| rear (2) | 103.80 |
| Kimpex ATV handlebar grip heater kits | 45.95 |
| Kimpex ATV trunk box | 139.95 |
| Kimpex chain saw holder and mounting kit | 63.15 |
| Kimpex Rubicon bumper, |
| front | 72.95 |
| rear | 72.95 |
| Kolpin Gun Boot 5.0 Transport | 139.99 |
| M.U.D. A-arm guards | 72.95 |
| M.U.D. full-chassis skid plate | 140.95 |
| M.U.D. Pro fender bag | 36.95 |
| M.U.D. Pro tank top bag | 36.95 |
| M.U.D. swingarm skid plate | 94.95 |
Progressive Suspension 512 Series
shocks, |
| front | 249.95 |
| rear | 249.95 |
| Superwinch ATV3000 winch | 299.95 |
| Superwinch '02 Rubicon mounting kit | 74.73 |
| TOTAL | $2532.69 |
FMF Racing:
310/631-4363;
www.fmfracing.com
GBC:
See your local dealer;
310/669-2626;
www.greenball.com
High Lifter: 800-699-0947;
www.highlifter.com
Kimpex:
800/777-7073;
www.kimpex.com
Kolpin:
877-9-KOLPIN;
www.kolpin.com
M.U.D./Moose Utility Division:
See your local Parts Unlimited dealer;
www.mooseutilities.com
Progressive Suspension:
760/948-4012;
www.progressivesuspension.com
Superwinch:
860/928-7787;
www.superwinch.com
The M.U.D. undercarriage...
The M.U.D. undercarriage protection provides thick aluminum plating that protects the A-arms, frame and rear differential.
We boosted the quad about...
We boosted the quad about 1.5 inches with Progressive Suspension shocks front and rear. The Kimpex ATV trunk box is a prototype, which is why the latches are upside down. It has a slick gear net in the top section and a rack on the outside to tie down gear.
The Superwinch ATV3000 provides...
The Superwinch ATV3000 provides 3000 pounds of winching power. Mounting the winch requires running wires back to the battery and installing the handlebar-mounted winch control. We mounted the controller low on the bar to keep it out of the way in the brush.
FMF's Powerline exhaust provides...
FMF's Powerline exhaust provides some bark to the Rubicon. You gain a bit of power with only a modest increase in sound output.
Kimpex grip heaters come with...
Kimpex grip heaters come with this controller, which allows you to modulate the heat. Combined with Kolpin Geartector Mitts ($29.99), they should keep hands warm in the coldest Wisconsin winter.
Installing the Progressive...
Installing the Progressive Suspension shocks was a 40-minute job. Accessing the bolts was relatively easy, and the new shocks provide a firmer, more controlled ride and about 1.5 inches of additional ground clearance.