Comments on my new Argo 6x6 700 Frontier Scout

[mightymaxIV]

First: wow this machine is fast and it gets to the top speed quickly! Got to 25 mph fast and showed 26 MPH one time. I don't remember my 750 Kohler or my 6x6 HD with a 23 horse Briggs being any where near this fast.

Second: the new clutch system is very abrupt and you have to learn to roll the throttle on very carefully to keep the machine from jerking.

Third: This new clutch system may give you more torque but it comes with a price and that price is a drive belt that loves to howl or squeak. All that drive belt noise may go away with time, we will have to see.

Fourth: I have the 24 inch tires on the machine and this Argo seems to swim a lot better than my previous machines. Seat of the pants says over 3 MPH.

Fifth: The new metal floor under the drivers feet likes to rattle and that can be annoying if you don't quickly realize where the noise is coming from.

Sixth: Love the low range, nothing beats an Argo low range when you really need those lower gears.

Seventh: The machine is very impressive with just tires, I had no issues pulling out of two different ponds with a very steep climb angles.

Eight: As good as the machine is it is going to be better once I get the Alaska Bush tracks on the machine. Turning on and off road is going to be a lot easier with less stress going to the chains and bearings on normal trail rides.

[Noel Woods]

Congrats Dan:
Sounds like a high-powered, maneuverable little machine. Can't wait to see it in action.

[mightymaxIV]

Congrats Dan:
Sounds like a high-powered, maneuverable little machine. Can't wait to see it in action.

Noel, there is a very good chance that you will get to this machine up close and personal as I plan to make at least one trip to Texas to run with you in that Texas mud.

[john swenson]

does sound like a really good performer ! are you sure it won't tackle the easy trails and mud at busco without tracks ? sure would enjoy your company . jb

[mightymaxIV]

does sound like a really good performer ! are you sure it won't tackle the easy trails and mud at busco without tracks ? sure would enjoy your company . jb

John, you,know me,nothing but the hard stuff.

[tbone9]

I’ve got the new heavy duty Argo belt on my Max and yes she’s s loud but out performs anything I have had by a lot. Lots less wear. I believe it’s because of the Kevlar strip woven into it. You can see it if you look at the working sides of the belt. Timken designed this belt specifically for Argo.

[mightymaxIV]

Alright, I have owned a 27 horse Kawasaki powered MaxIV, An Argo 6X6 HD powered by a 23 horse Briggs and joined to an admiral transmission, An 8x8 Argo HDI with the 30 horse fuel injected water cooled Kohler engine and an Admiral transmission, an 8x8 Frontier with the fuel injected Kohler engine, A Mudd OX with the 50 horse Fuel injected engine, and an Argo 6x6 Scout with the fuel injected Kohler engine.

Now we come to the new Argo 6x6 Frontier Scout:

I think this 23 horse Briggs is under rated, the machine feels fast, it accelerates very, very well and surprises me with the available power.

I have had the machine to 26 MPH several times, with the tachometer showing 4000 RPM. In water the governor kicks in at 3200-3300 RPM, and I must admit I am impressed by the governing action which works very very well.

At first I thought the clutch action was way to aggressive but with a little experience I have learned to roll the throttle on so there is a very smooth power delivery.

Turning the machine does rob power but with a little experience you can find the balance of throttle and skid steering to make the machine continue to move very quickly with out killing you trail speed.

Next: This machine swims very well.

The Argo built quality seems to have improved and although the improvements are minor they make a very big difference in the ability to enjoy the machine in trail, water and swamp conditions.

Although the old style transmission is no equal to the admiral on the trail I have found the old style transmission to have certain advantages in swamp and heavy mud conditions.

Finally my Alaska Bush Tracks Have been shipped and I will be able to test this machine under some pretty extreme conditions to find out just how well the machine responds to heavy duty real swamp.

[Noel Woods]

Can't wait to see it all together when the tracks arrive. This should be a very capable machine.

[john swenson]

nice report dan ...sounds like with a little test running your getting best performance .. i'm also excited to see it with the tracks going thru some mud . i'm glad to hear the 23 hp briggs is o.k to run at 4ooo rpm . i bypassed my governor on my 21 hp vanguard , then set the throttle so it could'nt rev pass 3600 rpm . i could'nt believe how much more power i have . i don't think i ever had near 21 hp with the governor . so much more fun and at busco i got thru mud i never would have tried . jb

[ARGOJIM]

Should have come to Busco, you would have been happy with conditions.

[mightymaxIV]

Bush Tracks have been installed: Updates on my on my 6x6 Frontier: Okay so I have installed the Alaska Bush tracks with swim paddles and had a chance to test them in some pretty extreme mud and swamp conditions and these are my observations:

1. These are extremely aggressive tracks and I have not run into any deep mud that even gives them a challenge. The machine knocks down cattails and digs into mud like they were not there. Because the grousers (and belts) go down so far on the tires I can haul ass down the trails without worrying about the grousers touching the body (this was always a concern, with Adair's because the track could rock on the tire and come into contact with the tub damaging the tub)

2. The tracks are loud, they really let you know they are there.

3. They do suck up power but all tracks do; but even with tracks on I can still hit GPS indicated speeds of 20 mph which is extremely surprising to me (I never had a 6x6 with tracks that could get down the trail that fast)

4. They don't swim well, I can get about 1mph GPS indicated speed in water, that speed does not cut it the areas I go into so I plan to break down the tracks and run the track as a Half Track with the front two tires tracked and the back tires in swim position. I am hoping I can get a two MPH swim speed in that configuration. I seriously doubt that I will ever be challenged in mud conditions with this half track configuration. I am told that using this half track configuration takes very little power away from the machine and gives the machine a very tire like feel (I will let you know after I test it)

[john swenson]

thanks dan for the update ..i like the way those tracks are performing for mud etc. also that the grousers are deep and give confidence of not coming off easily . i like half tracks , so looking forward to how that works out . any videos would be great to see . johnboy

[mightymaxIV]

thanks dan for the update ..i like the way those tracks are performing for mud etc. also that the grousers are deep and give confidence of not coming off easily . i like half tracks , so looking forward to how that works out . any videos would be great to see . johnboy

\Working on it John Boy

[mightymaxIV]

I have decided to go with the Half track system, using the half track system the machine will run at a GPS indicated top speed pf 23 MPH, unbelievably fast for a tracked 6x6. Turns better with the half tracks then it does with tires and I get a GPS indicated 2 KPH in the water. Not quite as fast in the water as I would like but I can work with it. Half track system gives the machine almost as much available power as running with tires.

Seems to mud really well and is FUN to drive on the trail. I really won't be able to get a good feel for the mudding until I am around a lot of other machines.

More: Argo still hasn't got the heat issues on the Briggs totally sorted out yet, the machine has already back fired on me and got so hot coming out of my pond that the engine started to miss and then shut down. I let the machine sit a few seconds half in and half out of the water. I didn't know if the machine would start again or not. Thank god it fired missed several times for about a minute and than started to run properly again. I have had these heating conditions with the Briggs engine before, maybe I was just running the machine to hard, never the less a stalled machine on the trail is a very uneasy feeling.

[john swenson]

same with the 21 hp briggs in my max 2 highboy runs good when not to hot out ..but when running for hrs. in warm weather like at busco sometimes , i have to run the fan . that takes care of it . so are you running the half tracks on the front tires ? always wondered if front or back works any better . jboy