A04_SOW_with_Specifications.pdf

Valentine NWR Spec. Requirements for New UTV

Interior:

Power Steering

Adjustable tilt steering

Heating and ventilation

Bench seat with passenger seats flipping up, underside hooks

Full hard roof with liner and interior dome light

Full color-match doors with electric-opening tinted windows and door locks

3-position full-glass tilt-up windshield with wiper/washer kit

Rear glass window solid no slider

Gauge Cluster: 4.5 in. wide digital display

Engine:

Minimum 65 hp / 59 lb-ft, 976 cc, V-twin, liquid-cooled

Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)

Transmission:

L / H / N / R / P, high-airflow ventilation and Electronic Drive Belt Protection

Drive Train:

Selectable Turf Mode / 2WD / 4WD with auto-locking front differential

Driving Assistance:

CVT engine braking, fuel economy modes, work modes, speed limiter

Suspensions:

Front Suspension Arched double A-arm with sway bar / 12 in. (30.5 cm) suspension travel

Front Shocks: Twin tube gas-charged shocks

65 in. wide with arched A-arm

Rear Suspension Arched TTA with external sway bar / 12 in. (30.5 cm) suspension travel

Rear Shocks: Twin tube gas-charged shocks

TIRES & WHEELS:

Front / Rear Tires XPS Trail Force 27 x 9/11 x 14 in.

Wheels 14 in. cast aluminum

BRAKES:

Front Dual 220 mm disc brakes with hydraulic twin-piston calipers

Rear Dual 220 mm disc brakes with hydraulic single-piston calipers

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES:

Cage Profiled cage, ROPS approved

Estimated Dry Weight 1,830 lb (830 kg)

L x W x H 121 x 65 x 80 in. (307.1 x 165.1 x 226 cm)

Wheelbase 83 in. (211.5 cm)

Ground Clearance 13 in. (30.5 cm)

Cargo Box Dimensions 38 x 54.5 x 12 in. (96.5 x 138.4 x 30.5 cm)

Cargo Box Capacity 1,000 lb (454 kg) / California only: 600 lb (272.2 kg)

Power Tilt Bed: N/A

Tailgate Load Capacity 250 lb (113.4 kg)

Storage Capacity Total: 10.4 gal (39.5 L)

Towing Capacity 2,500 lb (1,134 kg)

Payload Capacity 1,200 lb (544 kg)

Fuel Capacity 10.6 gal (40 L)

Person Capacity: 3

Battery 12 V (30 A h)

Magneto 650 W

Instrumentation DC outlet (10 A)

Lighting Front lighting output 140 W

LED tail lights

Winch: 4,500lb, 50ft, ¼” synthetic rope, corded remote and dash mount switch, all-steel gears

Protection:

Integrated front steel bumper

Headache rack

HMWPE central skid plate

Hitch Type: 2 inch hitch receiver

Spec. Justifications:

These specifications have been set to help secure an ideal off-road vehicle to be used on the Valentine NWR by its employees in the safest manner possible.

We require a vehicle that has a wide stance and that sits a little lower to the ground for stability while navigating through the sandhills. This distributes the weight of the machine over a greater area, and it keeps the center of gravity lower. The combination of the two makes the machine more stable and less likely to roll over. The sandhills present a lot of difficult terrain that must be traversed with care even by the most experienced off-road vehicle operators. For this reason, it is ideal that we have a vehicle with a wider space between tires to help keep the vehicle stable when going through uneven terrain. These features will reduce the chances of the vehicle rolling over.

Vegetation gets very tall and thick here on the refuge. It can easily conceal objects that could do damage to the vehicle and operator. Bumpers and skid-plates are essential due to the possibilities of striking hidden objects while passing through refuge grazing units such as T-posts, stumps, branches, and brush.

The use of a fully enclosed cab that offers heating and ventilation is ideal for our hot summer months and cold winter conditions. We have found that if the off-road vehicle does not have air options the glass fogs up during the cold or humid weather making it hard to see while operating the off-road vehicle. Also, during the summer months, it is not practical to open the front windshield because the window bounces and sways side to side in the uneven sandhill terrain. The brackets and fasteners fail, and the windshield will break or fall off completely.

Hard doors are preferred over mesh or soft (canvas) to help keep riders contained inside the cab while operating. Mesh doors are prone to getting caught on brush and tearing while not being very good at keeping legs and feet contained inside the cab. Soft doors rip and the pliable plastic windows become weathered after a few years making it hard to see out of them. The frame on soft doors tend to bend or warp if the wind catches them, preventing doors from closing properly.

We also like the solid glass back window rather than one with a slider. Sliding back windows leak water after a little while inside the cab. They also are hard to open once dust and dirt collects in the slider’s glass channel. This option is not needed since we would like a headache rack attached to the bed to protect the back window. The headache rack protects the back window glass against work materials and tools stored in the bed from breaking it.

A winch is invaluable on these off-road vehicles when the vehicle becomes stuck in the sand or the marsh areas of the refuge. A winch has also proven very handy when used to complete everyday work projects around the refuge. They are a critical safety device and tool.

Electric drive belt protection is an important safety feature for the off-road vehicle. This feature prevents you from burning up and breaking the drive belt. If you are in too high of a gear when taking off from a dead stop with a heavy load or while climbing up a hill it will limit your power and tell you to shift into a lower gear. This is a optimal safety feature to have, preventing employees from being stranded on the refuge while also protecting the machine from mechanical damage.

An engine braking feature is also a key addition. The sandhills are steep and refuge employees must navigate up and down these hills while carrying work materials. Work materials are often carried in the bed of the off-road vehicle or in a trailer being towed behind the vehicle. The engine brake greatly improves the ability for the machine to descend a hill without having to rely on the off-road vehicle’s brakes solely. This provides the operator with greater control while going downhill and keeps the vehicle at a slower, safer speed.