Don’t buy a JOHN DEERE GATOR until you watch this! My REVIEW of the 860i

My honest review of a john deere gator 860i, trail riding and working on the farm. Needed upgrades and problems you need to be aware of.

[@andrewverreault7617]

For the charging/battery issues if you flip the passanger seat up and pull the cover behind the seat that allows access to spark plug towards the center of the gator there's a larger plug 4 wire plug believe that's the main harness for the charging system they aren't sealed good from factory and tend to get alot of debris and moisture inside the plug, disconnect it clean it out with electrical cleaner check for corrosion and then put dielectrical grease in the connector that should solve your issue. (I'm a technician for deere) and see this charging issue frequently.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Thank you for the tip! I will definitely check it out

[@lynnhethmon9672]

I bought my wife a 850I. Her first side by side. We really like it, just it is noisy and your right it doesn't like to go slow. Good video....

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Lynn Hethmon thanks! You’ll enjoy it!

[@thebeyonder2353]

I have a 2013 RSX 850I, Hate to sell it but have to sell cause need cancer surgery done soon, I dropped price to 7,500 dealer said 9,500 a good price

[@jodybottoms1763]

Just bought 2019 860m,l love it so far, no issues yet, only 25 hrs only time will tell.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

It’s a very fun machine for sure and I’ve been in several side by sides. I hope I just got unlucky with some of the issues I had

[@jefffuchs5434]

4 years ago I bought a new 2016 860I and love it. Past 4 years I too been to Hatfield McCoy trails. I do need to replace all 4 wheel bearings and have 1300 hours.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

I just sold mine last week. At only 154 hrs and 1200 miles it has has a new engine new clutch new belt and breaks. And still needed a radiator fan and for some reason it still blows the battery fuse every so often.

[@egenestarr1986]

Hey lawson, I bought a JD RSX860(M) gator new in 2019. I'm like you its a in between, moderate, its performance but some light work. I like mine, it does fine, for its low height that keeps me planted on side hills traveling. When traversing whoopdi doos i just take them at a angle instead of head on to avoid high centering. My belt stretched at 3 years , seems like everything goes bad 3 yrs. i got a winch solenoid not paying in now. Other than that mines doing good. My screen is grey I don't like that or blue grey at night. I feel that low is not low enough in forward and reverse. and high range should be just a tad more higher.

[@robertbutler6855]

I have one with 6000 miles on it. Yep, the thing is loud, the headlights are crappy, and it loses antifreeze. It will get overheated if the radiator gets the least amount of mud in the fins. I found an antifreeze leak at one of the pipes on the front right side where the rubber hose meets the metal radiator pipe.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

I’m not sure mine would have went 6000 miles I sold it this past winter for a steel but honestly I was sick of the thing messing up every single time we took it on a ride

[@michaelharrell6098]

I have an 850 and I've had electrical issues about the lights I went from a light bar down to two individual lights and it seems to help

[@MOJeepr]

Thanks for the video! I considered one last year, first a barely used one, and then a new one. One thing with the barely used one (it was an 860, but I don't recall what year) was it was really loud inside, to the point I felt I should probably wear ear plugs. The new one I test drove was not that way, but I was concerned it might get that way. I was disappointed in the 3rd party accessory support and wonder how long Deere will make them as nobody seems to be buying them. So, I bought a Polaris General 1000. And, HATE the CVT, for the reasons you mention, it is terrible in slow stuff around the property, or even like trying to inch it up close to things in the garage, etc. But, sounds like the RSX is the same way, and I think I noticed that when I test drove an RSX and was trying to put it back in the spot at the dealer. I've considered going and looking at them again, but you kind of sealed the deal for me that it is the same. Also concerns about the engine and clutch/belt. I've seen others say the clutch/belt goes out and it's like a 4 hour job. Seems like Honda might be the only option to avoid the CVT (which is why I eventually bought a Honda ATV several years ago!). But, the Honda doesn't allow shift on the fly into 4wd or lock and has only a bench seat. So, nobody makes the right cross-over machine!

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

MOJeepr thanks for watching! Yes mine is very loud inside.. now I have a new problem. My electric fan on the radiator has quit .. and yes the CVT transmission sucks for slow speeds.. the Kubota has hydrostatic and I love it however it’s far from a recreational trail machine

[@304pkb_7]

I have one I have a problem with the gas gage any ideas I love this video man I should probably do one now keep up the great work and I subscribed

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

My music _ I have to say that’s one thing I haven’t had a problem with. But I’d have to guess it’s probably the sending unit that’s inside the gas tank

[@dejayblair7571]

It’s a Sport Utility machine, you get the best of both worlds. Check your oil for antifreeze/water. Can you run the gator in low range to help with the belt and clutch?

[@roddavisdavis208]

I have a rsx 850 I 2013 with 2000 miles and never had anything go wrong with it.

[@97JoMiller]

I have had an RSX 860m for a few years and only have 22 hours on it... it's the biggest piece of trash I've ever owned. It's been nothing but issues since day one. Now it's only firing on one cylander and the exhaust glows cherry red when starting it, back fires all over the place, etc... It was in the shop more than out for the first year, now it's out of warranty and still is trash. Mine also came with yellow seats, I wonder if the dealership took out my seats and put them on something else since my seats look nothing like yours but everything else looks identical.

[@rugby3874]

I had electrical problems with my 850i. So glad to get rid of it. Drive belt was hell to change on the 850.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

You said that right about the belt. Mine thankfully is sold now too. I took a heck of a loss but I was so glad to know that thing was gone

[@rydenhaze10]

I have a 2008 Gator XUX I got it for like 10K and I’ve had it for 3 years well 2 but we got it like a week after New Years in 2019 and in May 2020 the front and back CV axels blew but it’s a great and I’m thinking of seeing my Honda quad and getting a new gator

[@S1000rrcav]

Thanks for the review you have problems that you should never have on a new sxs

[@grizzlesnout]

What year gator is this review on. I am going to look at a 2013 tomorrow?

[@savannahmartin5519]

Where did you buy your life, im looking for one?

[@bryjer1955]

You said that you ride this on trails a lot. I'm wondering if your radiator has mud on it and this is causing your engine to get hotter, and a little steam escaping from the radiator cap. This causing the water in the radiator over time to be lost.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

bryjer1955 the radiator is clean I keep a good check on that due to past experience on other machines haha but I will say that over all the atvs I’ve had the radiator on this gator is the hardest to clog up I’m guessing due to its location which has been nice when riding muddy trails

[@rugby3874]

You're better off buying something else. My opinion. The electrical problems has not been fixed.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Yes low range is really all I ever run it in around the farm however there’s that not happy stage right between 0-4 mph that it does not like. It’s like the clutch engages and disengages. Honestly it’s hard to explain without being on the gator and showing. And so far I haven’t seen any water in the oil so I’m still puzzled at where the water went

[@ruedaricardo]

I had similar symptoms in an old VW and what I found was that the coolant was leaking directly over a heat shield that made the coolant evaporate before hitting the ground.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

@@ruedaricardo that could’ve definitely been a possibility. I’ve sold it now

[@greglittle8409]

@@lawsonlawnandfarm8073 thanks for sharing what you have learned... what did you wind up getting? I have a landscaping business and have a gator tx but its 2wd and we drag a soil leveler and i need more power and 4x4 - thinking of a Polaris ranger 1000 but afraid my employees will be pulling hole shots across my customers property’s...

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

@@greglittle8409 honestly for a work utility vehicle I now have a Kubota x1140 and I don’t think it can be beat but it’s not a speed demon but it’ll flat pull anything. I love it

[@greglittle8409]

@@lawsonlawnandfarm8073 Thanks for reply, ok i will look into that. There is a local dealer and we love the Kubota Diesel’s in my skid steers. Maybe i can demo one and try it out..

[@scottschwenke1617]

How would you rate the sound of the gator while your driving it as compared to others. I'm thinking of buying one for general hunting, fishing, chore work but I've heard they're quite noisy. It's really the only draw back I have for my needs

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Scott Schwenke well it’s definitely not quite. All my friends we used to ride with would y’all about the deep rumble it has from the exhaust. They couldn’t believe it was stock. And they definitely have a sound of their own. And by no means is it quiet in the seat. When in the throttle hard it’s very hard to talk to a passenger

[@scottschwenke1617]

@@lawsonlawnandfarm8073 thanks, I will probably pass on this machine for that reason alone. If the XUV590M had a locking front end I'd buy one of those.

[@briangabriel4165]

Always low range when going slow.

[@jefffuchs5434]

Mine is starting to over heat as well but not leaking any fluids?

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Mine turned out to be the radiator fan had quit

[@indymark4064]

Turn up your volume or get a body mike.

[@304pkb_7]

Did you ever figure out the antifreeze issue I am having the same problem

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

304 PKB _ no I didn’t but now my electric fan has quit too so it overheats in just a few minutes just haven’t had time to investigate

[@woofy548]

where did you get the chainsaw mount?

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Top Dog obedience to be honest it’s been so long now I don’t remember exactly. I think it may have been sidebysidestuff.com or something like that

[@burkeagri718]

hi, i see your water temp symbol flashing and the gauge not showing, this is the same on my 855, do u know whats wrong?

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

andyb 161 turns out my electric fan quit working causing it to overheat

[@burkeagri718]

@@lawsonlawnandfarm8073 is that why the gauge is not working?

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

andyb 161 the gauge works on mine I can’t remember but when I made the video it might have been cold

[@anthonymallory397]

With 2 in lift do you have a CV issues ?

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

So far so good and the lift has been on there pretty much since the gator was new

[@leandyp9107]

Is trashed if the engine went in a thousand miles

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

Leandy Perez kinda what I thought too 😂

[@ronfults3844]

Whete dud you get a lift kit from?