Attachment Transforms ATV Into A Bigger Machine

Attachment Transforms ATV Into A Bigger Machine ATV'S ATV'S 27-5-35 You can turn your ATV into a log skidder, forklift, backhoe, grader and more with the ATV MultiMate L-1500 from Norwood Industries, Inc. Norwood founder Peter Dale came up with a universal attachment that hooks on to nearly any 4-wheel ATV. The base unit consists of a simple straight axle with a supporting frame and a vertical lift mast just behind the axle. To attach to an ATV, the driver backs over a supporting frame that matches his vehicle length. A pin secures the frame to an adapter available for most ATV front cargo racks. The support hitches the ATV's rear hitch plate. "A carriage with two horizontal steel tubes slides up and down the mast and is the receiver for all tools," explains Dale. "The carriage can apply downward pressure great enough to lift the back of the ATV off the ground." Being able to exert down pressure is important for several attachments such as a grader blade, log skidder, dump bucket and backhoe. Attachments include 42-in. long forks which turn into a 1,500-lb. forklift. The standard mast offers a vertical lift of 26 in. An optional taller mast provides a lift of 36 inches. Both are powered by an electronic winch, which runs off the ATV battery. The backhoe uses the mast for transport and downward pressure on the four independently adjustable outrigger feet. A separate 5 hp Honda engine powers a hydraulic pump to produce a breakout force of 1,850 lbs., a lifting capacity of 500 lbs. at extended reach and 2,000 lbs. at close reach. The backhoe arm has a reach of more than 7 feet horizontally through an arc of 180?. It can dig to a depth of 5 ft. and be used to tamp and fill as well as excavate. Operator controls are to the side and behind the mast offering excellent visibility and safety. To move the backhoe forward or backward, all the operator has to do is raise the mast to release downward pressure on the outrigger feet and use the bucket to move the ATV to the new position. An optional 2,000-lb. skidding winch allows the skidding plate to be used to retrieve logs even where the ATV can't go. Applying downward pressure on the skid plate digs it in to the soil, anchoring the ATV better than brakes ever could. An optional front weight plate is available for use with the skidder and other attachments. In most cases, the weight is borne by the MultiMate axle. Other options include a 44 by 38 in. dump box, a 2-cu. ft. dump bucket that works like a rear mounted mini loader, and a 3-pt hitch. "The 3-pt hitch opens up the ATV to use with a whole line of category 1 and 0 farm implements," says Dale. The MultiMate with standard mast sells for $1,595. Most other attachments are under $400 with the exception of the backhoe at $4,295. Contact: FARMSHOW Followup, Ashlynne Dale, Norwood Industries, Inc., RR2, Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada P0E1G0 (ph 705 689-2800).

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