Swisher interchangeable implements

Implements/Attachments — By ATV Mag on April 4, 2006 at 12:00 pm

With ATVs becoming more popular for many work duties, Swisher Inc. has developed some ATV attachments that are catching the attention of many farm, construction, landscaping and industrial businesses and homeowners.

We tried a few of their products, noting quality and how these attachments would work in everyday ATV use.

Mount Up, Move Out

The backbone to Swisher’s interchangeable implements is the $99 Universal Mounting System. This “leaf spring” mounting system fits most ATVs (the length and width are adjustable) and mounts to the bottom of each front A-arm and the rear hitch. Once the system is installed, it’s simple to remove the mounting system from the ATV — just pull the two hitch pins in the front and remove the hitch bolt in the rear.

The mounting bracket under each A-arm stays in place for quick reattachment of the system. However, the ATV’s front plastic CV-joint guards may require trimming to fit or complete removal after the Swisher mounting system brackets are installed.

This innovative mounting system design distributes the weight and force across the entire underside of the ATV when using one of the attachments. The mounting system’s attachment head extends far enough that it didn’t interfere with the oversized tires on our Honda Rubicon. The “adjustability” of the mounting system was good.

In The Dumps

Swisher’s 46-inch dump bucket attachment caught our attention. At $349, the price is an eye-catcher, too. We’ve worked on many projects where a front dump bucket at our disposal would have been great. Constructed of heavy-duty steel, the bucket didn’t bend or distort during testing.

The scoring teeth on the front edge of the bucket provided decent penetration into most soil types. The depth of the puncture into the soil is dependent on the size and type of ATV used, of course. Three or four jabs with the bucket’s corner teeth were usually enough to rip a vegetated hillside open. The mounting system raised the bucket about 20-inches high, so dumping clearance is adequate. Depending on terrain and angle of attack, the teeth should bite into the ground most of the time. Sometimes, though, the bucket won’t go as low as needed. This also is affected by the overall height of the ATV and the tire size.

To dump the bucket, simply pull the rope attached to the dumping lever. The lever needs to be pulled straight back, not at an angle. When fully loaded (and possibly even a bit overloaded), however, we had trouble getting the dump mechanism to release. Swisher has now added a roller cam to correct this problem.

If you do overload the bucket and can’t release the dump lever when in the lifted position, lower the bucket to the ground, trip the dump lever, and then lift the bucket back up to dump the load. To re-engage the bucket after dumping, simply drop the bucket to its lowest position as you back the quad away and the dump bucket will relatch itself in the up position, ready to scoop another load.

Getting Plowed

Swisher’s 1/8-inch corrugated-steel straight ATV plow ($299) is one of the strongest plows we’ve tested. No tools are required for installation when used with Swisher’s Universal Mounting System. After removing one snap-ring quick pin, remove the steel bar and slide the plow into position. Then reattach the steel bar and quick pin.

The plow blade has five angle settings and is adjustable from the seat of the ATV. A replaceable scraping edge and skid feet are included. The skid feet height adjusts easily using a pin-and-hole design.
We liked the lift height of Swisher’s plow system. Loading the plow-equipped Rubicon in a truck bed using ramps was simple because the plow raised up to the ATV’s front rack. Also, the tension springs on this plow are strong.

We did find one small flaw while test-plowing moist dirt, however. This Swisher plow design actually folds the blade back to the front of the ATV, and when doing so, retains some of the dirt on the blade. It was not a huge problem, however.

Get The Fork Out

Just like the other attachments, the $115 Skid Lift attachment detaches and reattaches in seconds without tools. Steel, 1 3/4-inch, square- tube forks are adjustable in length. The forks are ideal for moving materials on a farm or construction site, but need to drop down on the ground at a level position for pallet moving in a warehouse situation. Given the varying heights of ATVs, consider this when using the Skid

Lift attachment.

We operated all of the Swisher attachments using an electric winch, but an optional manual-lift is available. The manual-lift assembly is only recommended for use with the plow. We liked using the winch to hoist the heavy bucket loads anyway. The load carrying capacity of the Bucket and Skid Lift attachments are rated at 250 pounds. The attachments can be switched or removed in a matter of seconds. Swisher’s future plans include a rotary sweeper attachment.

Haul More Cargo

Swisher’s expanded-metal drop basket mounts with a couple of common wrenches. These 3/4-inch, 16- gauge, steel-framed baskets, with 14-gauge steel mesh, are well designed. The $169 rear drop basket carries popular items like 20-pound LP cylinders. Chainsaws and 5-gallon buckets can now go into the drop rack, leaving the ATV’s rack space available for other items. The steel mesh provides drainage and numerous tie-down locations.