There are three different configurations right from the factory already though, and the differences are generally based on option packages. No doubt the aftermarket won’t be far behind. Options and ExtrasĪll models of the new Gator 850i are highly customizable, and Deere has plenty of options ready to go as well. Ground clearance is listed at 10.3 inches with 9 inches of wheel travel at both ends, and disc brakes are tucked inside each wheel.

We’ll see if Deere comes through with something very unique in the future. It will have to be precisely controlled, however, or it could make the vehicle handling a little twitchy at higher speeds. This does hint at a possible future crab-steer, or as GM coined with their trucks a few years ago, “Quadrasteer.” It’s an interesting concept, and it might be just the ticket for extreme mud or rock crawling. In fact, it even has the ball joints top and bottom, but the toe-in is fixed thanks to an adjustable tie-rod. Rather than a simple upright with an axle protruding out, the upright on the Deere 850i’s looks very much like a front steering knuckle. The rear suspension does have a very unique axle and spindle design, however. All A-arms are either forged or cast aluminum, and they look strong enough for a tractor. The new Gator suspension features dual A-arms at each end, and it’s almost certainly the strongest in the sport. The minor differences in final dimensions are due to suspension components. Both machines share a nearly identical frame, and the main structure is a beefy, strong, tubular steel design.

This solved two problems: the 550 would allow Deere to get the new chassis into production and in the hands of consumers, and it would increase manufacturing efficiency. Suspension and chassis design are everything to a sport machine, and Deere introduced the Gator 850i chassis not on the new 850’s, but on the XUV550 a short while ago. About the only feature the new Gator 850i’s have in common with Gators of the past is the color. John Deere has sold over 500,000 of their Gator utility vehicles, but never has there been one as quick, nimble, powerful, or just plain fun as the new RSX 850i, and now there are three! These Gators are meant for much more than the farm! Gator SportĮntering into the sport market would not be easy or quick for Deere, and it would require an all-new machine from the ground up. What began as the humble, hard-working AMT (All Materials Transport) back in 1987 has now become a very capable off-road performer.

John deere rsx 850i brake pads