[Bucktaker]

Hi
Anyone have any experience with the Pioneer and steep down hills?

I have a 07 Rubicon and need to know how similar the Pioneer is on the way down steep hills.
Does it have engine braking, in addition to the foot brake?

I need to be sure I dont have a runaway or freewheel situation as I am accessing a lake at the bottom on the hill

Thanks

 

[rmk700]

Unfortunately it's not near as good as the Rubicon but does have some good engine braking. I've read some complain it has to much so......

 

[skorp1702]

its engine braking is just right but on the steep hills especially if a lil slick I recommend using the ebrake slightly with the button pressed but carefull not to lock the rear tires. the reason I say ebrake is the foot pedal feels more like 65-70/30-35 front/rear braking and I have lost steering going down hill while using foot brake

 

[rich450es]

welcome to the forum !!!

 

[GaPioneer]

Welcome aboard Bucktaker.

 

[legbuh]

It should be more like the Rincon, since it's virtually the same tranny.

When I got my 04 Rincon new all I heard from the "haters" was how engine braking stunk. Now I read reviews about how on the Pioneer it's great. And really nothing has changed that I know of.

I personally never had an issue with it. It worked to about 10mph and then the brakes work well enough. It's something I'm willing on "putting up with" to have the tranny in this thing.

 

[Lock5]

I travel down a fairly step hill(paved) going to my boat dock, I can feel the engine brake plus it down shifts in to second gear under braking. The brakes are not as good as the POS Polaris was but it is something I can deal with.

 

[skorp1702]

It should be more like the Rincon, since it's virtually the same tranny.

When I got my 04 Rincon new all I heard from the "haters" was how engine braking stunk. Now I read reviews about how on the Pioneer it's great. And really nothing has changed that I know of.

I personally never had an issue with it. It worked to about 10mph and then the brakes work well enough. It's something I'm willing on "putting up with" to have the tranny in this thing.

its basically the same but torquier motor. plus its about 3 times the weight

 

[CSFI]

Isn't the Pioneer a little lower geared than the Rincon also? I would think the the engine braking would be a little better because of this.

That being said I don't see engine braking as being as important to a sxs as it is to a quad. It seems like the sxs's are heavy enough that the brakes going down hill will hold the machine quite well without sliding and loosing control like you can on a quad. Just an observation from riding both.

 

[skorp1702]

Isn't the Pioneer a little lower geared than the Rincon also? I would think the the engine braking would be a little better because of this.

That being said I don't see engine braking as being as important to a sxs as it is to a quad. It seems like the sxs's are heavy enough that the brakes going down hill will hold the machine quite well without sliding and loosing control like you can on a quad. Just an observation from riding both.

yeah the gear reduction is about 30% difference. but the weight moving forward. I noticed on the same hill my Rincon by motor braking alone would do 9 mph the pioneer does 15mph.
the engine does its job most the time but sometimes you have to assist with the pedal

 

[Bucktaker]

ok If I am reading this correctly it has engine braking but it doesn't hold to a slow speed say 3 mph.

10 mph is too fast for my situation, and if loaded with peeps and a cooler may need to be slower

My rubicon will hold to 2-3 mph while going down a 38 degree slope. its a narrow path/trail with trees and good size rocks on the way to a lake side.

 

[skorp1702]

oh im not sure there bucktaker I haven't really paid attention to the smaller stuff on the hill I was talking about was around 60 degrees downhill. on a reg hill maybe 45 degrees or below it keeps down below 10 depending on the slope. it will mostlikely be above 5 mph because the gearing itself is higher than the 1st gear on a foreman and of coarse the weight. but a slight pedal you can stop even on a 60 degree slope

 

[legbuh]

ok If I am reading this correctly it has engine braking but it doesn't hold to a slow speed say 3 mph.

10 mph is too fast for my situation, and if loaded with peeps and a cooler may need to be slower

My rubicon will hold to 2-3 mph while going down a 38 degree slope. its a narrow path/trail with trees and good size rocks on the way to a lake side.

The Rubi has a completely different type of tranny (actually better in some ways). So it's hard to compare the two.

Just keep your foot on the brake. That's what it's for. At least Honda didn't install drum front brakes on this thing like the older Rinny's... that goodness for disc conversion kits!

 

[Bucktaker]

oh im not sure there bucktaker I haven't really paid attention to the smaller stuff on the hill I was talking about was around 60 degrees downhill. on a reg hill maybe 45 degrees or below it keeps down below 10 depending on the slope. it will mostlikely be above 5 mph because the gearing itself is higher than the 1st gear on a foreman and of coarse the weight. but a slight pedal you can stop even on a 60 degree slope

Whoa...... 60 degrees are you measuring this or guessing? that would be nearly impossible.

My slope is measured @ 37-38 DEGREES which is pretty steep for walking

 

[skorp1702]

oh I don't walk up this at all. you could set up a tarp and it make an awesome slide. when its wet wet I have to hit it to make it up it. it might not be exactly 60 but it is between 55-60 for sure. 35 degrees is about like my ramps on my gooseneck. we ride a lot of trails on the highlines on our lease it gets pretty steep 1 I went up the other day was a lil over 60 maybe between 60-65 and let me be the first once the first 10 ft was over it was no turning back. I will not be going up it again.

 

[rmk700]

ok If I am reading this correctly it has engine braking but it doesn't hold to a slow speed say 3 mph.

10 mph is too fast for my situation, and if loaded with peeps and a cooler may need to be slower

My rubicon will hold to 2-3 mph while going down a 38 degree slope. its a narrow path/trail with trees and good size rocks on the way to a lake side.

This was one of my concerns and was hoping it had as good engine braking as my Rubicon. It does not have near the engine braking as the Rubicon but to be fair ....nothing does. I hope one day Honda will put a Rubicon type tranny in there SXS's for us that like super good engine braking.

 

[skorp1702]

This was one of my concerns and was hoping it had as good engine braking as my Rubicon. It does not have near the engine braking as the Rubicon but to be fair ....nothing does. I hope one day Honda will put a Rubicon type tranny in there SXS's for us that like super good engine braking.

i hope they put a different tranny in it for lowers gears one day also