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Getting the most out of your UTV can sometimes be tough when your equipment isn’t properly suited for the tasks you have in mind. Fortunately, Ariens Corporation in the small town of Brillion, Wis., has brought a new working utility vehicle to market and they call this machine the Gravely Atlas JSV 3000. Their goal? To focus more on work.
You will probably recognize Ariens from their Gravely lawn maintenance as well as snow blowing equipment. Dependability is a key ingredient in the new SXS endeavors from this group. The Job Site Vehicle, or JSV tag in the name, indicates a work-related machine, but we know it’s trail friendly when you need it to be. Even a company as big as Ariens Corporations knows it’s important to listen to the experts in the field of working off-road vehicles, and this collaborative project between Ariens and Polaris was no different.
The Gravely Atlas JSV line gives farmers and construction companies alike a solid platform for the job. The 2015 Gravely Atlas JSV comes in a few different shapes and sizes. The standard unit we tested was the JSV3000. Since it’s powered by the Polaris Pro-Star 570 gas-burning engine, this power plant of the Gravely line is very familiar to us. This mill has the same 40hp and fuel injection as well as the CVT transmission driveline that comes in the 570 mid- and full-sized Ranger vehicles by Polaris. This was done in part because it’s obvious that Polaris has this engine system fine tuned, and it saved them time and engineering effort in bringing the product to market.
Another part of this machine we know well is the chassis. Ariens laid out their goals for the machine, and Polaris helped with the construction.
Independent front A-arms and the De-Deion rear suspension on the Atlas JSV provides a great base starting point for the Gravely Atlas JSV. The front suspension provides 10 inches of ground clearance to navigate and avoid job site debris.
With a rugged exterior, the Atlas JSV bodylines reflect tough as well as hard working yet expertly professional. Ariens wanted to be sure the job site vehicle looked very professional and tough. The front of our Gravely Atlas JSV 3000 had a full push bumper bearing the Gravely name, and dual headlights on each side that work independently for low beam and together on high. If you look closely at the cab of this machine, you will notice it’s the same as the newest Polaris Ranger line and accepts many of the same accessories, ranging from windshields to tops and doors. Under the hood of our Atlas JSV we found general access to service-related items. There was not much storage here, but does allow easy accessibility should anything need to be repaired.
As far as towing and hauling, the Gravely Atlas JSV has you covered with a bed capacity of 1250 pounds and an overall payload rating of 1900lbs. The bed dumps using an electric motor to help with a heavy load of rock, firewood, or even a large whitetail deer—without wearing on the operator.
The seating is comfortably contoured for each individual left or right side rider. Unfortunately, the center passenger has to ride the hump. Our JSV3000 welcomed us in and seemed that it could satisfy us in the area of comfort during the workday. Seat belts use three-point harness style with a middle belt for the passenger in the center. As you reach for the steering wheel, you will notice the digital (instead of analog) gauge that is taken right from the dash of the aforementioned Polaris Ranger line, and provides information you will need to ensure the rig stays ready on the job.
Riding this machine in the rolling hills of Brillion, Wis. allowed us to get a feel for the working side of our industry. The tree-lined wooded trails and some short trips through a rock garden allowed us to test the throttle response and suspension of the JSV3000. As we navigated through muddy sections of this property, we found that the turf-tamer-style tires on the Gravely Atlas JSV 3000 worked well, but seemed to create a mild heavy feeling in the steering, possibly due to the sheer width of the tires.
The Bottom Line
If you want a diesel utility machine, then Ariens has you covered with the Kohler brand 3-cylinder 24-horse power diesel engines. Although our testing time was relatively short, it appears Ariens has added yet another product to its line-up that will be valuable to companies seeking a single supplier for land maintenance equipment.
Pros
Tough-looking workhorse
Reliable drive train and chassis
Heavy tow and cargo ratings
Cons
Power steering optional
Super-wide tires up front make steering heavy
Specifications as tested
2015 Gravely Atlas JSV3000
Engine Type: 4-Stroke Single Cylinder – 570cc
Fuel System: Electronic Fuel Injection
Starter: Electric
Transmission: Automatic PVT H/L/N/R/P;
Shaft
Driveline: On-Demand True AWD/2WD/
VersaTrac Turf Mode
Suspension
Front: Dual A-Arm
Rear: De-Deion
Length: 128 inches
Ground Clearance: 10 inches
Colors: Red
Dry Weight: 1,575 lbs