I have never driven a rancher, and I have a friend that is interested in buying one. Are the honda automatic tranny's fully automatic,like the other machines? In other words, can you put it in gear and go like the cvt type machines, or do you have to keep hitting the up and down shift buttons on the handle bars?

 

Honda has 5 different types of transmissions:

1. Maunal - with clutch. Found only on the sport quads
2. Maunal - auto clutch. Found on the base Recons, Ranchers, and Foremans
3. Maunal - Electric Shift. This acts just like #2, but you shift with thumb buttons rather than your foot.
4. Hondamatic - Hydrostatic fully automatic. Can simulate gears with pre-programmed positions in the hydrostat or just put it in full auto mode. Also has a high and low range as well as modes for max HP or max torque. Found only on the Rubicon.
5. Auto - I'm not sure what Honda calls this, but it is a 3 speed auto with a torque converter. You can shift it manually or put it in auto (like a car). Found only on the Rincon.

There is a 6th type also on the new 250ex. This combines #1 and #2. It has a clutch and gears, but you can shift like #2 if you choose.

I think Honda is the only major manufactor that does not use belt drive transmissions.

 

Thank you VERY much!!!! This answered my questioned completely :-)

 

The AT transmission is similar to the Rubicon. I think they explain about it here: https://atvconnection.com/editor/rev...con/review.htm

 

The tranny in the 400at, is the same design as the rubicon (number 4 above). Its a little less robust, but same theory and design. You can either go full automatic, and it will shift when its been programed to. Or you can have more fun, and use the buttons, and you decide when it shifts.

 

I keep forgetting about the Rancher AT. The biggest difference in the AT and the Rubicon transmission, is that the AT does not have a low range.

I love the Rubicon's transmission. If you have it in low ESP, you can easily control your speed down the steepest of hills with the thumb shifter and never touch the brakes. Put it in low D1 (yes, I know low automatically selects D2) and you're always in the power band up the steepest of hills.

 

the 250 ex actually does have a belt on it, it's setup just like a cvt tranny except u change the gears yourself

 

So, is the Rubicon tranny essentially the same thing as the Rincon, but it has a low gear?

Chris

 

The Rubicon is a hydrostatic transmission and uses a centrifugal clutch... It has low & high range ..
The Rincon uses a 3 speed "gear" transmission with 3 seperate manual clutches that work off oil pressure , the engine and transmission are connected using a torque convertor .. It DOES NOT have low range ..

 

I'm not sure anybody actually answered his original question...at least not directly.

There are 5 different Ranchers out there:

Autoclutch manual 350 (carburated/air cooled) and 420 (fuel injected/water cooled) foot shift.

Autoclutch manual 350ES (carburated/air cooled) and 420ES (fuel injected/water cooled) push button shift.

Fully automatic 400AT (carburated/air cooled) with hydrostatic transmission....just stab and go like a CVT. You can also manually select predetermined gear ratios on this one using push buttons.

None of these has a low range. Honda leaves off the transfer case and replaces it with a very low "granny" 1st gear.

We get a lot of posts in here about problems with the ES system. The 400AT has a reputation for being a little underpowered on the bottom end.