The folks over at Cub Cadet have always been go-getters. Most well-known for their lawn tractors, they pioneered easy-to-use automatic transmissions; they were the first to launch a Zero-Turn lawn tractor; and they were the first, and only, lawn tractor brand with direct shaft drive. Now the crew at Cub Cadet has attacked the utility vehicle market and they're making an impression there too with their newest model, the Volunteer 4x4D.
The "D" stands for diesel. A Yanmar 854cc, three-cylinder diesel to be exact. This OHV engine is liquid-cooled and produces 36.9 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm. Cub Cadet says the engine is ruggedly simple and requires little maintenance. Bolted to this engine is a fully enclosed CVT transmission that is shifted via a Hurst shifter. Power is split to a rear cast-iron axlehousing that features a mechanical locking differential and a front axle fitted with a Hilliard locking differential. All of this combines to help produce a maximum towing/payload capacity of 1,400 pounds.
The Volunteer 4x4D comes equipped...
The Volunteer 4x4D comes equipped with strong 37.5-watt halogen headlights so seeing at night isn't a problem. The rig pictured is fitted with the optional electric winch.
Cub Cadet took a work-play approach to the Volunteer 4x4D. Aaron Hanlon, product manager at Cub Cadet, says, "We've combined both the best in diesel engines and a fully independent A-arm suspension with the Volunteer 4x4D to give customers the best of both worlds." What Hanlon is referring to includes the units 8 inches of suspension travel and adjustable coilover shocks. Cub Cadet says that this travel is 25 percent more than competing diesel utility vehicles. In addition, the rig sports a respectable 11 inches of ground clearance.
Other Volunteer 4x4D standard features include a wide 63-inch stance, a 3-inch fully welded ladder-style steel frame, four-wheel 8-inch-diameter disc brakes, a 12V Power Port, halogen headlights, rack-and-pinion steering, a 7-gallon fuel tank, a 14.4-cubic-foot steel bed, and a low center of gravity for stability, traction, and control.
Of course there's a full line of optional work-oriented accessories for the Volunteer 4x4D including a deluxe hard cab, a poly canopy, an electric bed lift, an electric winch, a 72-inch snow blade, a salt spreader, and a molded bed and tailgate liner.
Best of all, the Volunteer is competitively priced with an MSRP of $10,599 and it has a two-year warranty. Let it be known that we're volunteering to drive one.
The Yanmar three-cylinder...
The Yanmar three-cylinder diesel engine features a spin-on oil filter, liquid cooling, and 36.9 lb-ft of torque.
Specifications
General
Vehicle model: 2009 Cub Cadet Volunteer 4x4D
Base price: $10,599
Colors: Cub Cadet Yellow, Olive Green
Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled, OHV Yanmar three-cylinder diesel
Displacement (cc): 854
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 36.9 @ 2,400
Drivetrain
Transmission: Fully enclosed CVT
Final drive: Shaft
Suspension
Front: A-arm, adjustable coilover shocks, 8 inches of travel
Rear: A-arm, adjustable coilover shocks, 8 inches of travel
Brakes
Front: 8-inch-diameter disc
Rear: 8-inch-diameter disc
Tires
Front: 25x10-12
Rear: 25x11-12
Dimensions/Capacities
Weight (lb): 1,750
Length (in): 119.0
Width (in): 63.55
Height (in): 73.0
Ground clearance (in): 11.0
Fuel capacity (gal): 7.0
Wheelbase (in): 78.0
Towing/payload capacity (lb): 1,400