825i Power Steering and engine breaking.

[G1j]

How soon is power steering going to be offered and does anyone know if the downhill engine breaking issue has been resolved? The engine breaking is a buying point for me over the Ranger and is probably the main reason I am considering the 825i over the Ranger. I read that power steering was going to be offered in 2011, but don't see it listed as a factory option yet.

[Deepwoods]

Don't get too wraped up in the engine breaking thing with the John Deere. I thought the new 825i was going to have engine braking, turned out it only does so if you keep the engine under power. Let the accelerator off and you quickly slide into a free running out of control roller coaster ride that the brake can only halfway control. As for power steering, be careful what you wish for! I've heard pro's and con's on it's use for an off road SxS, they will flip pretty easy if you oversteer at any speed.

[G1j]

I was reading that JD was working on addressing the engine brake issue and was supposed to have an answer soon. There were rave reviews on the prototype with power steering on another forum. I was hoping to by one this year with it. I may have to wait and see about these issues before I take the 825i plunge.

[pcbunn]

The owners manual says that there is very limited engine braking.

[Deepwoods]

The owners manual says that there is very limited engine braking.

They are certainly right, it scares the HE** out of me!

[Rob]

I am holding out for powersteering also. My local dealer does not know anything. Hope to hear something soon.

[mossyoak]

I personally don't have that much problem with engine braking on my 11 825i gator. It has awesome braking when I let off the gas. I hardly even use my foot brake. Now going down hills it will hold back until the engine completely revs down, but then all we have to do is barely tap the gas and it will start braking again...

I wouldn't let the Polaris engine brake lean you toward their way because we just owned an 11 Polaris Ranger 800 and its braking was awful compared to the Gator. There were things I like about the Ranger over the JD, but at the end of the day, the Gator just operates and feels like more of a machine.

[Deepwoods]

Mossyoak.......... I also have the 2011 825i, mines's in camo with power dump and the works (bumpers, side rails. and full glass, etc.). Where I live my cabin is on top of a large hill with the carport, but all the other buildings are at the base of the hill, and the mail box at the end of a long drive. I'll be 65 this fall and I'm handicapped. Because of the hill all rides get rather hairy. Winter isn't really a problem as I use my JD tractor to keep the drive open and a sand pile near the base. I bought the 825i because I couldn't make the walk anymore and was using the tractor for going up and down the hill. I really didn't like my wife being gone alone when she got the mail was part of the problem. I love my Gator, but the down hill rides still are a little more thrill than the old heart needs to get the day started. They are a great maching and are as heavy built as the old MULE we used in the field during the nasty business of Vietnam ( I also loved the military MULE [not to be associated with todays SxS of the same name], and often have wondered how it would work in the North woods today)