How To Winterize Your Kawasaki Mule

Just because the seasons have changed and the snow has begun to fall, doesn’t mean that the work is over. As a matter of fact, in many places, the workload during winter only increases. And even if you do cover up your Mule, stow it away in the garage, and keep it in the back of your mind until spring, there are still some easy things you can do to winterize your Kawasaki Mule. So regardless of whether you’re after Kawasaki Mule snow tracks for added traction, a UTV snow plow to clear the way, or a side-by-side cab enclosure to stay warm, here are some accessories, parts, and products you can use to get your Kawasaki Mule ready for winter!

Winter-Proofing Your Kawasaki Mule

No matter if you ride throughout the winter season, or park your rig until spring, there are a number of measures you should take to preserve your Kawasaki Mule when the temperatures drop. For the battery and electrical system, battery tenders are a must. Battery tenders for the Kawasaki Mule plug into the electrical grid to keep your UTV’s battery charged. And to avoid overcharging, battery tenders shut off automatically. Many riders have good things to say about the Noco Genius 2 Amp, which is a smart battery charger that also doubles as a tender. You can get lug mounts that bolt onto the battery, and then plug the charger into those instead of using clamps. In this way, you’ll never need jumped and your bike will always be ready to start regardless of the outside temperature.

In addition to battery tenders for the electrical system, you can also winterize your Kawasaki Mule with fuel stabilizers to prevent the build up of varnish and gum in the engine, carburetor, and fuel tank. If your Mule doesn’t sit idle for more than a few days at a time, you can probably get by with non-ethanol gasoline. Fuel that contains ethanol will separate, and once it does, the alcohol will absorb water into the fuel — which then causes issues with the internal combustion process of the engine. However, even non-ethanol fuel will go bad over time, so if you’re planning on storing your Kawasaki Mule longer than a month or so, fuel stabilizers like Star Tron or Sta-Bil 360 are essential!

Snow Tracks For The Kawasaki Mule

Be it to access your winter cabin or to ensure that you never get stuck when off-roading over powder, Kawasaki Mule tracks can be super helpful for those who live in frigid climates. Although snow tracks will increase your UTV’s traction and expand where you’re able to ride during winter, not all the glitters is gold. When you hook tracks up nice and tight to your Kawasaki Mule, the drive sprocket sometimes pulls the rubber drive lugs out of sections of the tracks. Although most Kawasaki Mule tracks are thin and flexible, de-lamination can still occur where the lugs are molded, which causes the differential to skip. To avoid problems such as this, you should always put your Mule in low when tracks are installed, and never try to pull something heavy that requires a lot of throttle.

In addition to different wear parameters, installing snow tracks on your Kawasaki Mule will also alter the size of your machine. With Camso tracks on a Mule Pro FXT, for example, the length of the UTV will be 12’7”, the width of the UTV will be 75”, and the height will be 41” from the ground to the rear of the wheel well. This might not matter to some riders, but for those with low-ceiling garages or enclosed toy haulers, tracks might make their Mule too big to fit where it needs to.

Snow Plows For The Kawasaki Mule

Few things make more sense than putting the Kawasaki Mule to work during winter with a snow plow attachment. There are several options out there for Kawasaki Mule snow plows, including the 72” steel straight blade by KFI, the 72” Moose plow with a RM4 Mount, and even back blades that attach to the rear of the vehicle and push snow off or walkways and road from behind. Many Kawasaki Mule plow systems are winch driven, and straps or specialized pulley systems can be implemented to avoid overworking the winch and abrading the winch line.

Cab Enclosures For The Kawasaki Mule

We’ve talked about UTV accessories and products to increase the reliability and usefulness of your Mule, but how about accessories that bring additional levels of comfort for you and your passengers? This is where Kawasaki Mule cab enclosures come into the picture. Although the factory Kawasaki Mule enclosure systems can do the job, they are rather expensive for what you get. Instead of the soft upper doors that come with the factory enclosure, companies like Seizmik make full doors for the front and middle sections of the Mule that trap heat during winter, which can then be easily taken off in the summertime. The Canada-based company Side X Side Enclosures make custom cab enclosures for the Kawasaki Mule that work with side mirrors, windshields, and all other accessories that you may have installed. Simply give them the dimensions of your bike and the accessories you’re running, and they’ll fabricate you an enclosure system for your particular setup!

Final Thoughts

Even in the coldest of climates, the coming of winter doesn’t necessitate the end of your riding season. With the right accessories and a few preventative measures, you can ride all winter long if you feel so inclined. Or if you’d rather park your UTV for the winter and use your snowmobile, conducting a few simple procedures will ensure that your Mule starts right up after long periods of inactivity!