Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction...

   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #1  

mstordahl

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
45
First off, just want to say hi to everyone on here as I am new, seems to be a very friendly forum and I like it. I have noticed since I started looking on this forum a lot of wrong information and a lot of grey area for a lot of people and wanted to try to help and use my knowledge to help some others and better their experiences with the product. I am going to put together a list of things about the rtvs that seem to be common issues that do not need to be. If a dealer or a tech really cares about the problem, you would not have any of these issues. So here they are:

rtv 500:
Power on these units is not nearly as bad as many have been told or experienced. No, they are not a rhino or a razer, but they will work hard and have a lot of torque. All of the power issues that I have ran into so far have been easy to fix with rpm and hst servo adjustments.
Shifting should also not be an issue. When stopped to shift, with the brake pedal firmly pressed and fully stopped, the transmission will shift smooth and easy. Also, the hst should never bog the motor out, and dont ever let ANYONE tell you that ANY rtv you need to back out of the pedal to get up hills and keep from bogging out the motor. This is plain and outright wrong, false and ignorant. The hst on ALL the rtv's is designed to keep the motor in its powerband and act much like a belt drive cvt, not a tractor hst. If it bogs out, get it adjusted, or ask for some help on adjusting it, I will gladly help.

rvt 900, 1100, 1140:
Power on these is the same issue as the 500, sometimes rpm is to low, but mostly it is just the hst servo needs some tweaking. Like I said above, if it doesnt act as designed, have it adjusted. Same servo on all the rtv hst's to adjust how aggressive the trans is.
Shifting is aso not an issue if operated correctly and the hst, cables and dump valve are adjusted properly. If a unit does not shift when completely stopped with the foot firmly on the brake pedal after a 2 second count, something needs adjustment or repair. Most of the time a little patience and some knowledge on how to shift properly makes all the difference.
Holdback being too agressive can also be tailored to individual persons. I always have customers test them when they buy a unit and adjust it according to how much retarding power they want. It is a quick and easy adjustment again, if you know what you are doing, and makes the machine a lot more enjoyable to use for some.


I want more than anything to have everyone know that these machines are much better than the reputation that they have been given, and that some simple and easy fixes (mostly free) can make them everything that they were promised and designed to be. If there is anything that I have missed, let it be added, and others opinions are always welcome to me. I will try my best to help anyone with a problem on these machines, just ask.

Thanks, Matt:D
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #2  
mstordahl- thanks for the post. We just got an 1140 this past week. So far very happy with the machine. One question- I'm assuming the "holdback" is the braking action of the transmission. How can this be adjusted. Ours is adequate in forward gears but very aggressive in reverse. I would like to soften it up a bit in the forward gears. I am yet to use the breaks in 5 hours of use as the transmission stops the unit before I can even put my foot on the brakes.
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction...
  • Thread Starter
#3  
The holdback of the machine, both in forward and reverse is controlled by the same relief valve in the transmission. To adjust this, you have to have some good mechanical knowledge and know what to look for. If you feel confident, I will try to help. What I would suggest is since the unit is so new, you should talk to your dealer and have them adjust it for you.

Matt
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #4  
Matt,

Have a couple of questions to make sure everything that I did is cool.

1) I had to adjust the throttle cable (the part with the 2 12mm jamb nuts) about a qurater inch to the rear of the machine to get the governer stop to hit with RPM at spec. It's more toward the back than the front. Does this sound correct?

2) I adjusted the servo 1.5 turns out. Does this seem excessive?

I did make certain that the max servo arm travel stayed and adjusted the pedal stop to make sure that the servo was not being used as the stop.

On behalf of all RTV owners out there, we thank you for sharing you knowledge of this machine. You have saved one really disgruntled Kubota owner from moving on. I will now continue to be loyal to orange!!.

The following isn't directed at you Matt, you have been a godsend to many of us!!!


My question is this: Many of us have complained to the dealers about this only to be told this is perfectly normal. To anyone with common sense, this just didn't stand up to reality. When this repair became known to them, why didn't they contact those of us who have been asking about this for over a year and offer to perform the adjustments? I had just talked to my dealer a couple of weeks ago and he held the same story with this being normal.

With the reputation for terrible performance on hills, you'd think Kubota would have become concerned about this. Doesn't seem to be the case, which does bother me. These aren't cheap, I've got almost 10 large tied up in this thing with accessories. You'd think they would want people singing their praises, not being dissapointed. I've seen more complaints about RTV's on this board than any other brand. Most of the issues are easily solved if the info was available. They musn't be concerned about bad press. In this economy, I certainly would be.

Again, Matt we really appreciate your information and guidance. You have become one of the most valuable members of TBN.
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction...
  • Thread Starter
#5  
The adjustment that you did on the throttle cable sounds right to me.
The servo adjustment at 1.5 turns out is nothing. Some I have done were so bad that I had to take them out a full 5 to 6 turns to get them to drive right. Nothing to worry about, and nothing that you can hurt by doing it.

The number one issue is the dealers dont care, but more importantly, the techs dont care either. My dealership would probably say the same things if it wasnt for my knowledge on the machine, because I care about the customers. I want to see every customer a happy one, and not just mine, but all Kubota customers. There is never too much information, and there is no good reason to not learn and adapt to what you can. I was one of the first ones to figure out how to tune the rtv properly, and have always had good luck with them since. A lot is that they just dont know the answer, and are too afraid to say exactly that. There is nothing wrong with not knowing an answer to a customers question, but find the answer for them. This is the difference in REAL service.

Worst of all, Kubota is concerned about all the complaints. Ever tried calling head office and making a complaint? Things happen right away from what I have witnessed, they do not take it lightly to say the least. Sad to say, Kubota is not the problem here, its the dealers. If more people went to Kubota with a complaint when their dealer did not solve their issue, a lot less issues would be around. This is one large reason that I decided to go to the internet and try to shed some light on the problems and their solutions. It cant hurt. And thank you very much for the welcome attitude. Keeping an open mind is very good, and thanks also for sticking it through with your machine till now. Hopefully I have your issues resolved, and any more that will arise.

Thanks, Matt
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #6  
Thanks Matt,

I still have some room for tuning the servo then. I think I'll wait until I take the plow is off (maybe) to finish it up.

I actually did talk to a Kubota regional rep a year ago ...He didn't seem to really care and was somewhat rude. My snowplow skid shoes didnt extend past the bottom of the blade, in fact then were 1/2" short. He didn't believe me until I sent him pictures. Then he said they could cut/weld to correct this...I told him that wasn't acceptable on a brand new $1600 snow plow. That one took a while to correct. The plow manufacturer sent out shoes with longer shafts...Looks like it could put extra stress on the shoe mounts, but we'll see.
I also brought up the power issue, and got an "is what it is" response.

Brought this up in every survey and also left contact information and never heard anything back...Who knows.

You've recovered this whole debacle all by your self!!!:D
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #7  
Matt,
Are there service bulletins on the rpm and servo adjustments?
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #8  
Ok, one more if you don't mind. On another thread you recommended using Kubota's "Premium" UDT oil. Is that the same as the Super UDT I used?
Thanks for you help and time.
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction...
  • Thread Starter
#9  
There is a bulletin on the rpm adjustments for the 500. I do not believe that there is any bulletin on the servo adjustment though. Still, techs have to go to school to maintain a dealerships status and that is one major part of the system that we learn about.

From what my Kubota rep in our area told me, they have modified the oil again to a thinner viscosity, but I would check with your nearest dealer, as things can be a little different with the marketing from the us and canada.

Matt
 
   / Kubota RTV Facts/Fiction... #10  
Thanks for the post. We've got a 900, and while it does run fine, if I stop and there is still some load on the trans (like going up a hill) the only way to get it out of gear is to pull the choke like knob which frankly seems like a band aid fix. If you have a suggested cure for this, please advise. The trans pressure release does work, but like I said, everyone who drives it thinks it is a joke.

I also have a question about the transmission power. If I try to pull a log or something that is too heavy, the tires WILL NOT spin. It acts like the pressure relief on the trans needs fixing. I have installed the hand throttle, but of course that does not affect where the trans slips.

I've got hydro trans on JD 4400 and 318, and I can stall the engines with the trans, the RTV does not come close. I know it has 18-20+ HP, it ought to be able to put that torque on the ground and almost pull out stumps.

On the good side, the power steering is the best. We have a lot of woods and the trails are windy, the RTV is so much nicer than the Mule we had.

Wayne
 
 
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