Anyone Rolled or flipped their UTV? UTV Ballast in Tires or Wheel Weights?

[TableRocked]

I've got a loaner Kubota RTV 900 while my RTV 1140 CPX is enroute from the factory and noticed on my most recent trip up a steep trail in my yard (I'd guess around 50 degree slope) with a very full load of granite rocks (well above the rim of the box), it felt like my front wheels were coming off the ground (lost all steering), and when I went to turn it around to back up the hill, and I may be wrong, it felt like I was about nearing the point of it tipping over completely......

...... that being said, in reverse, up the steep hill (around 900 yards), and it made it just fine...... that diesel engine must have a ton of torque because it didn't even begin to act like it was needing more power, just more weight on the front end......

Has anyone else experienced this with their UTV's, Kubotas or otherwise? Has anyone put ballast in their UTV tires or wheel weights?

(yes, I know I need a tractor, but my toy/tool budget is limited.... so having to make do in the short term while I save for my B26 or L45)

 

[pwright]

When I put a heaping load of gravel in the bed of my Ranger it definitely gets light in the front but so far not so much that I actually lost steering. Can't say that I noticed any lateral tippiness. I would have thought the RTV carries the load a bit lower than on my Ranger so I'm a bit surprised that you would have had that problem.

 

[TableRocked]

Just ran another load up an even steeper hill and it must just be I'm still getting used to the machine. I got out to look and while it felt like my front got very light, and the steering lost most of its directionality, the tires were still fully in contact with the ground, and I wasn't able to flip the unit backwards.

(I wish I had a truck scale to measure how much these loads of granite rock weigh.)

I'm still extremely impressed, this RTV 900 seems to have tons of torque and has no issues hauling heavy loads on unstable, extremely steep, rock strewn, paths. I'm curious to see how my RTV 1140 CPX fairs.

Oh, and this model has no bedliner, spray in or lay in. Moving rocks is brutal on the bed, but, I'm happy to say, the thickness of the metal is sufficient such that no major dents have occurred on the diamond patterned steel area. The sides, however, have a few new dimples.

Oh, and while I did keep it in 4WD, I did not have to engage the differential lock to make it up the hills.

Let's see how another 30 to 50 hours or so of this kind of hauling impacts this machine......

 

[Gary Fowler]

Do you have any kind of inclinometer , angle finder etc. to determine exact angle of slope. 50 degrees seems a bit steep for pulling an empty RTV up and it is nearly impossible to walk up or down that angle of grade especially if on grass or rocks without slipping and falling. I have an RTV 900 and it will climb a steep grade and haul a bed full of rocks easily without getting light on the front end but I don't know if I would tackle a 50 degree slope.

 

[ctann]

Do you have any kind of inclinometer , angle finder etc. to determine exact angle of slope. 50 degrees seems a bit steep for pulling an empty RTV up and it is nearly impossible to walk up or down that angle of grade especially if on grass or rocks without slipping and falling. I have an RTV 900 and it will climb a steep grade and haul a bed full of rocks easily without getting light on the front end but I don't know if I would tackle a 50 degree slope.

I too would like to know some more details on that slope. When asking about the sort of slopes these machines will tackle, everyone talks about "pucker factor" rather than real measurements. I am still shopping for my UTV, and so everything is theory for me right now - but I was a little worried about a 40% slope (about 22 degrees).

Google earth will give you a pretty accurate measurement (at least on my property), so it should be easy to check...

Thanks,
Chris.

 

[MotorSeven]

50 degrees? If you're like me you guess steeper than they really are. This is an easy way to verify your slope:

How to calculate grade percentage of a slope - YouTube

 

[jeff9366]

Consider a trailer. ATV trailers are designed to carry the load low, between the wheels, not over the wheels. The MUTS is very stable. Mine has been completely dependable in thirty months unsparing use.

MUTS - Multi-Use Trailer System for your ATV, Quad and 4 Wheeler - Welcome


I do not have personal experience with Monroe Tufline, but they have a very good reputation. Poly bed might be better if you want to move a lot of granite. Monroe plant is in Mississippi, closer to you than MUTS.

http://www.monroetufline.com/products/uc20-30-utilitycarts.htm


I believe you can order POLAR from Home Depot.

http://clamoutdoors.com/polar_trailer/polar-category.html


BE CONSIDERATE OF THE OWNER OF THAT "LOANER" AS YOU USE IT.

 

[phiferpharm]

My son rolled my Rhino over making a turn too fast. No real damage to anything or anybody, but after that we added wheel spacers to widen the stance. So far, it has remained stable on turns.

 

[Xfaxman]

For those that didn't see it yesterday on this other thread:

Re: What ATV, side by side or UTV do you have.

2014 Kubota RTV 1140 CPX - still in transit from the factory, so zero hours


I have a loaner RTV 900 (with over 1500 hours on it) from my Kubota dealer until mine arrives..... the loaner appears to have been a rental and has been used extremely hard, but she's already hauled close to a dozen loads of granite rock for me up 50 degree rocky trails in my woods without complaint.

Man that is steep, does the front end get light? It might go over backwards.

I would also be concerned about oil starvation on that incline.

This is what 30 degrees of body lean looks like.
​

 

[TableRocked]

Thanks for all the info..... downloaded an "APP" for my iPhone which shows a -28 degrees .... I guess I was way off in my "gestimation"...... my wife keeps telling me I have a depth perception problem :duh: