plowing with an atv/utv

[MHarryE]

Not sure about your RTV 500 but I wouldn't be afraid to do some limited work with my RTV 900. My former Polaris- forget it. It was a light duty hauler, not a farm workhorse.

 

[KentT]

Not sure about your RTV 500 but I wouldn't be afraid to do some limited work with my RTV 900. My former Polaris- forget it. It was a light duty hauler, not a farm workhorse.

Similarly, I am not familiar with the Kubota RTV's, but there's no way I'd try it with my Rhino 450 (which is geared lower than the 660 or 700).

My experience is from growing up on a farm long ago, and from using garden tractors. For example, until Gravely came out with the Swiftomatic 2-speed gearbox, they offered speed reduction hubs to slow a "mowing tractor" down enough to use ground engaging attachments. Similarly Simplicity/Allis-Chalmers offered speed reduction pulleys for the transmissions, until they started offering variable speeds (i.e. sheaves) and hydrostat transmissions. Most mowing with tractors is done at about 3MPH (plus or minus), while most ground engaging work is done at about 1 MPH (plus or minus). Only ZTRs and professional landscape mowers (with faster legal blade speeds, BTW), get that mowing speed up over 5 MPH...

Ground engaging work is done quite slowly... and IMO, utility vehicles simply aren't designed to work at that speed, even if they are the pure utility type (governed to 25 MPH or less, like Mules, RTVs, etc.), or the utility/recreation type (like the Rhino or Polaris) that may not be governed so slow...

 

[plumbstraight]

While out in the boondocks of Alaska there was a moose hunting party that had some atv's and a utv. They had a tandem axle trailer in tow behind the utv. I admit, some of that country is hard pulling a trailer, but the forward rear axle takes the torque of the rear most axle too as the drive shaft is common to both.

Bottom line, the forward axle was ripped right out of the frame. I was surprised at how thin the metal was in the frame. These are just made for light pulling at best or hauling a light load.

Being broken down 20mi from nowhere is not a good feeling.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Only ZTRs and professional landscape mowers (with faster legal blade speeds, BTW), get that mowing speed up over 5 MPH...

I would not be too sure of that...

 

[jeff9366]

I pull a 4'6" wide ABI Gravel Rascal behind my RTV500 (LOW range/4-WD engaged) quite often, maintaining trails and firebreaks, with no problems. I live in Florida so I am pulling over flat ground, in sandy-loam with NO rocks. RTV500 pulls the Rascal, cousin to a chisel plow with the tines down and rake up, fine. I credit the hydrostatic transmission plus 4-wheel drive. Rarely lever-lock the differential.

ATV Driveway Graders - Gravel Rascalｮ - ABI Attachments

 

[MHarryE]

Similarly, I am not familiar with the Kubota RTV's, but there's no way I'd try it with my Rhino 450 (which is geared lower than the 660 or 700).

My experience is from growing up on a farm long ago, and from using garden tractors. For example, until Gravely came out with the Swiftomatic 2-speed gearbox, they offered speed reduction hubs to slow a "mowing tractor" down enough to use ground engaging attachments. Similarly Simplicity/Allis-Chalmers offered speed reduction pulleys for the transmissions, until they started offering variable speeds (i.e. sheaves) and hydrostat transmissions. Most mowing with tractors is done at about 3MPH (plus or minus), while most ground engaging work is done at about 1 MPH (plus or minus). Only ZTRs and professional landscape mowers (with faster legal blade speeds, BTW), get that mowing speed up over 5 MPH...

Ground engaging work is done quite slowly... and IMO, utility vehicles simply aren't designed to work at that speed, even if they are the pure utility type (governed to 25 MPH or less, like Mules, RTVs, etc.), or the utility/recreation type (like the Rhino or Polaris) that may not be governed so slow...

I must be doing something way wrong because I plow at 5 - 7 mph with our JD 7730. Sure the RTV isn't going to pull a load like that but she is talking about a small plow made for light use in this class machine.

 

[KentT]

I must be doing something way wrong because I plow at 5 - 7 mph with our JD 7730. Sure the RTV isn't going to pull a load like that but she is talking about a small plow made for light use in this class machine.

Using a machine designed for plowing, that weights many, many, many times as much and has many, many, many times as much HP ... just like a commercial ZTR is designed for mowing at high speeds...

I'm talking about my experience pulling a single 8" or 10" turning plow using machines with similar HP of her RTV that were designed to pull such a plow...

I simply stated my opinion, making my recommendation (and trying to explain why) owning a different UTV. She can choose to do whatever she'd like -- I just hope it doesn't damage her RTV, nor invalidate the warranty should she have problems.

 

[j250trxr]

Just a small area but my 800 pulles a 14" single pretty good!