Power increase for RTV900 and lift kit...

Archdean · Mar 4, 2005

( Pssst. ducati, I was wanting this to be a fun thread and to hopefully find a way to improve my RTV. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I don't know the issues with dean and you, and don't want to know. But, please don't get my thread shut down. I seriously do want to know how to get more power out of my RTV. And, yesterday I did order a lift kit from Essex. I'll be able to report on that soon. )

Dargo, I too want your thread to succeed and have no intentions of publicly rebutting childish immature behavior !! Nuff said about the inappropriate comments from a Non RTV owner and perhaps the gentleman will mature with time!

In any event I have communicated your concerns to folks much higher in the Kubota Dealer chain than I work for and as of yet I can't say that a response is any different than the one I originally gave you!!
That is not to say that it is not being refined as we speak!!

I just haven't been appraised of any solution so far!!
If and when I am able to shed more definitive light on your problem , you may rest assured I will communicate the same to you!!

My best regards,
Dean

Dargo · Mar 6, 2005

Okay, I finally made it up one of the hills that my Rhino runs up. I know the pic is poor (from my phone), but you can see a little of the sort of hill I'm talking about.

MarkStewart · Mar 6, 2005

That's pretty impressive. Especially with one of those. I'd hate to roll down that hill the wrong way. How fast were you going up the hill?

bczoom · Mar 6, 2005

Ahhhh...

How much pucker is involved when climbing that hill.

What has changed where you can now climb it?

Dargo · Mar 6, 2005

( What has changed where you can now climb it? )

Whew, I'm telling you, that hill is steeeeep! Actually, I embarrassed my son when I made it up that hill in reverse with the Rhino. Yeah, that was a rush. And, I don't think I'll do that again. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Do you know how quick a Rhino changes directions when you're roasting the tires in reverse?! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Anyway, I don't know how my son managed how to get up the hill in the RTV. "Dargo" bailed out of the back half way up, but the RTV bit hard and went on up. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif As usual, the rear diff was locked and it was in 4X4. Otherwise, the only difference is I'd installed the lift kit from Essex since the last try. I wonder if the front bumper was hitting the hill before? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I can't think of how a slight suspension lift would have helped otherwise.

The RTV will never be able to climb with a Rhino spinning all four of it's tires at 40mph, but I suppose I'll concede that it does okay climbing. A guy who met up with us on a Honda Rancher (I think that's what it said on it) passed on trying to climb that hill. Whimp! I still need more power though! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Harrygoodwrench · Mar 9, 2005

Ditto on hill being steep.
Hills like that scare the heck out of me. I flipped a 4 wheeler on a lesser hill(less steeper) years ago. Needless to say, the hill won. My Evil Knevil days are over and I won't try that any more. I'll take the long way around thank you. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

rtvman · Mar 10, 2005

Dargo, Very impressive! Kubota probably did not have this type of terrain in mind when they designed the RTV. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I trust that seatbelts were used.

Is this pretty typical terrain on your property? Or do you travel places to ride on? From your picture (not bad really from a camera phone) it looks like this hill is fresh and not traveled on very much. Do you think that a more groomed track to ride on would allow your RTV to traverse this hill any better? Just curious.

Kevin

bczoom · Mar 10, 2005

Dargo,

Went out for awhile and did some testing on steep hills although not quite as steep as what you have there. In "M" range it pooped out and stalled quickly. In "L" range it just kept climbing. 2WD had plenty of traction as well.

BTW - My cold temp starting issue was resolved by replacing the starter.

Brian

Dargo · Mar 10, 2005

rtvman, there is everything from flat land to about 150' tall steep hills, and everything in the middle, on my property. In the pic, I'm at a piece of property that isn't attached to where I live that I bought last year. I just bushhogged in some trails in there last summer. Otherwise, there isn't any real trails so to speak. That hill gets progressively taller the further left (in the pic) you go. It is sort of a benchmark hill to climb to see what the UV's will do. It's really steep, but isn't rutted out and doesn't have many trees to dodge.

bczoom, I'm glad to hear that you got the starter replaced and that doing so fixed your cold start problem. On making the "test" climbs, it does seem to make a little difference (not much though) if the RTV is in 4X4. At the steep angle, there can't be much weight on the front end. It mostly helps when the RTV bounces and it helps steering while going up the steep hill. Ditto on running out of power in "M". When I've been in the RTV, I get it to run out in "L" on the really steep hills if it grabs hard. I guess my son is like you in that he figured out a better throttle position for more power. Especially after driving the Rhino, I just can't keep from hammering my foot down to the floor when climbing. My right foot won't obey my brain and let up any! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Uh, well, that sounds better than "I have poor technique" anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Archdean · Mar 10, 2005

Well Brian, I see another RTV owner has finally seen the light (so to speak)!!

"Dargo, I just can't keep from hammering my foot down to the floor when climbing. My right foot won't obey my brain and let up any!"

Brain meet Foot- Foot meet Brain--- Ta-Da******
And another RTV Owner is converted!!

It appears that my work is done here!!

Dean