RTV 500 Rattle Sound

737pilot · Jan 3, 2009

I just bought the RTV 500 and love it except for a annoying metal clanging sound at idle. I took it back to the dealer and had them start 3 new 500's and all of them had the metal knocking noise to some degree with mine seeming to be the loudest. They say its from the slash pulley that powers the alternator and that they would address the problem with Kubota to find a fix. I bought this machine for its so called quiet operation and this clanging metal noise is very irritating to me. Besides this I'm very impressed with the machine and find it very adequate for my hunting needs and fun to drive. I just line X'ed the bed and was charged $65, much less than the $180 the dealer and Rhino wanted.

737pilot · Jan 3, 2009

One more thing. I traded a Grizzly 600 for the RTV 500 and no I can't go some places I used to go but it will go about to 99% of those places. It has low ground clearance but I took it in the swamp and the little baby walked right out. No problems. It's only a 25 mph machine, 30 downhill but i'm mostly 5-10 around camp so its more than fast enough. I want to know if any of you other Bota 500 owners have noticed the metallic knocking noise at idle from the pulley. Very annoying to me and a must fix if Kubota wants me happy and a customer for life. My only complaint as I was looking for a golf cart and there claim as super quiet brought me back to a powered machine so I'm sensitive to unwanted noise. The engine itself is a pure joy to hear. Purrs like a kitten. If only I didn't have the metal knocking noise. Come on Kubota you can do better.

737pilot · Jan 3, 2009

One more thing. The lights are OK for maybe 50 ft. in front of you at night and could use some additional light. Anyone who has the optional utility lights offered by Kubota could you post if they work well for additional driving lights or are they just a good close up flood light. Again the noise I posted about is like a metal on metal noise almost like a loose clamp noise. Very irritating once you pick up on it. They all have it.

737pilot · Jan 4, 2009

Why do they bother with disc brakes on these things since the thing stops the second you let off the gas. I find this nice for some situations and very irritating for others. I think the high pitch transmission sound you get when you let off the gas is annoying and not a very good design. I hunt and this thing is not quiet. Maybe compared to a bulldozer its quiet but it's defiantly louder than I would like as I was looking for a golf cart when I came across the RTV 500. I do like the machine overall but its the small stuff that you would think Kubota would do better at. Ie. no noisy metal knocking, a fuel gauge, not as much engine braking, a windshield that keeps water out. Mine has a gap at the top between the roof and in rain water comes right in my eyes.

art · Jan 5, 2009

Hunting should not be a problem with most machines that make noise that the animals are used to.

The bulk of or farm customers take the controls of the spreader tractor for a day or two before hunting season to find the pattern of the deer so that opening day they can go out and get their buck!

It is difficult to find or to have justification for some noises when we aren't used to them that is for sure.

I know from flights in different planes that some noises draw my attention although I've found that they are just unique to the make or model of the planes.

David_Kb7uns · Jan 5, 2009

I can get close enough to the deer around here on the L3130 or the RTV 1100 sitting at high idle and they just cock there heads and look, however if I get the quad out and they hear that they do run. So around here diesel engines= loggers, gasoline engines= hunters and they run for cover. Anybody ever tell you how nice it is to hunt from a nice warm and dry cab of RTV1100... my friend has and he wants me to take him hunting more often, the more noise you make around here the more curious the deer get.

David Kb7uns

737pilot · Jan 5, 2009

Just got back from a deer hunt and had a great time riding around in the RTV 500 so much I only got the last 45 min. of daylight but it was plenty as a nice big cow horn came into the field and I busted him. Looked great in the back of the Kubota. I think i'm gonna like it but still hope they can remedy the metal rattle sound.

art · Jan 6, 2009

Just playing around I got into a 500 to listen for rattles. The ones we have don't have the rattles yet! I put "yet" on just because often after the paint is removed they get a little looser and things might change.

On the 900 and 1100 we found that it is often the tailgate that is the problem. A little tweaking has helped us to get rid of it. On the 500 they added some rubber back there to help absorb it but if the rubber bumpers were gone I could see the same type vibration.

737pilot · Jan 6, 2009

Art, I assume your a Kubota dealer so I know you have to be aware of the noise I'm talkin about. I call it a rattle but another word might be more appropriate. The dealer I bought mine from started every brand new right off the truck RTV 500 and every single one had the metal pinging sound, some worse than others. It definatley is there and Kubota has to already know about it. They market these things for their quiet operation and I have to agree except for the very annoying metal clanking sound. It is mainly noticed not moving at idle. Listen carefully and you'll hear it. The engine and everything else about the machine is a pure joy. I only have 24 hours on it so far and I am liking it more everyday. The dealer I dealt with is very aware of the noise and said he will address it with Kubota. Supposedly it is from the alternator drive pulley according to my dealer.