RTV on a hill

milkman · Feb 4, 2005

Some on this site have talked about the RTV being hard to shift between ranges on a hill. I was on the Kubota site looking at the RTV and in the section on hills, it states "For steep inclines, the RTV900 automatically reduces speed to provide aggressive hill climbing power." What is this feature, does it not work, if it does work, then why do you need to stop and change the range partway up a hill? Confusing. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

rtvman · Feb 4, 2005

Not sure about what they mean by "... automatically reduces speed on steep inclines...". No kidding. I don't think there is anything special or automatic about that, it just slows done naturally in any gear under load. Basically, what I think guy's are talking about with the hard shifting is that if they happen to stop on an incline and they are in high gear or they want to put it into reverse, it can be quite difficult to shift to alternate gears. Personally, I have found this to be a minor inconvenience and if nothing else it forces me to choose my gears wisely before entering tough terrain. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bczoom · Feb 4, 2005

Milkman,

The shifting issue relates to any shifting when the machine is on a hill. I have a couple turns I can't make on my hill and have to do a 3 point turn. Until the RTV broke in, I learned the emergency brake trick... it was a real bugger to shift between forward and reverse. This issue is all gone now.

OK, the other part is the increase of power. Drove my RTV for 6 months before learning this one. Yea, that's embarrasing but I've never had a HST before. IN seriously non-technical terms, there is a 2nd Hyd. pump in the RTV. When you let off the pedal (from flooring it), it re-routes (or engages or something) to this 2nd pump which reduces speed but provides a lot more power.

Lastly, how else are we going to know how these things can do on hills unless we give it everything it's got. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Now that I'm getting better with the pedal, I'll try higher ranges but may force myself to shift down lower if it doesn't work out. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

rtvman · Feb 4, 2005

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the NOT to floor it when you need more power. Thanks BCZOOM /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

FL_Cracker · Feb 4, 2005

Yes, there is a second pump that kicks in as the unit slows down to avoid a stall. I have a long steep hill that I can make in high gear but the RTV slows down to about 6mph and then I let off the peddle and it acts as if I down shifted to a lower gear. Stays at 6mph all the way to the top. It's hard to get use to because if it were a regular engine/clutch/transmission combo you would stop, downshift and power on, because it really feels like your going to run out of power before the top of the hill, BUT it doesn't, second pump kicks in and here you go again...

milkman · Feb 4, 2005

Thanks, that makes sense with what I'd read, but it's good to have someone explain how it works in real situations. Is that explained in the owners manual, or do you have to learn this on your own? Sounds like it works like the hydro in the tractors, but a lot more sophisticated.
I want one of them really bad, but out of the question right now.

bczoom · Feb 4, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is that explained in the owners manual, or do you have to learn this on your own? Sounds like it works like the hydro in the tractors, but a lot more sophisticated. )</font>

Milkman,

I wish it was explained in the manual. It would have saved me 6 months of driving around in low gear with the pedal to the floor anytime I was near a hill (and I have lots of them).

Brian