RTV on Tracks

[Paystar]

Saw this at my dealer the other day. The powerline contractors here are using a lot of these now.

 

[5030]

Looks like an expensive modification. Wonder who makes the tracks? Certainly not Kubota.

 

[Paystar]

Looks like an expensive modification. Wonder who makes the tracks? Certainly not Kubota.

They are Camso tracks. I never asked the price. I'd sure like to see how they work on that machine.

 

[bmaverick]

When I read the subject line I first thought, who would want to have one on rail-road tracks.

 

[Paystar]

I just found you tube videos on RTV's with those tracks. I'd be scared to even try and go where they did, but they seem to work! Even looks like it can still go normal (well, for an RTV) speed.

 

[Paystar]

I'm always scared of getting mine stuck. You'd need a bulldozer to get that heavy thing out, LOL

 

[5030]

Tracks on a diesel powered Kubby side by side would be interesting in as much as they don't make gobs of power to begin with. I would think the parasitic loss from the track assemblies would further degrade the power output, but what do I know. Not something I'd be interested in anyway. We own a Kubota side by side but not a diesel powered one, rather a gas powered unit that actually produces good power and travels over the 25 mph speed that all the diesel powered ones are governed to. Ours will ran close to 60 if necessary, not that we do ever simply because 60 is scary in it.

 

[Paystar]

Tracks on a diesel powered Kubby side by side would be interesting in as much as they don't make gobs of power to begin with. I would think the parasitic loss from the track assemblies would further degrade the power output, but what do I know. Not something I'd be interested in anyway. We own a Kubota side by side but not a diesel powered one, rather a gas powered unit that actually produces good power and travels over the 25 mph speed that all the diesel powered ones are governed to. Ours will ran close to 60 if necessary, not that we do ever simply because 60 is scary in it.

Huckabones has a video of a Sidekick with tracks as well. It does take away some speed and he says you need a country mile to turn it around.
I mean I guess I can see them useful for somebody like a powerline contractor, or a wood lot.
Like I say though, I would HATE to get it stuck, LOL

 

[oldnslo]

I recall a post from someone on installing tracks on his ATV for snow work. Don’t recall the ATV brand or size but I believe he was grooming trails in the Michigan UP area.

Agree with Paystar you don’t want to get one stuck.

 

[East30]

I have those same tracks on my 2017 x1100. Love them. Wintertime use only, for plowing and on the lakes for ice fishing. There's a lot of surface area with them and can float over a lot of snow. The tracks also provide a lot of traction for pulling ice shacks, so long as it's not glare ice. They need snow to grab, and they do bite in snow with the amount of surface area. We pulled out a Ford F250 that another full-seized truck couldn't budge. The Kubota walked the F250 right out when in low gear.

However, did get it stuck once, just a matter of shoveling to get the frame off the snow, and backed out. Loss of speed is 50%. And yes, need lots of room to turn it around, I'm a three-point turn expert now.

 

[Rustyiron]

I have a set for our Gator. They're a lot of fun but very slow. The drive sprocket is about 12-14" diameter wich is your final drive ratio. Think of it as driving on your wheels with no tires.
If you don't care about flying around with the engine screaming and maybe have more of a "hot rod" machine that's one thing. The Kubota and my Gator are more utility types.
In certain snow conditions anything with tires can get hung up in only 6-8" and the tracks don't care.
We have over a square mile of land with various "grades" of logging trails and roads that are actually more accessible in the winter with the tracks because of the increased ground clearance of about 18".

I have them ready to go, the snow really hasn't set in yet this year.

 

[ArlyA]

I just found you tube videos on RTV's with those tracks. I'd be scared to even try and go where they did, but they seem to work! Even looks like it can still go normal (well, for an RTV) speed.

I'm not certain which transmission your RTV has but if its a hydrostatic, I'd not recommend putting pods on it.

 

[5030]

I do believe that Arly has tracks on his Pull your arse side by side, but not 100% certain. Maybe he can allude to that.

Our Kubota GS really don't come out in the winter anyway. It's in the garage on a battery tender usually with additive in the gas so the gas don't go bad. Marine Stabil of course.

 

[deserteagle71]

Can-am (Canadian company) offers tracks straight from the factory for their machines for those who live in snow country. Go where no vehicle on wheels can go.

 

[5030]

Our Kubota GS isn't a hydro. It's is cogged belt drive with a multi speed transmission much like a snowmobile is but with multiple speeds inside a gearbox. The main drive is a cogged belt with a variable speed sheaved pulley set just like a sled whereas a sled don't have a geared trannny but the GS does and of course the trans supplies the 4wd function as well, not that I hardly ever use it. It has 4 high, 4 low and 2 high and 2 low and 2wd and 4 wd. Not overly fond of the cogged belt drive but so far it has been issue free and it's totally enclosed as well.

I will say that in 2 high, stomping on the fuel pedal results in spinning the rear wheels and breathtaking acceleration.

 

[WilliamBos]

I'm not certain which transmission your RTV has but if its a hydrostatic, I'd not recommend putting pods on it.

Its not a throw away riding lawn mower hst, its a tractor HST. And that is something Kubota has perfected.

Zero issues running tracks on an HST machine.

 

[deserteagle71]

Not overly fond of the cogged belt drive but so far it has been issue free and it's totally enclosed as well.

When I was shopping for a side by side I was really leary of the belt drive and strongly considered a Honda because of it's "dual clutch automatic" transmission. Now I'm glad I settled for the belt-drive Can-am after reading about all the problems with that dual clutch automatic. Over 4000 miles on my Can-am now, including some pulling a trailer, and the belt still looks new. And if I do need to ever change it, it is at most a half-hour process and easy to do. I bought a spare belt when I bought the Can-am.

 

[ArlyA]

Its not a throw away riding lawn mower hst, its a tractor HST. And that is something Kubota has perfected.

Zero issues running tracks on an HST machine.

As long as you don't mind a top speed (engine at max rpm) of 12...

 

[ArlyA]

For whoever might care, been running machines with pods for years, something over 20 now. It was my job.

 

[WilliamBos]

As long as you don't mind a top speed (engine at max rpm) of 12...

Not everyone is obsessed with winning a race.