RTV500 with Camoplast 4S UTV tracks Install and Trials

[beretta96man]

Ok, I finally got the mount kit last night around 6pm so naturally I stayed out in the garage till 11:30 installing them. Of course I'm sick as a dog right when I finally get these on but hopefully this weekend I'll feel better and get it out for the action pics (going to drag our spear house out on the lake).

Install notes:
-Easy to do. All bolt on parts, no drilling for mounting hardware
-One required modification is to cut each side of the bumper/grill guard off by 2-3 inches for track clearance
-Hub adapter plates use the factory wheel lugs. The front plates need either 1 washer spacer in between it and the hub like I did or you need to cut down/ get shorter studs. When I tightened those they pushed on the brake disk causing them to distort so that is a must to alter, nothing included in the kit to fix. Instructions just say to "check clearance"
-I always coat all threads/hub surfaces with anti-seize lube, makes for easy removal from corrosion.

I just have them mounted but still need to hook up the stabilizers and adjust them. The initial set up calls for quite a bit of adjustment the first time on so I decided to wait till tonight to finish the set up when I wasn't so tired. I'll post any issues on that later.

One cool thing is that I easily picked up 5 inches or so of lift. Way more clearance under the buggy now. That was one thing that I didn't like about the kubota but now it's like a jacked up mud truck:thumbsup:

Here are some teaser pics, of course lots more to follow:thumbsup:

 

[timswi]

Wow..That's the first time I've seen that on a 500...more Pics needed.

Let us know what it runs like with those on there....

That looks like a beast...Very cool!!!

 

[beretta96man]

DONE!
I just took her out and WOW, it went everywhere I pointed it. I started at the base of my hill and went right up. Went across the swamp and up a bank that my brother buried his snowmobile in! Stopped at the base of a ditch and crawled up to the driveway. This set up is so cool.:cool2:

It's as slow as I figured but it seems unstoppable which is what I wanted. Too dark for pics but here are more install pics. They are of the cutting modification on the front bumper.

First is without the cut, second is with and last is the clearance with the track turned after the cut. Oh, and I got my winch cable saver in the mail today and put that on too, it's in the pic.

 

[beretta96man]

Bit the bullet and bought the storage box. I saved on many things so figured I would try it over making something. Nobody that I've seen has posted pics of it so I figured I would. Nice to have somewhere for tools, straps ect. that fits the space nicely. It even has it's own lid support in the back. Only disappointment was the way kubota used the plastic as the lid hinge. I know someday I'll be mad as I try screwing a hinge to it when it fails.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Those tracks look awesome. What do you think they caused you to lose in speed? Do you know about how fast you can go top speed in high range now?


Before I wanted tracks for mine....now I want them even more.:laughing: Let us know how they work out over the long term. I can't imagine the improvement gaining all that additional ground clearance and low end grunt gains you on getting over and through anything.:thumbsup: I think I might have to start working a few more hours now

 

[General Lee]

Sweet looking buggy! Where did you snag the front storage bin?

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Sweet looking buggy! Where did you snag the front storage bin?

That's factory Kubota :thumbsup:

 

[beretta96man]

Sweet looking buggy! Where did you snag the front storage bin?

Yep, got that from my kubota dealer. He hit me around $150 which I said no way to when I ordered it in November but since nobody makes aftermarket ones I reconsidered as I REALLY needed some dry storage on this thing. I also picked up a camo soft top at Gander on close out for $17. It's meant for a prowler but hey, it will do until I decide what to do with the cab.

 

[beretta96man]

Those tracks look awesome. What do you think they caused you to lose in speed? Do you know about how fast you can go top speed in high range now?


Before I wanted tracks for mine....now I want them even more.:laughing: Let us know how they work out over the long term. I can't imagine the improvement gaining all that additional ground clearance and low end grunt gains you on getting over and through anything.:thumbsup: I think I might have to start working a few more hours now

All tracks loose speed by about 40% depending on their gear ratio. Think of the track as a set of gears. Inside the unit the hub spins a gear (faster) that turns a larger diameter track (slower) around it rather than that track being central inside and turning the whole thing at once like a super large tire would, which if you put larger tires on and could still spin the hubs the same as before you would actually gain speed.

I knew that when researching these. What I didn't know is if anyone had put a set on theirs. I haven't got but 7 hrs on my machine yet (only beacuse I need to work A LOT more since buying it )so I'm going easy during break in and won't know the limits for a while but last night on the driveway it was going OK for speed I thought given the low speed of the 500 in general. What shocked me was that it was like driving a mini tank. I threw things at it that would have and have buried my old 600lbs artic cat 600 triple sled. It takes some mind set changes as I'm used to taking off like a rocket on my old sled and this is just basically a way to go anywhere without having to walk and have a heart attack dragging a sled of wood or hunting/fishing stuff behind you in knee deep snow.

I can't wait to take it out in our woods and give her a run. I even ran it backwards and it just kept going. The flotation was amazing. Now, powder is my next concern. How will it do in a fresh mega dump of snow? Only time will tell. For now, I can't wait to drive it again after work, might just double or triple the hours this weekend

 

[westbrooklawn]

It looks great!... I know you will have a ton of fun with that setup. What is the coating on your brush guard? It looks like some kind of bedliner? Is it something you did, and if so what was the product?

 

[beretta96man]

It looks great!... I know you will have a ton of fun with that setup. What is the coating on your brush guard? It looks like some kind of bedliner? Is it something you did, and if so what was the product?

It is bed liner similar to rhino liner. I took it in and had them do the bed, brush guard and the floorboards. This summer I might do the underside my self but we'll see.

Took it out and tried to get some action shots tonight but it's too dark. Man, I went all over the place, nothing stopped it, yet

 

[beretta96man]

Well, this thing has crazy pulling power. I pulled my equipment trailer out of the snow in low and didn't feel any bogging. Also got our spear house out but the lake's snow has settled and all is hard packed so not a real extreme test of the tracks but it worked great. I'd say that it's top speed is between jogging and running on the flat snow. Beats walking! I knew it wouldn't be a trail toy but it sure is a work horse

 

[2fast2]

Glad that you're so pleased. I'm guessing you haven't encountered anything sufficiently extreme to make you disappointed that the 500 isn't true 4 wheel drive? That might have been more of a theoretical than practical concern.
The tracks sure seem like a good idea on the frozen lake. More flotation means less chance of busting through.
Remind me again, what was the main reason you wanted the tracks? Was it work related or pleasure?

 

[beretta96man]

Glad that you're so pleased. I'm guessing you haven't encountered anything sufficiently extreme to make you disappointed that the 500 isn't true 4 wheel drive? That might have been more of a theoretical than practical concern.
The tracks sure seem like a good idea on the frozen lake. More flotation means less chance of busting through.
Remind me again, what was the main reason you wanted the tracks? Was it work related or pleasure?

Work/fire wood, moving trailers, plowing. I would have bought a Rhino or Ranger for play/riding as they were way faster when I test drove them. I do hunt and fish so I have my reasons for some play. Last year I hit slush with my sled and had to leave it on the lake till it froze up to recover. The tracks and something with a winch would have got right out of that.

I've had this thing out in my woods this weekend gathering my trail cameras from deer season and never got stuck. That impressed me as I basically pushed 1500lbs through 20" of virgin snow. True, the non-diff locking front end pissed me off when I had the tires on it and got stuck in a ditch. That was the only time I wished I had thought harder about the Ranger but I really like the hydro drive. In the end, my track dealer said the kubota would be better then CVT driven machines from a standpoint of not spinning out and getting stuck. Yeah, it's slow but I've climbed some pretty steep hills with amazement at what I was sitting on. From what I've driven this through as far as the tracks are concerned the true 4wd won't be a problem.

 

[Ford tractor]

Turning radius?


$$?

 

[General Lee]

Beretta - your 500 looks awesome. I most likely will never see tracks on mine but its nice to see it will perform with them. At most, mine may see a plow. Now if I could just get a winch squared away on mine. How's your winch, used it much? Probably not with those tracks on

 

[jimgerken]

I can't wait to take it out in our woods and give her a run. I even ran it backwards and it just kept going. The flotation was amazing. Now, powder is my next concern. How will it do in a fresh mega dump of snow? Only time will tell. For now, I can't wait to drive it again after work, might just double or triple the hours this weekend

Congrats on the new tracks, they are a blast. I have a CanAm ATV with CanAm Apache tracks installed. Basically there is no amount of fluffy powder that will stop it, and I would guess your UTV will be the same. Think of it this way: If the snow is so fluffy that you sink down through it, its so light that when the undercarriage does finally drag, it simply pushes the snow out of the way. The floatation on mine is enough to support the machine, the tracks, and two riders in moderately dense snow while sinking in only about a foot. And it has fifteen inches clearance. I have gotten it stuck once. I was pulling a homemade groomer through several feet of wind-drifted snow along a fenceline, on a sidehill, and the machine was leaning and then ran pretty far off the trail into the brush, I slowed down and tried to turn uphill back onto the normal trail, and the load of the groomer was too much for it, I spun the tracks down to the ground, and ended up hung up. Had to unhook, and dig out from under it enough to get moving again, then ran up and down the trail without pulling the groomer until I had a beaten path, then stopped and rehooked up the groomer and took off. Let me see if I can find some pics... Ahh, here they are. The CanAm of course, pulling the groomer, and the resulting trail I maintain. Once the trails are done, they set up overnight and are then rideable with TWO WHEEL DRIVE Sport ATV machines. That's when the fun multiplies.

 

[beretta96man]

Turning radius?


$$?

I didn't measure but on the lake I was surprised that it was not much larger than with the tires. If I think of it this weekend I'll check it.

$3780 shipped to my door from ATVtracks.net

 

[beretta96man]

Beretta - your 500 looks awesome. I most likely will never see tracks on mine but its nice to see it will perform with them. At most, mine may see a plow. Now if I could just get a winch squared away on mine. How's your winch, used it much? Probably not with those tracks on

I only used the winch to try and pull the ice block up for the spear hole. Haven't gotten it stuck yet. No sign of the seal looking like yours. I'm wanting to buy another for the rear but your problems are holding me back until I use mine more to see if it will crap out too.

 

[beretta96man]

Congrats on the new tracks, they are a blast. I have a CanAm ATV with CanAm Apache tracks installed. Basically there is no amount of fluffy powder that will stop it, and I would guess your UTV will be the same. Think of it this way: If the snow is so fluffy that you sink down through it, its so light that when the undercarriage does finally drag, it simply pushes the snow out of the way. The floatation on mine is enough to support the machine, the tracks, and two riders in moderately dense snow while sinking in only about a foot. And it has fifteen inches clearance. I have gotten it stuck once. I was pulling a homemade groomer through several feet of wind-drifted snow along a fenceline, on a sidehill, and the machine was leaning and then ran pretty far off the trail into the brush, I slowed down and tried to turn uphill back onto the normal trail, and the load of the groomer was too much for it, I spun the tracks down to the ground, and ended up hung up. Had to unhook, and dig out from under it enough to get moving again, then ran up and down the trail without pulling the groomer until I had a beaten path, then stopped and rehooked up the groomer and took off. Let me see if I can find some pics... Ahh, here they are. The CanAm of course, pulling the groomer, and the resulting trail I maintain. Once the trails are done, they set up overnight and are then rideable with TWO WHEEL DRIVE Sport ATV machines. That's when the fun multiplies.

Nice rig:thumbsup:

I like the groomer, where did you get it? My wife wants me to groom our trails for skiing so I plan to load up the otter sled with fire wood and go to town.