some info on the rtv 500

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

you keep putting in these climbing hills i run in the swamps where it's all mud . i know 4 wheels pulling would be better yes but i also know i have never been limited to where i can go in the mud by having 3 wheels fully pulling. i don't do no mountian climbing i run the swamps. the only thing that limits me is the air intake and the clutch enlosure vents. when your in the mud and the tires are spinning thier pulling thier weight. it's not like your pushing a tire through the mud . i have never been stuck to where the tires don't turn when i get stuck it's because the front end it bottomed out .so to me unless your doing some rock climbing 4 wheel drive really isn't nessesary would be nice if you had it but i can do without it . i'm sure the next utv i get will have being they are all kinda moving in that direction but i can get by til then i have a winch that is collecting mud and dust as a bumper ornament.

 

[a37b]

Hey Terry
Im with you on the xuv, You have to own won to know how good they go, even with a full load. My close friend has a 900 rtv and it is a pretty nice outfit. However it will not begin to go the places the xuv will go.
The kubota has its place in the utv market as a workhorse. The 1100 looks like it will be a big seller. Kubotas are pretty hard to beat, they make some great tractors.
Just my opinion
MM

 

[riptides]

Skip, not everyone uses their machines the way you do. If they have never needed true 4-wheel drive, then they stay on the easy trails. Even Tommy don't understand it. In mud, an open diff will spin both wheels because they have the equal traction. If one wheel gets better traction, the other wheel spins and the one on firm ground does not. I and my father have Samurai's. His is open in the front and mine is not. It would surprise most people how much a locked front helps. What I do easily, his Samurai struggles on.
I don't like how you (Skip) talk about how much you like the Kubota, even the looks, and people say they can't take you serious. You were being honest about it and giving it complements and they discredit you, and act like your trash talking the RTV. JC

I don't think anyone is dis-crediting him, nor acting like anyone is trash talking the RTV. The conversation has been informative and civil. Perhaps your just reading to much into it.

But if you don't own one, don't put it through it's paces, don't use it on your property, and are trying to compare it with another UTV, or even a vehicle, your not making a comparison that is fair to anyone.

So now we are in danger of comparing UTV diff's to vehicle diff's. Right.

-Mike Z.

 

[RollTideRam]

Skip said he likes the RTV, only got to test drive at dealer and would like to see it work. He asked for you Rtv nuts to post a video. He made it clear that he only wants 4 wheel drive. Two people said they could not take him serious. That discredits him. What is differant between the front diff in a utv and a truck front diff in a Toyota or Samurai. Open front diffs spin the tire with the least resistance in both. Locked, locks both axles together in both.
I have been on trails (in a Samurai and my old hpx) come up to a small ledge on a slight incline. You need both front tires pulling to get over it. Also these machines don't have great suspension (no flex). Lift a front tire, and thats the one that spins. I know not everyone uses their utv's the same way. But when someone requires 4wd, don't act like if it's a Kubota RTV, then 3 wheel drive will do. JC

 

[riptides]

Skip said he likes the RTV, only got to test drive at dealer and would like to see it work. He asked for you Rtv nuts to post a video. He made it clear that he only wants 4 wheel drive. Two people said they could not take him serious. That discredits him. What is differant between the front diff in a utv and a truck front diff in a Toyota or Samurai. Open front diffs spin the tire with the least resistance in both. Locked, locks both axles together in both.
I have been on trails (in a Samurai and my old hpx) come up to a small ledge on a slight incline. You need both front tires pulling to get over it. Also these machines don't have great suspension (no flex). Lift a front tire, and thats the one that spins. I know not everyone uses their utv's the same way. But when someone requires 4wd, don't act like if it's a Kubota RTV, then 3 wheel drive will do. JC

My RTV pulls in 4wd.

It's when your seriously stuck and the diff engages that you will note the difference. Maybe. Maybe not.

-Mike Z.

 

[Skipholiday]

Thought I could put an end to this debate for me.
I found a dealer that had an 1100rtv (camo) .
Drove 36 miles and drove this unit for a good 10 minutes.

1st off: this is the nicest utv I have ever seen or driven. WOW
Very well built, the doors are tighter than my Z71 was when it was new.
I didn't have a clue this thing would have so much power, the 3 cylinder diesel is a haus. The hydro steering is what I loved the most. I can see why all the rtv owners stand so firm in defence of this machine.

Now for my dislikes. I don't need that fancy cab. ROPS and cheaper price would be preferred for MY uses. The unibody design. I haven't been a fan of them since I twisted my vega body with a 350 V8..

I went through a small ditch and going down the hill the machine felt very controllable and held me back without using the brake at all.
When I reached the bottom I turned into the hill in an off camber climb to attempt to make the front slip.
It took a couple of attempts and I finally made her slip after flooring the hydro. So now I know this vehicle is not for me because it would do no better than my 05 hpx did for my uses.

I can see where this would make an excellent farm or construction vehicle tho. Especially in extreme cold or hot climates.

Thanks for the discussion everyone. And thanks for the support JC. As always you rock~!

 

[darkday]

The unibody design.

Why did they go that route ? Seems to me once you screw one up it's not easy to fix at all. You really don't get 'em perfect again once you do fix them either. Then again it is just a UTV so it doesn't need to be perfect...

My car has a unibody but it's a sports car. It's meant to eat corners not mud...

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

If you hit somthing hard enough to tweak the uni-body frame, your going to have much larger problems to contend with once you peal your face off the windshield.

 

[DaryleD]

Is it just the rtv1100 that's unibody, or is the rtv 900 unibody too? I'm assumeing that it saves weight? It isn't a rhino, or ranger, that will be driven fast, but man, there should be a tubular frame I would think. I've been wanting an rtv for a while, but might have top re-think it due to the unibody thing.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

The 1100 is all unibody, the 900 has a bolt on rops frame. The reasoning is that they can get better tollerances and a better fit for the cab components when you eliminate the slop of bolt together pieces. Really though, if your going to hit somthing so hard as to bend 2" tubular steel then your going to be wrecking the machine beyond repair, unibody or not.