Question for those who plow with RTV

[Doc]

I've enjoyed all the posted and pics of the blades on the RTV's. Got me to consider fixing mine up that way. Currently I plow with a rear blade on my Kubota Grand L 3010 tractor. Using the FEL to move piles if needed. With no cab, it does get a little cold, and turning all the time for the rear blade gets to me more as I get older and have back issues.

I purchased a vinyl cab cover for my RTV 900 and it works great. Such a difference between that and nothing. So, now that I have a poor mans cab, why not add a blade. But wait ... I have hydro on my tractor so going forward a bit then backwards is a snap. In the RTV I would have to change gears and that is not easy at times.

Wouldnt a real hydro set up with no changing gears be more desirable on the RTV, especially for plowing? I'm sure there is a good reason Kubota does not offer hydro that way, but I wonder what it is.

Does shifting from forward to reverse when plowing become cumbersome after a while?

 

[71sschevelle]

I'm with you doc. I think they ought to put cruise control on them like I had on my grand L . Would sure make it easier pulling cultipacker or drag harrow

 

[RealtreeRTV]

You are sure right about the conventional hydro trans over the RTV's trans.

I'd say the RTV biggest downfall is the awkward (at times) shifting.

After plowing into a pile, I use the dash cable quite often to relieve pressure on the trans before shifting into reverse.
It helps a lot although the pressure does bleed off after a bit if I just wait, but the cable is quicker. I wish the cable was on the left side or even a floor mounted device.

Another forum member adjusts his trans to give it a little reverse creep just for this reason, hopefully he'll chime in also.

 

[King]

I saw a video on you tube on how to make the rtv into a setup like the tractors ill see if I can find it

 

[Mark.Sibole]

Ive moved tons of snow with mine and never found it a problem.Feels like 2nd nature to me.

 

[DwRam]

I'm new to my 2013 RTV1100 so I've had moments this winter while plowing that I wished the trans was a Hydro. But I'm also learning its' tricks. And like Mark.Sibole it's becoming second nature. The brake pedal on mine works to release pressure, turning the steering wheel, taping the fuel pedal and of course pausing all seem to help with shifting. And while I'm not as smooth as a hydro. I'm getting better at shifting. But after pushing snow for nearly 20 hours in a heated cab. I really hate to complain.

 

[Doc]

Thanks All.
and I agree DWRam .... a cab, especially a heated cab, can sure make it easy to get used to the shifting.

One more question .... when you remove the blade for off season work and play, does any of the blade hardware stick out in front or get in the way of your winch or anything?

My sister in law is three miles away and i would like to take care of her drive also (my brother recently passed, so she needs someone to help her out). I'm thinking the RTV even at 24 er so MPH would be easier and quicker to get from my place to hers than my tractor. I know my tractor does not go that fast, but really no idea how fast it does go.

 

[bczoom]

Doc - Don't you have an ATV? Unless it's really heavy and I need the tractor, the ATV does a nice, quick job. Plows are cheap too.

 

[razerface]

My winch and plow mount stay on year round,,,,no problems. Really it makes the front end stronger then stock! I have toyed with the idea of building a bumper that would mount in the same place as the plow, with the same " quick mount" as the plow. The plow mount protects my winch

 

[King]

Found one rtv with two peddles one for forward and one for reverse also has 3 gears in reverse but no info on had he did it. Im sure it can be done but probable a lot of work not that important to me but sure would be nice.

 

[SpudHauler]

The shifting is not an issue if the trany is setup properly. Key is having the Kubota folks adjust the neutral screw and then playing with the HST rod to get smooth shifting.

Did all the jerking on the hydraulic lever/stabbing the brakes/reving the engine/pulling the release knobs, only to find it was all in the adjustments.

Most kits leave the bumper on the RTV when installing a plow kit, but really it is unnecessary as the plow becomes your bumper. So don't understand why they do that.

As you get plowing you will also get a feel for when and how to shift that makes a big difference.

Doc you'll love looking ahead.

 

[Doc]

Doc - Don't you have an ATV? Unless it's really heavy and I need the tractor, the ATV does a nice, quick job. Plows are cheap too.

Yeah, I have a 4x4 ATV. Honda ES 400. I got it as electric shift so the wife could drive it easier ...but shifting from forward to reverse you have a button pushed and a brake on before it will shift. Kind of a pain. Don't think all ATV's are like that. But you are right BC, I should look at all options before deciding. Like Spuds said, I will like looking forward no matter which one I go with.

If any of you have ATV plows please chime in with costs and how you have yours set up to work. With no hydraulics I'm thinking most work off of a winch to lift the blade. I even have an old 42" blade off a bolens tractor that might fit the bill for an ATV mount.

 

[Kanook]

I do contract snow clearing and one of my snow machines is RTV 900 with a Blizzrd plow. The RTV is a great little snow pusher. If I were to find that RTV Genie in a bottle that passes out 3 wishes.....one would be a hydro pedal for reversing. Gets pretty busy shifting and operating the blade and steering while the feet patiently hurry up and wait.

Doc...some blades operate off the RTV dump hydraulics and some (mine) has it's own built in electric operated hydraulic pump for up/down/left/right blade manipulation.

 

[SpudHauler]

Doc,
I had a 2000 Honda TRX450 electric shift with a Moose plow that was a ton of fun.

Made a small plastic insert to lock out the reversing button so shifting from forward to reverse was easier.

Still have the plastic insert and can tell you how to make one.

Warning:
Shifting from forward to reverse in either direction while moving will destroy something when using my lock out device.
Vehicle must be stopped, not moving, tires not rotating, you get the picture.
No problems in 6 years of plowing.
Sweet!


Oh and that Bolens plow, could very easily be fitted like the moose plow here.

 

[BaiJiu]

Doc over the years I've had many ATVs with plows, in fact I still have a Polaris 550 with a 5' plow that I use for a lot of my work. I once had a Honda Foreman 400 and it worked great with a plow they will push a lot of snow. I have two neighbors with Honda 350's with plows and they work as well as the bigger machines. Some ATV plows have a manual arm for lifting the plow but most use your winch.

 

[Doc]

If I was going to get a blade on the RTV I was thinking of taking it to the dealer to have that done (I'm more of a IT kind of guy than mechanic, and that's being nice). But if I can get er done on the ATV cheaper it makes the whole project more doable. Where I might have been waiting a year or more for the RTV blade addition I might be able to get an ATV blade added before this season is over ....if it's not to hard to do.

Would you guys show me how your ATV blade mounts and what all I'd need to make one work. the blade I have has arms on it with horseshoe like openings if I remember right. I'll try to dig it out and get a pic if I can get it past the boats stored in my pole barn.

 

[bczoom]

I have a Honda Rancher (420cc?) and the Moose plow. My setup is a lot like Tater Drivers. There's a skid plate you mount under your ATV which is normally left on year-around. 2 pins connect the plow to that plate and then it's just the winch cable on the front.

My Rancher is electric shift as well but I don't have any safety crap so I just move the shift lever from F to R.

 

[bczoom]

Would you guys show me how your ATV blade mounts and what all I'd need to make one work. the blade I have has arms on it with horseshoe like openings if I remember right. I'll try to dig it out and get a pic if I can get it past the boats stored in my pole barn.

I'm taking pics off the internet...

Here's an example of the skid plate that mounts under your ATV. It mounts using U-bolts in the 4 corners that go around the lower frame of the ATV. I may have a spare laying around if you want me to send it to you. NOTE: I don't know what it came from (I'm thinking Suzuki) so the holes may not align exactly and may need to be re-drilled but that's no big deal.

Here's the rest of the plow. On the far right of the picture, those 2 little tabs that stick up is where you attach to the brackets on the skid plate. This one shows the manual lift (but if you have a winch, that's the better way to go).

Here's what it looks like mounted to a Honda 250.

 

[Doc]

Thanks Brian.
From your pic that blade looks HUGE compared to mine. What would be a good size blade for an ATV? Where do you guys shop for them, and the hardware plate etc?

I still can't tell how the blade hooks to that plate. I see the rounded areas but no holes in them from my view.

 

[bczoom]

Here's a different pic of a skid plate. On the back of the push tubes on the plow mount (pictured above) there's 2 small vertical bars with holes in them. You line up those to the brackets pictured here and insert the pins.

The plow I have now came with the ATV. It's been years since I bought one. Actually, I had 3 or 4 of them sitting in a shed until I sold them all a few years back.

For an ATV, I'd say 48" is about the minimum and the most common are 48-54" although some go up to 60". Like the back blade on your tractor, you want to make sure it's wider than the tires when fully angled.

Moose and Warn makes nice plows but they're not the only mfgr's. Also, they're probably more expensive than others. A friend just bought one that has a poly/plastic blade. Works pretty decent but because it's so light, it has a tendency to float over some snow compared to the steel which can dig in better.

I put a 48" Warn plow and a Honda mounting kit in my cart and it came to $339 at this site. http://4wheelonline.com/atv/ And they're offering free shipping.
I'd check other places as well.

I did not include a lift system. If you have a winch, that's the way to go. If you don't have one... well, get one. I may have a 2000# SuperWinch sitting on a shelf (NIB) if that would get you started.
If you want that mount I have and already have a winch, you're only in for $270 for a new plow. I'd check CraigsList or e-bay as well.