Charles / Your Dealer

After reading your earlier post on how your dealer done what they did with the turn limit stops onyour RTV's steering.Yourdealer is a "lemon" in himself....Period !!!! With that being said, you know now that you can not trust him. I went threw this crap back when I purchased my RTV. Dealer less than five miles away, and he was such a smart a**, acted like he could care less about selling a RTV, and after doing much research, found out that he wasabout as good as a wart !!!! He was just in for the fame &money. That is whyhe is not in business anymore. Ended up going about one hour away, and not only did I findthe PERFECT dealer, purchased aRTV, made a friend, and could not ask for a better man to stand behind you. We have spent some $$$ with this dealership. For not only does hework and talk with his people. He stands behind his equipment. I have not needed him yet, but he stated that if ever my RTV or anything else needed to be a fixin', or needed service, he would, at HIS cost, run me a unit to me to use, until he could get mine back. Now my friend,THAT IS SERVICE, I don't care where you are from .There were questions during the first few weeks of ownership of the RTV. He took time to show and tell me ALL of them.</p>


Service is everything, if you can't get a proper answer out of your dealer, write him off and find one that will spend time with you. There is a dealer out there, I bet, that is willing to help ~~~~~ and then there is us, your friendly forum members, who is ALWAYS willing to help ~~~~</p>


Now, that the other " lemon" dealer is gone from here in my area, we had a man come in and open a dealership just where the other one was, and I've talked to them, and they also, are some super folks. So look around, there is one out there ~~~
......... two guns </p>

I fully agree, Two Guns. I would hope that Charles is able to locate a dealer who is genuinely committed to honest service. We have a great dealer here in Whitehorse, one who goes way beyond the call of duty to ensure that the right thing is done.</p>

Well, granted, I was only there for a half-hour or so before I saw the fix to my problem sitting on the lot, but still, I don't think there is any official literature about this being fed to these dealers. If there was an official TSB about the steering stops it would have been a no-brainer. </p>


It is true though, that I can't help but think of people out there breaking them over and over and never being made aware of the stops the new ones have. That is a bum deal for them for sure. If not for my own curiosity, the thing would rarely ever get used because I couldn't afford to keep putting 300+ dollar CV's on it.</p>


The guys were courteous, and genuine, they just didn't have the knowledge I was needing from them, and didn't seem very helpful on the prices for things that broke because of poor design. It would seem to me that the new CV should have been at a severely reduced price, and the stops should have been free. It's not like that was an "upgrade" from one model to the next. It was simply missing from the earlier ones. </p>


It doesn't matter now though, as I've moved since then (the reason I'm needing this thing again) and there is another, much larger dealer a half hour or so from me now.</p>


I'm not looking to drag anybody through the mud. I just want to know how to get this thing in proper working order.</p>

Charles, to my mind a 'good' dealer would not have needed to be dependent upon whether or not Kubota was providing the relevant technical information. He would first of all been curious to find out why you were having problems. Upon discovering that you had no steering stops he would have put two and two together and either insisted that Kubota make it right or made it right himself. Being courteous and genuine is of course really important. But it does not necessarily equal good service. I can list the various dealers here in Whitehorse (of various machines), telling whether or not they genuinely serve their customers. Interestingly, a guy at the local Napa shop is fantastic at repairing alternators and generators. Grumpy and ornery as a mother bear with cubs, but will not let you down when it comes to sorting out alternator problems and will not let you pay more than is absolutely necessary. I am happy to give him my business.</p>

it's funny i can't see anyone makin something without a steering stop but from a fabricators viewi have to side with bota on this one. you see when i make something i figure it's a done deal that is until i sit back and look at it and say man i could have or should have put this on it or that on it.it's what we call new and improved models just like the new bootsavers if i ever get it finished i never thought to put the stops on them but then again i don't have a bota to look at right here too. now my old stoppers are still good but the new ones will cover the rear of the a-arm better plus have the stops in them too. to me bota could have just said here are some stops you guys need to install them but they didn't i don't know why but thats their call not mine. heck i look at my rhino and wonder how could i spend 12k on this thing after lookin at the welds and the way it's made but i did spend the money. the point i'm makin is every unit out there i don't care if it's a bota.yami or honda it you look at them hard enough you will find something that is just a plain stupid design flaw but it's guys like us who ride them everyday who find them flaws and make notes of them and if the manufactures don't fix it we end up improvising and fixin them.i hope i came through clear with my post on what i was trying to say.</p>

[quote user="tommy 20/69"]</p>


it's funny i can't see anyone makin something without a steering stop but from a fabricators viewi have to side with bota on this one. you see when i make something i figure it's a done deal that is until i sit back and look at it and say man i could have or should have put this on it or that on it.it's what we call new and improved models just like the new bootsavers if i ever get it finished i never thought to put the stops on them but then again i don't have a bota to look at right here too. now my old stoppers are still good but the new ones will cover the rear of the a-arm better plus have the stops in them too. to me bota could have just said here are some stops you guys need to install them but they didn't i don't know why but thats their call not mine. heck i look at my rhino and wonder how could i spend 12k on this thing after lookin at the welds and the way it's made but i did spend the money. the point i'm makin is every unit out there i don't care if it's a bota.yami or honda it you look at them hard enough you will find something that is just a plain stupid design flaw but it's guys like us who ride them everyday who find them flaws and make notes of them and if the manufactures don't fix it we end up improvising and fixin them.i hope i came through clear with my post on what i was trying to say.</p>
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As to the steering stops, or lack thereof. As I said, that is not a "new and improved" type thing that should make us want to go out and buy the newest model "widget" type deal. Something like more power, more payload, better ride, syncronized trans, so on and so forth. Those would be examples of an "upgraded" design.</p>


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Leaving absolutely NO mechanical stop WHATSOEVER on a hydraulic ( or any) steering system is not a preferential thing. It's retarded. Even if they were banking on the cylinder stroke to control movement and maintain it within the working range of the steering geometry, that it itself would only be slightly brighter. That's just one of those things.... you do NOT design a steering system that has no mechanical stops. You just don't. </p>


I have scratch build a few steering systems myself, most of them full-hydraulic, and I have NEVER designed one without mechanical stops. Because you MUST plan for a bunch of force being placed on a tire when it's at full lock. Well..... I suppose you don't have to, as is evidenced by the RTV900 I own. But anyone with an engineering degree shouldn't miss something so basic. I'm not talking about ergonomics, or the trans being non-syncronized, so on and so forth. That's still functional, albeit crappy compared to what might be possible otherwise. Without steering stops it's just not functional. The number of times I've stuffed the tires all the way back so that I could see the outside of the wheel, sitting straight in the driver's seat more than attests to that. Blowing 300+ dollars worth of front CV each time was really just icing on the cake if you will.</p>


But coming from a guy that fabs things up in his BARN..... the steering setup on the RTV is a joke. And it's not the kind of thing that should have gone un-noticed. I broke a CV the 4th time I drove the thing. And that was with me driving my "new" vehicle very gingerly, as you always do with something you just got. Seems like some engineers would have been out there "Beating the Shit" out of these things before they sold them, and this problem would have come to the surface in oh..... about 20 minutes. </p>


I'll just say it. I would have done much, much better. If I'd have designed it the thing would be turbocharged, straight axles front and rear and be running an automotive style automatic, with torque converter, 3 forward gears and LOW RANGE in a married T-case. Given the expense that must be involved with that hydrostatic unit..... I fail to understand why everyone feels they have to re-invent the wheel with the dang ATV/UTV's. I mean, it's not like the planetary based automatic trans hasn't been working PERFECTLY for decades in just about everything we drive on the roads today. If they will hold 600+hp diesels, I find it hard to believe the same old, tried-and-true technology can't hold a wimply little 30ish hp turbodiesel...</p>


Maybe that's just me. But you can put me on the "has no sympathy for the Kubota engineers" list when it comes to the RTV. Engineering abortion IMO.</p>


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The turn limit stops, should of been the first thing that should of been installedafter the prototype was built. Then, during the test firing of this machine, they should of moved the air filter anywhere butwhere it is at . Forwithin a few hours of running mine down here in the farming fields, maybe less than six to nine hours.... it was clogged up with dirt and dust. That is when I purchased the high rise system. They should aready come from the factory with that . I don't mind paying a little more for things like this. I personally think they should install from the factory extra heavy duty front struts. Roof, bigger CV boot protectors ( not knocking out tommy on anything ). Back tail light protectors.There are several things that folks would not mind paying more for if it would just come from the factory with these items.I think they should have a better fuel filter / water seperator for the engines, again, from the factory. </p>


They also, ( KUBOTA) should make ALL dealers go to a school, to teach them howall of thier equipment is made to run. I have heard many times of people stating that, the only thing their Kubota dealers knew is how to finance the damn machines. Didn't know one end from the other. I'm sorry, but Kubota needs to send a crew out, just to see and hear some of these stories we here. Just like Charles, hell, Kubota should step right in an help this man. It is not any sense in anybody going threw all this crap. I'm Sorry !!!! The more I think about it, the more " warped " I get.</p>


~~~~~~~~~~~ jamie </p>

[quote user="TWO GUNS"]</p>


The turn limit stops, should of been the first thing that should of been installedafter the prototype was built. Then, during the test firing of this machine, they should of moved the air filter anywhere butwhere it is at . Forwithin a few hours of running mine down here in the farming fields, maybe less than six to nine hours.... it was clogged up with dirt and dust. That is when I purchased the high rise system. They should aready come from the factory with that . I don't mind paying a little more for things like this. I personally think they should install from the factory extra heavy duty front struts. Roof, bigger CV boot protectors ( not knocking out tommy on anything ). Back tail light protectors.There are several things that folks would not mind paying more for if it would just come from the factory with these items.I think they should have a better fuel filter / water seperator for the engines, again, from the factory. </p>


They also, ( KUBOTA) should make ALL dealers go to a school, to teach them howall of thier equipment is made to run. I have heard many times of people stating that, the only thing their Kubota dealers knew is how to finance the damn machines. Didn't know one end from the other. I'm sorry, but Kubota needs to send a crew out, just to see and hear some of these stories we here. Just like Charles, hell, Kubota should step right in an help this man. It is not any sense in anybody going threw all this crap. I'm Sorry !!!! The more I think about it, the more " warped " I get.</p>


~~~~~~~~~~~ jamie </p>
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I had no idea there was an available solution to the air filter issue. I was just looking at it the other day and thinking of a way to fab up something similar to a "snorkel" that would pull air from up under the roof. I was thinking it was pretty retarded to put the air filter under the bed, in front of the tire, lol. But figured, well at least the inlet goes up into the cab..... but it didn't. It sucks from right behind that plastic thing, pulling that same dust from under the vehicle. I gave up on replacing the filters all the time. I just beat them out a few times then get a new one now. Had no idea there was a product sitting on the shelves for that.</p>


Do you get it at the dealer? Or is it aftermarket?</p>


Any pictures?</p>


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i seen some very smart people do some really stupid stuff.lol your right though i would have installed them at the factory but if everyone was smartthen it would be a perfect world and we know that ain't true.i would raise somehell at the dealer about them stops. there is one thing that i wanted to ask someof you about your stops a member sent his to me so i could get a better look at them the funny part about it is the edge where the stop would make contact was untouched there wasn't a scratch or ding on it . can any of you check your stops with the wheel hard over and see if it accually touchs the stop??if they don't make contact then i think them stops need to be adjusted if they can be adjusted that is.i would hate for you guys to ride around thinkin them staops are workin when really they are just decorations.</p>

Yea, Kubota should step up to the plate and help out in this situation. I would suggest contacting customer service and shaking the tree or rattling something. It sounds like you got a really bad lemon that is orange. There is a lot they could improve without hiring an engineering firm by JUST LISTENING to us Kubotians. A couple of years ago ,I changed up my air filter , I left my air cleaner element where it was but removed the plastic intake "box" and clamped a 1 1/2 " plastic drain pipe with street L to the rubber hose there. I ran this to under the roof and put another street L there . I aimed it toward the out side so to reduce the noise a hair. This pipe from Lowes is already black too. It sort of looks like a muffler pipe.but under the roof. Again, I feel bad for all you are going thru..... Bordercollie</p>

Charles:</p>


The high rise intake is a OEMKubota part :V4271</p>


other 900 accessories:</p>


http://www.kubota.com/f/rtv/product.asp?productid=71</p>


I will find you some high rish pics somewhere ~~</p>


You may call Kubota <span style="background-color: yellow; color: black;">Customer</span> <span style="background-color: yellow; color: black;">Service</span>, maybe they can help you !!! (310) 370-3370. </p>


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~~~~ two guns</p>

And then, there is the LIST :</p>


http://compacttractorreview.com/cs/forums/p/2900/12425.aspx#12425</p>

[quote user="tommy 20/69"]</p>


i seen some very smart people do some really stupid stuff.lol your right though i would have installed them at the factory but if everyone was smartthen it would be a perfect world and we know that ain't true.i would raise somehell at the dealer about them stops. there is one thing that i wanted to ask someof you about your stops a member sent his to me so i could get a better look at them the funny part about it is the edge where the stop would make contact was untouched there wasn't a scratch or ding on it . can any of you check your stops with the wheel hard over and see if it accually touchs the stop??if they don't make contact then i think them stops need to be adjusted if they can be adjusted that is.i would hate for you guys to ride around thinkin them staops are workin when really they are just decorations.</p>
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Mine used to spit the CV's out on the ground at will without the stops. Now it will still let the tires go back to far (past the point where the steering geometry actually has control over them anymore) but it will hit the stops, and rub the tire into the fender pretty good, but won't let the CV pop out. Although I am actually very careful of it now, and don't just drive it like I would anything else, but actually take good care when going over uneven ground so I don't accidentally break another one.</p>


If you take the stops off mine, you won't drive a week before you have a CV shaft flopping around under the front of it. Especially if you were unaware of the ailment and just drove it like you would anything else.</p>