Add turbo to RTV1100 or go with new Ranger?

Dargo

Member
The only big plus for me for the RTV1100 is the factory cab and A/C. My property has some pretty big hills on it and the RTV just won't climb them. I had a Rhino that would fly up them and a friend had a Ranger today that easily climbed them. The RTV1100 has aggressive tires on it but can't turn them more than 1 or 2 mph, which means no go on the hill.

I am seriously considering the purchase of a Polaris 6X6 and selling my RTV1100. I only have 48 hours on my RTV1100. It literally smells new and hasn't been muddy. My other option is to keep it and add a turbo kit on it. Any thoughts?
 

Doc

Admin
Staff member
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If that is a pic of the tires on your RTV1100 in your avatar then I'm not a bit surprised that the little diesel can't turn them. :eek:
 

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Deerlope

Member
Yes sell the RTV and get the Ranger this way you really learn the hard way to appreicate the RTV. Then in a few months you can spend more moey because of the maint upkeep on the Ranger. Yep I would sell today.
 

muleman RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
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First thing I would do is have the hydrostat adjusted. It is a fine adjustment to get the trans to shift into a high torque with higher rpm on the hills. What trans setting are you using? I climb some damn steep hills in mine in low range and med if I am not loaded with wood. The rtv is not a racer but properly set it goes almost anywhere. A manual throttle control has helped some with getting the power to the ground. Sadly most dealers do not have the know how to set them up for some reason. Kubotatech has had a few good write ups on getting the adjustment dialed in. I am lucky mine has been OK without tweaking it for hill work, but others have had to fine tune or go with the manual throttle control.
 

pappy19

Member
I would sell it if I were you. A turbo kit might help but that little 3 banger isn't made for a turbo, plus you'd also have to increase the pump output, completely redo the air intake and exhaust to make it work, not to mention the electronics. However, instead of a Polaris, get an Arctic Cat, it's a MUCH better machine in ever aspect.
 

Dargo

Member
Yes sell the RTV and get the Ranger this way you really learn the hard way to appreicate the RTV. Then in a few months you can spend more moey because of the maint upkeep on the Ranger. Yep I would sell today.

Hey, now be nice! It's not like I said anything bad about the RTV. It's just too weak for my tastes. Been on the phone with the company who makes the turbo kits for an hour or so. I'm hoping their turbo kit will make it do what I want. I really don't know. All I know is that I can't keep both. Heck, I have 5 Jet Skis, 2 Grasshopper diesel mowers, several tractors, track loaders excavators etc. etc.

I think it will come down to whether the sellers of the Ranger will come down to my price or not. If not, I'll add a turbo to the RTV. If they do come down, I will have one heck of a nice RTV1100 for sale..
 

Deerlope

Member
Turbo facts , first of all its not going to give you more HP. It will only help to develop it faster.The engine may run a little smoother at higher altitudes.
 
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Keifer

Senior Member
Gold Site Supporter
Dargo:

Hummmm. Maybe Peanut and I would like to have dibs on your 1100 if you are going to get rid of it...but only if you don't put a turbo on it. I'm no expert here on the RTV's, heck I dont even have one....yet. I have read many many threads on this very problem you are describing, and believe it or not, alot of the problem seems to come from two main areas. Number one, adjustments to tranny and other cabling. These have to be just right on to work properly it seems. And number two is operator error. Seems though an increased hand throttle setting and letting up somewhat on the fuel pedal is a learned skill. I know it sounds counter-intuitive. A quirk of the RTV series for sure. Maybe a RTV owner can jump in here and explain things better then me. Good luck to you.
Keifer, a RTV wannabe
 

bczoom

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Keifer,

To your second point and for the record, Dargo isn't in that category. He's the only person I know that's had a RTV in his stable longer than I have and knows how to drive it. His first RTV was one of the first ever made. He's an original member of CTR, NTT, TBN... but doesn't post much.

His playground has all kinds of terrain. I'll let him elaborate on what has and has not worked there.
 

Dargo

Member
I have to plead pretty well like a "newbie" on my RTV1100. I've only used factory Kubota parts, it hasn't even been muddy, I've never even really taken it what you'd call trail riding. Other than a few times driving through tall weeds at my property, it's been a tool hauler. As opposed to the RTV900 I had, I've never even dumped a single load out of the bed of this RTV1100. I covered the seats before anyone's ass ever hit the seat. Hell, I waited an extra month to get it because I refused to take an 'in stock' RTV1100 because they'd all sat outside. I've never let any of my vehicles sit outside.

I have done fluid and filter changes already though. No adjustments of any sort have been made other than adding the coast valve, which I love. It honestly could be a matter of needing to be broken in. I'll readily admit that my RTV900 ran far better by the time I sold it than it ever ran and I feel I ran the snot out of it. My dilemma is that right now I think I want more of a 'fun' side by side rather than a brutally strong workhorse. I just don't know. I had a blast on my ATV with my daughter and several guys at my property last weekend and I'm thinking the Polaris Ranger would carry one of my kids and my wife as well. Here's a picture of where Maddie and I got stuck on a submerged log while crossing a swamp with my Suzuki King Quad 700. My RTV has NEVER seen water, especially like that. We had a blast though!

BTW, does anyone have a shop manual for a Suzuki King Quad? Mine is a 2005 model. I need to change the drive belt. :tiphat: Oh well, it was due at 1000 miles and I have 1372 miles on it. No big deal. I already ordered one. I just hope it's not hard to install.
 

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Bota

New member
My property has some pretty big hills on it and the RTV just won't climb them.

Hi all...first time poster looking into an RTV1100 and just came across this post. I have seen similar claims indicating troublesome efforts with these machines climbing hills? I must not understand the physics. How can such a powerful machine not have the grunt to climb a hill but still have the ability to push snow, tow 1,300 lb...etc? I would think hills would be a "walk in the park". :confused:
 

Dargo

Member
My hills are rather extreme by some standards. Guys who know me know I'm sort of an 'extreme' guy. :wave: You know; like the pickup truck in my avatar is what I consider a large pickup. :tiphat:

One thing I didn't mention is that I've never had any shifting issue with the RTV1100 that seemed to plague a lot of the RTV900's until they got a few hundred hours on them.
 

Doc

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From the descriptions in that thread your RTV should indeed climb better than it does. I wonder what the issue could be since it is so new. I suppose you were in Low when you tried to climb the steep hills.

My tractor is hydro and works much the same as described in the referenced thread. Back off the pedal to get more RPM and power. Counter intuitive but once you know it, it's easy enough to do.
 

Keifer

Senior Member
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bczoom, thanks for the clarification.
Dargo, I didn't mean to assume you were a 'newbie' to RTV's... but I guess I did after reading your 2-28-2010 post. I'm the newbie here. However, from reading posts here and on other sites, the problem of the RTV's not being able to transverse hilly terain is not new nor an isolated issue. As a matter of fact, other than the abrupt braking issue, the lack of power to the wheels is an ongoing debate. (The braking issues have been addressed with the 'coast valve' as you are aware.) Hope other more knowledgeable folks continue to reply with their ideas as to how to improve the operation of your RTV.
Keifer, a RTV wannabe
 

doggman

Member
Dargo,
There are some forum members who will never believe that some RTVs, for whatever reason, lack hill climbing ability. Ours is nothing short of excellent for general chores. When it comes to hill climbing and treading lightly in wet areas, it's another story so we just don't use it those areas.

There is something in the drive circuit that just won't sense the load and perform. I can't figure out if it is the swashplate, relief valves, governor, pump, "inch -pedal function" or what. Actually, I think it is a combination of several things but mainly something with the swashplate. The RTV uses an unusual "inch function" in the operator has to intentionally reduce the engine rpm to "activate" load sensing. So, in your machine and my machine, there is no downstream or up stream load sensing taking place. I don't have the time (or desire since it functions okay 99% of the time) to dig in and trouble shoot the issue. The problem is beyond most dealers and the factory isn't interested.

If you really need the hill climbing ability I'd find a good hydraulic shop to trouble shoot the problem then try to lean on Kubota for the parts. It will be cheaper than buying a new Polaris. (Polaris was our 2nd choice but it had poor low speed/torque characteristics and they were gas hogs...)
 

pappy19

Member
Just as a point of interest regarding the 900; knowing that the 1100 is heavier than the 900 and has only 2 hp more than the 900; I think the 900 will way out perform the 1100. I bought my 900 in 2007 and at the same time a pipeline contractor bought 2 900's to work in the high altitude area near Morgan, Utah. It goes from 4500-8500' in elevation and over some very steep hills, and mud, snow, etc. He ran the crap out of those 900's hauling people, gear, or whatever for over a year. He wound up with over 3,000 hours on each of those 900's and they never had any problems with going up steep hills. They didn't go 50 mph going over them, but made every steep hill, regardless. I know on my 900, going up steep hills in Idaho, I use the hand throttle alot to keep the rpm's up and I can go straight up some pretty hairy hills. Also, I would not change the tire size to a larger diameter as it will decrease your hill climbing ability.

Pap
 

Bota

New member
Just as a point of interest regarding the 900; knowing that the 1100 is heavier than the 900 and has only 2 hp more than the 900; I think the 900 will way out perform the 1100.... Pap

Yes, you would think they would have a little more "beef" in the engine or not so much of a weight difference. According to the stat sheet, the 1100 has 3.2 more hp and 10.1 ft/lb more torque...still not a huge increase to compensate for the extra 660 pounds. I bet the 900 would outperform it as you mention. Other than the factory climate controlled enclosed cab, why buy an 1100 then??? :unhappy:
 

bordercollie

Gold Site Supporter
Gold Site Supporter
Yep' My RTV900 has over 3131 hrs and has had a farm life- mostly unprotected from the elements but well "fed "and oem parts, filters with sudt in the trans. Now real hills in Mississippi are hard to find but we do have pond levees and my little worker will climb right up them- but not in high. From a dead stop you will need to use L- but M will usually climb o.k. but only with a rolling start.Like Muleman and others said, it could possibly be something with tweaking the cable adjustment. Come to think of it, my 26" tires have been climbing better than the previous 27" too...Two Guns has a post on this subject somewhere here, Good Luck! Bordercollie
 

Deerlope

Member
I have had my 900 since they came out and I still can not beleive what 21 HP can do if geared right. We are makeing maple syrup now and of corse I have the tracks on now. All day long,up and down those hills carrying 125 gallons of sap one way. We don't go fast, usually in "M" most of the time. sometimes in a foot of snow and it just keeps on trucking.
 
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