New guy with a lot of questions

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Boxcarman

New member
Seriously thinking on buying a used Kubota RTV, but only have information from talking to my neighbor, so I'm here for the real scoop.
Ok here goes. Neighbor bought a 2004 RTV back then and last year he traded it in for a new 2015 model 900. Says he wishes he had the old one back. Says it doesn't have the power the older one had and the transmission is a two speed where as the older one was a three speed.
Is this two and three speed transmission information correct and if so what year was the last year for the three speed? He also said that there is a problem with the transmissions locking up and you can't get them to shift or you have to shut the engine off to shift them. What's that all about.
Did say that he has never had any problems starting the diesel engine in the winter time though. I figure if you guys frequent this sight you must like these machines, so is there anything I should be aware of going into this endeavor.
Thanks in advance. BCM
P.S. I'm looking at the 900 model
 
Welcome ! I had an 05 model and now an '11 900. The engine on both =great. driveshaft on 2005 also called the rattler was replaced several times. the 2011 no problems because it is the new design. (one piece) . I did have some problems shifting the 05 but learned how to work with it and so it did fine for me. (the machines need to be in the stopped position to shift).At times when the machines are hard to get in gear ,if they are forced, it will sometimes displace or bend the shifting fork . It is a pain to fix and so I never force it but work the H pattern back and forth and if it is really hard, I rock my machine, push the brakes ... well just wiggle everything that I can , and it will shift. I avoid stopping with pressure on the gears when I can ,and always allow room to go backward or forward in case that you can only get in one of those gears. I sold the '05 with over 4,200 hours on it. Right now the 2011 has 2730 hrs on it and I have had virtually no problems except for the u joints being replaced once by me. The 05 had them replaced several times.
I will say that my 2011 handles much better as far as going up inclines in H. The 05 needed to be in a lower gear- like going up a pond levee I mean.
I really like my 2011 RTV 900 in comparison to my 2005. My 2011 has H,M,L,R, N gears as did my 05. bordercollie
 
It depends on the previous owner's care and if the machine was serviced regularly. I would only buy one that I could visually inspect. I have heard horror stories of the "bay" type sites selling damaged machines being sold as good.
When inspecting, I would check the rear u joints for play by having the seller jack the rear up with the engine off. I check mine by holding the shaft/joint next to the transmission and trying to turn the tire. If it is much movement the joint then either or both the inner and outer joints might be short lived. See post on here . The more recent posts of mine are improved over the first time I did this.http://www.nettractortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13788&highlight=rear+ujoints+needed
The engine, I'd look for oil leaks around the head etc.. Take off the oil cap and see if the oil is cruddy up in the top inside of the cap. Mine is as clean as a whistle as far as no crud up in that area.
See if the radiator is good -are the fins open or mashed down.
Look at the transmission fluid. Even after many many hours,mine is so clear that I have to look for a sheen on my finger when I press the stick on it. It should shift decently from
the parked position as well . I use only kubota transmission fluid .
Also check that drive shaft for looseness on the older models.
Make sure the 4wd works.
In August of 2011, I sold my 2005 with 4200 + hrs for 5,200 and had 62 calls out of the farm market bulletin. I paid 12 ,7 for this 2011 that same month.
I'm sure there are a lot of other things to look for but that is where I would start. bordercollie aka judy
 
I need to also add that my RTV have never smoked oil. The muffler = clean exhaust after warming up.
 
Boxcarman,,,Your neighbour is correct about the shifting on the early models of RTV900 (I have a 2004). The problem is due to the hydro transmission continuing to apply pressure to the gearbox thus making it hard to disengage gears. More recent models had a pressure release knob (05,06 ?) and later still a linkage to the brake pedal that releaved the pressure being applied and thus enable the disengagement of the gears..My 04 can be a bear to shift some times and as your neighbour says, the only way is turn off the engine (which releaves the pressure).
 
Bordercollie is one of our best resident pros on the RTV. Having put so many hours on hers and using it daily for managing her farm she has done it all.
Used units can be hard to find but they are out there. Depending on how many hours are on the unit the price will be right up there. They appear to hold their value rather well. www.tractorhouse.com and www.craigslist.org will give you a way to compare prices for similar model years and hours.
I bought a used RTV 900 2006 model in 2012. It had 600 hours on the meter. It has served me well. Going used allows one to get into a great RTV for a thousand or two or three less than new.
Good luck shopping! ...and welcome to the best RTV resource on the web!!!! :tiphat:
 
Thanks to all that replied. You have given me some good advise and things to look for while checking them out.
Once again did Kubota in fact go to a two speed transmission, and if so what year was the last for the three speed?

Hey Bordercollie,,,, our dog is half German Shepard and half Border Collie, you talk about smart, WOW!!! See you all and thanks again. BCM
 
Thanks Boxcarman. My "nieces" were great and loyal. I was glad to have had them for so long. Millie 16 years and Belle 15 3/4. Belle loved the RTVand was like glue with me. Yours will like it too.
On the gears- They stayed the same at least through 2011.. collie
 
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boxcarman

I have two RTV. one os an 08 model RTV1100CW and the other is a 15 model RTVX1100c. the older one has the three speed tranny and the newer one has the two speed. i can tell you in my opinion there is little difference between the two as far as work is concerned. the high setting on the newer one does all of the same chores hauling 800 lbs or more as the older three speed does. the main difference being in the older one you must shift into medium for anything other than road speed. the new x model is very comfortable on rough terrain but the box is smaller. the shifting has to be adjusted correctly on both but is more sensitibve on the older one. a coast valve helped the 08 allot
 
Ive learned also on the shifting issue if you apply just a slight amount of pedal then release it it helps unlock the shifting problems.Ihve had mine since 05 and i guess im so used to it I dont even notice the problem any more.Even with my 05 model it still looks great and have never had any engine issues at all.The only thing Ive ever had to fix was the rear u joints and 1 front boot that I ripped when i got tangled up in some hidden barbed wire.If the fluids are changed at proper intervals the engine and tranny will basically last forever.
 
Once again thanks to all of you. This forum seems to be a good place to hang out, very helpful and nice folks here. Guess it's time to start the search for my machine. See ya, BCM.
 
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