Slipping Hydrostatic transmission?

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doublejack

New member
We've got a 2014 X1100 with about 75 hours on it. Yesterday, when plowing snow, we noticed that when pushing the machine into a snow bank that won't move, that the engine bogged down a little, but the wheels were not turning. Good traction. My experience with a hydrostat transmission that is in good condition, should kill the engine if up against an immovable stop and the wheels don't slip. Is this typical for the Kubota RTV hydrostat? Can anyone shed any light on this issue?
 
Have you taken the bolt out of the muffler and cleaned it out per instructions on maint. I can tell a noticeable difference when I clean out my x900. Old systems you would take the baffle out to clean the muffler out (spark arrestor). Also do you push snow in low range?
 
doublejack said:
We've got a 2014 X1100 with about 75 hours on it. Yesterday, when plowing snow, we noticed that when pushing the machine into a snow bank that won't move, that the engine bogged down a little, but the wheels were not turning. Good traction. My experience with a hydrostat transmission that is in good condition, should kill the engine if up against an immovable stop and the wheels don't slip. Is this typical for the Kubota RTV hydrostat? Can anyone shed any light on this issue?
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Double jack

From what you are describing to me it is normal. You didn't state what gear your in either hi or low. But no matter what gear your in if you load the transmission beyond it's limts the machine will go into by pass so you don't break anything.

Next you need to try letting up on the gas pedal a bit and see if the rpm builds back up and see if this helps. This is the nature of the beast with theses Kubota's from my tractors to my RTV it you start losing power let up on the pedal and it will build rpm and take right off again. Just slower.

You can't mash the pedal down on them or keep pushing thinking your get more power it don't work like that with this type hydro tranny.

Just like the rabbit and the Tuttle slow and easy wins the race.

Now if this doesn't help I would look at your fuild levels and with 72 hrs on the clock have you change your filters and fuilds yet which will make a big difference first filter and fuild change is at 50 hrs and it is a must to do so.

Good luck hope this helps
 
For me, and an HST, Tom is exactly right. It's just like when you are on a hill or incline in to high of a gear. It just sits there reving away and goes nowhere no matter how much you push the engine..........For me, I am always afraid I am breaking something so I shut the revs down, shift, turn around, go another way, or just forget about it.........God bless........Dennis
 
Have you done the 50 hour service ? It is especially important on a new machine to get rid of the fines that may be trapped in the filters. from the build. I was just thinking that the filter might be restricting it. My2011 900xt runs great, even up the sides of levees, in H. I pull heavy stuff in L or sorta heavy stuff in M... 2,034 hours as of now. My 2005 900 acted as your description. With it, I did as Dennis and it got me there. colllie
 
As others have said....that's the nature of the beast....If not already equipped, a hand throttle is a useful feature for plowing snow...You can set the engine rpms and use the go pedal more in the fashion of a HST tractor....That's what I do on my 900.
 
bordercollie said:
My 2005 900 acted as your description. With it, I did as Dennis and it got me there. colllie
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Yeah for sure.......with those 05's ya gotta learn all kinds of techniques that prepares one for really putting some hours on a newer one and appreciating what your money buys.........God bless........Dennis
 
We did the fluids drain at 50 hours. The fluids is not the issue. I noticed when the unit had only a few hours on it that when climbing a steep hill that tromping down on the "throttle" would really bog the engine rpm down and we would have to back off on the "throttle". Doesn't seem to bog the engine down much anymore. Has something changed? Is this normal??
 
Seems typical for the RTV.Mine is the same way since day one.I notice it more when the engine is heated up.and seems to happen when you get the plow hung on the snow.THe engine RPMS rev u fine but applies no power to the wheels.Im about to call them and ask WTF is going on.IMO if you try to push a tree over the sheels should spin even if they just slip and slide.Nothing worse than being stuck and cant get the damn wheels to spin to get any kind of movement.
 
Im sorry but for a 12.000 dollar plus machine it should spin the tires under a load.With this happening I think thats one of the main reasons for tearing up u joints trying to rock it out and the joints slamming back and forth.If you put the machine in low you should be able to push on anything and have the wheels spin their little hubs off IMO.
 
Lots of talk about the hill/transmission issue over the years............Like your wheels not turning when you are pushing against something solid......As far as I know.........THEY ALL DO IT.....Perhaps that is something you don't want to hear; but gives one an excuse to get more power, traction, or just accept it.

When going up hill, when one floors the "pedal to the metal" it often....OFTEN.....bogs the engine down. When that happens, the usual thing that works is to back off the pedal just a bit and the engine picks up a bit and works it's hardest.....

A long time ago there was a super technical explanation of this. Maybe a search using different terms would find it???.............For me, it's just the way it is and I sit back and watch the trees grow as I inch my way up the hills on my place........God bless.......Dennis
 
Seems to be a Kubota Issue.Ill have to drop into the dealer and see what they say about it.Over the years a lot of the smaller stuff I ran with a hydrostatic transmission didnt have that problem.I ren a case trencher with a back how on it as well as ditchwitch both with hydrostatic transmissions and you always had power to the wheels under any conditions.It seems strange that Kubota dosnt have the same power allowing wheels to spin.Im more than sure they will feed me a line of BS saying its for safety.But at the price we pay if we want safety we will buy a tricycle or one of them lousy battery operated green cars.There is probable something in the system to let fluids bypass so you cant spin the wheels but who knows.Ill just have to keep pestering them until i can get a proper answer or see if there is something that can be adjusted to make them spin.Its bad enough they wont allow you to lock the front axle but wont give you the needed power to what few wheels turn when your in a sloppy mess.
 
doublejack said:
We did the fluids drain at 50 hours. The fluids is not the issue. I noticed when the unit had only a few hours on it that when climbing a steep hill that tromping down on the "throttle" would really bog the engine rpm down and we would have to back off on the "throttle". Doesn't seem to bog the engine down much anymore. Has something changed? Is this normal??
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That is normal the way they have the 2 stage pump on it.Kind of silly if you ask me.Especially when you finally get some speed and traction to get up the hill and then you have to let off the pedal to get power but by then your probably digging in and stuck at that point.The hand throttle helps a lot but still they could have done something better.We all dont drive on flat land and gravel roads.
 
I call it fluid mechanix...low pressure=hi volume..high pressure=low volume...tromp on the go pedal and you are trading torque for speed..Unfortunately the RTV also lowers. engine rpm at the same time....Hand throttle keeps the rpm up so when you back off on the pedal torque to the wheels increases....like dropping to a lower gear in a geared transmission.

However ...totally agree that they could have done a better job of delivering power to the wheels...a clutch and 4 speed manual would have suited me just fine. A hydro is great for certain tasks like loader work or snow blowing with a tractor, but a mechanical gear box doesn't rob the power that a HST does. You can 'simulate' gear power on a HST by positioning the pedal acordingly...1st gear pedal slightly depressed....highest gear pedal on the floor, and the 2 stage pump helps a lot on the RTV.

All depends on the conditions that the RTV is used under...Luv mine 'most of the time'.
 
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