upgrades to rtv 900

jacack

New member
New member here looking for some info, I just bought a 2007 RTV900 with 110 hrs on it, long story made short, guy was out of wokr and needed cash,I bought itcheap toresell and make some $ but after having it a few weeks I think i am going to sell my rhino and keep it. I live in the mountains of southwest Va and think i am going to do a turbo kit and hand throttle. I spoke with southwest ag in colorado today about the turbo kit they sell and it sounds great but not cheap. I would like to install myself but they wont sell it to me only a dealer? I see a kit on ebay but not sure about it as i havent found a way to contact anyone that has bought it. so i am looking for anyone that had bought a kit or made a kit to let me know what they think of it. I am a decent mech and have acess to a lathe and milling machine at work and have welder at the house so i am sure i could fab any parts I needed but i really dont know much about turbos so any help would be great.</p>


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thanks for your time</p>


Jared</p>
 
I don't have a turbo but do climb some pretty steep hills with a load on the back quite often. What are you hoping to accomplish with the turbo? Guys in real high altitudes have reported sucess with them as the litlle diesel suffers a little above 4-5000 ft. Are your linkages all set up properly? the hand throttle should help a good bit for hill climbing power.</p>
 
Welcome to the forum, Jared! It is a great place for advice and help with all things Kubota RTV-related.</p>


With regard to a turbo kit, my first question would be why you are thinking you need one? If memory serves, I think there are some earlier threads about someong having a turbo kit to boost horsepower when using tracks on his RTV. You could probably do a search around 'turbo' and find some discussions. For my money, however, I cannot imagine how having a turbo would add any real functional value to an RTV unless it was to increase horsepower in high altitude contexts. But perhaps you have a particular application in mind?</p>
 
Welcome to the forum and congrats on having a RTV.</p>


As mentioned, do a search for things like "turbo". I'm old and forgetful but as I recall, a turbo won't gain you anything unless you're over about 5K feet of elevation. </p>


I do like the hand-throttle and would recommend it to anyone that lives in the hills. If the OEM setup doesn't work for you, I'd start with this option. (It's easy to install and has a world of benefit).</p>


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I think I need one as I live at about 2500ft and plan to use it up too around 4500ft, I had it unloaded last week and went up a steep long grade with about 8 inches of snow on teh ground and about halfway up the grade it was really working hard and smoking some as is chuged up the hill. also just would like the extra hp, I have had two rhinos and a diesel mule and just feel like the kubota is lacking a bit, and I got it so cheap I realy dont mind the cost. I woulld gladly try anything else you guys on here recomend before I comit to the turbo to boost the power. I have read about the hand throttle but wasnt sure if it would help that much</p>


thanks</p>


Jared</p>
 
not sure on the linkage set up as I just got the thingand dont have a book on it yet, is there something special about the linkage?</p>


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thanks</p>
 
Hello &Welcome jacack >>></p>


Being you got the machine at a great price, you would not hesitate to go ahead and purchase you a Kubota Workshop manual..... All the proper adjustments will be in that book ..Thought mine was set up great from the factory untilhad mine checked out by a" True " Kubota mechanic, and after he got finished with ourmachine, it pulled so much stronger >>> PERIOD !!!! And the whole time Ithought mine was justabout as strong as it could get. This magic man jacked up the RTV, and adjusted all the cables from the engine to the tranny, setting things up the " Right " way .... I wassurely shocked at thechange !!!!</p>


AND, Go ahead and change your fluids and filters, going back with the OEM Kubota filters, and when you go back with the tranny fluids, go back with only the Super UDT Kubota fluids, yes, they do make a difference. Install your machine with a high rise air filter kit, it also, will make a big difference in the way the machine runs ....</p>


What tires are you running .... ????</p>


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Working at between 3000 and 4000', my RTV900 would out-pull and out-climb my friend's Mule (gasoline). In fact, I was amazed and shocked at the grades it would climb--just lugging down and torquing its way up old cat trails (cuts made by Catepillar tractors in the course of mining exploration) which I struggled to walk up. Speed is not the reason why anybody would own an RTV. But it is very hard to beat when it comes to pure torque and pulling power. So again, I am not sure what the gains would be with adding turbo.</p>
 
I was planning on doing the fluids and filters this weekend,and getting the book. you mention setting them up the right way? is the right way in the book or do I need to find a "magic man" also?</p>


I have to look at the tires when i get home tonight.think they are carlises</p>


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thanks</p>
 
If one owns a RTV, he needs toown a Workshop manual >>>it has much in there !!!</p>


As far as the "magic man", wouldn't hurt to have one handy. I've meet several Kubota mechanics, but this man, who is in Vicksburg Mississippi, is a genius when it comes to " tweaking" the RTV. Just so happened to be down in this area, looking at friends RTV 1100 . After working on his machine, was in the middle of asking some questions concerning the RTV & performance. He offered to check the tranny pressure and he did so. After that, he jacked up the machine and adjusted all the cable / linkage. When he told me to take it for a test run. It was as much difference as it is as dark & daylight. He explained much to me about the " creeping " that the hydro's will do. Didn't even realize that the machine had been creeping until he showed me what he was talking about. The RTV had to be jacked up to see it. Anyway, that there proved that just because you think your machine is performing good, don't mean you are getting the " best " performance out of it ....</p>


......... two guns </p>
 
just ordered a filter kit and manual from coleman equipment, going to go to my local dealer this weekend and see if they have anyone with alot of rtv experince. might get the hand throttle kit and high mount airfilter also.</p>


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thanks for the info, </p>


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jared</p>
 
Jared:</p>


Welcome to the RTV Forum. I used to work in Beckley, WV (elevation 2,500 teet) and appreciate all those hills in that part of the country.</p>


You might want to check also to see if the RTV exhaust pipe still has the screen in it. I've heard it tends to plug up pretty easily.</p>


Lots luck with the RTV and come back often to the Forum.</p>


Keifer, a RTV wannabe</p>


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