Kubota RTV-X1140 disappointing performance

[Sapper50]

Hi all,

I've had an RTV900 for about 11 years, and have been pretty happy with it. We now have 3 children and I wanted something that we could all drive around on, as well as still be a good work horse.
So I thought the X1140 would be a good fit. Very happy with the space and ride, but the power is greatly lacking in my opinion.
I think in the brochure it mentions 25mph (40kph) as a top speed, however I struggle with one person (me) on flat hard ground to get more than 19-20mph (30kph).
In soft sand with kids onboard it really labours and wont' go above 10mph.

I'd love to hear from any other owners about their experience. It just doesn't seem right that the X1140 is so much slower. When I hop on the old 900 its like a rocket in comparison.

Cheers
Jamie Wilson
(Australia)

As to your soft sand issues, could it be tires vs the rig?
We have an X1140 and love it - its a ranch rig and does everything we ever hoped it would. On our paved driveway with a bit of help with a Texas breeze we can hit 25 MPH flat out and it takes a bit of run to get there - but I got it to haul loads, the dump bed is awesome, tow stuff, haul gear into our woods acreage, help drag tools around for putting in fence etc etc and in that realm - ZERO issues - climbs and claws in roots etc like a goat - we are sitting just shy of 500 miles on it.
(I am going to install some headliner on the top we have - it reflects the engine noise pretty good into the passenger compartment - headliner should knock that noise down a LOT.
If I need to go faster - I have some dirt bikes I can get on. LOL
I think having a SxS that could rip around would be fun - but it would be a separate rig for just that purpose.
Good luck to you Sir.....

 

[Dan Dargeloh]

Hi all,

I've had an RTV900 for about 11 years, and have been pretty happy with it. We now have 3 children and I wanted something that we could all drive around on, as well as still be a good work horse.
So I thought the X1140 would be a good fit. Very happy with the space and ride, but the power is greatly lacking in my opinion.
I think in the brochure it mentions 25mph (40kph) as a top speed, however I struggle with one person (me) on flat hard ground to get more than 19-20mph (30kph).
In soft sand with kids onboard it really labours and wont' go above 10mph.

I'd love to hear from any other owners about their experience. It just doesn't seem right that the X1140 is so much slower. When I hop on the old 900 its like a rocket in comparison.

Cheers
Jamie Wilson
(Australia)

I've got a 2018 RTV X1100C which should have the same drive train. I know what you are talking about when you say slow. Flat out on a level section of gravel road it will run 25mph when warmed up. On the hills it will slow down to about 18 mph. With the A/C on it will slow down even more, and you can hear the engine rpm waver as the A/C compressor kicks in and out. On a really hot day with thin air, the lack of power becomes even more noticeable. I feel these units are underpowered for their weight and what is being asked of them (basically all I use mine for is cruising around). Kubota should have used either a 4 cyl. engine or turboed the 3 cyl. engine they use. Either way, they need more horsepower. Also, on a very hot day, don't plan on pulling much for long. The hydrostat oil gets hot and the pulling power is greatly diminished. They are good machines, but with more horsepower they could have been great machines.

 

[Robert walker]

Hi all,

I've had an RTV900 for about 11 years, and have been pretty happy with it. We now have 3 children and I wanted something that we could all drive around on, as well as still be a good work horse.
So I thought the X1140 would be a good fit. Very happy with the space and ride, but the power is greatly lacking in my opinion.
I think in the brochure it mentions 25mph (40kph) as a top speed, however I struggle with one person (me) on flat hard ground to get more than 19-20mph (30kph).
In soft sand with kids onboard it really labours and wont' go above 10mph.

I'd love to hear from any other owners about their experience. It just doesn't seem right that the X1140 is so much slower. When I hop on the old 900 its like a rocket in comparison.

Cheers
Jamie Wilson
(Australia)

I have a new, about 10 months, 900. It takes a while to wind up but it gets to the rated 25mph. my bigger issue with mine is if i start up a hill it will not downshift itself so it bogs down. I can let off the throttle completely and come to a near stop and then back on it and it is like it downshifts and then takes right off. Also when you let off the throttle it’s almost like you pulled the parking brake at the same time, stops very quickly. I have 150 hours, about 400 miles on mine.

 

[RoostersGarage]

I've got the same unit and it's no speed demon for sure. I'm looking at a turbo kit to help it climb the steep hills I use it on. With 3 or 4 guys in it going up some of these hills, I only get about 3-4 mph. On flat ground with enough time it will hit 25, but most of the time it's closer to 19. Honestly I feel they put too small of an engine in it for the extra weight between the x900 and the x1140. I test drove an x900 and loved it, but the x1140 has always felt like I was driving in molasses.

 

[RancherGuy]

I assume the throttle and HST need to be fully open at full throttle?

Yes, both should be fully open. I had (still have) a Kubota 900, then in 2005 bought X1120D. For both, I was severely disappointed in how they were adjusted coming from the dealers. My 900 had a off-throttle deceleration that would make passengers grab the dashboard. After an internet search, I adjusted a screw on the transmission. I love my X1120D, but what annoyed me was the idle was way too high and the accelerator would rev it even more before it started to engage the HST.

First, I adjusted the idle. A diesel should be able to idle pretty low, so I adjusted that. After a several months I got tired of the excess vibrations at idle, so bumped it up until most of the roughness is gone.

Second, I adjusted the transmission linkage. That diesel has so much torque that there is no reason the transmission cannot begin engaging before adding more rpm's, so I adjusted it that way. The transmission cable now has almost no slack at idle, while the throttle cable has a little. With this setup, the RTV starts to move without increasing engine speed when pedal is pressed. Again, so much torque that it has no problems even if on ground that keeps it from moving. I actually would like to get that transmission linkage to *fully* engage the transmission sooner than it does, but that would require some linkage geometry changes that I have not wanted to get into.

I get 23-24 mph on pavement, but I am sure the engine rpm's are well below design because my throttle cable starts off loose. Reading your prior response above, maybe I'll look into adjusting the pedal stop to allow more "pull" of the throttle cable.

As you may have noted, the parking brake is very effective, meaning that if it is dragging only slightly, you can easily loose 3-5 mph on the top end. When there is rolling resistance, the transmission design seems to allow higher rpm's, thus higher pressure, but slower ground speed. My adjustments have never given me a problem - all 8,000+ miles worth, and I am very happy with performance.

 

[RancherGuy]

... With 3 or 4 guys in it going up some of these hills, I only get about 3-4 mph. On flat ground with enough time it will hit 25, but most of the time it's closer to 19. Honestly I feel they put too small of an engine in it for the extra weight between the x900 and the x1140. I test drove an x900 and loved it, but the x1140 has always felt like I was driving in molasses.

Be sure to note my response above regarding adjustments. Maybe your HST cable is not adjusted properly. I would NOT assume that a dealer did it right. You didn't say what was happening with rpm's, so I might assume that in your situation your rpm's are high while ground speed is lost. Hauling an extra 500 pounds will impact speed on a hill, but if adjusted properly, I can't imagine that 3-4 mph is all it can do. Of course, it does depend on the slope, but I again assume the hill you reference is paved, not offroad. I load my mine with 3 people across my seats and grandkids sitting or standing in the back and we all have a great time.

 

[RancherGuy]

I have a new, about 10 months, 900. ...

FWIW, if it is that new, I presume you have an X900, which is an update to the 900. 900 is what I call "gen1", while X900 is what I call "gen2" and has independent rear suspension.

 

[Robert walker]

FWIW, if it is that new, I presume you have an X900, which is an update to the 900. 900 is what I call "gen1", while X900 is what I call "gen2" and has independent rear suspension.

You are correct, it is a X900. When I did the 10hour initial service I got the wrong filters because I said 900, they are different for the X900. I bought it new last year. I use it almost entirely to haul feed and fence tools, check cows, fence lines and clearing pastures.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Hi all,

I've had an RTV900 for about 11 years, and have been pretty happy with it. We now have 3 children and I wanted something that we could all drive around on, as well as still be a good work horse.
So I thought the X1140 would be a good fit. Very happy with the space and ride, but the power is greatly lacking in my opinion.
I think in the brochure it mentions 25mph (40kph) as a top speed, however I struggle with one person (me) on flat hard ground to get more than 19-20mph (30kph).
In soft sand with kids onboard it really labours and wont' go above 10mph.

I'd love to hear from any other owners about their experience. It just doesn't seem right that the X1140 is so much slower. When I hop on the old 900 its like a rocket in comparison.

Cheers
Jamie Wilson
(Australia)

I worked at a large Kubota, new Holland dealer. Also had Polaris and mowers. Group of Japanese engineers came from Kubota wondering why people traded kubota in on Polaris. I told a shop guy to put them in a Polaris and go jump the trash dumpster then hop the highway and go burn doughnuts in the wall mark parking lot, then they will understand. Them Kubota are like driving a riding lawnmower somewhere. Transmissions are over engineered and over complicated. My dad has a sxs that he puts 4k a year on around the farm. It has only been on the farm. That thing is 10 or twelve years old. It's a non Kubota machine. He will haul a 16' trailer, we've pulled calves with the winch, maintained four egg laying houses, use it haying, it gets used lots and lots. Pull a welding / cutting rig with it and built a huge corral and round crowding pen, chute with rolling gates to work our cattle. Look at how big the Kubota transmission is? John dear gator is a beefed up go cart. Kawasaki is so so. Polaris Ranger Crew sounds like what you need. Or get an old station wagon remove the doors and cut the top off. Old farmer here had a 4 door LTD done that way to feed hay. He'd be out there jumping them terraces and grand kids just a screamin. Now days somebody calls the cops because kids are screaming with delight....i want them sad and angry like me...

 

[Greench]

.

Hi all,

I've had an RTV900 for about 11 years, and have been pretty happy with it. We now have 3 children and I wanted something that we could all drive around on, as well as still be a good work horse.
So I thought the X1140 would be a good fit. Very happy with the space and ride, but the power is greatly lacking in my opinion.
I think in the brochure it mentions 25mph (40kph) as a top speed, however I struggle with one person (me) on flat hard ground to get more than 19-20mph (30kph).
In soft sand with kids onboard it really labours and wont' go above 10mph.

I'd love to hear from any other owners about their experience. It just doesn't seem right that the X1140 is so much slower. When I hop on the old 900 its like a rocket in comparison.

Cheers
Jamie Wilson
(Australia)

I ended up getting rid of mine. They have fallen behind, well they have been behind but they have fallen behind of behind. I ended up getting a Bobcat of all things. And I absolutely love it more than any UTV I have ever owned. They took the Polaris frame and beefed it up with heavier springs and shocks. And then added that Kubota Diesel. They also made some slight changes to the interior of the Polaris design. Like you can flip up the passenger seat to ride something tall on that side. I have owned several Polaris, and my brother just purchased the Polaris gas right before I got mine with the same fame and similar interior, and he wishes he had gone the Bobcat route too now. It still has the diesel speed limits but mine will go 19/40mph and that is plenty fast for me.