RTV 500 Owners

[DIXIEDOG]

Would you buy an RTV 500 again? I'm not looking for alot of speed I just want something for hunting and driving around a fence line to maintain it. I think a plow would likely be put on it as well in the future.

If you don't like yours what is it that you dislike about it?

 

[737pilot]

I would not buy another RTV 500 until they increase the performance and fix the rattle. I have a love hate realtionship with mine. I would like to delete the hate word when you pay $10000 for a UTV. It just doesn't have any power and mine has always had a nuisance rattle. Good luck but for my money look at the Ranger 400..Same size, cheaper and kicks the RTV 500 in every parameter. Also the maintenance cost on the 500 is bordering on the ridiculous......How come my Tundra pickup with 8 quarts of oil and service to the tires, wiper fluid, you know checking all the stuff costs me $32 and Kubota charges me $120 for JUST an oil change with less than 2 quarts of oil. You kinda know when your getting ripped off and it doesn't set well with me.

 

[tawilson]

Would you buy an RTV 500 again? I'm not looking for alot of speed I just want something for hunting and driving around a fence line to maintain it. I think a plow would likely be put on it as well in the future.

Yes. It would suit your needs just fine.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Do they handle mud and snow decent?

 

[timswi]

I'm with 737 on the power issue...However, after I made some changes, this thing is actually pretty good now. In fact, since I've been looking at an RTV1100, it's been running even better

We had almost 3ft of snow here a couple of weeks ago, and I was able to plow snow that the quads couldn't touch.

Am I thilled, no..But thanks to Kubota Canada, not U.S., I actually like this little thing now.

If you're not looking for a race car, go for it. It's a good puttering and work machine. Just don't expect to keep up with ATV's.

 

[timswi]

Do they handle mud and snow decent?

Pretty good, just don't bury it above the suspension.

 

[Stonehaller]

For the most part I am happy with my RTV500. I like that it is quiet and the fuel injection makes for easy starting in winter and summer. I do not have the rattle problem that has plagued others. I like that it has a decent sized battery so I do not have to worry about running it down with the wench. I like that the hydrostatic transmission brakes the vehicle to a stop when you take you foot off the gas. I rarely use the brakes.

However, I do wish it had a better suspension and a better ride. If the Polaris Ranger 400 would have been available at the time, I probably would have gone with that.

 

[timswi]

For the most part I am happy with my RTV500. I like that it is quiet and the fuel injection makes for easy starting in winter and summer. I do not have the rattle problem that has plagued others. I like that it has a decent sized battery so I do not have to worry about running it down with the wench. I like that the hydrostatic transmission brakes the vehicle to a stop when you take you foot off the gas. I rarely use the brakes.

However, I do wish it had a better suspension and a better ride. If the Polaris Ranger 400 would have been available at the time, I probably would have gone with that.

Forgot about the engine braking...That is nice, almost never have to hit the brake pedal.

It is a rough riding thing..But it is what it is.

By the way, this is the easiest thing on gas you will ever own.

 

[gobraphil]

Dixiedog,
Based on your username, i assume you are used to southern mud. My RTV500 accumulates mud around the rear axle shafts and really doesnt have the power or the ground clearance for serious mud duty.

If I had to do it over again, i probably would opt for the Polaris 400 ranger..

 

[timswi]

Dixiedog,
Based on your username, i assume you are used to southern mud. My RTV500 accumulates mud around the rear axle shafts and really doesnt have the power or the ground clearance for serious mud duty.

If I had to do it over again, i probably would opt for the Polaris 400 ranger..

Not sure about the southern part..he also wants a snow plow.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Dixiedog,
Based on your username, i assume you are used to southern mud. My RTV500 accumulates mud around the rear axle shafts and really doesnt have the power or the ground clearance for serious mud duty.

If I had to do it over again, i probably would opt for the Polaris 400 ranger..

Nope not Southern at all, I live in Maine. I just have a dog named Dixie:laughing: Well I hope it works because I own one now :ashamed: :confused2:

Now I only need to hit the lotto so I can afford the track kit :thumbsup::licking:

 

[gobraphil]

weve got 3 inches of snow coming in the am here in alabama, I might need a snow plow!!:laughing:

 

[Sparkyca]

I have seen where there have been some 500's that were in need of transmission adjustments. The engine and transmission have to be in sync. If they aren't, they don't perform well.

Couple guys had theirs tuned and suddenly they have billy goats..... climb anything. 20/30% improvements.

 

[timswi]

I have seen where there have been some 500's that were in need of transmission adjustments. The engine and transmission have to be in sync. If they aren't, they don't perform well.

Couple guys had theirs tuned and suddenly they have billy goats..... climb anything. 20/30% improvements.

Yup that's true...Kubota should have had a recall on this.....They are shooting themselves in the foot by ignoring the issue...I've heard from many that they were infuriated by these threads...Too bad, owners /customers always know best.

They have a potential market leader with the 500 if they would just address the fact that it is woefully underpowered. I loved everything about it except that. I squeezed everything I could out of the one I had.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Yup that's true...Kubota should have had a recall on this.....They are shooting themselves in the foot by ignoring the issue...I've heard from many that they were infuriated by these threads...Too bad, owners /customers always know best.

They have a potential market leader with the 500 if they would just address the fact that it is woefully underpowered. I loved everything about it except that. I squeezed everything I could out of the one I had.

Do they need a recall or better trained service techs? I haven't suffered any of the common lack of power issues I always hear about. It just flat out goes, in low range it's got monster torque and in high range I am able to climb most any hill without issues. The only time I've seen it lacking power was in mud going up inclines in high range, once I shifted into low it had plenty of goat:thumbsup:

The one complaint I've got is the lack of storage on this thing, if they fixed that I'd be one happy camper

 

[timswi]

Yup Dixie..Storage is an issue..Not a whole lot better on the 1100. The entire underhood area is eaten up by HVAC. It does have a little underseat storage though.

Kubota either got the message, or you got lucky, on the power issue...Not going to speculate. But I'm thrilled that you got a good one.:drink:

 

[KubieTwo]

I have seen where there have been some 500's that were in need of transmission adjustments. The engine and transmission have to be in sync. If they aren't, they don't perform well.

Couple guys had theirs tuned and suddenly they have billy goats..... climb anything. 20/30% improvements.

Not just 500's. My RTV1100 was 8 full turns too tight (too aggressive) on the servo response. It would struggle (bog the engine) in H range going up even the slightest long grade, often requiring a shift to M. It blasts up grades now in H that it struggled up in M before the adjustment. I could not believe how much adjustment it took and was afraid to keep adjusting out, but knew how it was supposed to react, so kept turning one round at a time then driving up a long grade to test it. At 8 full turns, it was a different machine. I don't know how to rate the improvement as a percentage but it would be more than 30% for sure.

I have about 500 hours on mine and would not have anything else. It is a work horse and does everything it is supposed to do, many times over. For some a Ranger may be a better choice for what they do, but not for my use. The RTV's are not Indy cars, but they might well be the Kenworth's of UTV's. (My wife loves to drive it.)

 

[SpudHauler]

Kubie Two,

what happened when you went 9 or 10 turns?

or did you stop at 8 because you were okay with the performance?

I have the RTV1100 as well and found a nice increase by backing it out but not sure how many turns it's at. Shows about

Currently showing about 20mm of thread from the locknut out to the end.

I had tried turning the adjuster in completely and then backing out 5 or 6 turns.

Adjusted it so many times, not sure what turn count it's at now.

Just would like to know what goes wrong when it is too far in or out.

Brian

 

[timswi]

Kubie Two,

what happened when you went 9 or 10 turns?

or did you stop at 8 because you were okay with the performance?

I have the RTV1100 as well and found a nice increase by backing it out but not sure how many turns it's at. Shows about

Currently showing about 20mm of thread from the locknut out to the end.

I had tried turning the adjuster in completely and then backing out 5 or 6 turns.

Adjusted it so many times, not sure what turn count it's at now.

Just would like to know what goes wrong when it is too far in or out.

Brian

If I remember right, too far out and it won't move. Too far in and you'll have no power going up hills etc. If you got it, you got it.

 

[KubieTwo]

Kubie Two,

what happened when you went 9 or 10 turns?

or did you stop at 8 because you were okay with the performance?

I have the RTV1100 as well and found a nice increase by backing it out but not sure how many turns it's at. Shows about

Currently showing about 20mm of thread from the locknut out to the end.

I had tried turning the adjuster in completely and then backing out 5 or 6 turns.

Adjusted it so many times, not sure what turn count it's at now.

Just would like to know what goes wrong when it is too far in or out.

Brian

At 8 turns I can climb a grade without having to back out of the throttle. If that had not been the case I would have come another round or so, but it now runs like I knew it should have. I can tell you that when it is too far in the engine bogs down. Mine was so bad it would bog down on level ground if I floored it at a dead stop. Now that is not a problem and I can start on a small grade in H that earlier required M and part throttle. It is like a different machine after the adjustment.

Kubietwo