What do you use to haul your wood out of the woods to the wood pile

[JP11]

I've been driving and maintaining hydrostatic machines for years..

I stand corrected. We had to train our groomer operators that going full forward on the handle.. is NOT like clamping the throttle to the bar on a snowmobile. It's counter intuitive.. but works for hill climbs to back off.. on MOST hydro stuff.

JP

 

[lukem]

I've been driving and maintaining hydrostatic machines for years.

You are making the same erroneous assumption that most people make when they have never actually looked at how a Kubota RTV500 is designed, that it is controlled in a conventional hydrostatic manner. It isn't. The RTV500 does not have the typical hydrostatic swash plate control plus separate throttle setup of most hydrostatically driven equipment. Instead, it has a single speed control pedal. The swash plate is controlled automatically.

Simply stated, the speed control pedal is connected to both the fuel injection throttle body and a load sensing servo control. Engine RPM is controlled directly by the speed control pedal, while the swash plate position is controlled by the servo. As the machine starts to ascend a grade, internal hydraulic pressure increases and the servo backs off the swash plate accordingly. The speed drops, of course, but the engine RPMs stay constant. A properly adjusted machine does not require backing off the throttle (speed control pedal) in order to climb a hill under any circumstances.

The only time a change is needed by the operator is from high range to low range. That must be done while stopped and requires the operator to be able make an informed judgment regarding the load being carried or towed and the steepness of the slope to be climbed. High and low ranges are mechanical gear changes.

This is the same setup as my Rubicon (yes, a hydrostatic ATV) except a thumb throttle instead of a pedal. Works great on my machine. If I'm pulling a big load up a hill...you give it more throttle...not less.

 

[MasterMech]

None of that give the RTV the nimbleness or high-range flexibility it's owners are missing out on. Drive a diesel Deere HPX or XUV and you will immediately see what I mean. The RTV is better suited to dragging the space shuttle to it's launch tower rather than navigating muddy, rutted, trails carrying it's payload capacity.

 

[albert1029]

You must be in good shape Albert

I'll either be in good shape or it will kill me.

 

[albert1029]

Shoulda known better

That's just kick-a$$ son...

 

[JustWood]

To get in,

and to get out

 

[Billybonfire]

When the snow's flying, I use this.....

View attachment 81717 View attachment 81718 View attachment 81719

WOW Scotty that must be so much fun, I want to emigrate, dead jealous.

 

[WhitePine]

None of that give the RTV the nimbleness or high-range flexibility it's owners are missing out on. Drive a diesel Deere HPX or XUV and you will immediately see what I mean. The RTV is better suited to dragging the space shuttle to it's launch tower rather than navigating muddy, rutted, trails carrying it's payload capacity.

All brands and machines have their pluses and minuses.

When compared to the machines you mentioned, the RTV500 is much less expensive, as fuel efficient as those diesels, and far better at navigating steep terrain safely with a heavy load. You don't even need the brakes to descend a steep grade.

You don't miss out on what you don't need or want and not everyone has the same requirements.

 

[Billybonfire]

Started looking at all these machines and like em all.....would love to live somewhere where it snows more, must be great hauling wood with a snowmobile, or maybe it just i'm still a kid at heart .

 

[basod]

All brands and machines have their pluses and minuses.

When compared to the machines you mentioned, the RTV500 is much less expensive, as fuel efficient as those diesels, and far better at navigating steep terrain safely with a heavy load. You don't even need the brakes to descend a steep grade.

You don't miss out on what you don't need or want and not everyone has the same requirements.

Yep after it throws you through the windshield you can rest assurred it wil not run you over

 

[WhitePine]

Yep after it throws you through the windshield you can rest assurred it wil not run you over

I hear they use to be like that. Kubota apparently got a few complaints, and they softened that sudden stop. It can still pretty dramatic though.

Any way, I'm safe. No windshield.

 

[Flatbedford]

Most of my wood is scrounged roadside. I either drag/roll it out by hand and hookeroon or by wire rope and truck.
My '70 F350 does most of the hauling.
But the 4 wheel drive F250 does come in handy.

 

[bogydave]

To get in,
View attachment 81921
and to get out
View attachment 81922

You win !

 

[lukem]

You win !

He does until a guy with a helicopter shows up...

 

[Thistle]

That's what I'm hoping for next....got probably 50 snags & equal amount on the ground for years wayyyyy over across the creek & up past 2 very steep hills near south property line.Only way to access the area is by walking or possibly talking to neighbor's (that part of original farm was sold to 2 separate buyers about 10-12 yrs ago) & maybe I could go through their gates & park across my fence in their feedlot.

 

[WhitePine]

That's what I'm hoping for next....got probably 50 snags & equal amount on the ground for years wayyyyy over across the creek & up past 2 very steep hills near south property line.Only way to access the area is by walking or possibly talking to neighbor's (that part of original farm was sold to 2 separate buyers about 10-12 yrs ago) & maybe I could go through their gates & park across my fence in their feedlot.

Here's what you need to get that remote wood.

 

[MasterMech]

All brands and machines have their pluses and minuses.

When compared to the machines you mentioned, the RTV500 is much less expensive, as fuel efficient as those diesels, and far better at navigating steep terrain safely with a heavy load. You don't even need the brakes to descend a steep grade.

You don't miss out on what you don't need or want and not everyone has the same requirements.

Did they ever get a true 4x4 system on the RTV?

What is the tag on the RTV500? I know it's less than the HPX or XUV (or the RTV900/1100) but as you said, it's not really made to do 20+ MPH while carrying 1000lbs.

 

[WhitePine]

Did they ever get a true 4x4 system on the RTV?

What is the tag on the RTV500? I know it's less than the HPX or XUV (or the RTV900/1100) but as you said, it's not really made to do 20+ MPH while carrying 1000lbs.

Not sure what you mean by true 4x4 system. If you mean automatic 4x4, no, it's manual, as is the locking rear differential.

I forget exactly what I paid for mine. It was around $8K with the optional top and heavy duty work site tires. It's a fairly recent purchase.

 

[firefighterjake]

Here's what you need to get that remote wood.

A UFO? Darn it . . . first it was the abductions and bright lights . . . then it was the anal cavity probes . . . and now they're stealing our wood. Darn aliens and the U-FOs.

 

[XJma]

The wife driving my 'skidder' with detroit lockers f/r, 4.88 gearing, Q78 TSLs, bilsteins, etc. Unfortunately it's also for sale .

The 'other' more street-legal skidder. stock gearing, rear locker, 32" MTs

For small stuff close to the house I just use the vermont cart. I really need to get a trailer for the JD hydro185!!

For fun I have used my sport quad to pull the ice fishing sled full of rounds.

 

[trailrated]

It's my first Kubota of any kind. I'm not real happy with it. I cranked down the spring preload in the rear one notch which helped the ride. There's no helping the shifting though. I hate the metal on metal shift gate and the banging sound it makes. Mine also doesn't want to go into gear about half the time. I've seen lots of complaints about that, so I guess it's a design issue.

It's definitely under powered in my opinion. 15.6 HP working into a hydrostat just doesn't get it. I think it would do a lot better with 20 - 25 HP.

BTW, a lot of them came out of the factory improperly set up. Having to ease up on the go pedal to climb a hill in high is one of the indicators that the machine needs adjusting. There are instructions on the TractorByNet website on how to do it. They were posted by a couple of frustrated Kubota mechanics in response to complaints that Kubota would not acknowledge the problem and wouldn't or couldn't address it under warranty.

Yea, I read about the servo adjustment. I have a kubota tractor as well and I'm on tractorbynet. I haven't attempted the servo adjustment yet. I have just accepted the RTV500 is what it is and at this point in the game I know what I can and can't do with it. My biggest disappointment is I wanted to use it for deer hunting and most times I can't because it can't get to where I need it to go.

 

[XJma]

Wow, that's a real bummer about the kubota RTV issues. I've only ever heard good things about kubota. Neighbor has two, one with a huge mowing deck and another front end loader. I've borrowed the front end loader one and it was tits.

FWIW, wifes cousin has a mule and it's not too shabby. I've also used tow different polaris rangers on remote work sites, one of them was even a 6 passenger!! They were both top notch and could haul bum over gnarly terrain. Another friend has a yamaha rhino, and it is a blast. He loves it, uses it for everything and has had no issues whatsoever.

Even though it's totally unrelated, I'm gonna post this video of my brother and I beating on the rhino out on the ice.

 

[MasterMech]

Wow, that's a real bummer about the kubota RTV issues. I've only ever heard good things about kubota.

They aren't total pieces of junk. Far from it. But romping through the woods on rough, steep, or muddy trails is not their strong suit. Farm chores, utility vehicle for maintaing large facilities, it does pretty well. But there are much better choices out their for the deep-woods scrounging crowd.

 

[Gasifier]

Here are my hauling tools. I just realized I have not even taken a picture of my tractor with a loader full of splits yet. That is going to have to be resolved. The 4wd Tundra Crewmax does a nice job. But when going into the woods where the paths start to get narrowed the tractor is what I use.

 

[Gasifier]

Nice tools all you guys have! Wow. I like every last one of them. Lee, stop showin off. Your making me jealous.