I have been reading up and watching videos that were posted way back since early the Jan 2021 (on this and a number of other Forums), on the benefits of adding a hand throttle to RTV-Xs, and on similar and earlier Kubota models.
It seems the major reason advocating a hand throttle is to raise the base engine speed and torque to drive the snow plows and similar attachments at the correct RPM (and torque). But in real terms, a hand throttle has a broader role to play.
Looking at most modern-day mobile machinery such as tractors, skid-steer loaders, excavators, etc, etc, they now have hydrostatic transmissions to eliminate a clutch and meshing gears and for the ease and simplicity of forward and reverse vehicle motion. But, also with mobile hydrostatic transmissions, they are just about always operate with a high revving governed engine. Why? To keep the engine running in a higher torque band.
Now, it is very likely that the smart engineers at Kubota, have a "standard control system" of electronics and linkages working in unison to keep the engine RPM just high enough to maintain the torque in equilibrium with the force necessary to stroke the transmission swashplate to start and then drive the RTV to the max. power and speed. But to expect a heavy RTV-X to climb up a steep hill from a standstill, with the engine RPM starting at just above idle, is a big ask.
In a practical sense, under higher starting loads, it is much better to utilize a hand throttle to run the engine at higher base RPM and in a higher torque range, and temporally override the standard control system settings. And let the actual HST do its job!
The Kubota RTV-X*** series with a HST is undoubtedly considered a HD mobile machine, and as such are designed to handle the tough jobs around the farm and worksite. Maybe not that fast, but certainly a lot more heavy-duty compared to most "big-boy-toys", à la, UTVs.
In my view, a fully adjustable hand throttle should be standard equipment on RTV-Xs, as HD working vehicles. Not just to warm up cold engines, or just to operate attachments at a higher speeds, but importantly to assist the HST to better manage higher engine RPM and torque outputs, when operating at slow/low ground speed and demanding high load/tractive effort.
It seems the major reason advocating a hand throttle is to raise the base engine speed and torque to drive the snow plows and similar attachments at the correct RPM (and torque). But in real terms, a hand throttle has a broader role to play.
Looking at most modern-day mobile machinery such as tractors, skid-steer loaders, excavators, etc, etc, they now have hydrostatic transmissions to eliminate a clutch and meshing gears and for the ease and simplicity of forward and reverse vehicle motion. But, also with mobile hydrostatic transmissions, they are just about always operate with a high revving governed engine. Why? To keep the engine running in a higher torque band.
Now, it is very likely that the smart engineers at Kubota, have a "standard control system" of electronics and linkages working in unison to keep the engine RPM just high enough to maintain the torque in equilibrium with the force necessary to stroke the transmission swashplate to start and then drive the RTV to the max. power and speed. But to expect a heavy RTV-X to climb up a steep hill from a standstill, with the engine RPM starting at just above idle, is a big ask.
In a practical sense, under higher starting loads, it is much better to utilize a hand throttle to run the engine at higher base RPM and in a higher torque range, and temporally override the standard control system settings. And let the actual HST do its job!
The Kubota RTV-X*** series with a HST is undoubtedly considered a HD mobile machine, and as such are designed to handle the tough jobs around the farm and worksite. Maybe not that fast, but certainly a lot more heavy-duty compared to most "big-boy-toys", à la, UTVs.
In my view, a fully adjustable hand throttle should be standard equipment on RTV-Xs, as HD working vehicles. Not just to warm up cold engines, or just to operate attachments at a higher speeds, but importantly to assist the HST to better manage higher engine RPM and torque outputs, when operating at slow/low ground speed and demanding high load/tractive effort.
Hand throttle technology would be great to have as standard equipment on all RTV's.
