Howdy all I am new to this site and am wanting to purchase a Brutus for all the capabilities it offers and am reading about the lack of power and speed issues. I am wandering if anyone has pondered the idea of switching to the HTS transmission with the SVI Dura\-guard Clutch? From what I have read the HST tranny can be purchased new for around $2500 and the clutch for about $1500. I know you would have to do away with the treadle pedal (of which I don't particularly like) and shift from forward to reverse manually. Any thoughts?
Radical concept change
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328 Posts
For moving material and general snow cleanup, I'm really liking the treadle pedal. I used to plow with an ATV, and shifting between reverse and forward was a real workout, much easier with the treadle.
Really, I don't know if major surgery on the Brutus is really worth the effort, how much to just get a used Ranger for when you want to fly?
Really, I don't know if major surgery on the Brutus is really worth the effort, how much to just get a used Ranger for when you want to fly?
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110 Posts
Just to be clear,
Brutus = hydrostatic transmission = HST.
Ranger = continuously variable transmission = CVT.
I think you'd be wasting time and money trying to convert a Brutus to CVT. It's probably more work than you can imagine and the gains will be less than you think. A Ranger 570/900/Diesel trans would bolt right in, but that's about where the simplicity ends. The engine would need to be relocated to line up the CVT belt. That throws off the PTO driveline alignment. The PTO and hydraulic pump are driven off the flywheel where the CVT clutch would need to go. You would need to relocate them and figure out how to drive them. I think you would be way ahead to start with a Ranger and add the Brutus features to it. I wouldn't be opposed to doing a project like this, I just think the end result is inferior to a stock Brutus.
Changing the transmission does not change the lack of power. You still have a 24hp engine. The diesel Ranger with CVT trans is only slightly faster than the Brutus and a hill will slow it down almost as much. I owned a Ranger Diesel with the SVI Duraclutch. Everyone seems to love the Duraclutch but I think it sucks, I had it for about a week before I took it off and sold it. Shortly after that I sold the Ranger and swore I'd never own another UTV with a CVT trans (that was my fourth one).
Brutus = hydrostatic transmission = HST.
Ranger = continuously variable transmission = CVT.
I think you'd be wasting time and money trying to convert a Brutus to CVT. It's probably more work than you can imagine and the gains will be less than you think. A Ranger 570/900/Diesel trans would bolt right in, but that's about where the simplicity ends. The engine would need to be relocated to line up the CVT belt. That throws off the PTO driveline alignment. The PTO and hydraulic pump are driven off the flywheel where the CVT clutch would need to go. You would need to relocate them and figure out how to drive them. I think you would be way ahead to start with a Ranger and add the Brutus features to it. I wouldn't be opposed to doing a project like this, I just think the end result is inferior to a stock Brutus.
Changing the transmission does not change the lack of power. You still have a 24hp engine. The diesel Ranger with CVT trans is only slightly faster than the Brutus and a hill will slow it down almost as much. I owned a Ranger Diesel with the SVI Duraclutch. Everyone seems to love the Duraclutch but I think it sucks, I had it for about a week before I took it off and sold it. Shortly after that I sold the Ranger and swore I'd never own another UTV with a CVT trans (that was my fourth one).
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