Anybody have a guess as to how the Rubicon's Hydro Trans will work in cold weather. I hang out in Minnesota and Wisconsin....hand warmers are the first thing I usually add to a new ATV.......and I know the hydrolics on my tactor do not like to work when I wake them up when it is cold out! I'm not talking California-sweater-cold, I talking long-underwear+snowmobile-suit-or-freeze-your-nads-cold.

 

I never thought about that. I understand the tranny is like a hydrostatic drive. If you've ever driven a combine or even a bigger mower you might be able to relate. Maybe it will need a little warm up time??? I'm sure Honda has done their homework on this tranny, but then again Hondas are kinda cold blooded.
c-ya,

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Andrew Thomas

'99 Scrambler 400 & '99 Trailblazer, both with RCR mods.

 

PJ, how do automobiles with automatic transmissions perform during wintertime in your area? If severe cold weather deadlines automobiles where you live, a Honda ATV with some fluid coupling in its automatic transmission might have problems under the same climatic conditions.

Tree Farmer

P.S. Do you currently ride a Polaris, by chance?

T.F.

 

T.F.,

Yep, I currently ride a Polaris...but not much longer. Lack of reliability is pointing me in other directions.

 

The Hondamatic is a sealed unit, like Honda's hydrostatic drives on their mowers. It runs with fairly high hydraulic pressure. When you put alot of pressure on a fluid, it gets up to operating temperature in seconds. I would think the tranny oil will also help the engine oil heat up more quickly, since the trans and engine use the same oil supply.