ASV RT-135 MAX vs ASV VT-100 MAX

ASV

ASV RT-135 MAX

$132,000

4.5★ (95)

ASV

$98,000

4.4★ (110)

Quick take: The ASV VT-100 MAX costs $34,000 less; the ASV RT-135 MAX has more engine power (132 vs 104 hp).

✓The 132 hp Cummins QSF3.8 with 360 ft-lbs of torque and up to 50 GPM of hydraulic flow spins mulcher heads competitors bog down, making it one of the most capable CTL mulching platforms sold.
✓Class-leading cooling - a massive rear package designed for 100% load in high ambient temps - lets it mulch all day in summer without derating.
✓The suspended Posi-Track undercarriage spreads 12,000 lbs over huge track contact area, so it floats over slash and soft forest floor where steel-track rivals trench in.
✓A 10 mph top speed moves between work zones quickly on big clearing jobs.
✓The MAX-Series cab adds room, sealing, and a modern display to what was previously ASV's most spartan machine.
✓Cummins power means parts and service knowledge at truck dealers nationwide - a real advantage over the Yanmar-powered smaller ASVs.
✓Radial lift geometry keeps the load close on slopes and gives strong breakout for grubbing and stump work.
✓The 2-year/2,000-hour warranty with no-derailment guarantee covers the undercarriage even in forestry duty.

✗Rubber tracks are the wrong answer for sharp rock and heavy slash in some buyers' eyes - cuts and chunking are the machine's known weakness in severe forestry use.
✗Undercarriage rebuilds on a 12,000 lb machine are expensive, and the many wheels and bearings demand constant attention in debris-heavy work.
✗At well over $130k with a mulching head, total package cost rivals small dedicated forestry machines with steel undercarriages.
✗The 20 GPM standard flow is low for the class - this machine only makes sense with the high-flow package.
✗ASV's dealer network is thin for supporting a flagship working in remote clearing country.
✗The radial-only lift path and 125-inch hinge pin height limit truck-loading versatility compared to vertical-lift rivals.
✗Resale is niche - the pool of used buyers for a 132 hp rubber-track mulching CTL is small.
✗Fuel burn is serious under continuous mulching load, and the machine is thirstier than the 74 hp class buyers may be stepping up from.

✓The 3,500 lb rated capacity and 132-inch hinge pin height put pallets and heavy loads over tall truck sides that stop mid-frame machines cold.
✓The 103.5 hp Yanmar turbo makes 291 ft-lbs of torque, giving mulchers and cold planers real authority when paired with the 41 GPM high-flow circuit.
✓The MAX-Series cab is a genuine step change for ASV - roomier, quieter, better sealed, with a modern display and creature comforts that finally match the price.
✓The suspended Posi-Track undercarriage floats this 10,800 lb machine over ground conditions that swallow rigid-undercarriage rivals of the same weight.
✓Ride quality at speed is the best in the 100 hp class, letting operators keep material in the bucket across rough sites.
✓MAX-Series touches like bucket positioning control and dual-direction return-to-position speed up repetitive loading cycles.
✓Dedicated coolers and direct-drive pumps sustain continuous high-flow work in summer heat where competitors derate or overheat.
✓The 2-year/2,000-hour warranty with ASV's no-derailment track guarantee covers the undercarriage that skeptics worry about most.

✗Undercarriage maintenance is multiplied on a machine this heavy - wheels, bearings, and rubber tracks all wear faster under 10,000+ lbs.
✗Track replacement costs are substantial, and abrasive or rocky ground shortens track life dramatically.
✗ASV's dealer network is thin for a flagship-priced machine, so many buyers are far from warranty support.
✗Resale lags the Cat 299/Kubota SVL97 crowd because used buyers discount the unfamiliar undercarriage.
✗At 23 GPM the standard flow is ordinary - you need the high-flow option to justify this machine, which pushes the price six figures.
✗The Yanmar 4TNV94FHT is newer to North America, and parts plus service familiarity lag Cummins and Kubota.
✗Ground pressure is low for the weight, but it's still a big machine - tight residential gates and trailering under CDL limits get tricky.
✗Loaded weight plus trailer exceeds what most 3/4-ton trucks should tow, so factor a bigger truck into the total cost.