Hydro vs Standard Shift?

[Mikek101]

I Just found this Site and am SO happy /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif to have found it before purchased.

I’m looking at a John Deere 4410 and would like opinions on Hydro vs Standard Shift.

My use for my new tractor will be:
Digging foundation for new Barn
Digging trench for water/electric line to Barn
Clearing Pasture Land
Installing Posts
Snow Removal

I drove both models and found them to both be adequate. I am leaning towards the Hydro.

 

[_RaT_]

Hi Mike, with a little searching of TBN's vast posts regarding HST vs standard gearbox which includes shuttle transmissions, you will find a lot of information. This subject has been dealt with so many, many times and continues to be a topic with widely varying opinions. I have both types currently. To me, there is a reason for both to continue to be made and a reason when one would be selected over the other, but very few. Suffice it to say, I am having a blast with my HST tractor and enjoy my manual tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Rat...

 

[Egon]

Hst verus geared.

They both have their fine points.

Lots of back and forth and varying speeds in small areas = HST

Open space and long runs with constant speed = geared

It's a personal choice for each individual.

Egon

 

[Adirondaks]

Of all the uses you listed for yourself, snow removal with a HST I think would be easier then a geared tractor. Test drive before you buy. I have the 4410 with eHydro. Digging foundations makes no difference.

 

[Docsknotinn]

I think if you look through the archives on any forum you will find several long strands about this topic. Its constantly poping up. There is no right or wrong choice only a choice that is better for each individual. The only way for you to truelly answer your question is to test Drive, Test Drive, Test Drive and then test drive some more. Thats the fun part any how ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowrev]

I agree with the other posters, it is mostly a matter of your preferences. Hydro is easier and handier. I would not however get a Hydro if your primary use for the tractor was plowing or other draft operations. Since you did not mention this use it depends on which one you like best.

 

[normde2001]

I can't think of any advantage the gear drive has over the HST other than price. The gear drive is good for mowing, plowing, moving in a straight line, etc, but the HST is just as good, however when it comes to digging, loading, a lot of back and forth, the geardrive cannot compare.

 

[cowboydoc]

I can't think of any advantage the gear drive has over the HST other than price

Let's see less durability, loss of power to the ground, difficult to get constant speed #'s, more expensive to fix, more expensive initially, etc. As far as work done with regard to digging, loading, back and forth, that depends alot on the operator. I know alot of operators that could work a gear tractor in circle around a lesser operator on a hydro.

Again one is not better than the other. One is better than the other for one person but not as a general rule.

 

[SethO]

If we compare two tractors both with the same PTO output, is there any advantage to having a geared transmison over a hydrostatic transmision for using the PTO?

Again if we look at a front end loader, with the same set of loader specifications, is a hydrostatic transmission better or worse?

 

[cowboydoc]

On both accounts you are going to get power loss. How important that is differs with the individual. If you're buying a machine that meets the min. hp required to run an implement you are not going to be happy running that implement. You will notice more of a power drop with a hydro over a geared tractor. Now if you are over the hp rating by 5 or 10 hp then it's a non-issue. Hydros are a great convenience no doubt. It all depends on what you are doing with the tractor that makes that decision. There is a reason that nothing above a compact tractor has a hydro.