What are the drawbacks of parking HST in "gear" instead of Neutral?

[Komrade]

I would like to leave it in "gear" so that when I start it in N it doesn't accidentally roll while in N, as it can be parked at a slight slope.
Manual recommends using N.

 

[oosik]

Strange. If your tractor will start while in gear then that's the reason why the OP manual recommends leaving it in N when parked. If yours, like mine, will not start in gear then I don't understand why you couldn't leave it in gear.

Another solution, that I use, when parking on a slope - curl your bucket on the FEL and pin it into the ground or drop your 3-point implement and let it sit on the ground or do both. If on a slope and the tractor is still running when I leave it I do both and set the park break. I DO NOT want to be in the position of trying to run down a tractor and jump on it. My Jeep started rolling back down my driveway while I was opening the gate and it almost ran over me as I tried to get back in it. I was finally able to reach in and pull the park break. Really stupid mistake on my part - leaving the vehicle without setting the park break. I didn't think the driveway was sloped - the Jeep knew otherwise.

 

[300UGUY]

I don't understand this. I don't see a "N" position on the HST? When using mine, I usually drop the bucket, rather than using the parking brake, as I frequently forget to release the parking brake. And the bucket and/or the 3 pt is a bigger brake than the parking brake.

 

[Retired Iron Peddler]

I don't understand this. I don't see a "N" position on the HST? When using mine, I usually drop the bucket, rather than using the parking brake, as I frequently forget to release the parking brake. And the bucket and/or the 3 pt is a bigger brake than the parking brake.

My tractor shows what gear the range transmission Low (L), Medium (M) or High (H) or if it is Neutral (N) on the IntelliPanel. I too always lower the implement and/or loader bucket to the ground in addition to leaving the transmission in neutral and setting the park brake before dismounting the tractor. It was a safety precaution I learned have been doing since attending a tractor safety school when I worked for I-H as a "factory sales rep" almost 50 years ago.

Bill

 

[J_J]

An HST tractor will stay in gear unless you move the lever to neutral. I never leave mine HST in neutral.

Although the HST is in gear, the fwd/rev pedal is in neutral.

You also have brakes you can lock.

Drop the bucket and 3pt attachments.

 

[C4Ranch]

Drawbacks none. Advantage yes. IMO.

I rarely put mine in neutral. I do when I run my PHD so I can control pto rpm with my foot while using auto throttle advance.

 

[NHbotanut]

I never put my tractor in N. I just shut it down and drop the bucket & 3pth. Just push the clutch in, start, and off I go. Where I park it during the week is flat, so I don't use the parking brake, but when I am working I always use the brake.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My B26 Kubota will start in any range as long as the HST pedal is in neutral position. I like this much better than having to shift to N to start. I thought my BIL's NH was going to melt the plastic hood when he stalled it while punching up a burning pile of brush. With the pressure on the HST, he couldn't get it to shift out of gear in order to start it. After what seemed forever, the pressure finally got down so he could shift to N, start the tractor, shift back to L and get the heck out. If it were my B26, it would have been just take the foot off the HST pedal, it would go to N and with a turn of the key, back to business.
I always lower the FEL when parked or when I dismount any of my tractors. It is much better brake than the parking brake and easier to engage and disengage.

There is definitely advantage to not having to shift range selector to N to start. ONE safety is plenty and I don't need 3 or more position safeties in place for starting. I can start my B26 while on the ground and with it in gear as long as the pedal is neutral, as soon as the pedal is engaged, the engine dies if no one is in the seat.

I would hate to have to trace down a bad micro switch on my ZTR mower which has to be in park (1 switch), handles pushed out (2 switches-one for each handle) ,seat occupied (1 switch), mower disengaged (1 switch). SO it could be any one or more of 5 micro -switches bad to trace down. So much simpler to just look at one although I do see the need for all of them on the mower, but not on a tractor which should need not more than 1 for HST pedal and one for PTO engagement.

For my gear drive tractor, I shift everything to N (range, gear and shuttle shift) and lower the FEL. I have to push the clutch fully in to start regardless of what position the gears are in. I don't usually apply the parking brake unless I am doing something where I need to leave the engine running as in hooking up to a piece of equipment where I may need to raise or lower the 3 PH. I always fully engage the parking brake when using it on any of my equipment so it wont move without releasing it. I always have to watch when my BIL uses my RTV as he will just lightly set it and I always end up running it for some distance with the brake on.

 

[teg]

Even in gear, while on a slope, a HST can roll with the engine off. BTDT.

 

[k0ua]

I would like to leave it in "gear" so that when I start it in N it doesn't accidentally roll while in N, as it can be parked at a slight slope.
Manual recommends using N.

Your post does not make any sense to me. How can you leave it in gear and have it in Nuetral to start at the same time.? Why is you foot not on the brake pedal during the start sequence? I just don't understand what you are asking:confused3: