XR 3135 synchro shuttle or hydrostatic transmission??

[T REX]

I'm a newbie, I have 1720 with a clutch-gear tranny and want to move up a bit in power... Seriously considering a XR3135 with FEL AND turf tires. We'll be using it mostly for mowing, brush hogging and occasionally loader usage. I've had smaller lawn tractors with hydrostatic but not at all familiar with the Synchro shuttle on the XR tractors. Any comments and experience with the pro's and con's will be appreciated.... Thanks!!

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN neighbor.....

IMO you can't beat hydrostatic for repetitive loader work and also brush hogging forward and backward mowing. Most, if not all XR 's come with cruise control which will make mowing long areas easier.
Syncro shuttle will cost less than a hydro. My last 2 tractors were hydro. Gear tractors may be better for farm type work pulling implements but I don't do any of that so I have no need for a gear tractor.
Just my opinions.

 

[Maxify55]

Had a shuttle shift on an old Yanmar 4X4 w/FEL I used to build my place.
I've had all the bending and shifting I care to do the rest of my days.
I use all my FEL implements and THAT'S where you create all the back and forth repetitive motion.
If you are planning on using you equipment to work/build your place, pay the extra money up front and
get the hydro trans.
I've seldom seen anyone complain about it. Except for the occasional person will complain about the hydro pump noise at lower RPMs.

 

[T REX]

Thanks for the replies George and Maxify.. I know the hydrostatic s are easy-to-use and may go that route.. The XR models have what they call a (fully) synchro shuttle.. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with this type of tranny....

 

[Cataclysm]

Yes, I have ran a synchronized shuttle (SS) on a 30hp MF quite a bit. You still have to use the clutch to shift. You still have to feather the clutch to be smooth and to move real slow. It works well but can't compete with a hydro for ease of use.

Usually on these smaller tractors you have to go to low range to push into a pile. So that means in addition to changing the SS lever you also have to change the High Low lever. Then shift to reverse and shift to high range then shift to forward. It get tiring at times and a couple times my shifting knee would get tired.

I run a hydro transmission now and would not want to go back unless I was only doing tillage.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[T REX]

Cataclysm, thanks for the reply, it sounds worse than standard shift.... why would anyone want shuttle???

 

[westernstar]

I bought an XR3135HC a year ago, never even looked at the shuttle shift. I traded up from a John Deere gear tractor, and would never go back to a gear. Price difference for a hydrostatic is not as large as it used to be. A shuttle shift is nothing but a gear tractor with a forward and reverse selector in all gears. buy the hydro and you will really like it.

George

 

[T REX]

I bought an XR3135HC a year ago, never even looked at the shuttle shift. I traded up from a John Deere gear tractor, and would never go back to a gear. Price difference for a hydrostatic is not as large as it used to be. A shuttle shift is nothing but a gear tractor with a forward and reverse selector in all gears. buy the hydro and you will really like it.

George

George, thanks for the reply!!! Seems everyone is hydro... I can't argue with that! Can you tell me about your XR3135H? What do you use it for, tires etc??

 

[westernstar]

In the winter it is for snow, 700 ft driveway. I use the bucket or have a 7 foot plow that I can mount on the front quick hitch. In the summer it is for general farm work. I bought a backhoe attachment and do ditching and stump removal. I also have a set of forks for the quick hitch and use these to carry out logs for firewood. I have an estate mower for the rear, and use that to mow my lawn, use a hydraulic log splitter off the 3 point hitch, a chipper to chip up the tree branches from the trees I take down for firewood, a rototiller for my garden. And when the grandkids are here I keep them busy giving them rides around the property.

George

 

[PJSprog]

Same deal for us. We do no tillage work. It's almost all FEL stuff, with occasional rotary mower and rear blade work. Hydro makes it much easier on The Wife as well, who's bordering on tiny. We never even considered a gear tractor.