Buying Advice LS 4020 hst...LS 4020 shuttle ????

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Looking for any insight or thoughts on the pros an cons between the hst or shuttle.I probably will be doing a lot of fel work with the tractor, moving lots of snow, small food plots, ect. I have drove both and probably leaning towards the hst due to the fact that i have clutched a semi tractor for 27 years, but on the other side of the coin the shuttle seem to have more power when under a load.Any info would be great!!

[bp fick]

Spent a day plowing with a shuttle shift a few months back for a friend. They work slick and for field work, I might choose it.

For more utility use, especially close in work, it is pretty hard to beat an HST for tractor control and ease of use. Shifting the shuttle lever and pushing the clutch are two things more to do, over and over, when your mind and your hands and feet are already busy.

Of course, you pay more for the convenience.

[Piston]

I can't stress enough how much I will never own another 'non-hst' tractor for doing any amount of FEL work.
I spent a lot of time on my new to me HST tractor clearing snow over the last month or two. I was amazed at how efficient I was using the HST for the FEL work. However, I don't do any ground engaging work either so maybe I wouldn't like it as much if I did. I'm happy with with choice though.

[Gary Fowler]

I dont mind the clutching on my shuttle shift. It creates a little leg circulation and Keeps my butt from going to sleep. I admit I have limited experience with HST. My brother in law has a NH 2030 and he got me to drive it for about 30 minutes one time doing FEL work, but that was about as long as I cared to. He had to shift to low to load up the bucket (we were digging out a dried up pond in heavy clay) and then he had to shift to high range to transport it to the stock pile which was quiet a ways away. I was using my Yanmar with powershift and was going faster than him. Both tractors are about the same HP. I love the powershift on the Yannie but my new LS works just fine with the shuttle shift. With the Yanmar, I ran it in 3rd range and downshifted to 1st for loading, powershift to R to back out, then to 1st and then on up to 4th all without clutching. I would clutch it at the dump pile and then powershift to R and start all over. Much better than the HST and no foot on anything unless I was dumping. Now with the LS, I just pick a gear for the speed I want, it has plenty of power so no need to downshift on it. I have never found the clutch to be that much of an issue when using the FEL. I guess some folks are less coordinated with foot/hand multi-tasking than others. When I was building my pond, I would load up the FEL take it to the dike, climb to the top, hit the brake with the right foot, clutch with the left, dump the load with my right hand, shift the shuttle with my left and be backing down the ramp as the bucket was cycling back up. Nothing to it. Just sitting in AC comfort listening to the stereo and having fun.

[Greg9504]

I stopped by my local LS dealer and the new 2011 R4041 has an "AMT EZ" shift option. Dealer described it as the same as a transmission found on a full size backhoe, if you are familiar with those. Forward/Neutral/Reverse lever on the left side of the steering wheel, gear selection lever on the right, no clutch. They didn't have one in stock yet, but will this week. I have the brochure for it, but it doesn't go into much detail. Perhaps the 2011 R4020 version will have that option.

[Gary Fowler]

I think that would be better than a hydrostatic drive. I think those are mechanically just like an automatic transmission in a car with a big old torque converter in front. They should have a better engine to drawbar horsepower ratio than hydrostatic but might still be less than straight clutch to gear transmission. They would sure be worth a look. I like the MF QPS (powershift) transmission but dont like the electronic shifter. I think that is just something else to short out and cost big dollars to fix. A straight linkage system would be more bullet proof, after all if you want a paddle shift buy a Porsche. I just dont think those computer boards and electrical contacts will stand up the the vibration and dirt associated with a tractor. It may be good for a M50 Abrams tank for all the electronics, but a tractor owner doesnt generally have the budget to afford all the maintenance staff folks and spare parts depots that the US Government can afford thanks to our tax dollars at work. My 7010 has a couple of electromechanical shifters that I wish it didnt have (PTO and differential lock) that would be better with manual levers. The differential lock and PTO switch is behind the seat on the back of the cab wall so it is hard to get to when you need it . Everything else that you use frequently is in a good location although I had to get my book out to find the windshield wiper switch which is also behind your back and kind of up on the ceiling along with the light switches. There seems to be adequate room on the instrument panel for some of these which would be more logical. WHere would the PTO and differential lock be if you didnt have a cab??

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Thanks all for the insight.. that amt-ez is what is on my brother-in- laws backhoe , it is very nice and easy to use.. What is interesting is I was at the ls dealer on Friday drove both shuttle and hydro again and the dealer never said anything about amt-ez transmission.Anyways, we did nail down a final price on both the 4010 an 4020 hydro and will be back there tomorrow with a deposit for one of them. I will ask about the amt-ez though maybe its not available on the 4010 or4020 models I do agree with you gary the less computer stuff the better