Kerry
Bronze Member
From reading the forum I see that in the US there seems to be a preference for HST tractors over gear drive where as in Oz gear drive seems to be the prefered transmission. Why is this?
HST or gear drive ?
- Thread starter Kerry
- Start date
PBMAX
Platinum Member
I'd imagine the way there used...If I was a farming I think the fact that gear drives have spicific speeds in each gear would be convinient for planting...I know the ease of loader work is great for my lil 8.5 acres of play ground uh...yard.So basically I do lawn/pasture cutting and land-scaping,by and for the wife.
Lil' Paul
Proud owner of TC21D
Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Lil' Paul
Proud owner of TC21D
Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Anonymous Poster
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I would only buy a gear tractor, I don't care for the hst only because you do not have as much control as I would like.
cowboydoc
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Gordon,
I believe what he is talking about is that with a gear tractor you can know exactly what your ground speed is going to be in a certain gear without having to fiddle with it. For instance if you have to plant at x speed you look at the gear speed and put it in that gear and go. Same way when I am haying. I know exactly what speed I have to be in to make the baler work like I want. I put the tractor in that gear and go. With the HST you don't have that luxury. With the cruise control you are guessing at where you are at. If I want to be in 1 low and keep it there I put it in that gear. Not as easy with the HST. When I am feeding in the winter I put my daughter in the seat and have her steer me down the field while I get on the hay wagon and start throwing hay off to the cattle. I put it in the gear I want. Get on the wagon and she puts the power reverser in gear and away we go. All she has to do it pull the reverser back to neutral and we're stopped. There are many times I would like the HST for the maneuvering capabilities but you definitely have more options for farming or ranching with the gear drive. For the average home owner and small acreage though HST is the way to go. I'd never want to go back to gear drive on my lawn mower for sure.
I believe what he is talking about is that with a gear tractor you can know exactly what your ground speed is going to be in a certain gear without having to fiddle with it. For instance if you have to plant at x speed you look at the gear speed and put it in that gear and go. Same way when I am haying. I know exactly what speed I have to be in to make the baler work like I want. I put the tractor in that gear and go. With the HST you don't have that luxury. With the cruise control you are guessing at where you are at. If I want to be in 1 low and keep it there I put it in that gear. Not as easy with the HST. When I am feeding in the winter I put my daughter in the seat and have her steer me down the field while I get on the hay wagon and start throwing hay off to the cattle. I put it in the gear I want. Get on the wagon and she puts the power reverser in gear and away we go. All she has to do it pull the reverser back to neutral and we're stopped. There are many times I would like the HST for the maneuvering capabilities but you definitely have more options for farming or ranching with the gear drive. For the average home owner and small acreage though HST is the way to go. I'd never want to go back to gear drive on my lawn mower for sure.
jinman
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Kerry, HST is the preferred transmission for COMPACT tractors here, but by far, that is not the type of transmission in widest use. Since this is primarily a compact tractor board, it just seems like HST is preferred. Are gear drives preferred on compact tractors in OZ?
JimI
JimI
ERNIEB
Platinum Member
Kerry, I have to agree with JimI, Most of people around me who are engaged in farming have alot more HP than I do, and usually have a gear trans.
Ernie
Ernie
MChalkley
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Anyone want to place any bets on what will make up the majority of sales 5 years from now, even in the non-compact tractor market? My money would be on HST. Check out the new Fendts, for example, for an idea of what the future holds...
MarkC
MarkC
gordon
Veteran Member
Point taken about the gear trans for farming. But let me ask this about the big fancy tractors with gps, computers, three ranges and 18 gears to choose from. Total speed control right? They rely not only on the gear but the gps to give ground speed in this day and age of high tech farming.
What is the only thing that an hst lacks to have accurate speed contol. A speedometer. Does that sound like an idea? Or maybe a gps to give both location and groundspeed.
Gordon
What is the only thing that an hst lacks to have accurate speed contol. A speedometer. Does that sound like an idea? Or maybe a gps to give both location and groundspeed.
Gordon
glennmac
Veteran Member
speedometer + cruise control = infinite geared tractor
everyone's happy!
everyone's happy!