Bigger hydrostat tractor?

   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #1  

Tobster

New member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
9
Location
Jackson MS
Tractor
JD 3032e
Just bought a Kubota M7060, waiting for it to be delivered. After doing my research and lots of reading, it is the best tractor available for my needs...but with a compromise...

I would really like to have hydrostat, so much easier to use, and safer in my opinion...but no manufacturer makes a hydrostat tractor in anything bigger than a compact, why??? I need a bit bigger frame than a compact for ground cleareance and weight. It seems crazy to me that no manufacturer makes a utility tractor with hydrostat.

What am I missing?
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #2  
The hydrostat has advantages in simplicity of operation and with chores that involve lots of stop and go or very refined, slow movement. I'm guessing the design and development costs to make a hydrostat that works efficiently and reliably go up greatly with increasing size. While the manufacturers seem to have decided to put their product improvement money elsewhere for now, you can scale up the technology quite a bit. With large scale construction equipment, for example, you can find 300+ horsepower hydrostat machinery, but money-wise, they are in a whole different league.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #3  
Far fewer Ms are sold with FELs than smaller Kubota models.

Ms are used for field work where 10% to 15% greater fuel consumption of HST tractor is a significant cost factor when pulling large implements down long rows. Farming is a thin margin business.

Not many Ms are used on slopes.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #4  
I take a different perspective than Jeff. Around here you are hard pressed to find a Utility class M without an FEL most are used by cattle farmers.

The larger M class AG Kubota tractors are mainly used for AG work as Jeff suggested.

The Utility class Ms are often on slopes.

I agree that if using the tractor for AG type work the gear drive variety is much cheaper to run.

To the OP, you can get the largest HP CUT Kubotas with HST. They are very durable and dependable. Also are sized big enough to do considerable Utility work. I've owned an L4400. I now own an M9540. Both performed Utility class chores easily within their intended boundaries.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #6  
The Fendt Vario transmission is a hydrostatic-mechanical power split drive. With increasing speed, the share of the mechanical power transmitted through the planetary set increases. The hydrostats can be swung 45 degrees and have a high operating pressure of max. 550 bar – this ensures exceptional efficiency.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #7  
The Fendt Vario transmission is a hydrostatic-mechanical power split drive. With increasing speed, the share of the mechanical power transmitted through the planetary set increases. The hydrostats can be swung 45 degrees and have a high operating pressure of max. 550 bar – this ensures exceptional efficiency.

Do they offer that in a 60hp Utility tractor?? Very cool.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #8  
70 hp is the smallest they make, a tractor is tractor where I live.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #9  
Just an example of large tractors with this type of transmission, not a buying advise.
 
   / Bigger hydrostat tractor? #10  
TractorData.com Kubota M7:mad: tractor information older unit which is HST
TractorData.com Kubota M854 tractor information another HST
TractorData.com Kubota M6:mad: tractor information another HST
TractorData.com Kubota M514 tractor information another HST

markets vary. i am assuming manufactures found something better for there given markets. or needed another tractor type to fill in given product lines already made in the past.

shuttle shift with same speed forwards backwards. can be rather nice! vs an HST peddle.
 
 
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