Basic Question

[kjg26]

Let me start off by thanking everyone for the wealth of information that is available on this site.

My wife and I are in the process of buying some land.

We know a tractor will be in cards soon after.

I'm trying to decide between a shuttle shift transmission and a hydrostat transmission.

Please help me understand how each of these are supposed to work. I test drove both and have some questions that the particular sales agent was less than helpful with. On the hydrostat transmission I had to run the hand throttle up to about 2000 rpm before I had much response from the pedal. is this normal process? If not, for those with hydrostat transmissions, can you please run me through the process.

With the shuttle shift everything seemed to run off of the floor throttle but also had a dash throttle. For the shuttle shift am I supposed to start in 1st gear like a car and work my way up to top gear or to whatever gear/speed is desired? I know the range selection is to be made while stopped.

Thanks in advance!!

Keith

 

[rekees4300]

I don't know what a shuttle shift transmission is so have no opinion on that. My tractor is hydrostatic, the normal process is to start the tractor then press a pedal to go forward or another pedal to go backward or no pedal to stop. It's as simple as that. Tractor should move regardless of RPMs.

 

[jeff9366]

I am going to furnish a LINK to the TBN archive. HST Vs Shuttle is thrashed out here several times per month. When you open the LINK be aware that there are page after page of threads on this topic, not just the initial page.

LINKS (2): www.tractorbynet.com&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj1x6XDu4fWAhWlxYMKHVGcBucQrQIINCgEMAA&biw=1280&bih=716]hst vs shuttle shift site:TractorByNet.com | Compact tractor forums, news, reviews, information. - Google Search[/url]

hst vs shuttle shift - Google Search

 

[kjg26]

interesting. Like I said i had to run up the hand throttle to get it to move...maybe I wasn't putting enough throttle down on the ground?

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

On my particular tractor, which is a hydrostat, there are 2 separate pedals on the right side floor. Pushing either one down with the engine at idle, will cause the tractor to start moving (assuming you are in a range, and the brake is off). The farther down you push the pedal, the higher the engine rpm goes, and the faster you move (gear range dependent of course). I also have a hand throttle I can set, and then pushing down the pedal will cause the tractor to move up to that hand throttle setting speed (pushing it further than that will drive the rpm's higher and tractor will still go faster).

I normally just use the foot pedal for operating the tractor, unless I'm running my 3pt brush hog off the pto. Then I set the hand throttle for the rpm I want the pto to go, and use the foot pedal to move the tractor up to that speed.

I think the common opinion is if you're not sure which transmission you need, you probably need the hst.

Do you know what applications you want the tractor to be able to do for you? How much land? Flat, rolling hills, grassland, woods, both, all of the above?

 

[kjg26]

Thank you Jeff.. I've read many threads but none seem to discuss how they work in regards to the throttle. I'll do some more reading though!

Thanks all!

 

[kjg26]

Land purchase is still in the works. Plan is for 20-50 acres. Pasture land and some woods. What we have looked at so far is relatively flat with some rolling hills. Nothing major. I'll be purchasing a bush hog with the tractor and eventually purchase others i'm sure.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Are you going to run cows, or livestock that needs hay? Will you need grow your own hay, bale your own hay, move round bales? You putting in a house, buildings, grade in your own roads, driveways? Plan on cutting, hauling, splitting wood?

A tractor is kind of like an air compressor. It's the power source for the tools you're going to run to do the work. Just like with air compressors, the size of the tools you need to run will dictate the size of the power source you will need. Try to think about the tasks you will have to do (or want to do) around your place, and then try to determine your tool "needs" from there. That will help you determine what size power source (tractor) you need to get it all done with.

 

[jeff9366]

Please help me understand how each of these are supposed to work.

On the hydrostat transmission I had to run the hand throttle up to about 2000 rpm before I had much response from the pedal. is this normal process?



With the shuttle shift everything seemed to run off of the floor throttle but also had a dash throttle.

For the shuttle shift am I supposed to start in 1st gear like a car and work my way up to top gear or to whatever gear/speed is desired?

I know the range selection is to be made while stopped.

I think the HST you tested was maladjusted or that the parking brake was on. More probably the parking brake was not released.

HST has maximum toque starting off, so tractor should commence movement with just a tad of throttle over idle. HST allows very precise small tractor movements, which is why HST is favored for Front End Loader work, whether filling a trailer or truck, or dumping verdure into a flaming burn pit. HST also provides "automatic" engine/transmission braking when foot throttle is released.

HST transmissions have hand throttles too. "Cruise control" is an often purchased option.

On the tractors most discussed here, those up to about 5,000 pounds bare tractor weight, HST is about 90% of sales. Trying to sell a used shuttle often requires a reduced price relative to HST. Most would consider HST to be a bit MORE repair free than shuttle these days.


With shuttle you do not work up through the gears, like a clutch and gear car. You decide how much torque you need, usually through experience but often through trial and error selecting a gear, then move off. Shuttle is more used for field work. The hand throttle is to set speed forward for long, long pulls down fields. Shuttle is about 10% more fuel efficient relative to HST, therefore HST is not offered on tractors over sixty horsepower, which are primarily used for field work.

Each type of tractor transmission has HEATED partisans. I have owned both. I favor HST. Kubota HSTs are held in particular high regard.

 

[kjg26]

Awesome info. It didn't seem right when i was testing it out. I'll go try anther one. Thank you all for the info. I think for simplicity sake, and so the wife can join in, a HST is in my future.

Thanks again!