Buying Advice are gear tractors quieter?

[Soundguy]

once the engine is screaming at pto marked rpm.. hard to imagine tranny noise is a difference either way...

 

[daugen]

agreed, for an open cab. I'm wondering though, since one is sitting on the transmission, which is inside the cab, vs. the engine outside the cab if when mowing at pto speed, your example is perfect, would I be hearing an overall muffled sound, with a big whine intruding. Not interested in listening to whining all day long, and I have three staight days of mowing to do these fields, at my slow pace and usually doing everything at least twice.

I had forgotten all about the Boomer CVT, glad it was mentioned. Just no local dealer for me. So, if one goes to a Kubota M with their most sophisticated trans controllers, I'm assuming one gets the quietness of a gear tractor with the add on convenience of electro/mechanical features added onto a gear tractor.

I don't mind pushing down on a clutch once in a while, but I have pretty bad arthritis that is not getting better (currently wearing a soft collar for an arthritis related neck disc problem). And if the joystick controller or buttons are easy to use, fine, but when you are out mowing, when do you use these functions? Maybe going up an incline for a downshift (?) or customizing the reaction time for loader work, I'm just thinking out loud here. I'm sure Kubota's ad will tell me all about it. I watched it once but thought I'd be in the L class, with the hydro. Maybe I ought to move up. I'm buying this one tractor for the rest of my retired life for hobby farming, so I really want to get it right. So for me it's choosing between JD, Kubota and Kioti. All good choices and the machinery will far outperform any use I make of it.

But I sure don't want to hear an overriding whine in that cab,particularly if I'm trying to listen to music or just want some peace and quiet, which granted being on a tractor is not easy.

I worry about being too oblivious, too removed from the sound of what's going on, because you get a lot of information from that noise. I'd just like the quietest environment I can get and still hear what I need to hear.
Probably asking too much but I bet the JD rep would tell me, yes sir, we can provide just that... I'm more interested for sure in the real world experience of you folk, including those going from older cabs to newer ones. And those going from gear to hydro particularly in the 50+ hp range. Appreciate all advice, thanks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My LS cab is plenty quiet for good protection on hearing without being so quiet that you cant hear the engine at all. I very seldom nowy run the radio unless I am just running the FEL because I want to hear the bush hog to see it it is making a noise. Once my bushhog slip clutch got loose and started to slip and I had on the radio, it was smoking pretty good before I noticed it (no smells inside of that cab and no squeals heard either). About the time my brother in law called me on my cell is when I noticed it also. Sometimes shear pins are less trouble than clutches. Now my BIL NH whines a bit which is noticeable when standing outside, but what little I have driven it, I cant say that it is noticeable inside the cab. It all depends on how air tight the cabs are, loose gasket or holes around gear shift ect let in noise. Cabs are mostly glass except the roof which has lots of sound deadening there to prevent harmonic vibrations to transfer from the metal roofs, so you dont get much vibration noise transfer from the glass. I think metal fenders are a bit louder than tractors with plastic fenders but not enough that you would notice.

 

[jenkinsph]

daugen,

It would seem to me that alot of your concerns could be resolved with a couple of test drives. Try a Deere 4520 and similar tractors of your choice to see what you think. I think the 4520 cab is quiet enough to work well for you.

 

[droptop]

I test drove a MF Hydro with a cab and thought it was too noisy for being in the cab, I ended up with a MF 1635 with the power shuttle, the cab is a lot quieter than with the Hydro.

 

[daugen]

your concerns could be resolved with a couple of test drives

Perhaps they could provide an online simulator...actually my hesitancy about doing exactly what you suggest, which is sensible and needed, is that until I'm ready to write the check, which will be next year, I don't want to waste the dealer's time, being a "be back"... I gave all my contact info and specific equip needs to the salesman from JD at the last local Grange Fair, and no reply whatsoever. It was like that with the last JD dealer locally, who just lost their franchise. Phone calls not returned, everyone always too busy to talk, not an atmosphere prone to motivating me to get out my wallet.

My local Kubota dealer is online, checks email constantly, and responds same day. It's marvelous.
But that JD 4000 cab is awfully nice. I just wish there was a good local JD dealer. We've been too suburbanized here to warrant one I guess. One per county? Doesn't make it easy to buy for sure.

But before I do write that check, I need seat time. Suggestions on how to run a demo tractor under reasonable load without getting it dirty? Bushhog?
I want to hear it at working level, not at rest, the whole combo of motor/trans/implement noise. I'm looking for something other than an Ebay Lucky experience. thanks