Hydro vs Geared

[knucklehead]

Dittos on the welcome to TBN.

I have an older geared 4wd tractor, and it functions just fine - most of the guides found in manufacturers' information, as well as salespeople, talk about geared transmissions being better for field type applications with fewer direction changes. Still, I can change direction pretty fast, but I get a little "snick" every time because I am faster with the fingers than the feet. It makes me both slow down and wonder how much I am peening over the gears. Every once in a while I grind it pretty good - that's my fault and not the tranny.

I guess I'd like a power reverser or hydro, but I wonder how much heat I am generating with direction changes under power. I'm sure they are designed to function properly with normal maintenence. I rented a GST Kubota a few years ago (L2850) and the fluid either leaked out or was nearly dry when I got it - by the end of the day, it did not want to change direction. I called the rental shop, they came out and filled it up, and let me finish my work. I never found any fluid on the ground, but I was using the bucket and a box scraper to level an acre or so of fill, so I may have buried it. I gained respect for those type of transmissions, even though I felt kinda dumb about it.

Truthfully, I'd rather spend $$ to get an independent PTO and power steering, but with newer models that's like asking a car dealer if your model comes with power brakes and steering, nowadays /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif On Kubotas, GST would be just fine; I never considered resale on a tractor - or a truck for that matter. But I guess those used low hour tractors have to come from somewhere. Don't know much about HSS on Fords (Sorry, <font color="blue">New Hollands</font>) or the Power Reversers on the <font color="green">Martians</font>, but I assume they are similar to GST.

I gather the L3000 is new as you mention the 3130 when talking about hydro. Have you considered used? Have you considered finding a new 2002 L3010 leftover to save a few bucks? This is the place to explore those options, if you can take the time.

More 2 cents for you. You'll have fun here; and we'll want pictures.

 

[hayden]

I'm curious what the price difference is between an L3000 and a 3130? The 3130 is available in a geared model too, so there are other differences between the 3000 and the 3130 model (I don't happento know what they are). Are these other differences important to you?

In general I'd suggest waiting as long as you can to get the tractor you want. They you'll be happy going forward rather than always thinking about whether you should have waited to buy more.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It is a hotly debated, personal choice issue(although most TBNer's are very civil about it ). )</font>

I think the term ' Holy War' is suitable. But yes... most of us try to 'play nice'.

Soundguy

 

[BillG_in_TX]

"price difference is between an L3000 and a 3130?"

I would guess that the average price difference is about $2000, depending on region and dealer. The 3130 has a fully synchronized shuttle shift, is 700 lbs. heavier, has a hydraulically actuated live independent pto, improved 3ph, many improvements in ergonomics, etc. etc. It's a different tractor which happens to share an engine with the L3000.

 

[Soundguy]

What are the makes / models of these tractors that can't go into reverse with the pto engaged? All my ford / nh/yanmar will...

As for hydro vs. gear.. I think the biggest coice difference comes from use.. i.e., is it a loader machine.. or a ground engagement machine.. if a loader machine.. I guess hydro is the way to go... if the machine disc's / plows / pulls.. even heavy mowing.. all day...gear.

Soundguy

 

[gerard]

<font color="blue"> What are the makes / models of these tractors that can't go into reverse with the pto engaged? All my ford / nh/yanmar will...

</font>
I have an L2500DT, simple geared tractor without a live pto, my biggest reget /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I CAN go in reverse with the pto engaged but when you shift to change direction you have to clutch, when you clutch the pto disengages until you let the clutch back out again so if you're hogging and want to back up the pto briefly disengages until you let the clutch back out. SOOOO, the PTO does go in reverse, but it briefly stops while actually making the shift - make sense??

 

[sendero]

Ok, here's a question. It is a sincere one and not intentionally designed to fan the flames of crusade /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have been led to believe that a hydro transmission, due to the very nature of its design , is destined to "wear" out. Now, hold on, I'm aware of the fact that the gears in any transmission will wear out in the really long term. (As a famous economist once said, "in the long term, we're all dead") I'm talking about wearing like a clutch (only longer to be sure). Is this true? Was this inflammatory rhetoric designed to steer me away from hydros? Is this long time a *really* long time, like 20-30 years or normal use?

 

[thcri]

Sendero,

I believe there may be some truth to what your saying. But if you like Hydro we just maybe have to think along the lines that we will have to service it someday just like the gear tranny. Yes Hydro for the most part would be more. But the hydro tranny over the years has gotten better and better and better in all makes. If we are willing to pay more for it up front, then we must be willing to pay more for it to repair. Nature of the Beast.

I know that an automatic transmission and hydro are two different things but I do kind of compare them as the same. Gear versus automatic, Gear versus hydro. Remember when they first put an automatic in a pickup, everyone said they won't last, and then they all laughed when they put them in trucks. Today they have them in Semi-trucks. And they are working fine. With Hydro we are paying for a luxury and luxury's are not cheap. It is like having electric windows or seats in your car. Yes the repairs are more, but we will still go out and buy them again in the next car.

Now here is the other side of the coin, I own 40 pickups. I have 40 different drivers driveing them. I have found that the automatic has been more reliable than the standard transmission. Why, because it is much easier to drive. Put it in gear and go, no popping clutches, grinding gears and smart kids trying to shift without using the clutch. So we won't buy another standard transmision.

just a few pennies and really not sure if worth anything.

murph

 

[kcook]

I would go with what some of the others have said. You know what and how you will be using the tractor, drive them both, see what you like the best, weigh all factors that have been talked about. I think you will find people both like and dislike both and there comments will reflect that.

Good Luck!

KC

 

[timb]

A question for anyone who may know - exactly what would be expected to wear and need repair in a hydro? (Under normal circumstances) It's not really an automatic tranny like you'd find in a car. Planning on eventually having to change a clutch on a tractor doesn't "scare" me, been there done that, to some extent. But thinking about self-wrenching on a hydro 15 or 20 years from now scares the willies out of me. But honestly - what is there to wear - and what might ever need replacing? Some seals/o-rings? Have no idea.

(Reminds me of when I was leery of tackling changing disk break pads 'cause I had never done it - at a time when even as a mid-teen I could tear down and rebuild a complete mopar drum set blindfolded. Once I did it I felt kind of foolish not realizing how little there actually was to do. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)