Gear drive vs hydro

[SPYDERLK]

Of course it has value, you pay for it so it has value. No one here is arguing that HST isn't convenient.

That's great. But what on earth does it have to do with $/HP? I could not afford ANY of that stuff and for every one of those items I bought I'd have been subtracting HP. (Thats my point, you know.)

If you required 55 hp to accomplish the tasks that you wanted to accomplish you would be happier and you'd probably feel like a very comfortable and climate controlled idiot if you couldn't get those things done with the 45 HP full of conveniences. Again: That's my whole point.

Im not sure your "whole" point can be stated without contradicting itself, but let me give it a try:"I wouldnt buy a HST tractor if it was equal or better in every way at the same $ cost -- and I wouldnt try one out unless you paid me."

But lets say, for the sake of argument, that your HST and my DT cost exactly the same. And lets say, for the sake of argument that it was a fact that HST would be more durable and reliable (I still think that is highly unlikely) but for the sake of argument lets just assume it. There are still people like me who would chose the DT for its simplicity. And I contend that even in the mythical world above, that would still be a very valid reason to own a geared model.

Now you will go to speed and ease of use. [[[I'd recommend that when you make your points that you remember that some geared tractors are fully synchronized and have 'power reverser' capability.]]]

[A poor approximation of HST]
larry

 

[tallyho8]

1. Price
2. Reliability
3. Amount of HP loss with HST
4. Ease and speed of use

Finally, my opinion on ease and speed of use with gear vs hydro. I drove my first hydro many years ago when I had to do some work with a friends Bobcat. I couldn't believe how easy it was to drive and I thought, wow, I wish they would build a tractor like this. Maybe they already had some hydro tractors back then but I wasn't aware of them.

Now, most of us know an old farmer who has been using a gear model for 20 years who we can't keep up with on our hydros, but I just wonder how much faster he would be if he had been using hydros all this time.

I know my ZTR hydrostatic mower is much quicker to cut grass with than my old mower.

But the main deciding factor that made me chose HST was arthritic knees. My old IH tractor would leave me with knees so sore I was almost unable to walk for 3 days after using it for a few hours. I love my little Yanmar 1802 geared tractor and though I don't use it as much since I got my Kubota I am planning on keeping it for getting into tight spots and miscellaneous work. It has a very easy to use clutch but I still get pretty sore after using it for a while.

So far I have been able to do everything with my HST that I was able to do with any of my geared tractors and it doesn't even leave my knees sore so it was surely worth the extra $500 I had to pay for HST and this could easily be the deciding factor for many of us old fogies as our knees age quicker than we do.

Sorry George, I am not going to try to make a point about power shift or power reverser tractors because most of the same arguments would apply to them, that they cost more than regular geared just like an HST does so you get less hp per $ and besides, I don't know diddly about them.

NEWS FLASH!!! I just found the first problem with my new L4400HST, but it doesn't have anything to do with the HST. It was quite chilly today so I took my tractor out to haul some firewood and I noticed that the beverage holder was loose and rattling. I guess I never noticed this before because I always have a full cold beverage in it but it was too cold for one today. After close examination I found two possibilities to cure this problem. One, I can use clear silicone on the underneath of the fender to glue the holder down so it doesn't rattle, or two, I can keep a full cold beverage in it to stop the rattle. Decisions, decisions?

 

[Egon]

Anybody really know how complicated a hydro is as compared to one of the newer geared transmissions?

But then nobody would probably know whats inside the gear box on a geared tractor cause nobody has ever had reason to take one apart have they?

 

[jake98]

I had to fix the detent ball and spring when I got my 53 Farmall. I like the noise 1st and reverse makes, so I didn't risk fixing that.

Jake
how'd we get to p. 42?

George, You're startin' to piss me off always interjecting the $. It's gear/hydro. Not 'If i were a rich man...'

 

[jake98]

Come to think of it, 'Anti-Hydro' was something we used to dump in the cement mix when it got cold out.. remember?

 

[N80]

Im not sure your "whole" point can be stated without contradicting itself, but let me give it a try:"I wouldnt buy a HST tractor if it was equal or better in every way at the same $ cost -- and I wouldnt try one out unless you paid me."

Good try but no cigar. Your summary is out of context. First, all the 'ifs' you mention were for the sake of a single argument, which was to point out that for some of us simplicity is a valuable asset. Second, if I'm supposed to spend all this quality time on an HST (none of which would ever be enough for you HST police to concede was enough for me to have a valid opinion anyway) then how in the heck do you expect me to do so? I'm mean really. What utter nonsense. "Go spend some time on one." How? Where? None of my neighbors here in the suburbs has one and none of the farmers next to my land have one, or even know what they are. Are we going back to the "rent one" thing. Once again, why? If I didn't like it I'd be out the rental money and would have achieved NOTHING. If I loved it and couldn't live without it, then still, NOTHING changed. I couldn't afford one when I bought mine and right now, I couldn't afford what I paid for my geared tractor. So, unless you can put up a better suggestion then you might as well drop that fantasy.

 

[N80]

George, You're startin' to piss me off

Then my work is nearly done here.

 

[N80]

Now, most of us know an old farmer who has been using a gear model for 20 years who we can't keep up with on our hydros, but I just wonder how much faster he would be if he had been using hydros all this time.

Probably even faster.

But the main deciding factor that made me chose HST was arthritic knees.

Excellent point, and hits home. My left knee has been acting up for a couple of weeks now. Not tractor related, but doing loader work this weekend started to get painful. Doing hours of loader work has made my knee hurt as well.

Sorry George, I am not going to try to make a point about power shift or power reverser tractors because most of the same arguments would apply to them, that they cost more than regular geared just like an HST does so you get less hp per $ and besides, I don't know diddly about them.

I'd like to see the price comparison between an M6040 and a Grand L 5740HST.

 

[jake98]

I don't have to be educated over my level, right? You quotin' (geo's new confusing signature) Greeks an Roman's or somethin'? Check out for me if capernickus however you spell it was a polock however usi, I'm trying to find the true/false in the family lore.... I may be related to the guy that figured out that the sun doesn't go around the earth. Other than that , no news on the hydro front... cleaned a 750,000 btu boiler today... 2 nossels... who would'a thunk it? check out 'the sarah ayers band' Leheigh Valley blues masters that don't ever have to wonder where where the nasty b is...

 

[Soundguy]

Sorry George, I am not going to try to make a point about power shift or power reverser tractors because most of the same arguments would apply to them, that they cost more than regular geared just like an HST does so you get less hp per $ and besides, I don't know diddly about them.

While plain gear is fairly straight forward.. IMHO.. the powershift, glide shift.. and other non conventional gear trans can be pretty complex.. complex like an HST .. etc. Fords old SOS trans was a gear trans.. but more like a power shift.. etc... and they pretty much require dark magig to fix if they get a problem..

soundguy