Lengevity and reliability of various transmission types

[jenkinsph]

Maintenance being changing the fluid and filter. While obviously its recommended to follow all maintenance intervals for ones tractor I'd put good money that if you bought 2 identical tractors except one with gear and one with HST then proceeded to run them for 5 hours a day and never do any maintenance on the transmission there would come a time the geared tractor would be pulling the HST home and then go on to pull double duty for the next 20 years.

As Soundguy would say if the tables were turned "this is speculation". You may be right though if you don't perform maintenance you may have problems.

Do you avid gear guys realize how ridiculous your arguements and analogies are getting? I will tell you this much, the ehydros I have are a lot easier to operate than my gear tractor. Lucky for me I perform the maintenance that is required for all of my equipment, because it is the smart thing to do. In turn I am well served by all of them hydro and gear types included.

 

[N80]

Do you avid gear guys realize how ridiculous your arguements and analogies are getting?

Well, there has been a fair share of ridiculousness both ways. Comparing the HST in a multi hundred grand giant front loader or dozer to that of a CUT to demonstrate how durable the HST in the CUT is is a bit of a stretch too wouldn't you say?

But I agree, maintenance is probably a non issue. A gear tranny, as Soundguy mentioned, can probably hold up to negligence better, but that really isn't a selling point for most of us.

 

[Chilly807]

I bought a plain old gear drive (Kubota L4400) for several reasons. First, it was what I could afford. Second, I assumed it would be more reliable than more complex transmissions over time. This may or may not be true. But I think it is pretty clear that gear drives can, have and should last a long time. But, the third reason is simplicity itself and is the reason that now, even if I had more to spend, I'll still get a basic gear drive. Its not just a simple appeal of simplicity. The appeal is that a mile down the road from my place I have access to a pretty full tractor repair shop on my neighbor's farm.

And while he and I could easily split the tractor and change the clutch and he could do most any work on the tranny, neither of us have the expertise to even touch an HST.

So my fondness of the basic gear drive has a lot to do with the fact that I could make basic repairs (with his help) without the need of specialized shops, mechanics, tools or parts. And that is very appealing to me.

I couldn't have said it any better myself, in fact I'm grateful to George for doing all the typing for me

Chilly

 

[Egon]

When talking of geared tractors these days one may have to get pretty specific.

Over in the Agriculture community using ground engaging equipment the transmissions have evolved from the collar shift to something that is electronically controlled, shifts on its own, has multiple gears and will set the most economical engine to gear ratio for a desired ground speed. These may be just a tad more complicated than the collar shift but seem to be the way of the future.

Anybody compared all the moving parts in a hydro as compared to the collar shift? [This doesn't include the chipped off gear corners]

 

[Soundguy]

Maintenance being changing the fluid and filter. While obviously its recommended to follow all maintenance intervals for ones tractor I'd put good money that if you bought 2 identical tractors except one with gear and one with HST then proceeded to run them for 5 hours a day and never do any maintenance on the transmission there would come a time the geared tractor would be pulling the HST home and then go on to pull double duty for the next 20 years.

The classic example I like is park both a geared unit and an hst on a set of train tracks, drain all the hydro oil / trans oil out of both... now you hear a train whistle.... which dractor will drive off the tracks? the gear one with no oil in it.

same deal inthe woods with a broke hyd lin or punctured filter and all yer trans oil on the ground. I wouldn't be afraid to drive my gear unit 50' out of the woods and up on a trailer.. the hydro you wouldn't even have the option...


As far as maintenance goes.. i work on alot of antiques.

I bought a post katrina tractor out of lousiana a couple years back... was a 59 model.. when i flushed it, you would be surprised the amount of sediment I got out o fthe hyds and trans and diffy sumps.. I mean.. HANDFULLS.. plus leaves and such..

Took a good day of poping the sump tops and pulling drains and pressure washing the innards, and then flushing with diesel then about 30$ in gaskets and orings and some new oil and the thing now drives around fine .. no noises, hyds work fine.. and tranny still feels tight. that's the kind of abuse a gear tranny takes on the nose, and keeps on going. Can't tell you how many like that I've bought where you have to scrape 1.5" of cruddy gunk and sand of fthe bottom of the sump and flush it multiple times.. stuff so thick that when you pull the drain plug, nothing drains till you stick a screwdriver up the 2" bung drain hole and get a plug that looks like a tennis ball come out wil stuff that should be on a beach or forrest floor.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Do you avid gear guys realize how ridiculous your arguements and analogies are getting? .

Now that's funny....

soundguy

 

[RoyJackson]

Do you avid gear guys realize how ridiculous your arguements and analogies are getting?

Do you realize how ridiculous your arguments are getting?

I suggest it's time out for a break. We gear guys are into our machines, just like you hydro guys are in yours...
The only difference is, we're manly and you're a bunch of pansies...
Hahahahahahahahahhaahhaahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yes, Girls...it's 12:30 PM and Daddy has been drinkin' since 0900 (9:00 AM for you civies))

 

[jenkinsph]

Well Roy you are probably right, but note I have both types and still like both types.


I will take a break though, I have spent waaaaaay to much time converseing with waaaaaaay too many closed minded people.

 

[dex3361]

Well Roy you are probably right, but note I have both types and still like both types.


I will take a break though, I have spent waaaaaay to much time converseing with waaaaaaay too many closed minded people.

Ive got a great idea we change the name for TBN to DBN (Disagree By Net)
I never get upset or bothered by the disagreements here on TBN we all have our opinions. When you can hash out the differences with reckless abandon without taking it personally you can boil it down to the best answer and here it is. Keeping an open mind I think that some people are better served with some variation of a geared tractor and some by HST and then there are those who cant make up their mind and have both.

 

[WilliamBos]

Do you realize how ridiculous your arguments are getting?

I suggest it's time out for a break. We gear guys are into our machines, just like you hydro guys are in yours...
The only difference is, we're manly and you're a bunch of pansies...
Hahahahahahahahahhaahhaahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yes, Girls...it's 12:30 PM and Daddy has been drinkin' since 0900 (9:00 AM for you civies))

I agree... Well said!!