Hydro or Gear for used Tractor

[Johndeere3720]

I have both hydro and gear and have ran multiple tractors with hydros and gear. For loader work, id say that my favorite is hydro. With hydro, you have more control on the force that you are using as well as speed change. You can easily change direction by simply rocking your heal back or pivoting your foot on the floor mat to the left or right. You have infinate speeds with 2 or 3 ranges where as the gear will have a certain number of gears. I have driven some really nice gear tractors and did loader work, the best handeling one was a Cat Challenger with synchro shuttle transmission. it has a forward, neutral, and reverse lever on the steering columb and 2 ranges with 4 gears in each range with a total of 8 forward and 8 reverse. Yes, i dont need to go top speed in reverse, but having that extra gear can come in handy. I have a gear tractor but it does not have a FEL, thus it is dedicated to pulling small implements. Gear transmission have torque, they want to pull. My Yanmaar will pop wheelies on hard ground when put into high gear. Thus weight is required on the front to keep the front tires on the ground. This will not happen with hydros since the torque is "feathered" to get the infinate speeds.

So here is what it comes down to:

Hydro = infinate ranges
Gear = Torque in limited speeds

For first time operators, hydrostatic is probably the best option.

Thats my :2cents:

 

[Don87]

I yank out stumps all the time. Havent had any issues yet. Gear trannys are pretty tough. ever tried pulling 4 bottom plow? or a 14 wide disc? Pulling stumps is a walk in the park compared to using these tractors for what they were really designed for.

Come visit, bring your tractor. I have a 'small' cherry stump that I need out.

If you manage that one, I've got an equally 'small' oak stump:thumbsup:

 

[_RaT_]

I'm stumped by his comment. You can't pull my stumps out, they must be dug out. I think he has little trees.

Come visit, bring your tractor. I have a 'small' cherry stump that I need out.

If you manage that one, I've got an equally 'small' oak stump:thumbsup:

 

[Don87]

I'm stumped by his comment. You can't pull my stumps out, they must be dug out. I think he has little trees.

I just paid a guy 80 bucks yesterday to grind out the 2 pine stumps beside my driveway. They were half the size of my cherry and oak.

My stumps would tear his tractor in half.:laughing:

 

[Ford tractor]

I yank out stumps all the time. Havent had any issues yet. Gear trannys are pretty tough. ever tried pulling 4 bottom plow? or a 14 wide disc? Pulling stumps is a walk in the park compared to using these tractors for what they were really designed for.

pulling a 4 bottom plow or wide disc is hard, but does not give a shock load. Shock loads damage gears. Hydro's are not the miracle cure to all damage, but they are more forgiving than gears when shock loads are involved.

 

[Soundguy]

Looking at getting a used tractor. Someone mentioned to me that a hydro must be meticulously maintained. If it were not operated properly, fluid not replaced at regular intervals, being extremely clean when replacing the fluid, etc. then expensive problems will be the result.

So, how robust are the hydros? If they need to be rebuilt, how expensive is that? By the way, I am looking at a 28 Hp size tractor.

run any used tractor and put it thru it's paces hot and cold before you buy it.

buy based on application. IE.. hydro excells at loader work. gear is more eficient for plowing.. etc..

you can get good or bad of either.

plain gear trannies tend to stand up to abuse longer than a hydro.. but all in all.. if you are looking.. you don't want an abused machine either way... unless you are a restoration person / glutton for punishment like me..

soudnguy

 

[Soundguy]

I think you'll find a lot fewer problems with hydros than clutches in geared transmissions. Hydro is used on big industrial equipment and big ships. It's pretty reliable and not the same as an automatic transmission.

Ralph

on the other hand. I can change a clutch pretty easilly with some hand tools and some timber cribbing and still have a late lunch.

rebuild an hst? uh... I'll pass ( not that 'd want to rebuild a gear trans either.. .. just saying.. worn clutch vs busted hst.. I'll take the clutch every time. )

as for the hydro in big equipment. be carefull. Lots of construction machines DO use torque converters. Of the yard of equipment at the gc I work for.. by far the most common drivetrain type on our lot is torque converter.. with gear/clutch next and 'hydro' last.. ie.. variable plate type...

also keep in mind machine types are application specific. we have tracked and wheeled tractors that are specced to be used to pull or two implements or wagons, pans or water bodies. .. and they do it all day.. ( ours happen to be TC type ).. we have other machines.. some loaders.. etc. that specifically caution you about pulling , dragging, or towing / more than incedental ground engagement from the rear ( like a dis or plow/ripper ) due to trans overheating issues.

buy based on condition and intended application..

soundguy

soundguy



soundguy

 

[Baby Grand]

If you think you might need to sell the tractor in the near future, then get a hydro. More people prefer them, so it should be easier to unload in a hurry.

If most of your work will be FEL, brush hogging or "surface" work, get a hydro.

If you intend on doing lots of ground engaging work get a gear tractor. Try to get one with a shuttle/synchro shift it's an option.

Fly before you buy. You may discover that your personal preference outweighs everything else.

-Jim

 

[Soundguy]

wow that's alot o sigs.. you'd think I would have seen that..

oops

better leave this one unsigned to average it out a lil