HST Owners: Are there things to avoid?

[dwelshans]

This is not a spoof question (like don't run down your neighbors cat with your tractor ).

Rather, as a new HST owner (L4600), are there things you have learned NOT to do that overworks/overheats/potential damage type situations to avoid (such as extended time at idle, or working tractor below XXX RPM's)?

Or maybe better to ask things TO DO (run synthetic/change filters more often?).

Regardless...you get the gist of the question. Thanks for any input.

 

[dodge man]

The big thing is when climbing a hill is let off the HST pedal a little bit. Your reaction is to push it down further.

I run SUDT in my BX, I don't know if the L's take a similar fluid or if its different.

 

[Adryan]

Other question, who has experience running hydr. implements from other people/tractors? Won't the oil coming out of it cause problems with the oil of the HST? Surely not everyone knows what oil is in the implement

Rgds,
Adryan

 

[Thomas]

Pick the range..L,M,H.
Keep the rpms up..no lugging down.
When brush hogging rough areas easy on the travel pedal,you don't want to get the bunny hopps.

 

[dwelshans]

Other question, who has experience running hydr. implements from other people/tractors? Won't the oil coming out of it cause problems with the oil of the HST? Surely not everyone knows what oil is in the implement

Rgds,
Adryan

Asked my dealer this question as I have a log spliiter that was driven off my Ditch Witch loader and it uses 30wt motor oil as a hydraulic fluid. He said to try and purge as much as possible from the hydraulic cylinder and hoses before moving over to my Kubota...but you don't need to get the last drop. Interested in what other options are from the Forum members.

 

[namesray]

one of the biggest things i would say about using a hst is to keep the rpms up close to rated range when driving the tractor. around 2000 on up. i usually run mine around 2300 all the time. my dealer told me you can take out the drive pump by driving around all day lugging on low rpms. it is also better for a diesel engine to not be lugged or idle too much.

as for the different hydrolic fluids in different attachments, i really don't know what could be done to minimize the different fluid transfer/mix. i have never known anybody to be too concerned about it. unless you are switching the same implement back and forth between different tractors with different types of trans/hyd oil all the time, i don't think it would make much difference. i think i read somewhere that kubota sudt is a 30 weight oil with just a special package of additives. like i said i THINK i remember reading that somewhere. in your specific case of switching the wood splitter from your older tractor to your newer tractor, maybe don't hook it up to your newer tractor until just before trans/hyd change time, then hook it up, run it for a short while to get the sudt in the splitter hoses, then change out the fluid in your kubota tractor. now your splitter is all filled with sudt and you are changing the tainted trans/hyd fluid out of the tractor, and putting fresh sudt in it. no wasted oil as you were at the change interval anyway. just a thought. good luck and enjoy your new kubota. they are great tractors!:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much covered:

Pushing down on the pedal raises your gearing, so for added torque/pushing/pulling power, less pedal and more ground speed more pedal. If your engine starts to bog down, let up a little until you can maintain engine RPM and if this doesn't work change to a lower gear.

Keep your engine RPM's up enough to get good hydraulic response and power, they will run pretty high compared to a geared unit.

The HST is a pretty fool proof design and you aren't going to over heat it or hurt it by idling in gear, I rarely have mine in neutral.

You will get a gazillion opinions on oil changes and synthetic v dino. I go by the manual as to frequency of changes.

 

[RobertN]

Keep the fluid and filters changed as recomended.
If you are changing hydraulic implements, watch your fluid level
Don't lug it
Keep your coolers/radiators clean

When I got my used 3pt splitter, I purged as much fluid as I could out of it first. Then after hooking it up and running it in/out a few times with no load, topped of the fluid in the tractor.

I have friends with skid steers. When they rent breakers, trenchers ect, they just hook up and go... They have never had issues. Just guessing, but rental shops probably do not purge equipment...

 

[nybirdman]

Best advice I could give on the HST;use Kubota fluids and filters as long as it is in warranty(I still do),why take a chance.I won't use implements that have been hooked up to someone else's equipment.Check your screens often when bush-hogging.

 

[k0ua]

Pretty much what everyone else has said, I can only think of one thing to add, the 3 ranges in my opinion are used for the following things. range 3 or HI is only good for transporting the tractor on the road and preferably on mostly flat ground. Range 2 or MED is for moving around, with a load on flat to moderatley hilly ground. You can mow in MED if your ground is flat. Range 1 or LO is for all the pushing pulling and grunting you want to do in the steepest terrain. My opinion may be colored a bit by where I live (very steep). Also your tractor has more raw horsepower to work with than mine and that may change things a bit.. Good luck and I think you will really like it.

James K0UA