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[DavesTractor]

Gear guys won't be convinced that an HST is better....my dad won't have an HST. He delivered tractors for me for years before he re-retired and to the end he dislikes HST. It's clutch only for him, and he would also say he never ever has an issue running a clutch.

Most of of my cars are manual transmission, including my Jeep, my 530xi, we even have a Duramax pickup with a manual transmission. I prefer to shift. And the new automatics are so good, that is really my only excuse for getting a manual trans (plus the thought that a manual has more longevity in some cases).But on a tractor for around the place chores, loader work, mowing small areas, etc., I prefer the HST. If I have 10 acres to disc, give me a clutch anytime.

 

[arrow]

Gear guys won't be convinced that an HST is better....my dad won't have an HST. He delivered tractors for me for years before he re-retired and to the end he dislikes HST. It's clutch only for him, and he would also say he never ever has an issue running a clutch.

Most of of my cars are manual transmission, including my Jeep, my 530xi, we even have a Duramax pickup with a manual transmission. I prefer to shift. And the new automatics are so good, that is really my only excuse for getting a manual trans (plus the thought that a manual has more longevity in some cases).But on a tractor for around the place chores, loader work, mowing small areas, etc., I prefer the HST. If I have 10 acres to disc, give me a clutch anytime.

Spot on Dave and if I had to downsize to say a Max 25 that I wanted to use for snow removal with a mounted blower, cutting the grass, using the bucket for that occasional loam overlay I'd probably wish for an HST myself. But for dragging out 3000 lbs worth of logs, pushing snow around with a snow pusher, using a scraper blade or pto tiller, moving heavy logs in the forest with the engine at a quiet idle or just off idle, I'll take the gear every time. It seems to guys such as myself, having only the rpm's needed to do the job or work, are an essential ingredient. An all around machine is probably going to be at high rpm's anyway such as grass cutting or snow blowing. A tractor specific to ground attachments or moving heavy loads, I'll give up convenience for efficiency any day.
What I like about this thread amongst all the hydro vs. gear threads is that specifics have been mentioned. This goes way beyond personal preferences because one does not know what has formulated the preference without the specifics. Each of us use our tractors in a certain way but that is all we have to go by. By having a plethora of specific experiences, the op can now ascertain how parallel he is to those specific experiences rather than someone spouting off how much more they like one over the other.

 

[HEC]

I have both and I have to say I prefer gear over hst in everything but blowing snow . I very seldom ever run my M5700 gear tractor over 1800 rpms and never over 2000 . In much of what I do it is around 1400 to 1500 area . I can see if a person did a lot of loader work the hst would be better in that case also . If it wasn't for the whine of the hst I might like it better than I do .

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

For years I grew up on my Dad's farm using gear tractors, plowing, discing, dragging, planting, cultipacking, mowing, raking, baling, hauling hay loads, and harvesting crops. The gear tractors were ideal for all of it, but I now have a Mahindra 2810 HST, which I use for gardening, brush hogging, mowing & misc. loader work. I would not trade that HST for a gear, no way no how. Unless you are doing 90% farm work I would be buying the HST. Oh, and by the way I also used the gear tractors for spreading ****.

 

[TOSA Ranch]

Hahahaha,

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[Gator6x4]

I worked for a large nursery when in school. We would get on a Farmall 140 tractor at sunrise and plow shrubbery all day. So I have changed my share of gears. In 1970 I purchased a Wheel Horse with a Hydro to mow with. I haven't looked back or wanted to use another gear unit again in mowing. If I was going to use a tractor strictly in agriculture for ground engaged implements or haying I would choose a gear tractor. For yard use, gardening and loader work it is hard to beat a hydro unit.

 

[ritchieb]

Thanks all for your inputs. Between a vacation and a severe windstorm that hit our area I have been so busy cutting trees up and such I have not had time to reply to this thread. I have not bought the tractor yet, I did test drive each and for me I prefer the shuttle shift on the Max 28, it is a quieter tractor and with some practice on the loader it will be fine for me. I however stopped at a Kubota dealership in southern Ohio and priced the B2620 out of curiosity and it came in $2000.00 cheaper than the Max 28 and it had a three range hydrostat transmission that was very quiet and to my liking. Also had a much more comfortable seat and the joystick for the loader was placed more conveniently for use. It is a bit lighter and a bit more narrow which concerns me on my hillside slopes. I have found a company that makes wheel spacers for it though. The belly mower on the Mahindra is 60" vs 54" on the Kubota and the Mahindra appears heavier built. So this is where I stand on tractors at this point. Any other advice or comments will be appreciated. Thank you all again.

 

[TomSeller]

. It is a bit lighter and a bit more narrow which concerns me on my hillside slopes. I have found a company that makes wheel spacers for it though. The belly mower on the Mahindra is 60" vs 54" on the Kubota and the Mahindra appears heavier built. So this is where I stand on tractors at this point. Any other advice or comments will be appreciated.

In my opinion if your primary use is mowing, lighter is better for your turf. You will leave less of an impression in the grass. You also will use up less of your HP moving the machine up hills, leaving more of the HP to power the blade for cutting. Stance, however is very important as you alude to if you have hills. The Kubotas are not flimsy machines by any means, they are well engineered.

If your primary function was loader work, it might be a different decision for some due to weight advantages to balance the FEL load.

 

[oldpilgrim]

if you're thinking about shuttle vs hst, consider this:

If you're working the loader controls with one hand and the steering wheel with the other hand, which would you rather have: a third hand to work the shuttle lever, and maybe a fourth to work the throttle, or a foot pedal to control the direction and speed of the tractor?

I've worked with both and the hst is so easy, precise, and quick to use.

 

[TOSA Ranch]

I have to agree with Tom. Kubota makes a great machine and in fact is one of the few manufacturers that builds everything on their tractors (something even John Deere, IH Case and New Holland don't do). If the Kubota is cheaper and does all the things you need it to, and the dealer has a good reputation...then it sounds like you've found your machine. I personally chose the Mahindra 3016 HST over the Kubota B3350 because it was $2000 less and the FEL max lift was almost double that of the Kubota. Talk to the Kubota dealer about your concerns with width and see if they can't add those wheel spacers to sweeten the deal for you.

Good luck!

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