Buying for Work around the Shop and Home

[dpb800]

I don't know about the others but I have a 3616 hst cab and it is great. It should do everything you want and more.

 

[AJ197816134]

This is such an overwhelming decision. I have 1 more stop to make to talk about pricing and look at machines.

I really fell for, and so did the BETTER HALF, The 3616 shuttle with a CAB. For the snow removal, and some of the purposes I like the cab, we are going to price a Hoe for it as well. I got a chance to drive a shuttle today, a neighbor of a good friend has the same model, 3616. He cant say enough and it handles nice. I am also comfortable mounting and dismounting it. I shattered my Femur real bad several years ago and my leg is not the same. I was comfortable.

I figure get the main machine now with Loader and Hoe, Cab is great and go from there. The 3616's with HST are hard to find around here and being tier 3 I am saving some money again.

 

[AJ197816134]

Dpb, and others

With the Cab model I see they change out the Back Hoe and use one with less digging force, how bad will this hurt? Risk vs gain doing this with a cab

 

[GManBart]

If snow removal is a primary job, an HST setup will do a much better job. To run the snow thrower properly you have to set the RPM at PTO speed. That means you're stuck at a set speed per gear, which may be too fast, or slow, for the amount of snow present. With an HST setup you set the RPM to PTO speed, and you're free to slow down, or speed up, as the conditions dictate and you don't have to mess around running the blower at the wrong RPM, or changing gears every time you get to a deep spot, etc.

I say that as someone who doesn't own a tractor with an HST transmission....I have in the past, and they're simply better for all the tasks you've identified.

 

[paulfun9]

Better or easy? That would be the question. People talk like they cant do anything other than plow the field with a gear/shuttle trans but having used both for all tasks I will certainly say yes you can.

I prefer the gear/shuttle myself but would opt for a power shuttle. I have no problems running either machine and do agree the HST is easy to operate for most folks.. HST or gear is a personal choice based more on your ability and choice of easy or a little work than it is the ability of the machine.

One thing to consider is if the other half has to operate it at all will she be able to operate it as many other halves don't like the "clutch thingy" as my other half calls it.

Good luck with your search and I hope you enjoy which ever machine you get weather it be a gear or HST One thing for sure is they both beat a shovel any day of the week!

 

[paulfun9]

Dpb, and others

With the Cab model I see they change out the Back Hoe and use one with less digging force, how bad will this hurt? Risk vs gain doing this with a cab

That's a really good question. I noticed that also when I looked at the 3016 and the 3616 myself but never got to the question with the dealer because for other reasons the Mahindra got crossed off my list.
The cab gets the MB65 and the open station gets the 3716 model a few differences in them besides just digging force.

 

[GManBart]

Better or easy? That would be the question. People talk like they cant do anything other than plow the field with a gear/shuttle trans but having used both for all tasks I will certainly say yes you can.

I've never seen anybody say you couldn't get all of the same jobs done with either setup. Getting them done, and getting them done the most efficient way is another thing altogether.

For snow thrower operations, HST will be both better and easier. There just isn't any way to keep the blower at the correct speed and vary your groundspeed without shifting.

For loader work HST is better, but it's a slight difference. There simply isn't any way to steer, operate the loader and change directions simultaneously with a shuttle the way you can with an HST...unless someone happens to have an extra hand.

For the other tasks the OP mentioned there probably isn't enough difference to even think about. Again, I don't own anything with HST....just straight gear and power shuttles now.

 

[aczlan]

For loader work HST is better, but it's a slight difference. There simply isn't any way to steer, operate the loader and change directions simultaneously with a shuttle the way you can with an HST...unless someone happens to have an extra hand.

This is especially important when trying to move a pallet of X on the loader in tight spaces. I have used our Kubota with GST and the one with HST for bushhogging in tight spaces and HST is MUCH easier to control and get it where you want it.

Aaron Z

 

[newbury]

OP -
Backhoes are nice but expensive, I know I've got one.
Look at the tradeoffs of not getting the hoe with the tractor, but getting a separate used mini-ex or renting for those special jobs.
I bought a hoe because I wanted to be able to take it back in the woods quite a ways where only the tractor would go. Driving a mini-ex a mile takes a long time.

 

[DK35vince]

For loader work HST is better, but it's a slight difference. There simply isn't any way to steer, operate the loader and change directions simultaneously with a shuttle the way you can with an HST...unless someone happens to have an extra hand.

I read that all the time (need 3 hands to forward/reverse/ run loader with a shuttle) and still don't get it.
If your at or near a dead stop before changing direction where are you trying to steer to ??? Takes less than a second to flip that lever..
I have never needed an extra hand for loader work, forward/reversing with shuttle.