GManBart
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2012
- Messages
- 4,976
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 241, Kubota SVL90-2
Does anybody make a power shuttle in an Ag tractor that doesn't have a clutch pedal? My Case 580 Super M backhoe has a power shuttle tranny with no clutch pedal at all. It has a F-N-R lever on the column, a 4sp transmission stick shift with a clutch button, and the loader control also has a clutch button. You can put it in gear, move right up to something, step on the brakes to hold position and not stall the engine. The only time you use the clutch button is when you're shifting transmission gears, or when you want to stop moving to increase the engine RPM for faster loader cycle times.
My guess is that it would simply increase the cost of an Ag tractor to the point sales would suffer, but it's so close to an HST in actual use that you can barely tell the difference....really a lever versus a pedal for direction changes. About the only thing I see that makes a measurable difference is that you really need to nearly come to a stop before switching between F and R or you can risk snapping an axle....it's a pretty abrupt change. That might make an HST a touch faster over a whole day, but not much.
My guess is that it would simply increase the cost of an Ag tractor to the point sales would suffer, but it's so close to an HST in actual use that you can barely tell the difference....really a lever versus a pedal for direction changes. About the only thing I see that makes a measurable difference is that you really need to nearly come to a stop before switching between F and R or you can risk snapping an axle....it's a pretty abrupt change. That might make an HST a touch faster over a whole day, but not much.