Hydro vs SS for 45 HP Compact Tractor

boggen · May 1, 2017

4tillingdirt said:
I would be using it to scrape gravel driveways, haul much around the yard, plug and seed yard. Might occasionally use loader/box scrape to fix go-kart track. Prob have 2 - 2 1/2 acres of grass.

go-kart track / fixing. suggest posting some pictures of it. to give folks some idea of upkeep you most likely will need to deal with. and might be able to lower the HP of tractor down to say 20 to 30HP range.

HST or hydrualic like transmission = what you want for sure.

small size yard. large enough push mower is no way. but small enough maybe not 2 dedicated machines needed for mowing.

4tillingdirt · May 1, 2017

Have 60 inch dedicated mower. Basically for the track would just be initially leveling some ground where a track used to be and then after would just be keep track smooth. Track would probably fit and 75 x 75 section if that much. Forgot that I might also use it to plow, till, lay off rows for small garden - small as in 60 x 60 space.

boggen · May 1, 2017

SCUT = sub compact utilty tractor = riding lawn mower on steroids. with a FEL and 3pt hitch maybe limited 3pt hitch.
CUT = compact utilty tractor

a CUT tends to get away from the riding lawn mower frame, has higher clearance underneath. more weight for traction, offers some extra controls / gears for better overall usage.

it is a muddle line between SCUT and a CUT.

if you jumped into a CUT (been awhile since i looked around) i am guessing 25ish to 30HP. with higher end being in the CUT size. would be more than enough tractor for you.

down sizing the tractor and getting all the various small addons that quickly add up. would more likely benefit you much better.

4tillingdirt · May 1, 2017

One other thing for your thoughts - would you get ag tires or the industrial tires. My brother has had industrial tires on his boomer for I guess 14 years now and they still have decent tread, but he has used them in places you prob wouldn't want to take an ag tire. Pulling cut trees from woods and a lot of loader work.

Redlands Okie · May 1, 2017

Ag tires for maximum traction and maximum grass messed up in the yard. . Turf tires for the least traction and least amount of grass messed up. Industrial tires ( R4 I think ) for good traction and not a lot of grass messed up and also for the most payload capacity such as for front end bucket hauling.

Turbys_1700 · May 1, 2017

I've never owned a hydro static drive CUT but as others have said if you are using the FEL a lot it is the way to go. On the tractor's that I've owned I ran R1 Ag tires on an Yanmar YM 1700 and Ford New Holland 1720. They worked well even using a rear finish mower due to their lighter weight. I thing that the Yanmar weighed in at around 1800# with loaded rears and the 1720 tipped the scales at 3300# with loaded rears. My Workmaster 50 with loaded rears is over 6K and I finish mow with it using R4 industrial tires. I was mowing the other day down in the bottoms and we have had a lot of rain lately. It was leaving some impressions but did not tear up the turf as long as I did not turn too sharply. I would recommend R4's if you are finish mowing and your tractor is over 4K pounds.

jeff9366 · May 1, 2017

HST are at least as reliable as as shuttle transmissions if owner operated.

If employee operated or family member operated, HST transmission will be more reliable.

HST transmission will be much more reliable than a clutch/gear traditional transmission. Clutch rebuilds are $1,200.

I speculate that new tractors with 50-horsepower or less are 80% supplied with HST transmissions.

jeff9366 · May 1, 2017

4tillingdirt said:
One other thing for your thoughts - would you get ag tires or the industrial tires. My brother has had industrial tires on his boomer for I guess 14 years now and they still have decent tread, but he has used them in places you prob wouldn't want to take an ag tire. Pulling cut trees from woods and a lot of loader work.

R1/ag tires vibrate a lot on hard surfaces. Will you run over the road much?

R4/industrial tires are usually six ply, sometimes eight ply. Sidewalls are much more puncture/tear resistant compared to R1/ag tires.

Texasmark · May 1, 2017

Redlands Okie said:
Lots of going back and forth the hydro is sure nice and easy to use.

Long rows such as mowing and the shuttle style will put a few more hp to the blades.

Why one would want a gear only style now a days except for large field work is beyond me

I'll tell you why, it's because on light tractors with big hard tires, with plenty of hp, your foot is oscillating on the pedal continuously or you put it in cruise and ever 2 seconds you have to re adjust the cruise setting because the terrain changes. If you are working close in shifting gears would be the PIA and the hydro would be the perfect match for continuously changing conditions.

GManBart · May 1, 2017

4tillingdirt said:
Hoping to hear input from owners who have owned both. I had a dealer tell me that if he were buying one to mow or do rotary cutting he would get a hydro but for everything else he prefers the SS.

Thanks