Hydro vs SS for 45 HP Compact Tractor

[rockyridgefarm]

I have had both and am now considering what may be best of both: I-HMT

Products - Yanmar Tractor

 

[Deere Dude]

I have two tractors with gear drive shuttle shift, and one with hst. I HATE THE HST. Only have 30 hours on the B2320, but am seriously considering getting rid of it, I dislike it that much.

Just curious; why do you hate it? The ergonomics, whining, no power etc.?

 

[drizler]

Not sure about other brands but my Kubota GST has a hydraulic clutch shuttle shift and you never touch the foot clutch to do any shifting. The FST and GST Kubota transmissions are fully synchronized so you do all shifting while on the move.

David

My Massey is like that. Here's where I'm coming from with Hydro versus hand shift. I use mine to do a lot of dirt work back-and-forth. Now I come from an old TO20 Ferguson that had quite a bit of speed and it's gears ( single range)?so you could zoom around like that really pretty conveniently no big deal. Now long came is my 1736 And The dual gear range comes in the play. And I'll be the first to tell you it comes in to play big time. I don't want to go crashing into a pile and find a rock and bend anything so 1st hi is out. So with that in mind I keep it around second gear middle range until I pick up whatever. Now I got to move it, and this is where the headache comes in. So I have to kick it in neutral and shift from mid back to high again. If I don't do that I might as well take a nap waiting to get where I'm going so I'm stuck for it. And mine doesn't exactly shift ranges very nicely , finally at 300 hours I can get it to shift without double clutch in it since it's finally worn in. Then I dump my dirt and race back over where I was digging and then I have to go back in the lower range and do it all over again over and over.
So you can see exactly where I'm going with this this, it's not exactly like just shifting down ,it's a pain in the ***. So while you're trying out tractors you might find a pile go play with it and get a feel for that . . Don't just pick it up and move it 10 feet. pretend you have to go somewhere like 100 yards and then see just how much headache it is going back-and-forth through the ranges before you get a purchase order going. Who knows ,it might not mean anything to you and then again it might save you a lot of regret down the road. Note too how that clutch lever sticking out the side of the steering column is just like that mayhem guy in the Allstate ad. It just CANT NOT snag your coat or shirt sleeve which leads to some interesting excursions From time to time. Mine looks invitingly easy( plastic) to snap off too. I'm another one of those guys who hates that Hydro whine ,and again at all let shift in pain and lever sticking out of snag I might just managed to put up with it.

 

[Goose69]

Regarding any "hydro whine" maybe My hearing protection works better than most, or my hydro is quieter than most, or the engine is louder.
Either way, I never notice any hydro whine at all..

 

[Deere Dude]

Regarding any "hydro whine" maybe My hearing protection works better than most, or my hydro is quieter than most, or the engine is louder.
Either way, I never notice any hydro whine at all..

Mine has a whine when I am going slow with RPMs down and lug it in a higher gear. If working it with RPMs up to 2000, the engine makes enough noise to I can't hear any whine, if there is any.

 

[dnw64]

Industrial tires are a compromise that fit most people's needs. They aren't too hard on grass like ag tires but offer better traction than turf tires. Normally they resist punctures better than the other types and they wear slower if used on payment due to their larger lugs. They are the safe bet option. But if you are going to be in muddy areas or somewhere else where the best possible traction is needed then I would go with the ag tires. If you are going to spend most your time on your lawn then turf tires would be the way to go.

I'm sorry but that simply is not true. It all depends on the surface.

The contact patch of a turf tire gives much more traction on smooth/hard surfaces. Further, if using chains for snow/ice applications on relatively smooth surfaces (i.e. driveways), the flat surface of the R3/turf tire makes makes the contact of the chains much more effective than the irregular surface of an R1/Ag or R4/Industrial.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I'm sorry but that simply is not true. It all depends on the surface.

The contact patch of a turf tire gives much more traction on smooth/hard surfaces. Further, if using chains for snow/ice applications on relatively smooth surfaces (i.e. driveways), the flat surface of the R3/turf tire makes makes the contact of the chains much more effective than the irregular surface of an R1/Ag or R4/Industrial.

I agree with dnw64 on this. My turf tires in 95% of all situations I encounter give more than enough traction and I don't have to put up with the rough ride of industrial tires.

I vote for HST. I find reading about the guys whining about the HST whine is more annoying than the actual HST whine. Wear earplugs!

 

[k0ua]

Mine has a whine when I am going slow with RPMs down and lug it in a higher gear. If working it with RPMs up to 2000, the engine makes enough noise to I can't hear any whine, if there is any.

Exactly, my tractor has no hydro whine that I can hear unless you are crowding the He77 out of the engine by being in too high of a range and pushing into to hard of a load. Normal operation, no whine. On some small tractors, notably the Kubota BX series they have quite a bit of hydro whine. I don't know if it is because of smaller oil passages or what, but I have noticed the small the tractor it seems the louder the whine.

 

[boggen]

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.

you have more mowing than actual dealing with dirt /mud / slopy mess. R4 / industrials more likely better for you. so you can possibly get on the grass a bit sooner than waiting longer for it to dry out with AG tires.

if you end up needing more traction. then get some chains for the tires. and/or simply wait till stuff dries out more before getting in the mud.

many folks run garden tractors for tillers and like, but getting you into the SCUT range with FEL and 3pt hitch is good start. but guessing you will want just a bit more (more power, weight, width of implements) and pushing you towards the higher end SCUTS, to just entering the CUT range.

about only way you will truely figure out difference is physically getting your rear out to some dealerships and test driving some machines so you can see the difference in power. suggest you look at some "used" units as well. "new dealership tractors" they may band you from scratching up the buckets and like. used tractor more likely already scratched up and able to put bucket into a pile of dirt hook something up on 3pt hitch and pull it across the ground.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just curious; why do you hate it? The ergonomics, whining, no power etc.?

It just doesn't work for me. No high / low range, no power in my opinion, and has to run at 3,000 rpm's to feel powerful. I simply don't care for it. Give me a shuttle shift any day.