Buying Advice HST vs Gear Transmission - which would you recommend on this tractor ?

[Jstpssng]

Who cares? That might amount to a McDonald’s hamburger over the course of a year unless you’re working commercial.

I burn the same amount of fuel with my 2015 L3301HST with tier4 as I did with my 1984 L275 geared; .5 gallons per operating hour.
So no hamburger for me.

 

[Peter 315]

I burn the same amount of fuel with my 2015 L3301HST with tier4 as I did with my 1984 L275 geared; .5 gallons per operating hour.
So no hamburger for me.

What no fries

 

[sawyer andy]

Who cares? That might amount to a McDonaldç—´ hamburger over the course of a year unless youæ±*e working commercial.

Not Burger king or wendys?

 

[4570Man]

Not Burger king or wendys?

Maybe if you can settle for the dollar twenty junior cheese burger from Burger King.

 

[mikester]

Who cares? That might amount to a McDonaldç—´ hamburger over the course of a year unless youæ±*e working commercial.

From my experience using both geared and HST 60HP tractors I averaged a difference of about 2 gallons diesel per ~12 hour day. At $3/gallon thats $6/day

Lets assume you don't use your tractor much and you fill the tank once a week. 50 weeks x $6 = $300

Here's another way to look at it. Each gallon of diesel consumed generates 19.64 lbs of CO2. So thats approx. 40 lbs x 50 weeks = 2,000 lbs or 1 ton CO2 difference.

Since you don't care about fuel economy and money how about sending me an e-transfer $6 per week? I think that'll cover a McPuky's burger once a year...

 

[k0ua]

From my experience using both geared and HST 60HP tractors I averaged a difference of about 2 gallons diesel per ~12 hour day. At $3/gallon thats $6/day

Lets assume you don't use your tractor much and you fill the tank once a week. 50 weeks x $6 = $300

Here's another way to look at it. Each gallon of diesel consumed generates 19.64 lbs of CO2. So thats approx. 40 lbs x 50 weeks = 2,000 lbs or 1 ton CO2 difference.

Since you don't care about fuel economy and money how about sending me an e-transfer $6 per week? I think that'll cover a McPuky's burger once a year...

Many of us, in fact most of us use our tractors about 100 hours per year. Some a little more some a little less.
So using your difference of a 60 horspower tractor, which most of us don't have of 2 gallons per 12 hours, or 1 gallon for 6 hours. So divide 100 hours average use by 6 we come up with a difference of of about 16 gallons difference per year or about $48 dollars per year. This is using your figures with a 60 horsepower tractor, and most of us would not see that big of a difference. I am thinking about a $20 bill per year at most. But without a doubt a hydro tractor will use slightly more fuel per year than a gear tractor. When you think of all of the the other benefits of hydro over gear for the type of work that MOST of us do, I will gladly pay that $20 bill per year in excess fuel consumption. I think the buying of a McDonalds, burger was far more "spot on" than your example.

 

[fishhead]

I recall reading in a similar thread somewhere a mechanics comments that the age old reliability and simplicity argument doesn't always hold for a gear tranny. In essence that poster was saying that a lot of the newer easier to use geared transmissions were actually more complex and expensive to repair/ replace due to multiple gear sets and clutch packs. Too, often the existence of hydro trans in large earthmoving equipment is cited as a counter argument.

I have had both, both work fine, currently i do a lot of back and forth and that seems well suited to hydro. Don't have an issue with whine and i'm sure that the tranny can out live me.

 

[k0ua]

I recall reading in a similar thread somewhere a mechanics comments that the age old reliability and simplicity argument doesn't always hold for a gear tranny. In essence that poster was saying that a lot of the newer easier to use geared transmissions were actually more complex and expensive to repair/ replace due to multiple gear sets and clutch packs. Too, often the existence of hydro trans in large earthmoving equipment is cited as a counter argument.

I have had both, both work fine, currently i do a lot of back and forth and that seems well suited to hydro. Don't have an issue with whine and i'm sure that the tranny can out live me.

A prime example of what you mention about complexity would be a Kubota glide shift. A type of "gear" transmission with about 10 times more complexity than a hydrostatic transmission. For those that doubt that statement, just have a look in the service manuals for both transmsissions.. However with all of that complexity of the Glide Shift, we don't seem to be hearing about much in the way of failures of these units. I guess if you make something extremely complicated, as the Glide Shift, you best make it durable, and it appears they did.

 

[paulfun9]

The op made no mention of potential models so I can稚 do meaningful comparison. Using a Kubota L3901 for comparison the HST model runs 1 mile a hour faster than the geared model. In any case that痴 a given spec for most if not all tractors. You can see if the speed is going to work for you without ever leaving the house. And there痴 not going to be much difference.

I have listened to the specs so many times when talking with people but when out working or moving the tractor it always seems the HST cant achieve the posted top speed unless the wind is at your back and your going down hill!!
The gear is always more consistent and holds the speed better especially on any up hill slope.

 

[Oldoak]

A prime example of what you mention about complexity would be a Kubota glide shift. A type of "gear" transmission with about 10 times more complexity than a hydrostatic transmission. For those that doubt that statement, just have a look in the service manuals for both transmsissions.. However with all of that complexity of the Glide Shift, we don't seem to be hearing about much in the way of failures of these units. I guess if you make something extremely complicated, as the Glide Shift, you best make it durable, and it appears they did.

Kubota certainly did. My L4200 GST has been serving me well for 21 years now. :thumbsup:

Worked it hard but never abused. Been considering replacing it with a new L5060 GST if it wasn't for the DPF system on today's tractors.