Anyone ever regretted buying a HST?

k0ua · Jun 10, 2018

RandyinTN said:
Thanks for the info and keep the comments coming. Even though most of my uses will be using the FEL or back hoe a couple of old school guys were trying to talk me out of buying a HST model.

What were their reasons? There ARE good reasons for not buying a hydro. BUT if FEL and backhoe work is your main focus, I sure wouldn't be trying to talk you out of a hydro, because that is where a hydro really shines.

Slowpoke Slim · Jun 10, 2018

I don't regret going HST at all. I had no choice on a cabbed tractor, it was HST or go home. So HST it was. On mine, in low range, there is no tractor whine at all (Rob can disbelieve whatever he wants). In med range, it will whine if I load it down in that range. In high range, which I only use to road the tractor, it whines quite a bit.

But I'm not as delicate as some of the special snowflake princesses on here I guess. It doesn't really bother me, and it certainly doesn't "drive me nuts". I got over being delicate a long time ago. 3 tours in the first gulf war, been around machinery, heavy equipment, power tools and metal shop fabrication all my life. Delicate is for city folk.

k0ua · Jun 10, 2018

Buggs67 said:
My little tractor only has two gears and I agree, the whine is bad in high range, but I only use that for transport and mowing on the level (and Then I'm at max revs to keep the PTO at 540).

James: have you found that different fluids whine less? I'm 75hrs away from fluid change. Last time I went with Traveller fluid from TSC. Now that I'm in farm country more fluids will be readily available.

The Kubota SUDT2 is the best I have found. Expensive, but it is what is in my Kioti. I sure don't like the price, but I sure like the results.

Cold weather performance is the prime benefit. It also quited down the power steering during cold weather warm up period.

Omega Woods · Jun 10, 2018

I have one of each. If I ever replace my Branson, it will be with an HST. Likely an LS or Yanmar.

Whitbread · Jun 10, 2018

Prior to buying my hst NH 1620, I was borrowing a neighbors shuttle shift 1920. Now that I've had mine for a few weeks, for my uses the hst is far smoother and easier to operate than the shuttle shift was. The main tasks of the tractor are driveways, firewood, dirt moving, and snow blowing. Cruise control is a standard option on the 1620 and it's extremely handy to match a geared tractor's cruising manners. Hydraulic whine is 99% non existent, it's nothing like some of the newer tractors. The only time I can make it whine is on high range and lugging it down too hard. Nothing beats a hydro for creeping around/tight maneuvers.

oldnslo · Jun 10, 2018

What are your primary uses for this tractor?
I would not consider a HST for any continuous hard pulling ground engagement type work. Like others have stated the heat (power loss) would be noticed on tractor this size

For jobs requiring frequent speed and or directional changes like FEL work HST is usually a better option

I haves 100’s of hours operating both styles and they both have pros and cons. Comes down to your needs any preferences

mljenkins · Jun 10, 2018

RandyinTN said:
I'll be buying a 40-45 hp tractor later this year. Have any of you regretted buying a tractor in this power range with an HST? If so, why did you regret it?

If you did buy one with a HST still happy with your choice?

My first tractor was a Farmtrac 39hp HST. Cruise control on it was a joke and it got hot running a 5’ rotary cutter in thick grass on the hills.

Next tractor was a NH WM55 shuttle. Loved the shuttle and I quickly learned the manual transmission. Loved it for mowing with the same cutter. Liked it because I could go a constant speed around my field all day without thinking about how fast or slow I was going. I did a lot of fence posts (drilling) and some loader work with the tractor. Fence posts on the hill were a bit tricky with the manual transmission but I was good with it by that point.

Moved to new property and traded the NH for Kubota L6060HSTC. Got hst because I have lots of loader work to do cleaning this place up. I have not mowed with it yet this year (finally finished up major backhoe work with BH92). However cruise does work nice when used.

I regretted hst on my first tractor because I needed the extra power and consistency in speed for mowing. I still miss the shuttle because my L6060 guzzles fuel. However, I need the HST otherwise I would probably burn up the clutch with the grapple work and backhoe work I am doing to clean things up.

If I had to do it over the first tractor should have been a manual tractor but being my first it likely kept me safe having hst. If I was done with my cleanup I’d go back to shuttle. Just my 2 cents. When mowing I would demand a working cruise on hst after having a shuttle shift. I wouldn’t want anything but hst though for all my loader backhoe work I currently have going on, as it allows me to really fine tune what I am doing without hitting things in tight spaces.

Matt

goeduck · Jun 10, 2018

k0ua said:
The Kubota SUDT2 is the best I have found. Expensive, but it is what is in my Kioti. I sure don't like the price, but I sure like the results.

Cold weather performance is the prime benefit. It also quited down the power steering during cold weather warm up period.

Completely agree with ^^^^

conkli48 · Jun 11, 2018

When i bought my kioti ck2610, i bounced around alot on whether i would want hst or gear. I was dead set on gear as it is what i grew up with and have used my whole life and managed to be very proficient with gear tractors. I bounced around the same thoughts to my dad when he bought his kubota mx 5200. He went HST. I was worried about it being able to do hay and heating up and all that good stuff even power loss from hst vs gear. But my dad still used his allis chalmers d15 and we would run into issues with the baler and it bogging down here and there. One day i convinced him to try the kubota and it ran the baler so smooth, they were about the most consistent bales we have ran in more than 8 years. The HST never heated up and kept a good pace with plenty of power. When i went to purchase my kioti i thought hey hst isnt so bad now. So i went with it. I have used a 1 bottom 16 inch plow with it with success, but need to have 4x4 in for traction as i dont have ballast and cant get a good pull with industrial tires.Not ideal but for a small garden thats 30 x 80 it turns the dirt and mixes in my manure compost. So those are a few expirences i have with HST. I think so many people compare the HST tractor rear ends to the lawn tractors. They dont even begin to compare. Real tractor hst are very strong and durable. Will they wear out, sure. But i bet the time you need to split the tractor on a gear drive on late models is about the time you would need some hst work as well. Biggest thing i could assume is if you go HST dont think you can get by with skimping on maintenance , keep good hydraulic oil in it and keep your filters fresh. They make more heat under load, but that will wear the oil down too.

My last point is that people thought the same thing about these automatic transmission cars back in the day. Now we have 8 speed highly efficient and strong transmissions that are even more reliable and durable than manual transmission. Yes a bit harder to maintain, but its worked out pretty well so far. I think in the next 5 years or so, it will become really difficult to even find a gear drive compact tractor as the HST already are dominating and will beimproved with every new line of tractors. Sure the bigger ones will have hydro shuttle, and some gears but i bet a clutch will be a thing of the past.