What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . .

   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #11  
I like my shuttle. Hst has it's place and in that place it is great. I have a bad right foot. Hard to press the peddle on the right with your left foot. My lawn mower is HST, but with a hand control. I have had it a long time. Talked to the dealer about a new one. It is no longer offered. So I hope it runs a lot longer.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #12  
Kubota's HST-Plus is pretty amazing. Yanmar makes a very interesting hybrid as well.

Gears are fine, more efficient, but with less precision control and slower forward-reverse changes.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #13  
Depending on the size machine you're looking for you might consider the Yanmar YT347 and YT359. Their i-HMT design is pretty unique and might solve the HP/HST conundrum.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . .
  • Thread Starter
#14  
Yes. . . I wish there were more opportunities to rent other tractors out there. Different brands, different models, etc. I would love to have an opportunity to try different drives, and different size machines. But, this was a good start. And being able to get to know the differences in HSTs would be helpful. One of the tractors I rented had a very stiff forward gas pedal, and it wasn't long before my right knee was KILLING me. The second one I rented for the week wasn't as bad.

How about that Trend Pro Helmet. If it worked well, I wouldn't mind that.

The area I live in used to be farmed for watermelons. 13 years ago, they quit, and left the pastures to the weeds. So, my 11-ish acres of pasture is Very rough, and full of weeds. I would say, 95% weeds, and 5% Bermuda. I had a good weed kill done last September, and that really helped with some of the larger weeds with big stalks. I FIRST want to get my pastures into shape. It looks to be at least a 2-3 year process. I figure I will hire-out the work to smooth/level the pastures, and sprig with coastal.

Primary use of tractor right now will be mowing, and using the FEL to move dirt, crushed concrete, rocks, etc. There will also be some dragging felled trees, and moving things around. I can tell you, I have done a lot of things around here that a tractor FEL would have made things a whole lot easier. If I have to hand shovel another cu/yd of crushed concrete or dirt, it will be too soon.

My property is pretty flat. Just a small slope from the house to the front of property. I am not sure what I will do with the pastures. I would love to have some sort of orchard. still researching that. Pecans, apples, peaches. Maybe a little of each in different parts of the place, but all that is a few years off. We've had the property for two years now, but since we moved in in November I am Really getting to know place a lot better. Slow and steady wins the race.

Here is what my property looks like.

2F169695-EAD4-42CE-83D7-6211DD6EE386_1_201_a.jpeg
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #15  
Good advice given also glad you did your home work.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #16  
My cup holder is a large tomato can fastened to the tractor with a flat ubolt.20150314_160543.jpg
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #17  
I never use my foot throttle, only the hand. 50 years ago, tractors only had hand throttles. I was always told to set the rpm and leave it. The same with gears.
On your trees, I try to plant most trees in the late fall. Pecan trees can take several years to product, so try to get them done asap. Make sure to space them out. They will grow. I have a problem now, where I planted a pecan tree, thinking that it would not grow that fast. Now it has and is too close to a pear tree that is loaded. I will be forced to cut back the pear a lot this winter. This pecan tree went big quick and now I will have to lose one pear tree and at least 1 apple tree, to be able to mow between them with the tractor. It is so nice to pick your own apples, pecans, pears and such. If the animals leave any for you. I think the deer around here can reach 8 feet or more standing on their back legs. The only thing to stop squirrels is a small dog or a gun. And any pears that are up high, they knock the the ground for the deer.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #18  
I never use my foot throttle, only the hand. 50 years ago, tractors only had hand throttles. I was always told to set the rpm and leave it.
I'm the opposite.
I use my foot throttle 90% of the time. I only use the hand throttle when mowing larger open areas.
For loader work I always use the foot throttle. Easier on the clutch and much better control IMO.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #19  
If I’m using a gear machine I use the the foot throttle. If I’m using a HST machine I set the throttle and leave it. My machine has auto throttle but I don’t like it at all.
 
   / What I Learned by Renting a Tractor. . . #20  
My backhoe only has a foot throttle for forward motion. It has a hand throttle for the backhoe but you wouldn't want to use it on that monster going forward.
 

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