4330 HST - No Power?

[dknarnd]

"from all the discussion on here it is pretty clear that if you are buying a 4330 with HST you will suffer for power" This is a quote taken from another post.

Now I am considering buying another tractor and had been leaning towards the 4330HST, but my fear all along has been getting HST and not being happy with the power loss the HST transmission delivers. Currently I use a couple of old JD's and will not get rid of them.

My tractor use is brush hogging on a mix of flat and hilly rough terrain in open fields that I cut once a year, about 25 acres worth (I have been doing it for many years with just a 5' hog or 6' sickle and will be happy to continue with just a 6' hog. I don't want a 10' batwing!) Hope to start a couple of small 1 acre size food plots someday then I drag some firewood out on occasion plus mess around with a back blade moving snow and other minor stuff. Never had a FEL but I do have some clean-up tasks that I would like to tackle with one plus a grapple to help clear brush when I start to cut back the trees from the edges of the stone rows.

My lawn tractor is even geared because I didn't like HST with that silly handle on the rear fender. Although now I wish I had the HST version. For the FEL work I figure I will do I can fully see that the HST would be perfect but would the HST not be so perfect for hogging my fields or skidding firewood or minor soil prep?

 

[hsvhobbit]

I have a 4630 with HST. I use it mostly for 'hogging' with a 6' Rhino. A fair number of good slopes to go up and down, even a few nasty ditches to navigate around. Some tiller and box blade work as well. This is my first tractor and there's no way I'd ever willingly give up my HST. You can effortlessly manouver that rig around on a dime. Stop's when you lift up on the petal, back up instantly. Is there any time you would find it more convienant to 'hog past a point and back up to cover it? HST makes it an instants effort to do. Rock you foot back and you stop and back up just THAT quickly. No clutch to mess with.

How about some of the hills? Ever been going down/up one and found you were in a less than optimum gear? With HST, push down a little farther and you 'gear up', lighten up on the petal and you 'gear down'. (Yep, you do have 3 ranges but unless I'm pulling a pretty steep hill, M range gets 95% of the use from me)

Ever been 'hogging along and suddenly seen something you DIDN'T want to run over and had to suddenly clutch and brake? With HST, just lift up your foot and you stop, it's that quick.

As you can tell, I'm pretty high on the HST. See if your dealer will let you demo one for a day of 'hogging' and see how you feel about it.

 

[JRobyn]

My 4330 is my first real tractor so I can't speak from a lot of comparitive experience, but in 3 years and about 150 hours, I have only lacked for power when I was running on the paved road in high range and tried to pull some steep hills. Like Hobbit says, I use M range about 95% of the time. If severe pull power is called for in M range, the engine will bog down if I use more than a little pedal, but in L range, both front and back wheels will spin (R1s). For hogging (BH model 286) we have never lacked adequate power, even on steep, rough terrain and HEAVY brush! I think you'll like it. Maybe go for a 5330 if you're still worried?

 

[JRobyn]

I mean 5030!

 

[InlineDieselFan]

I doubt with a 4330 you will feel under powered, it does not sound like you are you are doing that much with your tractor, and you will still have the JD.

Have you considered a 3830, a little less PTO power and slightly smaller, and less bucket power, but it is cheaper, and sound like it could easily fit with what you want to do. You may even go samller but with 25 acres, you will fall in love with the HST and forget about your JD's.

steve

 

[dknarnd]

Yea I've thought of the 3830 but I wouldn't feel that it can handle a 6' brushhog. Currently my JD1010 is supposed to deliver 30PTO hp and advertised weight of round 3800 lbs before the loaded tires and 3 rear wheel weights that are attached to the front end to hold it down. And it wouldn't handle a 6' hog very well.

But with two 5' brushhogs running at the same time the fields would go rather quickly. My nephews always show up when it is time to cut the fileds down.

 

[hayden]

I don't think the HST takes more than 5% or so of the available power. If that's enough the break the bank, then I think you are underpowered to begin with.

 

[dknarnd]

hayden...so are you saying the 4330 won't pull a light duty 6' brush hog on hills with hst? Really I think the power will be there it just may need a little help in the weight department up front to keep it down.

 

[azhfl56]

The only way I think the 4330 would be under-powered is to have a cab, with AC on, a 6' bush-hog (or bigger), 2 and 3 foot grass and going up-hill all at the same time at anything greater than 3mph. However with the HST, it is pretty easy to compensate, much easier than anything else. When it gets tough you just slow down, this is where the HST is much easier. I wish my 6040 had HST.

Regards,

Bryan

 

[bigdeer2000]

had a 4330 cab hst for three years, pulled a 6ft cutter no problem even in the thick stuff. even pulled an 8 ft wheel disk in fwd and low range sure suprised me on what it could do. r4 tires and 6ft finish mower did fine job on the lawn too