Bucket work with clutch /shuttle Vs hydro.

[kyryder]

Any clutch guys doing bucket work wish they had a hydro instead?

HST makes FEL work easy. TYM has a left and right pedal so you plant your heel in one spot and never have to move it. That same F and R pedal also increases the engine speed the harder you push. Of course there is the traditional throttle hand lever and cruise control switch for sustained rpms.

 

[Elviscaretaker]

I have both, and I really never even think about which one I prefer. They are different machines with different uses but I do prefer to drive the power shuttle. The G5110 has a feature I never use but you can push a button for doing loader work, when you hit the brakes it'll engage the clutch. Sort of hate that feature since it's slow to react in my opinion. But, I think I move around faster with the HST but I move less with the bucket being 1/4 the size.

 

[gckshea]

Any clutch guys doing bucket work wish they had a hydro instead?

Nope, no regrets whatsoever. My 2018 LS XR4140 is so easy to use with shuttle shift and 4x4 trans. It's just no big deal

 

[Jwmankin]

Any clutch guys doing bucket work wish they had a hydro instead?

I like the shuttle shift a bunch, but don’t use the clutch going from forward to reverse and vise versa because it will pop the clutch cable retaining clip off of a New Holland 2020 and leave you stuck in neutral. The good news is it’s an easy fix if you realize what the issue is. It took me until I had that problem to trust the shuttle shift and not use the clutch but it is great not dealing with the clutch to go from forward to reverse, I’m assuming with a hydro you have to use the clutch.

 

[cuttinghorsefan]

I don't do enough bucket work with my little Branson 2515R to warrant the hydrostatic tranny but if I'd thought I was going to, I'd have gone with the 2515H, even with the slight power loss and potentially higher repair costs. My manual tranny is great for my usage though.

 

[johng@imbertconstruction.]

I don't do much loader work, but my NH 4060 is the best of both words.
"Electronic hydraulic shuttle shift"... a gear tractor but seamlessly shifts from forward to reverse, no clutch, perfect for loader work...

 

[JLinOK]

I use a clutched 24 year old 5310 JD and do a lot of bucket work sometimes. I forget to shift to/from reverse more than I have trouble shifting. However, I would like to try HST or F/R shuttle just to see. The bottom line, if you do a whole bunch of FEL, then get a skid steer if you can afford it. Everyone tells me that is more day and night than hydrostatic.

 

[bunchgrass]

I have a Kubota M8540 w 12/12 HST shuttle and I end up needing to use the clutch when using the loader for soil etc. To control the creep up when using a hay grapple to stack hay or load a truck etc. Some folks said never to use the clutch when you have the shuttle but I don't see how.

 

[ammoaddict]

As a kid we had Massey's with 6x2 and 8x2 transmissions. They were a real pain when loading manure and other such materials. Too fast in reverse hi and too slow in low and don't talk to me about shifting between forward and reverse.
My 2 MF563s have a mechanical shuttle 8x8 which is a God send in comparison.
I've moved everything reasonably possible and like it fine. No clutch issues in the years I've had the mechanical shuttle.
Really wouldn't mind the electro hydraulic shuttle but I no longer farm on any real scale and I'm good with what's here.
On smaller tractors, (up to say 30-40hp) I'd look into the hst tranny. Maybe I'm old school or just don't have enough experience with them but I wouldn't expect them to stand up to real grunt work in the long run on the bigger machines.

Massey Ferguson 231s here. 4 speed Hi love. Yes hi in reverse is too fast, lo is too slow. I really wish it was shuttle shift.

 

[bunchgrass]

I should say that a true hydrostatic transmission is pretty awesome for some farm equipment, like a swather. You can spin on a dime when you turn and revers throttle direction. Pretty cool.

 

[Big-Foot]

It took a couple of weeks of 8-10 hour days, but I used the Mahindra 3016 HST to dig 120+ yards out of a dry creek bed and moved that dirt up to the top of my badly sloping yard to build a driveway ramp and a 30x50 pad for my future shop.
I never pushed the tractor over 2000 RPM and only stalled the engine twice.
I’ve no experience with some of the tractors (shuttle shift) y’all are talking about and am certainly not afraid of anything with a clutch, but I think I would have been at it a lot longer without the HST.
I don’t recommend a light tractor like this for the type of soil (black gumbo clay) I’m dealing with. I’m retired, so time is all mine to use as I see fit, but I could have used a tractor that weighed another 5-700#.
I’ve got deep respect for those that do this on a regular basis.

 

[howardjohn]

Like anything else it is what you are used to. I have a MF with a clutch and a shuttle shift trans and a loader. It is nice when you are driving and do not have to make any stops just set the throttle. I also have a case backhoe with a power reverser no clutch. It is good too. I never liked the pedals on a hydro especially in reverse. Push the peddle too hard by accident and you go a lot faster than you expect. Also pressing on the peddle always tired out my foot more than using a clutch. Just my opinion.

 

[Metalmaster10]

Any clutch guys doing bucket work wish they had a hydro instead?

I have a Massey Ferguson 1736 w 12/12 shuttle trans.
I have moved hundreds of thousands of pounds of dirt with the loader, it's nearly all I do with it the last 3 years.
I absolutely do not miss a hydro.
The extra ground engagement torque is absolutely huge. I'm 100% glad that I got the shuttle over a hydro.
I have spent many hours doing loader work on a 2022 bobcat 4050 compat with a traditional 8/4 clutch trans.
That does get a little bit old.
1000% recommend a shuttle with power reverser!

 

[Hysyde]

One advantage of a hydro I haven't seen mentioned is the ability for precision and creeping up on things smoothly. Great for precision loader work and maneuvering. No power shuttle I've operated comes close to being able to do that.

Maybe my old man harped on me too much back in the day running geared tractors, but it never feels good to slip or ride a clutch to facilitate smoothness and small movements.

I regularly no a Deere 5075E with a power shuttle and we own a NH 4050 with the same. Not a big fan of doing loader work with either, especially if it's something that involves the pallet forks. They're a huge improvement over the geared tractors of yesterday, but once you've become accustomed to something like a HST SCUT/CUT, skidsteer, front-end loader, or even a modern backhoe, they're a pretty blunt instrument.

 

[4570Man]

One advantage of a hydro I haven't seen mentioned is the ability for precision and creeping up on things smoothly. Great for precision loader work and maneuvering. No power shuttle I've operated comes close to being able to do that.

Maybe my old man harped on me too much back in the day running geared tractors, but it never feels good to slip or ride a clutch to facilitate smoothness and small movements.

I regularly no a Deere 5075E with a power shuttle and we own a NH 4050 with the same. Not a big fan of doing loader work with either, especially if it's something that involves the pallet forks. They're a huge improvement over the geared tractors of yesterday, but once you've become accustomed to something like a HST SCUT/CUT, skidsteer, front-end loader, or even a modern backhoe, they're a pretty blunt instrument.

I’ve used backhoes or forklifts that puts it in neutral if you touch the brakes and those can be jumpy. If they’re setup to allow slipping the brakes those torque converter transmissions are pretty smooth.

 

[scootr]

I agree with Hysyde. Hydro is the ultimate in creep control. That means a lot when filling a bucket or digging. It can keep the hydraulic power at max while moving the wheels at any speed you need.
I always had shuttle shifts prior to this oversized lawnmower drive - but it is equally as controllable as a riding mower despite its size and power. I'd have to say loader work is easier with a hydro.

 

[paulsharvey]

I think some of the disagreement, stems from a power shuttle vs shuttle with the need for a clutch to change directions. I dont think anyone (that I know of) has a true power shuttle in sub 60 hp machines. It's also confusing reading a spec sheet, because it seems like each company wants to call it their own. Kubota super power glide shift or whatever, vs massey power reverser vs John deer instant reverse vs whatever. And they aren't all apples to apples.

With all that said, I would take a HST over a clutched shuttle; but if price was the same; I personally would have selected a true power shuttle, with speed selection on the fly, over a HST when I bought my Kioti (even if changing ranges couldn't be done of the fly, or required clutching). Now, where the HST is great, when you need to maintain constant PTO rpm (mowing) but you want variable speed. But, speaking of loaders only, RPM doesn't need to be constant.

 

[st8yd]

I've had a few tractors and operated others. I use the tractor a lot, but not all proffessionally. I will never choose to use a clutch again. I love the HST.

 

[Whitbread]

5/6 of my vehicles are sticks, but you couldn't pay me to go back to a geared tractor for what I do. I will never mow, plow, hay, etc. My current massey was available as a power shuttle, but I went with the hydro.

My tractor is used as an off road forklift, logging with skidding winch, moving brush and running chipper when i do tree jobs, and snowblowing 5 driveways with a front blower in the winter. The ability to creep, pause, and instant direction change is worth its weight in gold to me.
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[bunchgrass]

One advantage of a hydro I haven't seen mentioned is the ability for precision and creeping up on things smoothly. Great for precision loader work and maneuvering. No power shuttle I've operated comes close to being able to do that.

Maybe my old man harped on me too much back in the day running geared tractors, but it never feels good to slip or ride a clutch to facilitate smoothness and small movements.

I regularly no a Deere 5075E with a power shuttle and we own a NH 4050 with the same. Not a big fan of doing loader work with either, especially if it's something that involves the pallet forks. They're a huge improvement over the geared tractors of yesterday, but once you've become accustomed to something like a HST SCUT/CUT, skidsteer, front-end loader, or even a modern backhoe, they're a pretty blunt instrument.

Pallet forks --- the worst forklift ever made. Triple that if you have a cab!