bush hogging with an hst

[namesray]

quick question. I have a lot of very steep hills I bush hog on with a Kubota b3200 tractor with a 3 range hst transmission. the tractor is 32 hp with about 22 pto hp. the bush hog is a 5 ft. the average height of the grass/weeds I mow are between 2 and 4 feet high, sometimes fairly thick. the tractor handles the 5 ft bush hog ok, but I can bog it at times if I try to go "too" fast. I usually mow up and down the steep slopes and most of the time I use low range. the tractor seems to be able to handle most areas in med range, but I was being cautious to not work the tractor too hard and thought maybe low range kept the trans/hydraulic fluid of the hst from over heating. which range would be best?

 

[RickB]

The further the hydro control is from neutral, the more oil is circulated through jthe hydro. Low range at full pedal will run cooler than medium range with 15% pedal.

 

[namesray]

ok thanks. rickb. that was my thinking too, but I wasn't sure. would med range running hotter potentially decrease the transmission/tractor life? sometimes low is just a little too slow so it seems. I do just over an acre an hour in low range on a steep hill.

 

[rekees4300]

which range would be best?

Use low range and 4WD if you have it. Steep slopes are nothing to screw around with. I've found it safer to mow uphill in reverse, that prevents the front of the tractor becoming airborne.

 

[HEC]

Thanks for the question and replies as I was wondering the same thing . I am new to HST and will be bush hoging some tall grass also and doing snow blowing next winter .

 

[Code54]

The further the hydro control is from neutral, the more oil is circulated through jthe hydro. Low range at full pedal will run cooler than medium range with 15% pedal.

As they say - What he said! Low is the safest bet and allows you to control the downhill decent a bit better.

 

[john_bud]

I mow with hst in a L3410 and a 5' hog. It really doesn't make a hill of beans difference what range as long as the engine can handle the cutting.

Of far greater impact is the grass chaff and other assorted "fluff" blocking air flow into the grill and the radiator. That will heat everything up much more than being in M range vs L. In the fall, I actually bring a leaf blower to clear the fluff out when it gets hot. By the way, the typical operating spec on fluid temp is about 100F over ambient. So, 160-200F is the "normal" range and nothing to worry about.

I cut mostly brush / saplings and keep the blades dull to shatter the plants and kill them. If you are cutting grass / weeds, keep the blades sharp to cut cleanly and it will minimize the power requirement. But random stones will bugger it up faster, so it's a tradeoff.

Stay safe on the hills. Cutting on them always makes me "pucker"!

 

[MESSMAKER]

I mow with hst in a L3410 and a 5' hog. It really doesn't make a hill of beans difference what range as long as the engine can handle the cutting.

Of far greater impact is the grass chaff and other assorted "fluff" blocking air flow into the grill and the radiator. That will heat everything up much more than being in M range vs L. In the fall, I actually bring a leaf blower to clear the fluff out when it gets hot. By the way, the typical operating spec on fluid temp is about 100F over ambient. So, 160-200F is the "normal" range and nothing to worry about.

I cut mostly brush / saplings and keep the blades dull to shatter the plants and kill them. If you are cutting grass / weeds, keep the blades sharp to cut cleanly and it will minimize the power requirement. But random stones will bugger it up faster, so it's a tradeoff.

Stay safe on the hills. Cutting on them always makes me "pucker"!

Thick grass and hills can be pretty taxing on you and the tractor. I have had mine heat up on occasion.

 

[SSdoxie]

The further the hydro control is from neutral, the more oil is circulated through jthe hydro. Low range at full pedal will run cooler than medium range with 15% pedal.

:thumbsup: Running in medium also requires pump to work at higher pressure to get HP to rear end. If pump stroke is decreased 1/2 it requires pressure to increase X2 to transfer same HP. It will run cooler in low range at full stoke.