City boy shopping for first tractor

[geedub]

How about that for a bone. New isn't always new.

I don't know davitk, I'm having some difficulty imagining a beat up 2006 tractor with 5 hours of back and forth parking lot time. If it's beat up with that kind of history then I'll pass on the brand.

That was not a great bone...

 

[coolhl7]

from one former city boy to another don't ever regret getting the HST. They are super smooth and allow you incredible mobility in thick woods and a cluttered barn. plus you will have a spare hand to eat your boiled peanuts.

 

[gemini5362]

from one former city boy to another don't ever regret getting the HST. They are super smooth and allow you incredible mobility in thick woods and a cluttered barn. plus you will have a spare hand to eat your boiled peanuts.

How do you get a spare hand out of the deal. I put my tractor in gear and then take my hand off of the gearshift.

Some of the people on here make having a non HST tractor seem like something from the dark ages. Everyone has their favorites but I personally dont see how an HST transmission gives you an extra hand, makes it easier to move around in a barn or dense woods etc etc. It does make you not have to use a foot on the clutch when you brake but for me that is not a problem. The people I know that have HST tractors like them. The people that I know that have tractors with shuttle drives (including me) really like them. If he is looking for information lets give him facts not generic statements like you have a free hand.

 

[coolhl7]

have you really tried HST in tight corners????there is no comparison...having said that I am very impressed with how smoothly some guys can used geared tractors but you still need that hand for shifting constantly or am I missing something?

 

[LBrown59]

Some of the people on here make having a non HST tractor seem like something from the dark ages. Everyone has their favorites but I personally dont see how an HST transmission gives you an extra hand, makes it easier to move around in a barn or dense woods etc etc. It does make you not have to use a foot on the clutch when you brake but for me that is not a problem. The people I know that have HST tractors like them. The people that I know that have tractors with shuttle drives (including me) really like them. If he is looking for information lets give him facts not generic statements like you have a free hand.

It is for me because of lower back pain.
I went to aitomatics in all my cars and pickups back in the mid eighties because of that and haven't looked back.
All my tractors are automatic except the 2 old Bolense ones which I won't be using now that I'm getting the 2 BX1500s.

 

[davitk]

I have to agree that bypassing the clutch can be a life saver. Had my left foot in a cast for six months one summer, my only transportation was a 5 speed honda. I managed, but it was potentially deadly. Given the opportunity, I will always go clutchless because of that experience.

Now don't any of you "real men" get in my face about my sissy automatics......

 

[Rara Avis]

I have to agree that bypassing the clutch can be a life saver. Had my left foot in a cast for six months one summer, my only transportation was a 5 speed honda. I managed, but it was potentially deadly. Given the opportunity, I will always go clutchless because of that experience.

Now don't any of you "real men" get in my face about my sissy automatics......

The only advantage of a gearshift...is if you are seeding, fertilizing, plowing...you can set a speed and know the stuff is being spread as required...Or if you are haying, tedding, and baling at the correct speed...

FEL work...Lawn mowing...Automatics are a gift from heaven...

Another EXCELLENT reason to have more than one tractor...

 

[geedub]

gemini5362, have you owned a HST? I always ask that to people who prefer gear drive trannies.

 

[gemini5362]

have you really tried HST in tight corners????there is no comparison...having said that I am very impressed with how smoothly some guys can used geared tractors but you still need that hand for shifting constantly or am I missing something?

Maybe I am the one that is missing something. I just pick a gear and use that normally. If I have to go slower or faster I will shift but I dont drive it like a car where you start out in first then shift to second etc. you do have to shift the shuttle drive to go forward and backwards if that is what you mean by shifting. I have not noticed it being a problem with having to put a hand up there to use the shuttle shift.

 

[gemini5362]

gemini5362, have you owned a HST? I always ask that to people who prefer gear drive trannies.

I believe I said in the beginning of this post that I have never ownede one if not I should have. I am not saying one is better than the other one. I test drove a couple of them in the dealers parking lot and to be honest I did not like them but that was a personal taste not a mark against them. I have several friends that own them. The only one I know that had any problems was when they somehow broke a hose on the Front End Loader and pumped all the hydraulic fluid out. When that happened the tractor would not move obviously and they had to repair the hose out in the field. But that is not that big an issue. The only thing I was trying to say is that if you are looking for information I would like to see you get some good ideas. I dont think that having a HST is going to free up your hands enough to make a big difference. To some people maybe it does. If you have a physical issue like Mr Brown then the HST is a good way to overcome those problems. Since I dont own one I cannot say how much faster I could do different jobs with an HST than I could with my shuttle shift. I know that when I was using my tractor to spread crusher dust that dump trucks were unloading. I was inside a 28x44 4 foot tall concrete block wall spreading the crusher dust and I did not have a lot of issued with just pulling a lever down or pushing up on it to change direction of travel.