Compact tractoring on the cheap!?

slowrev · Jul 14, 2003

The other countries around the world mostly use their tractors for tillage work. Hydro's will not last as long as gear types when used for tillage operations. Also they cost a lot more to repair and require a higher skill level, etc. You can't beat a grar driven tractor for relaibility, power transmission, and ease of repair.

Here in the US many of these smaller (CUT) tractors are used for mowing and loader work, Hydro works ok for this. I think if a study was conducted you would find similar statistics on automatic transmissions in autos, for most of the same reasons.

We Americans are fairly lazy ( self included ), and don't see why we should have to push a clutch when we don't have too. And are willing/able to pay for the increased maintenance costs.

CountryBoy · Jul 14, 2003

( Hydro's will not last as long as gear types when used for tillage operations) 

How do you figure that ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

( ( You can't beat a grar driven tractor for relaibility, )

Is a hydro not as reliable or durable ??

How so ?

Soundguy · Jul 14, 2003

I don't necescarilly think one is 'better' than the other... but more that they are better at different tasks.

For instance.. those that use a loader unanimously agree that a hydro is the way to go. On the other hand, if you plow and disc all day long.. gear is the way.

The differences? A gear tranny converts nearly all engine hp to the drive wheels. ( a small amount is lost in the drivetrain )

A hydro eats up a few hp in the fluid/pump /motor /torque converter ( if equipped ) setup.

Heavy long term tasks are going to wear on the hydro tranny more than the gear.. thus if you say.. plow dawn till dusk, for the same engine hp, a gear tranny is going to perform slightly better.

It is mostly a matter of application, personal taste, and economics. Hydros are a bit nmore expensive, and there are no real long term comparisons, as is with gear trannies.. for instance.. many people are happilly putting around on 9n tractors with straight cut gear trannes from 1939.. that's like 63 years.... In 63 years from the time when hydros started in use in tractors ( 70's?? late 60's? ).. we'll see how they fare..

I personally love a gear tranny... always have... and there are people on both sides of the fence..

Soundguy

slowrev · Jul 15, 2003

CountryBoy1,
A well built gear tranny will last virtually forever as long as you keep it full of good lube, and don't abuse it too badly. A Hydro transmission has O-rings and seals in them that will wear out/get hard and cause failure of the transmission. They also generate quite a bit of heat which contributes to this problem and causes the lube to break down sooner.

It is a bad feeling when a 2.00 O-ring breaks in the middle of a Hydro and you have to take the whole darn thing apart to change it. This is a reason for the increased maintenance/repair costs.

with all this said, Hydro's are pretty reliable, just not as reliable as a good gear tranny.

As Soundguy said there is also the HP loss thing with Hydro's. However they are great for loader work and mowing in tight areas.

CountryBoy · Jul 15, 2003

I know running a tiller the hydro is great and my brush hogging on the edges of the hollows where it is best to back in when you are mowing,the repetitive back and forward motion my hydro has spoiled me.
I wonder how the hydros hold up on the bulldozers ?

Are the hydros causing a lot of people problems ???

Egon · Jul 15, 2003

The Dozers have a completly different type of transmission.

Egon

CountryBoy · Jul 15, 2003

They have hydrostatic drives on the John Deere dozers,I have operated them.
Go to the John Deere hompage page and look.

Egon · Jul 15, 2003

The big yellow ones don't.

Egon

Soundguy · Jul 16, 2003

I agree... Our largest dozers.. like our d-8 and d6-9u both are gear drive monsters... I think even our d-4 final drive is geared. Our jd loaders are torque converter, .. though, the manufacturer reccomends not to use them to tow or drag items as the tranny will overheat ( we found this out by using our loader to drag a large harrow across some property we were prepping for a road bed.. after a short time.. like 15-20 minutes.. tranny heat light came on... a quicj call to jd dealership confirmed this).

At our construction co. with all our various pieces of different equipment, we have been running about 40/60 on gear vs auto repairs.. by auto, I am lumping all the various types of auto trans and hydrostats, etc together.
While we have replaced quite a few ring/pignion sets.. we have done just a bit more work on the hydro's.. Prices / dificulity of work on the hydro's was a bit higher.
In the end.. neither repairs were cheap!

Soundguy