DRIVING UP A GRADE???

[512high]

Hi Everyone,

Im new to tractors,i purchase a used one this past January for snow removal only. Its a 2006 Kubota L-4330 hstc. My local dealer said when using the loader ,run the rpm's between 2,000-2,500, it likes this range etc. My question is when im driving from location to location, and come upon a steep grade, how should i handle this?? meaning i'm in high gear driving down the road, should i stop and put in to "M"? "L" or stay in "H"?? It is a HST.

Great forum!

thanks,

Philip

 

[General Lee]

I would do Low or Medium depending on the grade. If you try it in medium at say @2200 rpm and the tractor seems to bog you know you need to be in Low or higher rpms. You just need to see how it performs in what gear at which rpms.

I can pretty much tell you High gear is no good for nothing but traveling from point A to B on flat ground.

 

[TripleR]

Yep, with that tractor, you are pretty much going to at least drop to M and as per General Lee use the gear that is going to let your tractor maintain speed, if it bogs down, drop a gear if letting off the HST doesn't let it pick back up.

As is often the reminder on here, you will often be tempted to press harder on the HST to get more speed/power, but this just raises your gearing and is counter productive.

 

[512high]

great points triple r and general lee ! thanks for the quick replies!

 

[kuboman]

Well I don't want to pick a fight here:laughing: but leave it in high and just back off on the hst peddle to keep the engine rpm up. Unless of course it is a really steep hill.:thumbsup:

 

[Toolguy]

Agree with Kuboman

 

[General Lee]

Well I don't want to pick a fight here:laughing: but leave it in high and just back off on the hst peddle to keep the engine rpm up. Unless of course it is a really steep hill.:thumbsup:

I can agree, I see where this makes sense. I just have so many hills in my operating area that high gear just wouldn't be feasible for me.

 

[kuboman]

I can agree, I see where this makes sense. I just have so many hills in my operating area that high gear just wouldn't be feasible for me.

As I had it explained to me almost 35 years ago by a International Harvester mechanic just after they introduced the hydro tranny in their bigger tractors was this.
There is a speed range in the tranny that is best suited to high torque situations and that is about the mid 50% of the travel range. The low end 25% and the high end 25% were not suited to heavy pulling as the heat generated tended to be excessive. So if you are down to the last 1/4 of the speed in that range it is best to shift to a lower range. Also if you cannot maintain speed in the top 25% it is best to back off on the peddle. Quite a simple concept and I have run that IH tranny for 35 years and have never had a failure. In fact the transmission was still in top shape when the rest of the tractor was worn out.:thumbsup:
Just an old farmers HO.

 

[General Lee]

As I had it explained to me almost 35 years ago by a International Harvester mechanic just after they introduced the hydro tranny in their bigger tractors was this.
There is a speed range in the tranny that is best suited to high torque situations and that is about the mid 50% of the travel range. The low end 25% and the high end 25% were not suited to heavy pulling as the heat generated tended to be excessive. So if you are down to the last 1/4 of the speed in that range it is best to shift to a lower range. Also if you cannot maintain speed in the top 25% it is best to back off on the peddle. Quite a simple concept and I have run that IH tranny for 35 years and have never had a failure. In fact the transmission was still in top shape when the rest of the tractor was worn out.:thumbsup:
Just an old farmers HO.

I'm with ya, no argument from me, heck I'm not even quite 35 years old yet :laughing:

 

[k0ua]

I'm with ya, no argument from me, heck I'm not even quite 35 years old yet :laughing:

Me either on the argument, (I wish on the age:laughing, I figure when your in HI and it is starting to make a lot of noise,, why not drop down to MED where the tractor is happier, and quieter? I have some hills here that HI is about worthless, much happier in MED. Maybe some tractors have more power to weight ratio, but my little L3400HST likes MED for travel on the really bad ones.

James K0UA

 

[TripleR]

Well I don't want to pick a fight here:laughing: but leave it in high and just back off on the hst peddle to keep the engine rpm up. Unless of course it is a really steep hill.:thumbsup:

I don't think we are in disagreement with the possible exception of the definition of "steep". We have tractors from 23 to 85 HP and not a one will go up a "steep" hill without down gearing.

Backing off the HST works on hills, but not steep ones. The OP used the word steep.