RaT, my hose-clamped joystick is still performing flawlessly. I keep expecting it to give up, but it just goes to show you that "back yard engineering" sometimes is better than the stuff coming out of the factory. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm wondering what the effect of throttling back is on a Kubota HST transmission? Can you get enough power to spin 3 tires at 2000 rpm or less? I find that if I have any down pressure from the loader or an implement on the 3PH, I need about 2,500 rpm to spin my wheels. When pushing brush, I leave the tractor at 2500 and I win most battles against small trees. Of course, it also depends on the type of soil beneath my wheels, but for me, there is a big difference between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm for power to the wheels. However, the loader seems to have as much lift power at 2,000 rpm as it does at 2,500. What's your take on this?