glide shift or hydro

gordon · Jul 19, 2001

Well I guess all of this goes to show that even a hard head like myself can still learn a better way./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I've got just over sixty hours on the new tractor. The HST is great and that is an understatement. I still have brake steering which was a concern to me anyway. To set the cruise and brakesteer is no worse than using the glideshift lever at the steeringwheel. I find myself still reaching for the lever at times and it's still not there. To go from forward to reverse that is. But safety is much better, with the hst stops on a dime. Precision work is much better. There is one thing that doesn't get brought up when talking about the hst. That is your always working at the same rpm level. Why does that matter??? The three point always behaves the same. Guess that goes along with precision.----NICE---

A couple of weeks ago I was installing a culvert which required a large amout of fill so alot of loader work in backfilling and compacting. I had borrowed a friends jumping jack for compacting the lifts of dirt. So I was backfilling and someone yelled at me----It's not there anymore Gordon--->I quickly stopped to see what was the matter. It was the landowner, I do alot of work for him. He was motioning with his hands about me reaching for the lever that was no longer there. Old habits die hard./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

There are a couple of things that I don't like about the new tractor, or should I say that I miss that I had on the old tractor.
1--cab and things related to it
A. storage
B. protection from limbs--already got my head slapped good
C. protection from sun and rain.
D. This is key-- fans to keep cool you would be surprized how much difference that blowing the heat down away from you makes.
But these things will change in time just got some work to do on this new tractor once I figure out the exact whats and wheres. Oh and I almost forgot for the long days RADIO...

Guess I'm getting off track so I'll make another post about all of this later.

If it ain't hst it just ain't for me
Gordon

MChalkley · Jul 19, 2001

Gordon - You took the fun out of my jerking your chain - you just rolled over... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif You must be busy. The return volley will come later, right?

That's funny about the GST shuttle-shift lever. I haven't had a GST tractor for several years now, and I turned on the left turn signal light in my Dodge pickup a couple weeks ago, trying to back up. Not long before that, I'd gouged my right heel into the floor mat, attempting the same thing...

MarkC

MarkV · Jul 19, 2001

think in terms of "How big an HST-equipped tractor do I need to buy to do the job?"

Mark, Nice to have you back!

gordon · Jul 19, 2001

Sort of like poker I guess, you've got to know when to hold um and know when to fold um. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Now to the meat of the subject. What do you think caused the change in thinking for the better trans..?

Another question how well would the hst hold up in true farm conditions? How can you tell the true ground speed in an hst? But for that matter how can you tell the true ground speed in a gear tractor? Given both have ranges versus gears but you also have versus rpm-----hummmm something to think about.

Ok what about everything else?
Gordon

radman · Jul 20, 2001

Another advantage of GST- HST's work best when engine running at higher RPMs. GST, like gear drives, allow slower RPMS when doing light work. Less noise, less hours on tractor at slower RPM. For general mowing, blading, tilling, and loader work GST's work great. For tight spaces, small back and forth turns, or FEL work requiring finesse (dumping into truck or trailer), I would pick HST. GST can do all of this but requires use of clutch and brakes for careful work.

glennmac · Jul 20, 2001

Dont HST's run hotter. Might that not be bad for long continuous pulling tasks that ag tractors engage in. I do not know that this is so, but I thought I have heard that argument somewhere.

kubmech · Jul 20, 2001

Biggest difference between GST and HST I can come up with is: The GST tractors are in for new clutches at an average of 900 hours a shot (were talking alot). Where the HST tractors are few and far between. Average clutch job runs around $1200. With the GST, guys just tend to slip the clutch when going into a pile, spoke with numerous customers about it after the second clutch and they admitted it's just too hard not to do that.....

MChalkley · Jul 20, 2001

HST's work best when engine running at higher RPMs
True, but why do you need them to be at the speed where they "work best" when you're doing "light work"? By definition, you don't need the power, so run it where it'll do the job. I run mine at 1200-1500 rpm often, if I don't need more power - the HST does fine. Any less rpm than that, and you run the risk of damaging these small diesels due to lugging, assuming they're doing any work, of course.

MarkC

MChalkley · Jul 20, 2001

Glenn - Yes, they do, but they're designed to handle it, as kubmech's recent post shows. OTOH, good synthetic oil drastically lowers these temps. Check out http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=custom&Number=22294&page=&view=&sb=&vc=1#Post22294 for a test I ran back in '99.

In all the time since I installed my temp gauge and sensors (a year ago yesterday, pic at http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=custom&Number=56671&page=&view=&sb=&vc=1#Post56671), I've never seen an HST temp higher than 180 degrees, and that was dragging my scarifier-equipped tiller through my dad's hard red clay in low range at PTO throttle speed for several hours straight on an 85 degree day. It reached 180 degrees in about 20 minutes of that kind of work and never got any higher, so I'd say it stabilized there. By comparison, the engine oil has routinely gotten to 225 degrees. Automatic transmissions in pickups under towing conditions frequently exceed 240 degrees, though this is considered to be shortening their lifespan linearly (by about a year, some say) for every 10 degrees over that. I've got a chart somewhere for automatics, but I don't remember the details. It's something like 5 years expected lifespan at 240, and cooked at 290, but don't quote me. I can find it and post it if you're interested.

MarkC

DVerbarg · Jul 20, 2001

MarkC,

Any less rpm than that, and you run the risk of damaging these small diesels due to lugging...

Can you elaborate on that? How is it damaged? I usually run the RPMs around 1300 to 1700 when doing light work (TC40D) and only go to the 2200 to 2600 when using the PTO or other heavy work.

Just want to understand more of how the diesel works as this is my first diesel tractor (and if I take care of it properly my last).

DaveV