Grand L 40s - HST Plus

[texasjohn]

DonR, is your tractor an HST? Is this your first HST? What you are describing could be the result of running your HST in too high a gear... after some experimentation, I learned when to run in L or M or H.... if in too high a gear, it lugs down under severe load. I would think that shredding would need to be in L range at 2000+ rpm.

 

[Don R.]

2nd HST. I had to run the tractor in low/low, at less than one mph to keep the tractor from stalling. The 2800 blew through it like butter. If I had been in any lower gear, I would have been in reverse.

 

[john_bud]

That doesn't sound right! Please post back with the dealers findings.

jb

 

[TalonDancer]

... The 44hp tractor had less pull power on the brush hog than the little 28hp I traded in. I mowed a 5 acre tract, and 9 hours and 16 gallons of diesel I was through; with the tract and the new 4240. The lack of power and tendency to stall where the 2800 bulldozed through the same weeds adn grass was the deal killer. After the dealer told me repeatedly that "nothing was wrong", I sent it back, and await the dealer's reply on Monday.

I have ZERO experience using ANY mower with a tractor. But I'm still surprised that your L4240 was less capable than your L2800.

AFAIK the L4240's HST works the same as an L2800 HST, unless you use the "HST Plus" features (e.g. Stall Guard, H-DS, Auto Throttle, etc.).

What were your HST settings when you were having problems mowing?

Talon Dancer

 

[Don R.]

Stall guard: off
Throttle: manual

Oh, I forgot to mention. The tractor ran hotter than usual from the minute that they delivered it from the dealership.

 

[TalonDancer]

HST Plus Follow-up

I now have over 100 hours on my GL3240 and the Auto-Throttle has been ON for the last 50+ hours. The trick to making Auto-throttle useful 100% of the time was adjusting the Auto-throttle linkage as suggested by a couple of very helpful TBNers in another thread.

The GL 40's engine throttle is controlled by two cables. They are "attached" so that either or both of them can be used to increase the engine speed. One cable is permanently connected to the hand throttle. The other is optionally connected to the HST pedal via the Auto-throttle lever. You can adjust the Auto-throttle cable so that the HST pedal does not begin to increase the engine speed until after the tractor begins moving (forward or reverse). The result is that with Auto-throttle ON a GL 40 starts moving as if you had the hand throttle set to idle but as you continued to press down on the HST pedal you simultaneously pulled back on the hand throttle.

So contrary to my previous post...
the GL 40s HST Plus CAN function much like the throttle on the L39's GST. The main difference being the number of "gears" you can select without stopping. The GST allows you to select any of 12 forward (8 reverse) without stopping. Although the GL40s HST Plus has 6 forward (6 reverse) settings, you can only select 2 forward (2 reverse) of them via the D-HS lever (rabbit-turttle) without stopping. But you also have a variable "overdrive" range in forward (AKA Cruise Control).

IOW the GL40's HST Plus Auto-throttle cable can be adjusted so that with the HST lever set to M, you can use the HST pedal, H-DS toggle and Cruise Control to approximate an L39's Throttle/GST ranges from 4-8. In L the HST Plus approximates a GST 1-4, etc.

FWIW if I need more power (e.g. a very heavily loaded FEL, pushing into a pile of heavy soil, etc ) I just pull back on the hand throttle before stepping on the HST. This has the effect of setting the minimum engine speed (AKA power) but still allows the HST pedal to act as a throttle above that minimum RPM.

Talon Dancer

ps Many thanks to the helpful TBNers that gave me the tip required to make my GL3240 work like I orginally expected

 

[gilliganfarmer]

I'm looking at getting a l3940 or maybe a l4240 is the HST plus optional?

It doesn't sound like you guys are loving and maybe I can do with out it. I have never used HST just regular clutch and shift tractors.

If it is optional would you get it again?

 

[davitk]

I'm looking at getting a l3940 or maybe a l4240 is the HST plus optional?

It doesn't sound like you guys are loving and maybe I can do with out it. I have never used HST just regular clutch and shift tractors.

If it is optional would you get it again?

HST Plus is the only way hst comes on the 40 series.

I am buying one. I think what you are reading here are posts from someone who wants to have their cake and eat it too..... and found a way.

 

[TalonDancer]

I'm looking at getting a l3940 or maybe a l4240 is the HST plus optional?

It doesn't sound like you guys are loving and maybe I can do with out it. I have never used HST just regular clutch and shift tractors.

If it is optional would you get it again?

The L3940 and 4240 both offer the GST tranny as an option. It's more like a manual tranny in that you use the clutch more and shift "gears" BUT it is also like a automatic in that you can up shift and downshift while moving without using the clutch. You actully need to drive one to understand how they work.

BUT the HST Plus can be used _exactly_ like a 'normal' HST, if you don't bother to fiddle with the D-HS toggle on the steering column or the Auto Throttle switch.

... I think what you are reading here are posts from someone who wants to have their cake and eat it too..... and found a way.

Exactly!
After I got the HST throttle linkage adjusted the way I like it, the HST Plus is great. It now provides the ease of use of a 'normal' HST with most of the features of the GST - auto throttle and (limited) shifting on the fly.

Talon Dancer

 

[hayden]

I'm not following your description of how the cruise control works. On my B2910, the Cruise Control is just another way to depress the HST peddle. As I recall it's a mechanical linkage.

Does the Cruise Control work differently on the Grand L40s? You've refered to it as an "overdrive"?

Thanks,

Peter