Ground speed difference with more hp

[5030]

I bought my last NEW Kubota in 2004 (still have it). I bought USED last spring. Both are M9000's both are 92 pto and both are emissions free. I won't every buy a NEW tractor again, don't want the emissions nightmares.

The are still some nice pre tractors out there but the field is getting smaller every day. People are snapping them up.

 

[5030]

With a gear transmission tractor you will likely notice a difference. With an HST transmission tractor you may NOT notice a difference.

HST offers max pulling power at low speed, lower torque at higher tractor speed.

The top speed you wish will be the major factor affecting the difference.

Greater power to the PTO will certainly allow you to throw snow farther.

Huh? Mind substantiating that statement? Hydro's are notoriously noted for power loss. My hydraulic shuttle will spin the tires in any low side gear. Give me a gear drive with a wet pack clutch any day.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Huh? Mind substantiating that statement? Hydro's are notoriously noted for power loss. My hydraulic shuttle will spin the tires in any low side gear. Give me a gear drive with a wet pack clutch any day.

I'm going to ask you to substantiate your statement. If you think about how a hydro works it will only have high power loss under full tractive loads. When there is very little tractive loads the hydro will be quite a bit more efficient as there is less resistance to flow. It will never be as efficient as a gear tractor though. But for mowing and other light tractive loads there will be very little difference between the two. Pto power on the same engine should make very little difference at all as the pto power transmission is all mechanical on either a manual or a hydro transmission.

 

[Fallon]

I'm going to ask you to substantiate your statement. If you think about how a hydro works it will only have high power loss under full tractive loads. When there is very little tractive loads the hydro will be quite a bit more efficient as there is less resistance to flow. It will never be as efficient as a gear tractor though. But for mowing and other light tractive loads there will be very little difference between the two. Pto power on the same engine should make very little difference at all as the pto power transmission is all mechanical on either a manual or a hydro transmission.

HSTs require a charge pump that's continuously running & saps a little HP. The conversion from rotational energy to fluid energy then back is less efficient than the 98-99% efficiency. It's definitely less efficient in power transfer. Typically by 10-15% from what I've read.

It's much more debatable how practically efficiency differs. I can run my HST faster & more precisely doing precision or loader work. A geared machine will mow or plow an open field for less fuel & possibly a hair faster than my HST.

It's all tradeoffs & evaluating your use cases.

 

[Richard]

I don't know if this will translate into any help for you...

We have an International 444. When I used to cut the farm with it using a 5' rotary, I would have to be in low range, first gear and at times, it would still bog down (long grass). Today, I have an International 1066, quite a bit more power. I am using a 15' flexwing mower and depending on how fine I want it to cut, can cut in 3rd or 4th gear.

So my ground speed is MUCH faster than the 444 and using a 15' instead of 5' cutter.... vastly increases my mowing efficiency, therefore lowers my cutting time. I could cut the entire place in one day if I worked all day. With the 444, it has taken me as long as "all summer" (working on weekends) to cut the entire place but, could do it in 2-3 weeks (weekend cutting) if I worked hard at it, again, verses one day if I worked hard at it.

We have a hill behind the house. Father in law always told me it is the highest hill in the county. Taking the 444 up the hill while cutting would make it SLOW.... I'm almost giddy every time I go up when using the 1066 as it simply grunts a bit more and keeps me at my ground speed. A major difference.