Quad range in a Deere 4240, don’t miss that thing one bit.
Gear on a L3301, missed - zero
Shuttle on a L4701, missed - zero
Hydro on the L6060, much better. No lack of power for a machine of that size.
All on applications, where I currently live there are no flat spots, trees everywhere, lots of loader work and mowing. Hands down, 100% faster, more efficient work with the HST +. Loader work with that ‘+’ is exceptional to have that split gear. A fixed gear tractor means going slower basically all of the time, where an hst I can accelerate to the next obstacle, slow down, cut close to the tree and accelerate to the next. Perfect.
The larger Deere was mainly a pasture queen with some limited loader work, very fatiguing doing loader work, not it’s primary goal in life, it liked straight lines, long distances towing stuff…
Also, have large 100+ hp New Holands, Masseys, and JDs on the family ranch (not personally owned like the above), they are all shuttles, fitted to the hay work that they were purchased for. Not woods, limited hills, loaded work is just transporting hay. Shuttle is just fine for that.