How many trouble free Hours on your HST ??

[Soundguy]

It's a longevity issue that I'm worried about. that is, years and hours.. not just hours.. though the one post with 5k on it is a -good- sign. I wonder what differecne it would make if you spread that out over 20 ys.. etc...?

I.E. 5k hrs in 8ys.. vs 5k hrs in 20 ys.. etc.

Basically.. I am waiting to see if the tranny design proves to be as robust as the rest of the tractor.. or better.. etc. for instance.. on a geared tractor.. you can expect the engine to last a few thousand hours before rebuild. I know of many gear units that are on a 2nd rebuild.. but still have a stock tranny. Are the hydro units going to be this robust? I.E. in 50-60 ys whent he tractors are being restored are they going to be pretty much running clean.. except for a 3$ input shaft seal?.. like a typical surviving classic gear unit from the 50's is today... ??

Soundguy

I see the which transmission (gear or hydro) issue being discussed again. What I don't see much of, however, is actual experience regarding HST reliability and failure. Therefore, I was wondering if some of you "heavy" users can share:

(1) How many Hours on your HST
(2) How many Trouble free hours on your HST
(3) Whether you've ever experience major trouble/failure with HST
(4) If yes, what was the cost (or dealer listed flat/rate hours) associated with the repair.

I think actual numbers is an objective way of looking at it and speaks louder than "I think this or that." Most folks seem to have a fear of the hydro and associated serviceability because it is foreign or new to them, although 20 years ago, I also heard the same fears about new cars with computers, complicated sensors, and fuel injection.

By analyzing numbers, we can get a good idea on exactly how reliable are the hydros as compared to gear trannys.

 

[kensfarm]

TC35D w/ SS 17LA FEL- 2550 hours going into my 8th farm season.. bought in 2000.

I run the tractor every day for feeding steers, chickens

plowing(2 bott. moldboard), disking(10ft pull), tilling(72inch),
hauling round bales(bucket spear, 3pt bale forks)
pull Oliver Superior 76 grain drill w/ seed boxes -> that pulls a cultipacker
haying - Kuhn 33 disk cutter, NH76 square baler w/ thrower, NH56 rake, NH450 sickle bar

Issues:
Flat tires
PTO break not working..

Also have a MF65 high crop.. w/ attached corn huskor

 

[RalphVa]

220 hours and a little over 2 years with no problems at all.

Ralph

 

[MossRoad]

I see the which transmission (gear or hydro) issue being discussed again. What I don't see much of, however, is actual experience regarding HST reliability and failure. Therefore, I was wondering if some of you "heavy" users can share:

(1) How many Hours on your HST
(2) How many Trouble free hours on your HST
(3) Whether you've ever experience major trouble/failure with HST
(4) If yes, what was the cost (or dealer listed flat/rate hours) associated with the repair.

I think actual numbers is an objective way of looking at it and speaks louder than "I think this or that." Most folks seem to have a fear of the hydro and associated serviceability because it is foreign or new to them, although 20 years ago, I also heard the same fears about new cars with computers, complicated sensors, and fuel injection.

By analyzing numbers, we can get a good idea on exactly how reliable are the hydros as compared to gear trannys.

Last year I sent our late 70's IH 2500B industrial tractor loader to that great scrap yard in the sky. It had a 4 cylinder gas engine, two range HST tranny and a 50HP PTO. It had thousands of hours on it. The only thing on it that still worked well was the HST tranny. Everything else fell apart.

Here are some pictures of it.

 

[DUMBDOG]

98 NH1630, close to 800 hours on it without a problem with the HST.

 

[Superduper]

Wow, so far, not one HST failure amongst all the posts. For all practical purposes, it would appear that the HST tranny is one tough son of a gun. Perhaps worrying about a HST vs that of a gear would be unfounded? I don't, of course expect them to last forever, just provide good service for the cost.

 

[SacandagaBrad]

Only 380 hrs on my TC-24D so far. I'm 44 and fully expect it to run trouble-free a lot longer than I will!

Also still have a 1972 Case garden tractor with "Hydraulic" drive hi/lo range and countless hours in the family. We bought it from someone that mowed 4 acres with it and then we used it (hard through my teenage years) for the last 30 years or so. Dad still runs it with no problems. A valve job or carb rebuild on the motor, but no transmission problems, ever.

 

[Soundguy]

Wow, so far, not one HST failure amongst all the posts. For all practical purposes, it would appear that the HST tranny is one tough son of a gun. Perhaps worrying about a HST vs that of a gear would be unfounded? I don't, of course expect them to last forever, just provide good service for the cost.

The bulk o fthe posts are 'new' hst units. That hardly proves anything about loengevity.

I't promisig though to see a 5khr post.. and the old IH post as wellas the mower. Course.. for every post I hear of an old IH hst surviving.. I hear 10 about having to use heavier oil till they just stop pulling altogether.. then the tractor gets junked.

Still... If they can hold up as good as a gear tranny.. I.E. 50 ys or so.. Then I think they will eventually completely obsolete the geared tranny...

I'm skeptical to a degree.. but with an open mind. (GRIN)

Soundguy

 

[Superduper]

The bulk o fthe posts are 'new' hst units. That hardly proves anything about loengevity.

I't promisig though to see a 5khr post.. and the old IH post as wellas the mower. Course.. for every post I hear of an old IH hst surviving.. I hear 10 about having to use heavier oil till they just stop pulling altogether.. then the tractor gets junked.

Still... If they can hold up as good as a gear tranny.. I.E. 50 ys or so.. Then I think they will eventually completely obsolete the geared tranny...

I'm skeptical to a degree.. but with an open mind. (GRIN)

Soundguy

The purpose of the poll was not to prove or disprove anything. I was just curious as to what other user's experiences have been. The questions were how many hours and whether there were any major problems. No subjectivity solicited here except I suppose what one would categorize as major. Frankly, I don't need the HST tranny to last forever, nor do I need it to last 50 years. If I can get good dependable trouble free service for 5000 hours before repairing, rebuilding, or replacing, I'll be happy. If it goes more, then I'm ecstatic. Might it cost more to maintain or rebuild or replace over 20 years, probably so. But what I'm seeing so far is very encouraging. What I was actually looking for in the responses was frequency of serious problems encountered and costs related to the hydros. So far no one has posted one yet. Since HST's are so prevalent now, perhaps greater emphasis will be given to rebuilding them when they get weak rather than junking them. Any system that relies on hydraulic fluid to work requires good pressure; getting weak with thin fluid suggests excessive pump or hydraulic motor clearances but surely that can be fixed so long as parts are available.

As for time tested durability, well I guess in 50 years when we do this poll again, we will know for sure. I for one will be dead by then so I guess I'll just have to take on faith what the data today suggests. So how about it guys, how many hours/years does your HST tranny got and how much trouble have they been? Let's get some more input so the data we collect is more meaningful.

 

[OrangeGuy]

1974 Allis Chalmers 620 has 1200 hours. Never touched.
1998 Kubota F2260 has 800 hours. Never touched.

I've had many Bobcats in the past. Never a failure.

OrangeGuy