rjkobbeman
Platinum Member
The nice thing about HST is you can rev the engine up to PTO speed and still have excellent control over tractor speed and direction. Basically the "gas" pedal controls speed and direction. With HST you always have the exact gear needed. With gear you have to idle down to change directions.
A second thing is your brakes get used a lot less with HST. When you let off the pedal it slows you down and comes to a stop, even if going down a hill. I think you'll find that HST will fit your needs nicely and like you've said, if it had issues people would be talking about them here.
I love my Hydraulic Shuttle Gear Trans and absolutely hate Kubota's treadle (I hate that term... it makes me think of a sewing machine -- where I first heard the term) pedal setup. (I have a psuedo John Deere riding mower and like the two-pedal hydro setup.) However, I think the "let your foot off of the HST pedal and the tractor stops dead in its tracks" functionality is kick ***. I think the "wear your clutch foot out" concern is a bit overblown except for the "more mature" guys (or gals), but HST does have some cool points.