HST vs. Gear Drive

[jas67]

I have a 1980 B7100 w/ gear drive, and am considering purchasing B7200 with Hydrostatic Drive. Both units have front-end loaders.

Have caveats should I be aware of with the hydrostatic drive?

Are there any advantages to the gear drive over the hydrostatic?

What differences are there between the B7200 and B7100 other than the different engine, and being slightly newer?



Thanks,
jas67

 

[Soundguy]

Wow.. there are monumental opinions on what is 'better'.. or the differences in gear vs hst. search some of the forums.. like owning / operating.

In short.. if you are doing lots of loader work.. or work around lots of obstacles.. HST may serve you better.

If all you do is mow an open field or pull a disc / plow all day.. then gear may be more efficient at getting hp to the ground.

soundguy

 

[Charlesaf3]

What soundguy said. Though I'd go out on a limb and say getting the HST is a no brainer on a small tractor with a loader on it. If you have that much primary tillage etc, you'd probably be getting a bigger tractor...

 

[MarkLeininger]

IHave caveats should I be aware of with the hydrostatic drive?
Are there any advantages to the gear drive over the hydrostatic?

I've driven both a lot and can't think of anything I don't like about HST. Even just mowing the field it's nice to be able to slow up through a rough area without having to shift gears. If you're doing anything that requires going between forward and reverse, you'll love HST.

 

[brandoro]

I went from a B6200 gear to a B7610 HST. The only thing that has been a slight nuisance is trying to use the wheel brakes with the HST when maneuvering in close quarters. Other than that the HST has been great, best thing for doing FEL work, changing direction and travel speed constantly and, as mentioned previously, good for cutting grass when needing/wanting to slow down for a rough spot or to get around an obstacle. Basically gives you a live PTO, you can bring the travel speed to zero without stopping the PTO.

 

[jas67]

Thank you all for the info. Now I just need to think of a good reason to tell the wife that I want to by ANOTHER tractor, only a month after buying the gear-drive B7100 (I wish this B7200 HST had come up for sale a month ago....)

 

[Soundguy]

Get the other, and then sell the one ya don't like?.. of course.. if you are like me.... you willlikely end up with 2 tractors..

soundguy

 

[Charlesaf3]

what soundguy said!

Its easy to justify 2 tractors to yourself.

Harder to justify to certain female others

 

[jas67]

Soundguy & Charlesaf3,.

You're both funny guys! The B7100 & B7200 are too similar to need both. I only have a 1 acre property, and have a hard enough time justifying keeping one. I about the B7100 to do some one-time landscaping work, but it is very useful for yearly tasks like spreading much, and of course snow removal. The B7200 HST would be much better for snow removal, as a 3-point snow blower would be much better with the HST than the gear drive (which, of course, only has 2-speeds in reverse, too-slow, and too-fast).

I already have another Kubota, a 4-wheel steering G1800, which with all the crap (uh, stuff) I have to mow around, is a way better mowing machine for my needs than the B7100 or B7200.

I'm actually contemplating doing a little for-hire work with the B7100 (or B7200 if I buy it), like post-hole digging, tilling small gardens, and maybe small (under 3-acre) field mowing, just to justify keeping it (B7100/B7200).

 

[sixdogs]

Thank you all for the info. Now I just need to think of a good reason to tell the wife that I want to by ANOTHER tractor, only a month after buying the gear-drive B7100 (I wish this B7200 HST had come up for sale a month ago....)

'

Here's how you do it. Explain what you PAY TODAY is not the true cost. The cost is determined by what it can be SOLD for later on minus what was paid today.
For example, let's say your current tractor will sell for $1,000 less than you PAID for it and you owned it for 10 years. Your cost of ownership was then $100 per year (less interest not earned. ) And who would turn down a tractor for $100 per year? Especially one that makes you happy to come home?
Now, if you sell it for MORE than you paid, the tractor was not only FREE but it PAID YOU to own it.
You could then honestly explain that you wish you could buy a few more tractors so you could earn more towards your retirement and sunset years together.
This might be difficult since you owned a short time but think of some other tractor for the illustration.
I've been doing thisfor 30 years and am no longer questioned. Every tractor owner should learn this technique.

 

[jas67]

I think I can get what I paid for my B7100. That is one of the reasons I bought an older tractor to begin with. The price difference between the two is very small. In fact, the issue is more the time/hassle of going and getting the B7200, and selling my current one (phone calls, tire-kickers, etc).

The main reason that I started this thread was to make sure that I wasn't going to buy something more prone to failure/problems, as I know the gear-drive transmissions are very rugged, but didn't know if the early HST were as rugged. It is very obvious to me that as long as I have no problems with is, the HST will be much nicer to use, and probably have better resale value (back to sixdog's comment and true cost of ownership). Heck, I might even come out ahead if I sell the mower deck and rake it comes with, as I already have a rake, and don't need the mower deck.

jas67

 

[Soundguy]

Don't let similarities in a machine be a basis for not owning it. for fords, i own an 8n and a 2n... very similar machines.. I own a 660 and an 850 and a 951.. all similar machines.. I own a 5000 and a 7610s.. many similarities...

sounds like you want the hst.. get it and sell the gear.

soundguy

Soundguy & Charlesaf3,.

You're both funny guys! The B7100 & B7200 are too similar to need both. I only have a 1 acre property, and have a hard enough time justifying keeping one. I about the B7100 to do some one-time landscaping work, but it is very useful for yearly tasks like spreading much, and of course snow removal. The B7200 HST would be much better for snow removal, as a 3-point snow blower would be much better with the HST than the gear drive (which, of course, only has 2-speeds in reverse, too-slow, and too-fast).

I already have another Kubota, a 4-wheel steering G1800, which with all the crap (uh, stuff) I have to mow around, is a way better mowing machine for my needs than the B7100 or B7200.

I'm actually contemplating doing a little for-hire work with the B7100 (or B7200 if I buy it), like post-hole digging, tilling small gardens, and maybe small (under 3-acre) field mowing, just to justify keeping it (B7100/B7200).

 

[Charlesaf3]

HST is by account actually more reliable than gear.

 

[john_bud]

HST is by account actually more reliable than gear.

Very true.

You will probably be replacing 2-4 clutches or more over the life of the gear tractor. 2000-4000 hour average clutch life. 95% certainty the original clutch will be in there for ever.

Clutch parts are in the 4-500 range and labor to split the tractor is in the 8-14 hour range. And cost's don't seem to be going down...

The basic guts of both are stout, but the hst is harder to harm. Clashing gears does not exist, can't speed shift, ect.

An inexperienced operator can kill a clutch in an afternoon. A highschool kid (or any other moron) can damage the gears with one stupid move (or an afternoon's worth). Much harder to harm the Hst. Just change fluids on schedule, add filters and it's good to go for ever.

It's also much easier to operate, especially in close areas next to valuable stuff.

The only downside to Kubota's HST (not so much other ones), all other tractors will feel so icky, you won't want to use them ever again!

jb

 

[plastikosmd]

I will never go back to gear...unless I start dragging a ground engaging implement all day for a living or something...maybe not even then

 

[jas67]

I know that after being on my G1800 (HST) cutting grass, the gear drive does feel clunky.

 

[la200o]

I hate newfangled "improvements" of all kinds; never will own a car with an automatic transmission. Was very sceptical of HST, but now would never do without it. You have much more control over your machine (in my case an L2800). HST is just great. Much, much better than my old 8N gear tractor.

Bill

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Started with a BX2200 FEL, added BX1500, Traded BX2200 to B7800 FEL which I traded to a L3240HST FEL. Traded the BX1500 to a BX2350. Added a F2880E. All HST's and can't imagine using any of them without HST.

 

[Soundguy]

HST is by account actually more reliable than gear.

That's a hoot! If it has not been around as long as gear.. you can't make that claim.

I can drain all the oil out of the trans on my gear tranny, and then 'pull off' the railroad tracks. lets see an HST do that. All it takes is a good leak to strand an hst 3' from a trailer..

soundguy

 

[Egon]

Clutch goes on the geared transmission not much happens either!