HST vs GST on hills: buy B21,L39,or (gasp)JD-110?

[BX2230Dude]

I'm considering getting a small TLB. I'm looking at the B21 with HST, the L39 with GST, or the L39's competitor, the JD-110 with HST.

I currently own a BX2230 with the Hydrostatic Transmission, which is very similar to driving a car with an automatic transmission. We live in the hills so most of my tractoring involves driving up and down the hill, the driveway, or the fire road. I've never driven a tractor with the Glide Shift Transmission.

Before I spend too much time drooling over the L39 specs, I'd like to hear from you L39 owners about how the GST performs on hills. Does it perform as smoothly as the HST when going up or down hills? Can you stop on a hill, and start up again without using the clutch and/or rolling backwards? I've read a lot of posts from people who really love their GST once they got used to it.

The B21 would meet my needs, but the L39 is a beautiful piece of machinery that I'd never outgrow.

 

[Builder]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm considering getting a small TLB. I'm looking at the B21 with HST, the L39 with GST, or the L39's competitor, the JD-110 with HST.

I currently own a BX2230 with the Hydrostatic Transmission, which is very similar to driving a car with an automatic transmission. We live in the hills so most of my tractoring involves driving up and down the hill, the driveway, or the fire road. I've never driven a tractor with the Glide Shift Transmission.

Before I spend too much time drooling over the L39 specs, I'd like to hear from you L39 owners about how the GST performs on hills. Does it perform as smoothly as the HST when going up or down hills? Can you stop on a hill, and start up again without using the clutch and/or rolling backwards? I've read a lot of posts from people who really love their GST once they got used to it.The B21 would meet my needs, but the L39 is a beautiful piece of machinery that I'd never outgrow. )</font>

I only use the clutch on my L39 because it makes me feel like it's easier on the trans. The Kubota Glideshift is awesome. I used to have an L-35 with GST and it was great, too. I have no problems starting & stopping on hills. I use mine mainly for construction/excavating so you may have different needs.

The hydrostatic tannys seem like they gobble up too much power to me. I drove the JD110 with it's bigger Yanmar diesel and thought it felt less powerful than the 39HP Kubota with GST. I also thought the L48 felt bigger, but more sluggish. The other tractors are fine machines, both bigger than mine, but the L39 is so darn stout & ergonomic. Feels so much more powerful than 39HP, and the hydraulics are awesome.

I don't know what you use your machine for, but the B21 is too small for my needs. Although it's untrue, the running joke on my jobiste is "I can dig faster than a B21 with a shovel".

When I was contemplating selling my L35, I was convinced I was going to buy an L-48, until by chance I drove the L-39. I instantly thought it was superior, even though it is smaller. The JD110 was out of my price range. I couldn't find one for less than $5,000 more than my L-39 and the Kubota 0% financing was just too tempting to refuse.

 

[girlandscaping]

I'm not sure how the gst really works, but i can say that my b21 hst does have a habit of popping out of gear on hills. A buddy of mine has also had this problem which leads me to think that it might be common with the b21.

 

[BX2230Dude]

Thanks for the info L39Builder.

 

[Muleskinner]

Don't be afraid to buy the L39. I did and it is a GREAT tractor. The GST gearing truely makes the tractor feel like it's got 50 HP. The sub frame makes for one stout tractor. The hydraulics are awsum. I'm only selling mine because I need a much bigger tractor. You will get used to the way the GST works in about four hours of operation.

 

[Builder]

I agree! It really feels much more powerful than 39HP. I've owned tractors with more power that were weaker!!
The L-39's architecture is best described as "overbuilt".

 

[WALT]

Regarding the GST vs. HST, I also went from a BX HST to the L-39 GST. The learning curve with the GST is that in gear, the wheels are turning, in neutral, you need to be holding the tractor with the brakes. In my early hours with the L-39, I found myself just letting off the accel. pedal using the loader, and stalling the tractor.
With the HST, that action also acts as braking, holding you from freewheeling on a grade. So in some ways, the HST is more usefull for fine movement/loader work.

The GST really shines however in ground engaigement stuff, raking, mowing etc. with its variable gear ranges for all speeds.

Your best bet is to drive it, and have someone familiar with it demo the in's & out's of it. I found that seat time was the best teacher to get comfortable withg the GST.

WALT

 

[RFB]

Sir,

The following quotes in this thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Board/buykubota/Number/822948/page/0/view/sb/sb/5/fpart/6/vc/1/o/all


may help your decision:

"I have found that when mowing down steep terrain such as that which I encounter when backing down into my pond I can be in low or medium range, creep at an infinitely slow speed (literally from 0 to 7 mpg in medium range) down until my mower is in the water, tractor at a very high angle, let up on the hydro pedal, no brakes, creep forward again at an infinite speed between 0 and 7 mph all without shifitng and using the brakes/clutch and the worries of needing to do that instantly for fear of getting me and the tractor wet. Having the infinite speed control is handy because the weeds increase in density as I get further to the pond allowing me to keep the RPM up. Having the HST basically lock up the tractor in neutral is a huge bonus. I can apply the same method to post hole drilling all the while adjusting my position forward or backwards and never having to kill the auger by depressing the clutch. With my past tractors like the Kubota L4850, you simply cannot do this. The mowing trick gets tricky and your full of anxiety the whole time. Being able to instantly go from forward to reverse will be your biggest difference in use between HST and GST even if GST had a torque convertor which I suspect if it did, you would find plenty of folks who would not like it on these compact tractors. I find that when doing loader work, I can do far more work in less time with HST compared to my old manual (never had GST, only tried it) but must admit, there is a learning curve to doing it properly. I actually prefer the HST on my L3830 over the L48, but then, my dirt moving needs are no longer that extensive. As I recall, the operating pressure on the L48 and L3830 are roughly the same, however the much smaller loader cylinders fill much faster on the L3830 over the L48 which was no slow poke either. I found operating the L48 at about 1800 to 2000 RPM to be ideal, a speed that will be very smooth and quiet. Ironicly you mentioned the JD 210, I saw three brand new ones today on a truck, all with 4N1's. That would be the epitome of a small work loader. I suspect the loader and bucket weighs as much as my entire L3830. I hope you enjoy the L48. I moved a few thousand yards with mine prior to selling it. I became so efficient with its HST that when buying my L3830 and trying the GST out on my hills, quite frankly there was just no way GST was going to work out. Had my land been more level, it would definitely have."

"Hi RaT, you have added a lot of illumination to this thread - the detailed description of mowing down to water's edge was especially interesting to me - the fact that HST locks between forward and reverse is a big plus for operating on steep slopes. With hydraulic shuttle and a slow gear it isn't bad - but the HST is much better I'm sure. One of my mowing situations is the edge of a field that is a few feet above a rocky roadside ditch. I back down into the ditch from the high side, with one hand on the 3-pt lever lifting an RM-990 over rocks, left hand on the shuttle, left foot ready with the clutch if needed, right foot on the brakes -need to steer with my nose. It can get busy. With a little extra rpm and the mower lifted, ther can be a small wheelie changing direction unless I feather the clutch. The HST would be like having an extra hand and foot. After about 200 feet of crabbing sideways, I get smoother at it, but it's not relaxing."

 

[4x4sche]

I have an HST L5030 and once I have selected the gear range, I can't remember the last time I used the brakes or the clutch, it's that good.

John

 

[BX2230Dude]

Thanks RFB, WALT, Muleskinner, L39Builder, and everyone else who responded.

I hadn't noticed that the "5030 vs L48" thread was covering much of the same HST vs GST issues. I'll spend some time reading thru that thread.

My dealer is in the valley. I'm in the hills. Test driving the GST at the dealership wouldn't really be a fair comparison by itself. That's why I rely on the experts here on TBN to help narrow down my options. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif