HST vs shuttle

[crazyal]

I know the safety police will freak out, but a couple weeks ago I planted 100 wind break trees at the farm. After digging all the holes with the PHD, I got a bucket load of compost and started at the end of the row putting a couple shovels full in each hole. With the tractor idling in low range and first gear, while standing on the ground was able to move the power shuttle lever into forward. It motored along at a slow crawl while I shoveled compost. Worked great and saved me a ton of time and effort. Try that with an HST.

To do that you would need to disconnect the seat safety switch. If I wanted to do that with my HST I would (after disconnecting the safety) just set the cruse control to the exact speed I wanted. So, yes, it is possible to do with an HST if it has cruse control.

 

[jcummins]

I've read some, not all of this post.

It seems to me, why don't they build a machine with both. The lever on the left of the steering wheel is a reverser. The hst pedal is the flow of fluid. ONE pedal to make it move....the lever simply controls the direction. No need to reposition your foot that way.

 

[LouNY]

If and that is one real big if, I was to get a hydro in a tractor I would much prefer the way the IH's did theres with the hand control lever, started from a neutral slot over and ahead to go forward back and over the other way for reverse, then it had a pedal they called a foot and inch pedal where a clutch pedal normally would have been. My old Ford LGT lawn and garden tractor had the hand lever and a high low gear box also. I do not like the foot pedal speed controls.

 

[kenmac]

To do that you would need to disconnect the seat safety switch. If I wanted to do that with my HST I would (after disconnecting the safety) just set the cruse control to the exact speed I wanted. So, yes, it is possible to do with an HST if it has cruse control.

True.. Got a mini ex unstuck by setting the cruse on my MX5100 HST while I was operating the mini ex

 

[MossRoad]

If and that is one real big if, I was to get a hydro in a tractor I would much prefer the way the IH's did theres with the hand control lever, started from a neutral slot over and ahead to go forward back and over the other way for reverse, then it had a pedal they called a foot and inch pedal where a clutch pedal normally would have been. My old Ford LGT lawn and garden tractor had the hand lever and a high low gear box also. I do not like the foot pedal speed controls.

Your IH574 was offered with a hydrostatic transmission, the same as my IH2500b. There was a H-N-L range selector to the left of the driver near the fender. There were two directional pedals on the left side for forward and reverse. The further you step down, the faster it would go forward or reverse. The split brakes and foot throttle were under your right foot. And there was a differential lock behind your right heel. The only hand control lever was the throttle.

 

[LouNY]

Your IH574 was offered with a hydrostatic transmission, the same as my IH2500b. There was a H-N-L range selector to the left of the driver near the fender. There were two directional pedals on the left side for forward and reverse. The further you step down, the faster it would go forward or reverse. The split brakes and foot throttle were under your right foot. And there was a differential lock behind your right heel. The only hand control lever was the throttle.

Yes it was mine is gear, I was referring to the 656 hydro the hydro 100 the 1026 and the other ag hydros that IH made

 

[DieselBound]

If and that is one real big if, I was to get a hydro in a tractor I would much prefer the way the IH's did theres with the hand control lever, started from a neutral slot over and ahead to go forward back and over the other way for reverse, then it had a pedal they called a foot and inch pedal where a clutch pedal normally would have been. My old Ford LGT lawn and garden tractor had the hand lever and a high low gear box also. I do not like the foot pedal speed controls.

If you've ever done a lot of loader operations you'd come to find that both hands can become quite busy: one hand on the wheel and one on the joystick. If you have to be shifting by hand then you're going to have to curtail one of those functions (albeit momentarily).

 

[ovrszd]

I agree with diesel. I've had 4 JD lawn/garden tractors with hand operated HST. none had loaders. Would have been very inconvenient....

If you're gonna have HST, foot pedals are the way to go.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I work alone a lot, being able to put my tractor in a low gear at low rpm and get off it to check something, is a BIG advantage.

I did it the other day while checking my corn planter for operation... I could walk behind and see what's working and what wasn't.

Then there's picking rocks and so MANY other things it's useful for...

NO roaring motor, NO whining hydro...just a tractor moving slooooowly at idle doing it's job...

When ever I lower the rpm on one of my hydro tractors, it feels like about half of the rubber bands are missing between the motor and wheels... lol

SR

 

[DieselBound]

I work alone a lot, being able to put my tractor in a low gear at low rpm and get off it to check something, is a BIG advantage.

I did it the other day while checking my corn planter for operation... I could walk behind and see what's working and what wasn't.

Then there's picking rocks and so MANY other things it's useful for...

NO roaring motor, NO whining hydro...just a tractor moving slooooowly at idle doing it's job...

When ever I lower the rpm on one of my hydro tractors, it feels like about half of the rubber bands are missing between the motor and wheels... lol

SR

I do the same here, with my B7800 and Polaris. BOTH have HST. I don't do it with my Kioti (HST) because it's cabbed (and I have not defeated the safety switch).

 

[rmonio]

I値l stick with the HST.

 

[inchman]

I would only buy a Hydro if it was a small tractor (<20hp) to be used mostly for a belly mower. There is a real loss of power (not degrading, but just not as much power as a manual or SS) with the hydro.

In fact, I just ordered another tractor to replace my brand new (10 hours) tractor that came with a hydro. The hydro isn't the only reason I'm trading in this new tractor, but I was not impressed with it.

My friend has a 20 HP machine with the hydro and it works well for that small machine.

Another note, if you are doing work with a front end loader, it seems that a hydro would be best, but I found that the bouncing around involved actually led to less control with the hydro as your can't use your foot to support yourself.

Just my 2c.

Enjoy.

 

[st8yd]

Not reading the whole thread and guessing this probably late but I will add my 2cents. I WILL ONLY HAVE AN HST FROM NOW ON!
I have a 30hp Kubota HST and it does everything I ask it fine. The convenience is well worth any lack of power, which I have not noticed (2004 model).

As to previous post to mine, on the Kubota you can use your foot to support yourself. I presume the intended operation of the pedal is to put your whole foot on it and rock it. I don't like that at all, I put my foot on the floor and push down like a gas pedal for forward then use my toe to lift it back up for reverse this is very easy and should be the way it was designed.

 

[Piston]

I've found it very useful to be able to creap back and forth while keeping the PTO up at 540 with the HST, all while increasing/decreasing travel speed. To my knowledge (and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) in order to change speeds on a shuttle transmission you need to shift gears if you want to keep RPM at a constant 540. In other words, I don't think you can change direction and increase/decrease ground speed while maintaining 540RPM's on the PTO using a shuttle? Am I understanding this correctly? I know I can't do that on my powershuttle tranny in the JD 410 backhoe, but it's not a farm tractor either.

 

[thomps22]

Figured I would pile on to this old, long thread I have two identical Kubota G series, one HST, one geared. I definitely prefer the HST for convenience and the wife/kids find it much easier to drive. The HST does whine under heavy load but I never encounter this while mowing/blowing. The gear does not whine at all and appears to be more efficient by my super scientific methods (the HST gets freakin hot when working hard). It has a fan though and I change the oil/filter on schedule and have never had an issue. Also have an old Ford loader tractor, geared. It is cumbersome to shift, foot throttle, loader up, tilt, down etc but is way better than no tractor. Oh and I have seen very little mention of creeper gears for a geared transmission. In my mind mandatory for fine loader work.

 

[DK35vince]

I've found it very useful to be able to creap back and forth while keeping the PTO up at 540 with the HST, all while increasing/decreasing travel speed. To my knowledge (and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) in order to change speeds on a shuttle transmission you need to shift gears if you want to keep RPM at a constant 540. In other words, I don't think you can change direction and increase/decrease ground speed while maintaining 540RPM's on the PTO using a shuttle? Am I understanding this correctly? I know I can't do that on my powershuttle tranny in the JD 410 backhoe, but it's not a farm tractor either.

Mowing the lawn or brush mowing with my gear shuttle shift, to speed up/slow down I just use the foot throttle while staying in the same gear. Or I can change gears for different speeds.
Same for forward/reversing while mowing. I throttle down with the foot throttle, change directions and speed back up.
Does the RPM's remain a constant 540 PTO RPM= NO.
Has it ever been an issue for me while mowing = NO. Still mows just fine. I use my tractor to mow the lawn every week this way and it mows just fine.

 

[MossRoad]

When I used to brush hog with our IH2500b I kept the engine speed at the RPMs that indicated 540RPMs on the PTO. If I started bogging down, I could do one of two things.... I'd just let up on the pedal and maintain the RPMs, or I could step on the gas pedal and maintain RPMs. But sometimes, even at full gas, I'd be losing some power in really thick stuff, so just letting off the pedal was the method I chose more often.

 

[Piston]

...I throttle down with the foot throttle, change directions and speed back up.
Does the RPM's remain a constant 540 PTO RPM= NO....

Thanks for confirming that Vince, that's how I understood it but I wasn't 100% sure. :thumbsup:

 

[Skip77]

After a year of looking at different brands and models of tractors I have finally pulled the trigger and bought a 6065 Mahindra power shuttle w/cab. Of all the tractors I looked at, set on, and test drove around the lots I really liked this one the best. The lay out of all the controls are the most comfortable and user friendly to me of all the tractors I looked at. I'm having them fill the back tires with fluid to help with stability when using the loader and when on the slopes on the farm. With the HST that I test drove I did like some features about them but in the end even the wife said she didn't like driving them as much as the power shuttle. Now we are waiting for the call for it to be delivered to the farm. It will be a couple of week as the are building the tractor to my specs and shipping it to me from there. I cant wait to get all the backed up projects going that I have been needing a tractor to do. I'm like a kid with a new toy as in I'm making a list of all the projects I need done and in what order I'm going to start doing them. I will try to post a picture of it with all the attachments I got with it once it comes in.
I would like to thank everyone for your input on this thread as your advice, experience, and opinions were all taken into consideration while I was looking at all the options I had available.

 

[goeduck]

Congratulations. I like my power shuttle. Pics when you get it please.