Hydro vs Geared

[timb]

Ahh but that old Ford like most tractors of it's era were designed to be maintained by a farmer. Not sure that part's been kept in mind on the newer stuff. We've had our '53 NAA apart a few times, including a full engine rebuild a couple of years back. They're straightforward to work on for the most part. Next up is to tune up the hydraulics - there's a few leaks and sticking bits on the hitch hydraulics. None of it seems impossible to tackle given a good manual and some patience.

But looking at things like hydros, fuel injection pumps/injectors, the electronic bits (especially on the hydro JD's) and my confidence in being able to diagnose/cure down the road issues slips a bit. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hope you're right - someday we'll look back and barely remember what the fuss was about.

 

[sendero]

Thanks Diesel_Jay. That is indeed a good explanation, and based on it I'm doubtful about the idea that hydros are inherently not long-lived.

Surely, as far as wear goes, a pump typically *does* wear out over time. But so does a synchro. The issue is how much time. Synchros will last a long time unless abused. I can easily imagine a hydraulic pump lasting a long time, after all it is literally immersed in lubricant /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The only other issue would be seals - but I think materials have improved a lot over time. So my opinion has changed, I don't really think there is any reason to think that hydros will not hold up for the long haul.

Now if I could just afford one /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Bird]

Just think of the cost spread out over 20-30 years and it doesn't seem like nearly as much. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I just read the description in Jay's link, and it agrees with what I understood about how hydros work. There are still some gears, or at least splines, involved, however, because the power from the engine has to be coupled to the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor has to be coupled to the axles.

My son-in-law bought a used hydrostatic Craftsman garden tractor (22 HP gas, 50" cut) and the transmission "quit". He had run up against a stump buried in some grass, and didn't back off. Now, these garden tractor pumps, motors, splines and such as not as robust as a tractor, but the short story is that it cost over $700 in parts and about 4 hours of labor to rebuild it (total bill $963 with tax). The pump was replaced, and the shop saved the broken spline units because I was curious. Some of the stuff just shattered. It may just be my paranoia, but the unit doesn't seem to work as well as it did, so there may be some tolerances and/or adjustments that the mechanic didn't perform very well (sort of like using a dial indicator and shims to set end play when rebuilding an automotive automatic).

With all that said, I'm assured by the service manager at my dealer (yes, I talked to him before I bought my tractor) that the hydros in a compact tractor are very robust and overbuilt to avoid the sort of theing we experienced in the garden tractor. So, I bought one for the convenience, ease of use and versatility - but I have no confidence that it will be working as well 50 years from, like the 8N I almost bought until I got over my nostalgia. On the other hand, 50 years from now I'd be 112 (and I don't want to be that old), so it will be someone else's problem.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to one of my favorite discussions on Gear VS Hydro. Good reading.

And here's a real good one with links to pictures, diagrams and other cool explainations. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[froggy]

Thanks for the links. Even with loader work, I prefer gear over hydro, but that is just my personal quirk.

 

[BWS]

i would buy what you drive.auto in truck get it in a tractor after all is it not the same theory??i would like to think my dodge 2500hd diesel would be the last truck i would need to buy.jmho bws

 

[prosperity]

Just to add a little to this - by the way I'm hydro all the way for small tractor applications.
Like any hydraulic system, dirt is its worst enemy. If you're starting with a brand new tractor, pay very close attention to cleanliness when changing fluid/filter. In a perfect world where you would never have to open the system at all, wear would be at a total minimum. But, we have to change the fluid/filters every so often. The first change is to get rid of any metal shavings in the system from manufacture. Then, fluid changes need to be made since even hydraulic fluid will break down after a period of time after being under pressure and heat.
So....the reason for this rant.....If you change your fluid/filters under extremely clean conditions, you're limiting any dirt getting into the system. Any kind of foreign matter getting into the system will prematurely wear the internal parts. I'm picturing in my mind changing those fluids/filters in a hospital operating room or computer chip manufacturing operation.

Keep it clean and keep it cool!

 

[MAW]

I would like to thank everyone for their experienced advice. I can see that I am going to become a "pest" to you as I go through my tractor owning experience, please just have patience with me /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I can see that this is not a cut and dry issue and I am going to just have to bite the bullet and make a decsion. I am still leaning toward the geared since most of the work I will be doing is mowing/ground work, and very little loader work. Thanks again, I am very glad my wife found you!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ns_in_tex]

I tried not to get involved in this discussion since it started, but you finally got to me.
I own 3 tractors, 2 geared & 1 hydro. I agree if you are going to the field to pull a breaking plow or similar, all day, the geared tractor is the way to go. IMO if you are going to do utility work, where it is desireable to change speeds, directions, ETC, I could never be happy again without a hydro.
I know some say they can do anything with a gear that I can do with a hydro, but I do not agree with that statement. I think in many utility operations, you can do twice as much work, with 1/2 the effort, with a good hydro.