Hydrostatic Plus Transmission

[beppington]

Go to the Messick's website and browse in the Service Department area. They have several articles and tips that cover both the older HST and the HST Plus drives. From reading the Kubota posts over a period of time, there are quite a few members who have HST drive tractors that could benefit from reading how HST works. The understanding of what is happening mechanically could help them more successfully utilize the tractor to meet their needs.

An example is Operating Kubota HST-Plus

This shows the controllable features of HST Plus and the tractor reaction to the options. There is another brief article in the same service department section that gives HST operating tips. It will be obvious after reading both what HST Plus adds to make it easier for most operators who learn the features and how to use them.

Wow! Thanks for the link. I think I pretty much understand HST Plus now. So the question now: Does it really have to be this complicated?! That it takes 6 videos to explain how it works?? Apparently, while it's not easy to explain, I guess it must be worthwhile to own it, since most of the owners' comments are good if not raving about it.

I'm trying to compare in my head how an HST Plus machine would work compared to my dad's gear shift Mahindra 4110 I used last weekend to bush hog a couple acres worth of sometimes 6'-7' high blackberry bushes. Yes, I had to stop completely & downshift or upshift a number of times, but I'm just not sure the HST Plus's level of complexity is warranted just to avoid some stopping-to-change-gears. Is it really that great??

Heck, his 4110 even has what I guess must be Mahindra's version of Stall Guard: I'd stick it in say Low range & Gear 3 and chug on thru the bushes, & every once in a while the thickness would bog the 4110 down, but the engine would power back up to overcome the bog without me every doing a thing.

Two more questions:

1) Since HST Plus is apparently the top dog, does that imply that the regular HST is severely lacking in some ways?

2) Is there any reason not to just turn the Stall Guard on & leave it on all the time?

 

[PHILIP8N]

So the question now: Does it really have to be this complicated?! That it takes 6 videos to explain how it works??

No, it is not that complicated, but if you do not understand it, the videos are nice, aren't they?

Apparently, while it's not easy to explain, I guess it must be worthwhile to own it, since most of the owners' comments are good if not raving about it.

Yes. I would do it agian.

I'm trying to compare in my head how an HST Plus machine would work compared to my dad's gear shift Mahindra 4110 I used last weekend to bush hog a couple acres worth of sometimes 6'-7' high blackberry bushes. Yes, I had to stop completely & downshift or upshift a number of times, but I'm just not sure the HST Plus's level of complexity is warranted just to avoid some stopping-to-change-gears. Is it really that great??

Test drive one. I think it is that great. I occasionally bush hog 6' weeds. Just a simple move on the cruise control lever to adjust ground speed to changing mowing conditions.

Heck, his 4110 even has what I guess must be Mahindra's version of Stall Guard: I'd stick it in say Low range & Gear 3 and chug on thru the bushes, & every once in a while the thickness would bog the 4110 down, but the engine would power back up to overcome the bog without me every doing a thing.

If you are happy with this maybe you should consider the Synchro or Shuttle transmission. Only you have to be happy with your choice.

Two more questions:

1) Since HST Plus is apparently the top dog, does that imply that the regular HST is severely lacking in some ways?

Severly lacking, no, I have two regular HST's. Is the HST Plus nice, yes, for my conditions.

2) Is there any reason not to just turn the Stall Guard on & leave it on all the time?

I don't, but many do. Personal preference and different operating conditions.

My advice is go test drive one. You can only learn so much from a book (forum).

Good luck with your decision.

Philip

 

[beppington]

Hey, thanks for the detailed response, Philip. I do appreciate it.

Last one I think, if you could: Is there anything about HST Plus to not like over the regular HST? ... i.e. Can an HST Plus machine be set or operated exactly the same as an HST machine, if so desired?

 

[KubieTwo]

Hey, thanks for the detailed response, Philip. I do appreciate it.

Last one I think, if you could: Is there anything about HST Plus to not like over the regular HST? ... i.e. Can an HST Plus machine be set or operated exactly the same as an HST machine, if so desired?

You can pretty much turn everything off and have an HST but I don't know why you would want to once you learn to use the features of the HST Plus. The HST is very good and many learn to operate one properly. Others never quite get over trying to drive it like an automatic transmission in their car or truck and it falls short of the tractor potential. The HST Plus closes that gap, but it is still a tractor with totally different operating requirements than a car, and the tractor will require different techniques than a "driver." The videos are an attempt to help some understand what their machine is capable of doing and how to convert that to work. Many lack the mechanical experience or aptitude to easily get there on their own.

Neither of the HST options are really difficult for most to master.

The "stall guard" you were noticing while bush hogging was the governor responding to load...and all tractors have them. It was able to overcome the load because you were running the right rpm and the right gear for the work being performed, which tells me you intuitively have some feel for proper equipment operation. Not everybody comes with that, and they spend a lot of time of these forums complaining about "poor design" and "unsafe..." when they are really the flawed design.

You will be fine with any of the transmission options. The HST options are just more functional for the tasks most landowners routinely perform.

Good luck.

 

[beppington]

You can pretty much turn everything off and have an HST but I don't know why you would want to once you learn to use the features of the HST Plus. The HST is very good and many learn to operate one properly. Others never quite get over trying to drive it like an automatic transmission in their car or truck and it falls short of the tractor potential. The HST Plus closes that gap, but it is still a tractor with totally different operating requirements than a car, and the tractor will require different techniques than a "driver." The videos are an attempt to help some understand what their machine is capable of doing and how to convert that to work. Many lack the mechanical experience or aptitude to easily get there on their own.

Neither of the HST options are really difficult for most to master.

The "stall guard" you were noticing while bush hogging was the governor responding to load...and all tractors have them. It was able to overcome the load because you were running the right rpm and the right gear for the work being performed, which tells me you intuitively have some feel for proper equipment operation. Not everybody comes with that, and they spend a lot of time of these forums complaining about "poor design" and "unsafe..." when they are really the flawed design.

You will be fine with any of the transmission options. The HST options are just more functional for the tasks most landowners routinely perform.

Good luck.

Thanks to you also.

Man, I am really up in the air over this. My dad's 4110 got the job done fine, & really pretty quickly, so a gear model would surely be fine. But ... I was just bush hogging in fairly wide open bushy areas (no trees), & eventually this tractor will become more of just a mower, once all the bush is under control. While I was leaning toward a 3940 with HST Plus, I'm thinking an L3400 (Edit: I mean 4400) with HST might be a decent compromise.