Manual vehicle transmission to HST issue

[elsievo]

Has anyone else had issues going from their vehicles with manual transmissions to HST. I have found time when I'm on the tractor and need to stop or hold the tractor on a slight slop my muscle memory wants to push down the forward pedal and not the brake (which is where the clutch is on the truck). Fortunately no boo boos thus far with the tractor, but I do have to take it a bit slower the first part of the day when using it to prevent me from going forward (faster) rather than stopping.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

My auto trans truck has a dent in the floorboard from me trying to push in the clutch (car has a stick and that is driven much more than the truck). Then, after using the tractor (shuttle shift --- clutch on left) it gets even worse driving the truck!

Then, after driving the truck for a few times, I get in the car and forget to shift or push in the clutch when coming to a stop....

Yes, muscle memory can mess with you!

 

[Chewwy]

Has anyone else had issues going from their vehicles with manual transmissions to HST. I have found time when I'm on the tractor and need to stop or hold the tractor on a slight slop my muscle memory wants to push down the forward pedal and not the brake (which is where the clutch is on the truck). Fortunately no boo boos thus far with the tractor, but I do have to take it a bit slower the first part of the day when using it to prevent me from going forward (faster) rather than stopping.

No problem with my Kubota HST. Clutch on left, brakes on right. HST also on right just like the accelerator pedal. Haven’t driven a manual trans on a truck or car for many years, but my first 3 cars had a manuals trans back in the 60s.

 

[Roadworthy]

Pedal location seems to vary by model. I don't think the HST has completely standardized those locations yet but I think they're headed that way. My L2501 HST has the brake on the right and clutch on the left. I think the newer L2502 moved the brake to the left. Incidentally my Cub Cadet lawn mower is HST and its brake is on the left. Go figure.

 

[4570Man]

The only problem I had with a HST is I despise using a gear trans tractor after I had one. Pretty much the same thing happened to my lawnmowers with a steering wheel.

 

[Jstpssng]

After 50 years of using geared tractors, it took me a long time to keep from stalling when I got my HST. When the tractor started to lug I would instinctively push down on the right pedal.
I have a dent in the fender of my company truck, put there when I was plowing last winter. I was backing up and cut the whee. When I realized the truck was there I pushed the clutch in rather than simply taking my foot off the pedal.

 

[RalphVa]

Biggest problem I had was use of the reverse treadle pedal on the Kubota.

Never had a problem with brakes on left even though ALL our over the road vehicles are stick. My wife has A LOT of problems in driving auto trans vehicles.

 

[hube2]

I do have some issues when switching cars. Mine is a stick and the wife's is auto. When I drive hers it take me some time to not try to push a clutch and sift it and I never remember that I need to put it in park before I turn it off.

I have never had an issue with the tractor, it seems my brain and muscle memory go into a different gear when I get on the tractor. But the break on my tractor is on the left where the clutch should be, so that might have something to do with it.

It's like I have two modes of operation, car/tractor.

The last tractor had button on the dash that had to be pushed to go in reverse. When I first got this tractor I spent the entire first summer mashing my thumb into the dash where the button should be but wasn't every time I started going in reverse.

 

[mike0000]

My transition to HST from geared tractor with shuttle shift would be interesting for someone to watch. I continuously reach for the shuttle shift lever to change from foreword to reverse on the new tractor, but there’s just air to grab in that spot.

Mike

 

[Oaktree]

Other than a few bare bones strippo econoboxes, I didn't even know stickshift vehicles still existed, at least in the U.S.

Years ago I started using my left foot for the brake when driving an automatic so I wouldn't bring it down where the clutch used to be. Still do even though I haven't had a stickshift vehicle in close to 15 years. I do kind of miss it sometimes, but they don't seem to be available on anything that interests me.

I've only had geared tractors so can't comment on hydrostatic ones.