Manual vs Hydrostatic

[Yankee]

A couple of points:

First, a hydro tractor WILL speed up (or slide) on a steep enough hill, especially in high range, as I can witness today in my own back yard - I did a little of both. Think you'll be able to change the range in that situation? Think again.

Second, a gear tractor with a foot throttle is almost as easy to modulate, speed-wise, as a hydro, the constraint being primarily the upper end of the selected gear's speed range.

 

[rphinney]

Haven't seen much mention of the safety aspect of the HST. One of the reasons I went with HST is I figured it would be easier to learn and safer to operate for my wife - whom didn't have any tractor experience. If you get confused just lift your foot and you stop! 10 years later and no accidents means it was a good choice.

I'm told that when I was a baby I was riding on the Farmall with my mother while she was hauling a hay wagon back to the barn. She felt she was going too fast down a hill and tried to downshift which resulted in freewheeling down the hill with a fully load of hay in tow. Apparently it was a memorable experience as the event was remembered long enough that I got to hear about it!

 

[BTDT2]

...and how much "shifting" do you suppose folk do on their "manual" transmission tractors ?
Somewhere between little and none; depress the clutch, select a range, select a gear and go.
Usually you will stop to select a different gear if the ground speed isn't quite what you want and just start over.
This isn't like a car or truck where you go up and down 5 or 6 gears to do anything.
I typically don't change gears on hills just because the grade has changed.

ymmv, etc and probably does.

To each their own!

I suspect you don't have, or seldom use an FEL and/or seldom have to adjust speed due to cutting or harvesting conditions. Must be nice? I recently sold my manual for an HST and will never go back. Fully loading a front bucket, or slowing down while cutting with an HST is two to ten times easier then with a clutch. But then what I do know, I have only used and owned both.

While my 1931 John Deere LA is a real attention getter, I have no desire to go back to a clutch, especially with a non-synchro tranny.

To each their own and my choice is the easy way. Sometimes it's nice to be spoiled.

 

[BTDT2]

...and you would be fumble-farting around between gears on a steep down grade because ?

What is wrong with selecting the gear you want to go down the hill in BEFORE you get to the steep and nasty part ?

Oh, requires forethought - Gottit (-:

Are we having a bad day?

 

[Gizmo2]

Sometimes it's nice to be spoiled.

Call me a spoiled brat! Been there done the gear thing. Sure there is a time for gears but not sure it would be with a CUT. Is it not the point of a HST to have an infinite set of gears by just the use of a foot pedal and for people who need to change up gears all the time, hence a lot of shifting gears and like no clutch? Life is good!

 

[Builder]

...and you would be fumble-farting around between gears on a steep down grade because ?

What is wrong with selecting the gear you want to go down the hill in BEFORE you get to the steep and nasty part ?

Oh, requires forethought - Gottit (-:

Exactly. One of the first things I was taught before I took the wheel of the Mack Triaxle I learned on 25 years ago was shift to the lower gear before decending the hill.

Let's not forget that hydrostatics have L/M/H gear ranges and this requires shifting! Once I select a gear on my hydraulic shuttle, I can modulate speed with the go pedal like a hydrostatic and reverse with a clutchless flick of a lever.

Also, ignoring the extra initial cost and higher repair costs of the HST down the road is also like ignoring the perverbial 800lb gorilla in the room.

 

[Builder]

What the hay - I'm old and I like automatic transmissions in my vehicles like 90% of rest of the population do.

So why on earth should I want to manually shift a tractor when I can press a pedal and have a smooth response - both forward and back?

Probably when you hit the ~55HP mark and need a big time tractor for big time work. Not much "hydro" to select from......

You do know a powershift is shifted by simply pushing a button in on the end of a shifter stalk......right?????? LOL

 

[dex3361]

...and you would be fumble-farting around between gears on a steep down grade because ?

What is wrong with selecting the gear you want to go down the hill in BEFORE you get to the steep and nasty part ?

Oh, requires forethought - Gottit (-:

Reg you have to come to good ole WV and let me show you what I mean.
Yes I have been guilty of fumbling and well other things but I speed up and slow down for a lot of reasons on the hills.
Mainly because my hills do not all have a place to turn around at the top or bottom and it requires going straight up and backing down or vise versa. No turning around except at preplanned locations. Sometimes when clearing brush with the grapple and edging close to the edge or even nosing over a bit to grab a bit of brush I need back up at this point. I have owned and operated geared equipment all of my life and I enjoy gear jamming with the best of them but this is a safety issue for me and for what I do it works great. Here are a few pics of one of the hills and not the steepest that I am talking about(just happened to have handy).

 

[Yankee]

Randall, that is one h*** of a hill. Don't know that I'd try it myself. I'd be more concerned about sliding than tire traction, or hydro or gear braking. I did notice the ag tires, though. I have R4s and had a minor slide on a lesser hill.

 

[TripleR]

...and you would be fumble-farting around between gears on a steep down grade because ?

What is wrong with selecting the gear you want to go down the hill in BEFORE you get to the steep and nasty part ?

Oh, requires forethought - Gottit (-:

As mentioned in my post, "when changing directions".

 

[TripleR]

A couple of points:

First, a hydro tractor WILL speed up (or slide) on a steep enough hill, especially in high range, as I can witness today in my own back yard - I did a little of both. Think you'll be able to change the range in that situation? Think again.

Second, a gear tractor with a foot throttle is almost as easy to modulate, speed-wise, as a hydro, the constraint being primarily the upper end of the selected gear's speed range.

Well, I can't imagine being in High Range on a steep hill, but one of the first things I did when I got my L5030HSTC was try the stopping power of the HST on the steepest inclines on my property and it stopped in Mid and Low Range without any problems. If there is any lag, just rock it into reverse and you will get 4 wheel "braking". As to "sliding", that is going to be a traction issue, not HST/geared.

I have geared tractors with foot/hand throttles and while modulating speed via throttle works OK while traveling, it will screw things up when running a cutter or other implement off the PTO.

I own and operate "traditional" geared and HST and prefer HST. I will have to defer to Builder on the newer types of geared units; never used one. I did recently speak with one of our renters who runs tractors from 47 to 325 HP and he really likes HST, but can't get it on the bigger machines; guess it depends on the individual.

 

[Jay4200]

Wide Open Throttle.

Errr, a VP might express the other one as "Wide Friggin' Open"

JFTR - WFO is actually a legitimate term (at least in the motorcycle world) - means "Wide Full Open". I think it's a UK term.

JayC

 

[Bedlam]

I prefere manual. Had a hydro for one year and didn't care for it.

 

[FallbrookFarmer]

Reg you have to come to good ole WV and let me show you what I mean.
Yes I have been guilty of fumbling and well other things but I speed up and slow down for a lot of reasons on the hills.
Mainly because my hills do not all have a place to turn around at the top or bottom and it requires going straight up and backing down or vise versa. No turning around except at preplanned locations. Sometimes when clearing brush with the grapple and edging close to the edge or even nosing over a bit to grab a bit of brush I need back up at this point. I have owned and operated geared equipment all of my life and I enjoy gear jamming with the best of them but this is a safety issue for me and for what I do it works great. Here are a few pics of one of the hills and not the steepest that I am talking about(just happened to have handy).

Thanks:
I really do agree with you vis a vis safety.
BTW Your hills would be called "bumps in the ground"
around here

 

[dex3361]

Thanks:
I really do agree with you vis a vis safety.
BTW Your hills would be called "bumps in the ground"
around here

I don't feel comfortable unless I am surrounded by hills or bumps as you call them..