OK. I am sold on hydrostatic

[Ledgemere Farm]

My brothers all call me "yuppy" now, but I am totally sold on hydrostatic transmissions. My new Deere has "twin touch" and it sure beats ridng the clutch! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[mathteacher]

Me too! My dad has a gear JD and it is nice! But for me it is just so much easier using the hydrostatic. Especially when doing loader work.

Donald B.

 

[TMAC]

My cousin is the same way. He just got him a JD 790 a few months back. I think it's a really nice machine. Perfect for what he needs it for but he came over to my land one day last week when I was cutting some field down and I let him try it out. Told him go ahead make a few rounds with the bush hogg. About the second time he passed me, he smiled said he'd have to make a few more rounds. I told him, hey!! set the cruise, yeah the cruise! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

No lie, I watched him cut an acre and a half before I told him OK that's enough my tractor, my turn. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He didn't have too much to say about the hydro after that except, "I like it, pretty nice." /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I was the same way until I drove a few.

 

[To20Chris]

Hmm...when I'm cutting fields with a gear tractor, I just set the hand throttle, and rarely touch it after that - don't use the cluch or shifter, except sometimes on difficult corners. I would think that activity would be one of the least advantageous for HST.

Glad you like your setup though - enjoy!

 

[_RaT_]

Agreed Chris, fortunately very little of what I have are open fields to cut, but varying terrain with trees, sprinklers, a pond a creek, rock out croppings, you know all that interesting stuff. If your mowing concerns are primarily open fields, I would think a gear drive would be a better choice. The main reason is simply because you will get maximum effort from the engine. Todays hydrostatics like mine have super easy cruise controls but there is that small amount of power that gets lost in the transition to the rear end.

 

[cowboydoc]

For mowing there is nothing better than a hydro.

 

[chim]

My first tractor was an old IH Cub 154 Loboy. It had 3 forward gears. I couldn't fathom why anyone would need an HST. Did all the mowing in 2nd or 3rd gear, depending upon how long it had been between mowings. Throttle was the speed control, and for some turns, I'd ride the clutch a bit.

Next tractor was a For 1210HST. I had been looking for an old small farm tractor, but the dealer had this used Ford. It didn't take long to see why people liked the HST.

A couple years ago I added a B7500HST w/ loader. Didn't even consider a gear tranny. I have read posts from owners who would never buy an HST. That's why they make both - we can all be happy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif......................chim

 

[To20Chris]

Mowing, as opposed to cutting down a field? When I am mowing the lawn, or brush hogging a field, I don't like to have my foot on ANY peddles. If there were a lot of obstacles, and you have to stop or slow a lot, then sure hydro would be nice. It all depends on the terrain I guess, but I really don’t spend much time changing speed or direction when I am mowing OR brush hogging, and my lawn is not that flat or clear. HST would be really nice when I’m clearing though – backing in with the brush hog raised to cut off the top, then backing out so you can see what’s there, and then going back to finish it off. Of course a shuttle will work fine for that too.

 

[cowboydoc]

Mowing pastures and such no I don't thnk a hydro is much better than a gear. But for mowing my lawn I sure like one. Of course that wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that my wife has to have every landscaping bush made. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( landscaping bush )</font>

Richard, there's a lot left unsaid between those two words, but the way you used the phrase says it all. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif