powershift question

[rtd]

Excuse my ignorance but during the course or reading on this forum and finding an occasional Yanmar for sale, I have seen references to "powershift" What is it? I assume that it's not anything like hydrostatic. Is it similar to a shuttle shift, allowing easy F-R shifting?

Thanks

 

[careyo63]

This should help.
Yanmar Powershift

 

[California]

Is it similar to a shuttle shift, allowing easy F-R shifting?

Even better. The simplest description is its the same as an automotive A/T except there's a normal M/T clutch in front of it, instead of a torque converter. Shifting the lever R-N-1-2-3 sends hydraulic pressure to various clutch packs and the clutch packs give you soft engagement to each permanently-engaged gear (at low rpm). Full throttle shifts without using the clutch are possible, but recommended only where traction is less than perfect to avoid excess stress. Shifting up without losing forward inertia is a very valuable feature.

There are also 3 or 4 geared 'ranges', ie low range etc, ahead of the Powershift. You can only shift the range lever at a full stop.

 

[rtd]

Thanks for the replies. Powershift certainly looks like a desirable feature.

 

[Car Doc]

You would like it a lot there are many examples I could think of but here is one for ya since I just tilled last weekend its fresh in mind.

For instance when tilling or mowing etc with gear model tractors you loose pto when you push the clutch to get going and have that hichup in the geartrain while everything tries to spin back up.

Well on PS you engage the pto at a slightly lower engine speed drop the attachment to the level you want and simply push the shifter up into 1st gear bump the throttle up and away you go shift up or down as you want after that with out using the clutch.