Shuttle vs hydro, differences?

[J.Wal]

Am looking at getting a 3616 and need to know what's the best/ preferred drive? I am maintaining 5.5 acers, bushoging, using bucket to move wood and stuff like that. I am on a hill also.

Just looking for a explanation of differences and all that.

 

[murphy1244]

Like stick and auto on a car

 

[J.Wal]

So which one is the better option?

 

[k0ua]

So which one is the better option?

I depends on what you want to do with your tractor.. If you want to make many constant directions changes, as in doing loader work you need a hydrostat. If you want to go extremely slow at times, like using pallet forks, working around people setting rocks on the ground, like building rock walls, you need a hydrostat. If you need to vary your ground speed a lot like when you are running a rotary cutter, and need to slow down in the rough stuff, and speed up in the easy stuff, you need a hydrostat. if you are old and your left leg or knee is sensitive to overuse running a clutch, you need a hydrostat. If you need to apply slow steady power as when pulling over trees instead of jerking, you need a hydrostat. If you are a "clutch rider" and tend to wear out clutches you need a hydrostat.

If you go in one direction most of the time like plowing, and want the maximum power applied to the ground you need a gear transmission. If you are sensitive to the whiney sound that hydrostatic transmissions make, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the extra 50 or 60 bucks or so, every 400 hour service interval, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the extra $1000 on average a hydrostat transmission costs upon purchase ,(which you receive back on trade in) you need a gear transmission. If you enjoy "swatting flies and stomping rats" (moving levers and operating clutches) every time you change directions or load the tractor, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the 10 to 15% more fuel a hydrostat uses, you need a gear tranmission. *note. Hydro shuttles do NOT require clutch operation at each direction change, but syncro shuttles still do. Not all shuttles operate the same... it depends on the make and model. Some are pretty tolerable, some are a PITA. But they are the most efficient, no doubt.

Hydrostats are in general easier/safer to use, especially for inexperienced operators, and will hold that there are some operations that cannot be done with any gear machine without wearing out the clutch that I can easily do with a hydro machine..

Do you get the impression I prefer hydro equipped machine for what I do.? You would be correct
If I wanted to plow a large field, I would prefer a gear machine.. If I had to choose amond the shuttle machines, I would choose a Kubota Glide shift or equivalent.

About 22 years a tractor owner.. 5 tractors, 2 gear 3 hydro... current machine on the left. Good luck in your choice.

 

[J.Wal]

I depends on what you want to do with your tractor.. If you want to make many constant directions changes, as in doing loader work you need a hydrostat. If you want to go extremely slow at times, like using pallet forks, working around people setting rocks on the ground, like building rock walls, you need a hydrostat. If you need to vary your ground speed a lot like when you are running a rotary cutter, and need to slow down in the rough stuff, and speed up in the easy stuff, you need a hydrostat. if you are old and your left leg or knee is sensitive to overuse running a clutch, you need a hydrostat. If you need to apply slow steady power as when pulling over trees instead of jerking, you need a hydrostat. If you are a "clutch rider" and tend to wear out clutches you need a hydrostat. If you go in one direction most of the time like plowing, and want the maximum power applied to the ground you need a gear transmission. If you are sensitive to the whiney sound that hydrostatic transmissions make, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the extra 50 or 60 bucks or so, every 400 hour service interval, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the extra $1000 on average a hydrostat transmission costs upon purchase ,(which you receive back on trade in) you need a gear transmission. If you enjoy "swatting flies and stomping rats" (moving levers and operating clutches) every time you change directions or load the tractor, you need a gear transmission. If you cannot afford the 10 to 15% more fuel a hydrostat uses, you need a gear tranmission. *note. Hydro shuttles do NOT require clutch operation at each direction change, but syncro shuttles still do. Not all shuttles operate the same... it depends on the make and model. Some are pretty tolerable, some are a PITA. But they are the most efficient, no doubt. Hydrostats are in general easier/safer to use, especially for inexperienced operators, and will hold that there are some operations that cannot be done with any gear machine without wearing out the clutch that I can easily do with a hydro machine.. Do you get the impression I prefer hydro equipped machine for what I do.? You would be correct If I wanted to plow a large field, I would prefer a gear machine.. If I had to choose amond the shuttle machines, I would choose a Kubota Glide shift or equivalent. About 22 years a tractor owner.. 5 tractors, 2 gear 3 hydro... current machine on the left. Good luck in your choice.

Thanks for the info, so in a mahendra 3616, a shuttle would work well for most anything? I will be bushoging and using the bucket mostly... No long hauls in one direction and all that.

 

[k0ua]

Thanks for the info, so in a mahendra 3616, a shuttle would work well for most anything? I will be bushoging and using the bucket mostly... No long hauls in one direction and all that.

Yep, it would be just fine.

 

[J.Wal]

Brother, I appreciate it!!!

 

[motownbrowne]

Great info James.

I would definitely recommend test driving both types. You'll know more from a ten minute test drive than we can tell you.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Redneck in training]

I vote for hydrostatic. For everything you described you want to do hydro is better.

 

[alia176]

I bought my tractor for lots of landscaping, rock digging, lifting pallets and a fair amount of earth work. I find the HST works out well for me and my eight year old daughter who can almost reach the pedals! Furthermore, we live on top of a hill and the clutch wouldn't have been enjoyable.