This debate.
When I first set foot on a tractor, it was a 1971 International 656 open platform 2 wheel drive hydrostatic tractor with an FEL. It's what I learned on, I was 8 years old. The forward/reverse was controlled with a lever operated by the left hand up by the steering wheel. Its what we called the "little tractor." It was called that because we also had the "big tractor" a 1970's International 1066 with a cab. It was a gear tractor with a clutch. Harder to operate, especially for an 8 year old. The small tractor, I spend many hours on tilling, going as slow as possible. It was a work horse. When I figured out the clutch in the big tractor, that became my favorite.
Fast-forward 30 years. I am looking to buy a new tractor for my uses. One of which is tilling. I pour a ton of research into brands, features, emissions garbage, best value, and of course gave some though between HST or Gear. I made up a Pro/Con list for both:
HST Pros:
-Easy to operate (even my wife can do it)
-can go very slow
-foot controlled vs old school had operated
HST Cons:
-Extra filter
-no foot throttle
-more expensive
-No clutch
-brakes on the wrong side
-less powerful
-Need to set cruise control for extended periods of motion such as field work
Shuttle Pros:
-Easy for me to operate
-preferred for doing loader work (personal choice)
-foot throttle
-Don't need to set cruise control
-less expensive
-single hydro filter
-brakes on the correct side
-more powerful
Shuttle Cons:
-harder for inexperienced operators to learn
-Range 1, Gear 1 is a bit fast for tilling
Those are the biggest reasons for me. I got my tractor with a tiller. I remember that International "little tractor," just barely moving forward while tilling. On this LS, I shifted into range 1, gear 1, engaged the PTO on the tiller for the first time, revved up the engine to 540 PTO RPM, and dropped it into the hard clay... the tractor, not equipped with a creeper gear, moved slow enough to till that hard dry clay. That was my test. To be honest, it could be a bit slower. Seems like it was hammering the solid ground kinda hard and jumping a bit. But after only two passes, the tiller ground up that clay down 7 inches.
For me, having grown up with both styles, spent many hours on both, I prefer the gear driven. My wife doesn't drive the tractor much at all, not because of HST vs Shuttle, but more because that is not really her world. She will drive it, from time to time, especially when I need help. But it's not her "thing." When I feel my son is old enough to start driving it, I will teach him on this shuttle shift tractor. Doing so, he will know how to drive both.
Doing loader work with my shuttle is easy, and fast. Don't have any complaints about that at all.
I wanted something I was more comfortable with, and for me, that was the shuttle shift.
Whatever your choice, do it for the right reasons. Don't let someone talk you into something you don't want.
