Today's disaster - rethinking HST

[RadarTech]

A few thoughts here:


1. I live in a very hilly area.. And I have an HST L3400 Kubota.. NOT WORRIED AT ALL
2. If an HST could let go, can't a clutch on a gear tranny let go too?
3. If you are going to have a loader, that can be used to slow you down and maybe stop you.. (LOTS of caveats here!!)

4. for hilly and mountain areas to me: an HST is safer!! forward / reverse transition are faster and safer! on many occasions I have driven up my hilly driveway and backed down... or backed up and driven down.. I would NEVER want to do this on a geared tractor...


Not I am going to the local fire dept to borrow a flame proof suit for the flame war I just started.....

Just kidding guys!!!

J

 

[gregfender]

I am thinking Mr. Fender's Wild Ride was more the product of an older, less than heavy-duty lawn mower HST combined with a significant slope. From the feedback I am getting, the robust HST of a CUT is nothing to worry about at all.

 

[gregfender]

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Sure glad you were just skinned, bruised and royally pi$$ed. As you probably know that could have been real serious.

Were you thrown because of the rear end coming around?

thanks Sandbur. The one thought that I had when I made my, um, dismount was "keep away from the roll"...

and yes, the rear started coming around I felt it begin to tip...but it did not roll over...engine kill switch stopped it as soon as I left the seat.

 

[John_in_TN]

Tractors will not steer with both back wheels locked.

You have a point IF your trying to steer on a steep slope, however in my case I go straight up or down steep slopes and try very hard NOT to turn while doing so.

 

[whistlepig]

A few thoughts here:


1. I live in a very hilly area.. And I have an HST L3400 Kubota.. NOT WORRIED AT ALL
2. If an HST could let go, can't a clutch on a gear tranny let go too?
3. If you are going to have a loader, that can be used to slow you down and maybe stop you.. (LOTS of caveats here!!)

4. for hilly and mountain areas to me: an HST is safer!! forward / reverse transition are faster and safer! on many occasions I have driven up my hilly driveway and backed down... or backed up and driven down.. I would NEVER want to do this on a geared tractor...


Not I am going to the local fire dept to borrow a flame proof suit for the flame war I just started.....

Just kidding guys!!!

J

I am being careful and tippy toeing around the gear verses HST thingy. I want no part of that. But for my use the HST is much easier and safer for me to use on slopes also.

 

[texasjohn]

My tractor HST is very reliable on extremely steep inclines, as numerous others have said.

 

[whistlepig]

You have a point IF your trying to steer on a steep slope, however in my case I go straight up or down steep slopes and try very hard NOT to turn while doing so.

Going down a steep slope without the ability to steer is not an option that I want to live with out.

 

[John_in_TN]

A few thoughts here:


1. I live in a very hilly area.. And I have an HST L3400 Kubota.. NOT WORRIED AT ALL
2. If an HST could let go, can't a clutch on a gear tranny let go too?
3. If you are going to have a loader, that can be used to slow you down and maybe stop you.. (LOTS of caveats here!!)

4. for hilly and mountain areas to me: an HST is safer!! forward / reverse transition are faster and safer! on many occasions I have driven up my hilly driveway and backed down... or backed up and driven down.. I would NEVER want to do this on a geared tractor...


Not I am going to the local fire dept to borrow a flame proof suit for the flame war I just started.....

Just kidding guys!!!

J

I have to admit that I am one of the old guys who was afraid to use a HST on my steep areas up until a few years ago when I needed to replace my old riding mower and couldn't find anything I like with gears. I reluctantly bought a used HST mower just to try it. Now I have a HST mower (X740) and a HST CUT (3520). Now I am MUCH more comfortable on the steep areas with either than I ever was with a gear drive.

I would never tell someone else what they need to buy, but I believe a HST is much safer to operate on steep areas than a gear drive.

 

[John_in_TN]

Going down a steep slope without the ability to steer is not an option that I want to live with out.

This is probably one of those situations where we just simply have differing opinions or experiences, and I appreciate the ability to discuss such things here. It gives us all a chance to hear the different opinions and make our own decissions.

In the OP's situation: trying to stop a run-away on a steep slope: I would prefer to have both rear wheels lock and not be able to steer than to be able to steer while the machine proceeded down the hill. Admitedly, I am thinking about my steep areas BUT there are probably situations where I would prefer to steer also.

 

[RadarTech]

I have to admit that I am one of the old guys who was afraid to use a HST on my steep areas up until a few years ago when I needed to replace my old riding mower and couldn't find anything I like with gears. I reluctantly bought a used HST mower just to try it. Now I have a HST mower (X740) and a HST CUT (3520). Now I am MUCH more comfortable on the steep areas with either than I ever was with a gear drive.

I would never tell someone else what they need to buy, but I believe a HST is much safer to operate on steep areas than a gear drive.

I agree...