What are the drawbacks of parking HST in "gear" instead of Neutral?

mfreund · Jul 19, 2014

I have never put my hydro tractor in neutral for parking. I just turn off the key and lower any implements to the ground.

bigbull338 · Jul 19, 2014

ive never put my hst in the n either when i had it as the loader was always down when it was parked.i pretty much do the 7040 hydro the same way leave it in gear and use the shuttle.if i need to change gears up or down i come i put the shuttle in n let it stop.then i change gears up or down without using the clutch.

boggen · Jul 19, 2014

teg said:
Even in gear, while on a slope, a HST can roll with the engine off. BTDT.

was waiting to read this!

hst or any hydraulic transmission, can roll with engine off. regardless if in gear or in neutral. there is no actual drive shaft / gears between tires and the engine, there is a fluid, and that fluid can and will leak around and let the unit roll off. and by chance, dog, racoon, cat, etc.. starts climbing around and hits a lever or pedal while tractor is off. *waves bye bye to tractor*

set the parking brake. drop the fel, and drop the 3pt hitch.

k0ua · Jul 19, 2014

boggen said:
was waiting to read this!

hst or any hydraulic transmission, can roll with engine off. regardless if in gear or in neutral. there is no actual drive shaft / gears between tires and the engine, there is a fluid, and that fluid can and will leak around and let the unit roll off. and by chance, dog, racoon, cat, etc.. starts climbing around and hits a lever or pedal while tractor is off. *waves bye bye to tractor*

set the parking brake. drop the fel, and drop the 3pt hitch.

They will slowly drift downhill with the engine running too when the charge pump pressure slowly drops. Either give it some pedal in the opposite direction or put your foot on the brake if you are sitting on a hill. It doesn't just take off, but certainly a slow drift downhill. When I park on a hill, I set the brake, lower the FEL and lower my ballast barrel. I don't like the idea of the tractor running over me or someone/something else.

MHarryE · Jul 20, 2014

On the 60 series didn't they move the brakes to the left and eliminate the clutch so you need to be in neutral to start, or did they move the pedals and keep the clutch? Yes, on my old L3710 and the L5740 that replaced it neutral start was the clutch pedal but I assumed a shift to neutral when they moved the pedals.

k0ua · Jul 20, 2014

On my Kioti, there is no clutch, the Brakes are on the left side. You place the range selector in N to start. If you are starting on a hill, place your foot on the brakes to prevent the tractor from rolling away when you place the range selector in N. Just common sense stuff.

Threepoint · Jul 20, 2014

k0ua said:
On my Kioti, there is no clutch, the Brakes are on the left side. You place the range selector in N to start. If you are starting on a hill, place your foot on the brakes to prevent the tractor from rolling away when you place the range selector in N. Just common sense stuff.

On our new Kioti NX series HST there is no clutch (as with the DK series), and you can't start the tractor unless the range selector is in neutral and the parking brake is set. I leave the range selector in gear when I shut down, so the first few times I tried to start it in the morning, I thought it was a bit of a nuisance. Now I just automatically remember to shift to neutral before I turn the key.

If you try to leave the tractor without shifting the range selector to neutral and setting the parking brake, the tractor will shut down after a delay of about five seconds when you leave the seat. I've always lowered the FEL and 3-pt implement before leaving the seat of any tractor I'm on, in case of creep. But as I get older, I'm starting to appreciate the enhanced safety features a lot more. :thumbsup: When I'm hurrying, it's just too easy for me to get careless. And when my wife uses the tractor occasionally, it's even more important to me.

Komrade · Jul 26, 2014

Thanks all. I am new to tractors in general, and this was very helpful.
I would not rely just on HST (like in my manual cars) to keep the tractor from rolling, but it seems like there is no drawback of using HST unless one relies on it as "break".
I still lower my FEL and use the parking break.
I had the tractor start rolling a few times while in N (quickly), and would rather not use it at all.

Sysop · Jul 26, 2014

I've never used N for anything except to allow the rear to freewheel enough to lift the front end with the loader, and then it goes back in gear and I set the brake. I do that simply so I can reach certain grease fittings without climbing under the tractor. As you get older, those few inches make a difference.

tk tom · Jul 26, 2014

I like being able to start my tractor without doing anything, don't even have to sit on it. It's convenient to not have to climb up then right back down if I don't need to be on it after starting. Dad's BX you have to pop it in neutral first, I don't care for that. I'm a fan of common sense over safety switches. I'd really like to be able to move the tractor without being on it. Loading the bucket by hand along a row of stuff it would be easier to just grab the HST pedal by hand and roll the tractor along. A lower back and knee problem doesn't make it all that easy to hop up and down on a tractor all day. Still, the tractor makes it easier than a wheelbarrow