nephromancer <font color="red">regarding HST versus GEAR on hills. </font> This is a tricky one because we each have our own version of what a hill is. In my case my property is where a small creek joins a small river. So I actually don't have real hills, I have 2 ridge lines with steep slopes that go down to a flat valley. Elevation drop from the front of the property to the middle of the property is 55', the rear half of the property drops only 5' feet to the creek. The top of the property is gently rolling but has a couple steep bumps. 2 of my neighbors have described my property as the lot from HE** for the purposes of mowing.
Now that you know where I come from in my slope issues, I would not want to use a GEAR machine to do anyting on my slopes other than decend or climb them. On the other hand, with a HST machine I can use the loader on those slopes with a reasonable level of confidence. Bear in mind, I would never consider turning ACROSS my slopes with any conventional tractor, operations are strictly UP and DOWN.
IF I had gently rolling hills, then I might sing a different tune about gears. But would you feel confident backing up while looking over your shoulder while raising the bucket loaded with rock and trying to turn to avoid the tree that is behind you making sure, all along that the bucket is not going to smack a tree that is adjacent to it, on a gear tractor . . . on FLAT ground? If the answer is no, then consider the added issue of instability while working on even a very mild hill.
<font color="red"> when do you worry about power loss? </font> What you need to do is just find the right size tractor for the jobs you want to do. I think it is safe to say that most folks would never notice the power loss. However, you do need enough power to accomplish your tasks. So if I was you, I would lay out the tasks you want to accomplish and rank them by your projected time spent on each of them. For example, if mowing is going to take 2 hours a week and you mow for 36 weeks a year then mowing = 72 hours. If snowblowing is going to take 1 hour, and you do that 10 times, that = 10 hours. Tilling the garden is typically done 1 or 2 times a year, a modest garden might take a total of 2 hours a year. General landscaping chores, FEL work, post hole digging, etc all are harder to quantify and could range from 30 minutes a week to 20 hours a week. Bear in mind most home type users put less than 100 hours a year on their tractors and 50 hours a year is often typical. Now IF you are buying a machine to tear apart your lot and put it back together again and then farm it after that, much of what I just said probably doesn't apply. But if your the rural/suburban 3 to 15 acre lot owner who want to pretend to be a land baron and master of his domain, then much will probably apply. So rank your tasks. Consider your soil, climate, terrain. Guestimate how important any one thing really is and rank it higher.
IN MY CASE:
--I mow and till so I am a PTO hp junkie.
--But I have tight spaces and trees to deal with so I want small tractors.
--Small tractor, largest engine for the frame size.
--I have clay soil, I don't want a heavy beast leaving ruts.
--I have lots of trees to mow around, tight turning is an issue.
--My garage door is 7' high, I want a ROPS that is NOT 7' tall.
--FEL work is secondary, I want good, doesn't have to be best in class.
--I need a dealer who can back me up because I know enough to take stuff apart, but not always put it back together (know your limits).
--I want a well stocked parts source because I will try just about anything.
Now bear in mind I am NOT an expert. I grew up in the city/close suburbs. There are lots of guys here with lots more technical experience than I. I often speak in general terms, I often am right in the practical sense of things but often can be picked apart by the guys with technical & mechanical knowledge that is well beyond mine.
