mcmxi
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
I have and use both an HST and gear drive tractor and when the question of "which should I buy" pops up, I often see the standard response of "an HST is better for loader work". I've moved a fair amount of dirt with the M6060 and it's not loader work that's the challenge for me with a gear drive tractor and power shuttle.
For me the real difference is when running a PTO powered implement such as a rotary cutter, flail or snow blower where direction changes or tight turns are required. With an HST, the ground speed and engine rpm are independent of each other but that's not the case with a gear drive tractor. With an HST you can change direction or make a slow turn without changing PTO rpm and certainly without disengaging/engaging the PTO. In other words, there's no need to engage/disengage the PTO or change engine speed with an HST during turns or changes in direction.
This is not the case for a gear drive tractor, and in my opinion this is the major difference between the two. There's a lot more going on with a gear drive tractor because changes in direction or tight turns require a change in engine rpm regardless of whether or not the PTO is being disengaged/engaged. With loader work you can simply use the shuttle and foot throttle to control direction and speed, but it's more complicated when the PTO is connected. The simplest scenario is that you're having to change engine rpm while leaving the PTO engaged which affects PTO speed, so if for example you're cutting in a turn, you'll have a significant area that's being cut with less than an ideal blade tip speed. At worst, you're changing engine rpm and disengaging/engaging the PTO which adds to the complexity both entering and exiting the turn or while changing direction.
Just my opinion based on owning and using an HST and gear drive for loader work, snow removal and grass cutting. With more than two years of ownership with both types of tractor, I completely understand that an HST is a lot easier for most home owner type tractor jobs and despite my crazy notion to use the M6060 this year for snow removal, I just know that the MX6000 is so much easier to use when it comes to blowing snow.
For me the real difference is when running a PTO powered implement such as a rotary cutter, flail or snow blower where direction changes or tight turns are required. With an HST, the ground speed and engine rpm are independent of each other but that's not the case with a gear drive tractor. With an HST you can change direction or make a slow turn without changing PTO rpm and certainly without disengaging/engaging the PTO. In other words, there's no need to engage/disengage the PTO or change engine speed with an HST during turns or changes in direction.
This is not the case for a gear drive tractor, and in my opinion this is the major difference between the two. There's a lot more going on with a gear drive tractor because changes in direction or tight turns require a change in engine rpm regardless of whether or not the PTO is being disengaged/engaged. With loader work you can simply use the shuttle and foot throttle to control direction and speed, but it's more complicated when the PTO is connected. The simplest scenario is that you're having to change engine rpm while leaving the PTO engaged which affects PTO speed, so if for example you're cutting in a turn, you'll have a significant area that's being cut with less than an ideal blade tip speed. At worst, you're changing engine rpm and disengaging/engaging the PTO which adds to the complexity both entering and exiting the turn or while changing direction.
Just my opinion based on owning and using an HST and gear drive for loader work, snow removal and grass cutting. With more than two years of ownership with both types of tractor, I completely understand that an HST is a lot easier for most home owner type tractor jobs and despite my crazy notion to use the M6060 this year for snow removal, I just know that the MX6000 is so much easier to use when it comes to blowing snow.