Curious to what conditions dictate gear ranges? How do you determine when one of the three gear positions is optimal for the task you are working on
Gear Shift Range Low/Medium/High
- Thread starter Clt1bkc
- Start date
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
High is a road gear. So high speed travel only.
Middle is about 90% of my work. Front end loader, rotary cutter, and the box blade are all done in the middle.
Low is when you are doing the work and the tractor sounds like it is running out of power. Or when you need to move slowly.
Also remember a diesel is to be used with high rpms. It is not like a gas engine. Run the rpm up and use the peddle to control your ground speed.
Middle is about 90% of my work. Front end loader, rotary cutter, and the box blade are all done in the middle.
Low is when you are doing the work and the tractor sounds like it is running out of power. Or when you need to move slowly.
Also remember a diesel is to be used with high rpms. It is not like a gas engine. Run the rpm up and use the peddle to control your ground speed.
Rcflyer330
Active member
Equipment
Kubota B2650 Cab, B2779 Broom, B2782B Snowblower, RB1672 rear blade
As my dealer put it L is for loader work, M is for mowing and the white fluffy stuff when its not warm, and H is for highway. Mid range is what you will use most of the time. The low range with loader work is for when you are going into a pile stone, dirt, ect. I dont have loader so I am just repeating what the delivery service guy said. Once you start using the tractor you will find out what gear to use with each situation.
I hadn't thought about it. I use the range that seems right for the job at hand. Reflecting on it though, I like the examples Rcflyer350 uses. They fit well.
That's good general information and you'll develop a feel for it as you become familiar with the equipment and tasks at hand.
I think everyone can agree H is pretty much for getting from point A to point B as quick as possible. There's not a lot of useful work that can be performed in this range.
M can be used a lot. Frankly, I would use M instead of L for loader work...L would be too slow. If its very heavy material, L might be better. But you get a feel for that.
L is what I use mostly for flail mowing or rotary cutter. But I am cutting very tall and dense material.
Range really doesn't matter so long as you are not overworking the tractor, and the higher the range, the more horsepower is used to move the tractor quickly.
I'm fortunate to have a Kubota with HST+ which allows for 6 HST ranges, 3 of which can be shifted on the fly, either manually, or automatically.
M can be used a lot. Frankly, I would use M instead of L for loader work...L would be too slow. If its very heavy material, L might be better. But you get a feel for that.
L is what I use mostly for flail mowing or rotary cutter. But I am cutting very tall and dense material.
Range really doesn't matter so long as you are not overworking the tractor, and the higher the range, the more horsepower is used to move the tractor quickly.
I'm fortunate to have a Kubota with HST+ which allows for 6 HST ranges, 3 of which can be shifted on the fly, either manually, or automatically.
Mine is an HST+ and I almost never use L. Sometimes when very fine forward or reverse control is needed it's handy.
Bumping the lever between Turtle and Rabbit in M covers a large range of needs. Depending on what is hanging on the back, 4WD is often more necessary than L for me when using the loader.
For mowing with the RFM it's either M Rabbit or H Turtle and the throttle set to run the deck somewhere between 430 and 480 RPMs. H Turtle does OK on most of the slopes but H Rabbit is a no-go for uphill mowing.
For roading it's generally starting from a stop in H Turtle then bump it to Rabbit after it starts to move.
Bumping the lever between Turtle and Rabbit in M covers a large range of needs. Depending on what is hanging on the back, 4WD is often more necessary than L for me when using the loader.
For mowing with the RFM it's either M Rabbit or H Turtle and the throttle set to run the deck somewhere between 430 and 480 RPMs. H Turtle does OK on most of the slopes but H Rabbit is a no-go for uphill mowing.
For roading it's generally starting from a stop in H Turtle then bump it to Rabbit after it starts to move.
We apparently have different applications and possible terrain given our tractors are pretty similar. I spent 5 hours mowing yesterday, staying in Low the entire time, mostly in rabbit mode. However, mowing to me means on slopes, with a brush hog, through grass and brush 3-4' tall. I wouldn't have the HP to go faster, and its so bumpy you wouldn't want to go faster anyway.
Just to clarify. You are correct. My mowing is with a finish mower taking a couple inches off - not FEET
Most of our ground is smooth enough to travel in H Rabbit to get from place to place.Attachments
That is some beautiful grassJust to clarify. You are correct. My mowing is with a finish mower taking a couple inches off - not FEET
That is some really nice turf!Just to clarify. You are correct. My mowing is with a finish mower taking a couple inches off - not FEET
Thanks but it doesn't always look like that. It varies a lot through the seasons. Right now it's browning some, is splotchy and has what looks like some grub damage happening.
That picture was snapped last Summer for a show 'n tell to refute claims being made that a larger tractor would make ruts in the yard and was useless as a lawn mower.
How do you have it ballasted? And do you have ag tires? (I just bought a Kubota, with loaded ag tires and wondering what I can drive across w/out messing it up)
R4 (Industrial) tires all around. Rear tires are liquid-filled. First pic is in Winter plowing configuration w/ 8' Fisher on QA mount and second is in Summer mowing mode with re-furbed Caroni
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BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Do not run it like you drive a car i.e. start slow and build up the rpm's. A diesel is made to run at a high rpm and then go to work. I would think 1800 and up will be a good place to start. There is sort of an art to listening to your tractor to keep it in the power band and getting your work done efficiently. Experience is your teacher. Do not make your engine lug down. Diesels do not like lugging.