HST vs Gear drive
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85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Many will say go with the gear, even at an extra cost the HST is well worth it.
From cutting grass to moving loads with the FEL or blowing snow it will be the better way to move......the ONLY downside to HST is PTO loss through the system.
I have used geared forever - and still would not pass one up, but the HST is bullet proof if maintenance is kept as it should
The loss of hp w/ the HST keeps shrinking as HST trans become more efficient.
Also the gear transmissions on smaller tractors are not equivalent to the hydraulic shuttle models available w/ the utility class.
True, many tasks such as loader work benefit from HST. However, open field mowing, absent obstacles, can be adequately performed by gear transmissions.
Also the gear transmissions on smaller tractors are not equivalent to the hydraulic shuttle models available w/ the utility class.
True, many tasks such as loader work benefit from HST. However, open field mowing, absent obstacles, can be adequately performed by gear transmissions.
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I guess you'd really have to be a hardcore tractor man to bushhog a field with a tractor with HST tranny. Then jump onto the same size tractor with gear shift bushhog the same field and say WOW..this tractor has SO much more power.
I don't believe it. Maybe put the pto on a dyno to show more power. Ok I'd believe that. But the average person ?
I'm glad my tractor is HST and my truck and car have auto shifting trannys.
With HST its just so much easier and faster when working it.
I don't believe it. Maybe put the pto on a dyno to show more power. Ok I'd believe that. But the average person ?
I'm glad my tractor is HST and my truck and car have auto shifting trannys.
With HST its just so much easier and faster when working it.
I would never pay more for less horsepower and more noise. Nothing I do on my private property with a loader, is in such a need of super speedy HST productivity (lol)
I'll keep the clutch, you can keep the whine.
Now on a construction sight, I'll take something with a reverser any day.
I'll keep the clutch, you can keep the whine.
Now on a construction sight, I'll take something with a reverser any day.
Here's my take (having owned both HST tractors and gear tractors.
It all depends on what you plan on doing with it, now and in the future. HST is nice for loader work and stuff around the homestead, not so good for more intensive stuff like running a chopper or ground engagement of any kind.
With a dry clutch unit, expect a life expectancy of around 2500 hours average. May be lots more, may be lots less depending on how you treat the clutch but, at some point it will require replacement and that entails splitting the tractor and expense nd unless yiu are extremely handy and have the tools and place to do it, it will be a dealer thing.
Having said all that, that is why both my machines are hydraulic shuttle. All the advantages of a gear transmission (12 and 12) without the parasitic loss of an HST and without a dry clutch. The clutch pack runs in oil nd is multi plate and engagement is hydraulically controlled.
Yes they have a ckutch pedal but that pedal is connected to a hydraulic valve that modulates the pack so no dry clutch issues.
I would not have anything else. Instant forward to reverse with modulated direction changes.
I liked my HST tractors but the parasitic power loss and the excess heat I don't care for.
I have no idea where Kubota offers the hydraulic shuttle option in their lineup but in my humble opinion, it's the way to go. In lieu of that a HST but expect power loss and heat. It is, after all, an automatic transmission of sorts.
It all depends on what you plan on doing with it, now and in the future. HST is nice for loader work and stuff around the homestead, not so good for more intensive stuff like running a chopper or ground engagement of any kind.
With a dry clutch unit, expect a life expectancy of around 2500 hours average. May be lots more, may be lots less depending on how you treat the clutch but, at some point it will require replacement and that entails splitting the tractor and expense nd unless yiu are extremely handy and have the tools and place to do it, it will be a dealer thing.
Having said all that, that is why both my machines are hydraulic shuttle. All the advantages of a gear transmission (12 and 12) without the parasitic loss of an HST and without a dry clutch. The clutch pack runs in oil nd is multi plate and engagement is hydraulically controlled.
Yes they have a ckutch pedal but that pedal is connected to a hydraulic valve that modulates the pack so no dry clutch issues.
I would not have anything else. Instant forward to reverse with modulated direction changes.
I liked my HST tractors but the parasitic power loss and the excess heat I don't care for.
I have no idea where Kubota offers the hydraulic shuttle option in their lineup but in my humble opinion, it's the way to go. In lieu of that a HST but expect power loss and heat. It is, after all, an automatic transmission of sorts.
I have the L2501. I was in the same quandary. I was trying to lean towards the DT. The biggest problem was for me the gears are just not as easy for the loader/grapple work. My concern with the HST was going to be the power loss for a bush hog and tiller. I have a 1258 RTA tiller and it works absolutely fine. Same can be sad for the 1860 Land Pride rotary cutter. If I had chosen the Grand I would have been happy with the gear or GST. It is just a better setup for that machine but it should be for the price.
So my concerns were with HP and has not been an issue at all. Super happy with the L2501 and happy that I chose the HST.
So my concerns were with HP and has not been an issue at all. Super happy with the L2501 and happy that I chose the HST.
It's all about what you plan to use it for. Myself I use my little tractor for pulling and pto work quite a bit. During the summer it pulls a rake and a tedder both of which I couldn't stand the hp loss. On top of that I couldn't imagine hearing the hst whine all day long.
I personally think hst is good for a lawn mower, tractor not so much.
I personally think hst is good for a lawn mower, tractor not so much.
I have the L3901DT. I like the gear transmission better because it doesn't whine. They say the HST eats a few HP too. That said; it sure is nice to slow for a turn while bush-hogging without having to either slip the clutch or slow the mower.
My 2 cents, my L3200 is gear drive (it’s the series before the 2501), have no experience with hst. Only time I’ve wished I had the hst is bush hogging with lots of forward to reverse changes, with a gear drive the pto will cut out for a second while shifting. Is it a big deal? Maybe, maybe not, can be a little jerky at times to but after you get some hours in the seat you will get used to making it smoother. I’ve had no issues with loader work and I do like the gear drive with ground work. Other thing I
like with the gear drive is the foot throttle, don’t have to have the throttle pulled down and have the tractor at pto speed or close too it all the time, makes it quieter when you don’t really need to run it that hard.
like with the gear drive is the foot throttle, don’t have to have the throttle pulled down and have the tractor at pto speed or close too it all the time, makes it quieter when you don’t really need to run it that hard.
All depends on what your goals are and how much land you plan on working. Not withstanding, I farm so my tractors are geared for farming. I didn't always farm, just kind of fell into it and at the outset I had a grand L 5030 HST cab tractor and I used it to run not only a round baler but a mower and a rake and believe me, I used it way beyond it's capabilities and it did as fine as it could but it was way underpowered and didn't weigh enough either.
Traded that on my first M and then bought a second M a few months later. Both gear drive, both hydraulic shuttle and both Ultra Cabs. Had both ever since (almost 10 years and 1500 hours plus on each with no issues whatsoever).
Like I said, depends on what you want to do and what you expect from a unit.
You might till a garden or chop an acre but you won't rototill 20 acres and chop 40 with an HST tractor. Not gonna happen and if it does, yiu are running it way beyond it's design capability and probably beating yourself up too.
I can chop 40 with my bat wing chopper in about an hour. and I do all the time.
All about size and scale.
Traded that on my first M and then bought a second M a few months later. Both gear drive, both hydraulic shuttle and both Ultra Cabs. Had both ever since (almost 10 years and 1500 hours plus on each with no issues whatsoever).
Like I said, depends on what you want to do and what you expect from a unit.
You might till a garden or chop an acre but you won't rototill 20 acres and chop 40 with an HST tractor. Not gonna happen and if it does, yiu are running it way beyond it's design capability and probably beating yourself up too.
I can chop 40 with my bat wing chopper in about an hour. and I do all the time.
All about size and scale.
The HST is best compared to an automatic transmission. It doesn't slip like a clutch does therefore it's less likely to wear. Being constantly variable it doesn't require any operator adjustments while using. But two things come to mind.
A heavy load will have you slipping the clutch to get moving. A HST won't.
I question the idea that a HST inherently costs you horse power. What it does do is handle it more efficiently. Take a look at pickup truck and their towing capacity for example. A manual transmission truck has X amount of towing power while the automatic ALWAYS has more. The effectiveness of the transmission, the lack of the need to slip a clutch is what creates this.
That technology is passed along to the HST tractors. But as many have said it's also about your application. I do a great deal of mowing and loader work on my property and I just couldn't imagine using a geared tractor with all of the stop and go and reverse moves I have to make. But if you are mowing or working 50 acres rather than a homestead the advantage lessens.
A heavy load will have you slipping the clutch to get moving. A HST won't.
I question the idea that a HST inherently costs you horse power. What it does do is handle it more efficiently. Take a look at pickup truck and their towing capacity for example. A manual transmission truck has X amount of towing power while the automatic ALWAYS has more. The effectiveness of the transmission, the lack of the need to slip a clutch is what creates this.
That technology is passed along to the HST tractors. But as many have said it's also about your application. I do a great deal of mowing and loader work on my property and I just couldn't imagine using a geared tractor with all of the stop and go and reverse moves I have to make. But if you are mowing or working 50 acres rather than a homestead the advantage lessens.
I bought the 3301 gear and have been happy with it. The dealer and I sat down and he determined that the gear would fit my needs better. Now one thing he did not tell me is the gear tran does not have live power. It would have been nice but I have used tracs enough so it is not a big issue. I sometimes thought that I kind of wish I would have went with the HST until this weekend. Neighbors has one just like mine but with the HST. They are almost an 1/8 mile away and that whine would kill me. It was really loud to me while I was out in my yard
Jchonline
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Kubota L6060, KX040-4, M7060, RTV X1100C, M62 (sold)
If a majority of my tasks were mowing or things that like a constant speed (haying, seeding, etc) I would get a geared with shuttle shift. If I didnt have these tasks...HST. We should all be wearing hearing protection anyway (over 85db) so the whine doesnt really matter. It doesnt bother me anyway. Just a different sound.
I have HST, but I dont have a farm...well I have a rock and tree farm in the mountains lol. Forward and reverse every few seconds for most of my tasks. Even a shuttle shift would get annoying.
I have HST, but I dont have a farm...well I have a rock and tree farm in the mountains lol. Forward and reverse every few seconds for most of my tasks. Even a shuttle shift would get annoying.
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One other factor is potential resale value. When I was looking at tractors to replace my Ford 8N, I asked for "manual transmission" as that was what I was used to. The dealer discouraged that idea, both because for my use HST would be great, and it has been, but also in my area potential buyers for my l3560 when I no longer need it would be more likely to want and be able to use a tractor with HST. These days use of a clutch in a car seems to be a dying art.
PTO HP differences will be 1.5 on the gear vs. HST. If that matters, I***8217;d get more HP from the beginning.
I personally don***8217;t think the whine is bad, but I was raised with HST***8217;s. It all depends on how you plan to use the tractor.
*Actually I do know the whine. The guy we bought our house from had an L3301. His friend was running the tractor in high gear and medium throttle as he was crawling through the driveway. Perhaps the excessive whine folks have experienced is user error?
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If you’re going to get a FEL and or mower get the HST there is no noticeable difference between the two in horse power or reliability.
From a mechanical/durability/warranty viewpoint, I wouldn't be afraid of either. You should select the rig that most closely matches what you need to do, and how you need to do it. Seems pretty simple.