2615---HST vs. Gear: Which one should I get??

[RobJordan]

Gentlemen:

I could use some advise on which transmission option I should select on my soon to be purchased Mahindra 2615. This tractor will be used on a 5 acre parcel in northeastern California. The ground is pretty sandy and soft. The tractor with FEL will be used to excavate and back fill a house foundation site [is it too small for that?]. It will also be used to excavate post holes, haul downed trees, landscape, mow, grade, spray weeds, haul lumber, and perhaps till a few acres of farm ground. I've tried out the Mahindra gear drive and I really like it. The syncrho makes for very smooth shifting. I want an efficient transmission and since I will be doing quite a bit of FEl work initially [excavating and backfilling house foundation] am I better off with the HST rather than the gear? Money is an issue, but I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. Also, I am concerned about durability of the HST. I've heard that you have to keep the engine throttled to avoid burning out the hydro pump. Is this an issue?

Thanks,

Jordan

 

[TBrown]

For the amount of loader work you're talking about, I'd definitely get the hydro. Heel-toe beats clutch-shift any day of the week when using a loader.

The 2615 will do all the tasks you've outlined with one exception- digging the foundation. The tractor would probably do it, eventually, but I'd think you'd be further ahead to contract it out. I remember when I built my house, one morning I passed the sight on my way to work and there was a track hoe sitting there, eight hours later I came back- the hoe was gone and the hole was there. Bang-zoom, dug in a day. It would have taken weeks with a compact tractor.

I personally don't believe what you've heard about hydro durability. There may be a grain of truth to it, but alot of construction equipment is hydro. It doesn't seem as though that would be the case if there were big durability issues. Ag tractors usually have gear trannies because hydros aren't well suited to feild work, i.e. long hours at constant speed and heavy load with no chance to cool down. But compacts are rarely pressed into that kind of work.

 

[DavesTractor]

Or step up to the 3015HST. It puts out all of 30HP, and I wonder if it is more. They recently turbo'd the 30HP engine, for emmision reasons I think, it has the same cc's as the earlier non-turbo 3015HST's, but now with a turbo. It certainly had to gain some HP. The 2615HST is great though. Good luck, you really can't go wrong with one of these. I have them all in stock if you want to come test drive. You might consider a tooth bar on the bucket for digging.

 

[itsme]

I recently purchased a 3015 HST and my neighbor bought the 2615 HST at the same time. We both went to the dealer with the intent to buy the 2615 gear but there is no comparison between the two once you drive the HST.

I would highly recommend that you consider the 3015 with HST. Although the 2615 will do the jobs you have oulined, the 3015 will do it with a little room to spare. Now that I've had the chance to put a few hours on mine, I can vouch for the fact that the 3015 puts out all of it's 30 HP and maybe a little more.

Either way you will be happy to have purchased a Mahindra. My neighbor and I are quite happy with ours!