Bucket work with clutch /shuttle Vs hydro.

[ROUSTABOUT]

Move slats in a chicken house. 4 clutchings per slat minimum. Have to move these slats to other side , clean this side, put slats back, put other side on top of this side, clean other side out, then put those slats back. Over 100 per side, four houses. Some farms have six houses. Never had a hydro tractor. I did use a hydro lawnmower once.

 

[masseyrider]

As a kid we had Massey's with 6x2 and 8x2 transmissions. They were a real pain when loading manure and other such materials. Too fast in reverse hi and too slow in low and don't talk to me about shifting between forward and reverse.
My 2 MF563s have a mechanical shuttle 8x8 which is a God send in comparison.
I've moved everything reasonably possible and like it fine. No clutch issues in the years I've had the mechanical shuttle.
Really wouldn't mind the electro hydraulic shuttle but I no longer farm on any real scale and I'm good with what's here.
On smaller tractors, (up to say 30-40hp) I'd look into the hst tranny. Maybe I'm old school or just don't have enough experience with them but I wouldn't expect them to stand up to real grunt work in the long run on the bigger machines.

 

[K5lwq]

For the record I am not anti-HST at all. I have recommended HST to folks that do a lot of loader work. I also have spent plenty of time with HST tractors.

The OP asked clutch guys if they ever wish for a HST. As a clutch guy, I answered with my experience and that I have never longed for a HST myself.

 

[paulsharvey]

I guess I should add, with construction equipment, 'generally' you have and need far fewer gears then ag machines. I think graders might have 12 gears, but loaders, back hoes, ect, often only have 4; because you aren't concerned with going exactly 4.7 mph to get the right 'roll' with a turn plow. Now, those 3 or 4 speeds might go from 0 to 16-20 mph. With 4th primarily being used to run distance or even road run them between jobs, 4th out of 4, wouldn't be used to loading piles.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, I recently (maybe 3 months now?) sold a Kubota L285 (1976) with a regular shifter, clutch, and range selector for a brand new Kioti Ck2610 HST. I Much prefer the hydro, But, I do sometimes miss my foot throttle, and even 30 hours into new tractor, find my self mashing the R peddle, when I want more throttle (it's in the same place as my Kubota's foot throttle). With the Kubota, you really wanted Low 1 or maybe 2 doing anything ground engaging, but when box blading say, once you had a box full, and you want to drag it 100 ft, it would have been nice to be able to shift on the fly to 3 or 4 L. The hydro is nice for backing mower around, where you can get in close to stuff, it's also nice to be able to vary ground speed while using the PTO.

Some of this was probably related to using a 6 ft BB with a 27 pto hp 2wd machine, so you better have a low gear... But same 917L 52" flail mower on both tractors, I wouldn't go back (mowing just about 1.25 acres). L285 did not have a loader. I will say, I moved signficant amounts of dirt with that old Kubota, so its 100% usable.

 

[paulsharvey]

I will also say, I can drive a stick vehicle, but let's face it, I Much prefer an auto. It's all good, till your on a steep hill at a red light, guy on your butt, and you have a burger in one hand, jumbo sweet tea in other, steering with your knee, and need 3 feet, and 4 hands... I know everyone say, why don't they offer a standard anymore, but sales would be so low its stupid. Also, replacing a clutch in a 1986 Ranger or S10 might be a 2 hour job, and $120 in parts, but I'd be willing to bet a clutch in a 2024 would be 12 book hours, and approaching $1k in parts. That would be a $2500 clutch job...

 

[Too many Kubotas]

After starting with a small stick shift Kubota I thought it was great, compared to a shovel and wheelbarrow, but quickly learned to dislike the standard transmission. Especially for loader work.

Got a larger Kubota with hydro shuttle and think it's great. But, when getting another small Kubota (L3800 this time), at first I sure didn't like many of the aspects of the HST.

Once used to it, I really like how fast things can happen. Or slowly, for that matter, without having to change gears.

 

[Farmer495]

Powershuttle (clutchless shuttle w/gear drive) is fine by me, saves almost all the clutching in loader work and odd jobs.

I am buying in a HP class that doesn't come in hydro so moot point for me.

I likely would go hydro for a compact with lots of starts and stops (yard work, loader work etc), especially if the other option is a dry clutch gear drive.

I have spent many hours on dry clutch tractors, one day loading and hauling round bales I counted for fun and I clutched over 1000 times. My older knees can still do it by why do it if you don't have to.

 

[Farmer495]

As a kid we had Massey's with 6x2 and 8x2 transmissions. They were a real pain when loading manure and other such materials. Too fast in reverse hi and too slow in low and don't talk to me about shifting between forward and reverse.

Yeah, those are horrible for a loader. Real fun too when the speed lever jams in gear and you have to "screw driver through the filler hole" it. Use to blow snow with one, low reverse to low 4th nice U pattern to jam in.

 

[Farmer495]

I will also say, I can drive a stick vehicle, but let's face it, I Much prefer an auto. It's all good, till your on a steep hill at a red light, guy on your butt, and you have a burger in one hand, jumbo sweet tea in other, steering with your knee, and need 3 feet, and 4 hands... I know everyone say, why don't they offer a standard anymore, but sales would be so low its stupid. Also, replacing a clutch in a 1986 Ranger or S10 might be a 2 hour job, and $120 in parts, but I'd be willing to bet a clutch in a 2024 would be 12 book hours, and approaching $1k in parts. That would be a $2500 clutch job...

I'll still buy a manual vehicle if I can. Miss my manual 3/4 ton. Rust belt here so almost anything that fits my needs that is manual has rotted away years ago.