Buying Advice Done with hydrostatics

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

fitterski sure wouldn't like my Toolcat with all them electronics, A/C, heat, radio, traction control, lights, horn, back-up alarm, electric controlled hydraulics, etc....

The dealer gave me $15k for my 19yo Boomer and what I paid for the RTV 11 years ago. The hydro's do hold resale but you need more than $1k to get good ones.

Sums it up. There's a market for both.

Truth is, the "simple to fix" aspect has little value for a non-mechanic. Especially vs the comfort, safety, and convenience factors of more modern machines.

I'm hoping for an all-electric push-button Tesla tractor someday.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Wow man, just wow.

Have you taken your medication today?

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Agree it's getting harder and harder to find good auto mechanics. I guess like farming and other physical jobs, people just don't want to do it any more. A good mechanic used to make decent money; it was a respectable profession and a good living without needing a college degree. And they took pride in it too. Now seems like it's mostly druggies or dead-enders, people killing time 'til something better comes along. If this trend continues, maybe more computers and circuit boards aren't a bad thing. I guess eventually you'll pull up to a huge computer for diagnosis and then a robot will roll over and fix what's wrong. We're already half-way there.

That's one good thing about the all-electric vehicles. So much simpler mechanically. No oil changes, almost no fluids of any kind. Of course no engine at all. Just four little electric motors driving the wheels.

Having had my entire suite of new appliances fail due to faulty Chinese circuit boards, I totally hear you on that. (Ridiculous to have an expensive appliance or machine or vehicle dependent on a $5 circuit board. Spend the extra 5 bucks and make it better! Heck, spend 10 or 20. ) It's a process I think. If customers demand they put in better circuit boards, they will. China is perfectly capable of manufacturing excellent quality stuff IMO. They manufacture "per spec," so it's really on our manufacturers to insist on better quality parts.

Designers are also designing to spec.

Seems like it's all about quick profit these days. I run a business too, but I can't ascribe to this robber-baron, grab the money and run, business model. IOW plenty of blame to go around, but in the end you can't stop progress.

 

[shooterdon]

And like a fool I bought a 30 year old JD 855 with hydrostatic transmission

I will change the oil in it and cross my fingers. 18 quarts shouldn’t bankrupt me. Now I need to read hundreds of pages about what oil to get.....got to love having a tractor.

 

[rScotty]

Agree it's getting harder and harder to find good auto mechanics. I guess like farming and other physical jobs, people just don't want to do it any more. A good mechanic used to make decent money; it was a respectable profession and a good living without needing a college degree. And they took pride in it too. Now seems like it's mostly druggies or dead-enders, people killing time 'til something better comes along. If this trend continues, maybe more computers and circuit boards aren't a bad thing. I guess eventually you'll pull up to a huge computer for diagnosis and then a robot will roll over and fix what's wrong. We're already half-way there.

That's one good thing about the all-electric vehicles. So much simpler mechanically. No oil changes, almost no fluids of any kind. Of course no engine at all. Just four little electric motors driving the wheels.

Having had my entire suite of new appliances fail due to faulty Chinese circuit boards, I totally hear you on that. (Ridiculous to have an expensive appliance or machine or vehicle dependent on a $5 circuit board. Spend the extra 5 bucks and make it better! Heck, spend 10 or 20. ) It's a process I think. If customers demand they put in better circuit boards, they will. China is perfectly capable of manufacturing excellent quality stuff IMO. They manufacture "per spec," so it's really on our manufacturers to insist on better quality parts.

Designers are also designing to spec.

Seems like it's all about quick profit these days. I run a business too, but I can't ascribe to this robber-baron, grab the money and run, business model. IOW plenty of blame to go around, but in the end you can't stop progress.

Uh.... Just this morning someone using your handle posted, "Truth is, the "simple to fix" aspect has little value for a non-mechanic. Especially vs the comfort, safety, and convenience factors of more modern machines."

Uh.... don't take me too seriously, and please do Pardon Me, but it sounds like you just wrote a rebuttal to your own earlier post, explaining in well-worded detail exactly what value that "simple to fix" does have to you; and to everyone.
:-?

And well-reasoned, too!

rScotty


*Here's hoping that overly complex "design for profit" is just a fad that will eventually reverse itself.

 

[fitterski]

Seems like it's all about quick profit these days. I run a business too, but I can't ascribe to this robber-baron, grab the money and run, business model. IOW plenty of blame to go around, but in the end you can't stop progress.

What we're having is progress trying to happen in spite of monumental stupidity. Maybe what's needed in every development/engineering department is a team of proofreaders, people with actual real-life experience who can test a plan to see how it would perform in real life situations OTHER than the normal envelope for which it was designed but designing for which needs only a third grade diploma. The typical engineer today uses software to design and isn't capable or allowed to anticipate the unexpected. Everything I cited happened in the last few years either to me or to someone nearby, NONE of is fiction, ALL of is unacceptable. One of my neighbours is a small livestock rancher, he actually got forced into giving it all up and that I find patently revolting.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Uh.... Just this morning someone using your handle posted, "Truth is, the "simple to fix" aspect has little value for a non-mechanic. Especially vs the comfort, safety, and convenience factors of more modern machines."

Uh.... don't take me too seriously, and please do Pardon Me, but it sounds like you just wrote a rebuttal to your own earlier post, explaining in well-worded detail exactly what value that "simple to fix" does have to you; and to everyone.
:-?

And well-reasoned, too!

rScotty


*Here's hoping that overly complex "design for profit" is just a fad that will eventually reverse itself.

"Simple to fix" = all mechanical, no computer controls, i.e., you can be your own mechanic.

"Simply designed" but all computer/electronic controls, you probably ain't wrenching on it yourself.

Two different "simples"

 

[fitterski]

Wow man, just wow.

Have you taken your medication today?

No, I just finished 4 hours of work with my 426, great machine, a fly can unload into the intake without fear and with confidence knowing that there's no way that "the cat" will shut itself down because of it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I "think" those IH B-275's were made by Mahindra...

I put quite a few hours on one when I was a kid...

SR

 

[4570Man]

And like a fool I bought a 30 year old JD 855 with hydrostatic transmission

I will change the oil in it and cross my fingers. 18 quarts shouldn’t bankrupt me. Now I need to read hundreds of pages about what oil to get.....got to love having a tractor.

That looks very similar to my b7200. It’s a whole different class of machine than the garbage lawn mowers. It’s by far the toughest and most fail proof machine I own.

 

[bcp]

I wonder about the the possibility of the systems used in small diesel-hydraulic locomotives common in Europe being applied to larger tractors. Probably too complicated for no real advantage. But it shows hydraulic propulsion can be used on things larger than compact tractors.

Diesel-hydraulic locomotive - Wikipedia

Bruce

 

[ruffdog]

"But it shows hydraulic propulsion can be used on things larger than compact tractors."

Like end loaders?

 

[bcp]

I don't know about end loaders, but a common complaint here seems to be someone wanting a larger tractor but they can't get HST.

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

I wonder if it’s more because big tractors are almost always used for field work which gears are better at any less because it’s not possible.

 

[daugen]

I wonder if it’s more because big tractors are almost always used for field work which gears are better at any less because it’s not possible.

which is why the big tractors are either quad range gears or IVT/CVT. Everyone wants the perfect mph for the job, three speed hydro won't do that in row crop farming very efficiently I'm sure.

I wouldn't even consider a SCUT or CUT without hydrostatic. With two hydro tractors and two gears, I know which ones are easier to drive. I couldn't care less if the hydro uses more fuel, not with my non pro usage. I would rather use my foot than a reverser and keep my hands on the wheel when needed.

 

[fitterski]

I wonder if it’s more because big tractors are almost always used for field work which gears are better at any less because it’s not possible.

Gears put more torque to the ground for one thing, for another all hyd. pumps/motors lose efficiency over time regardless of how expensive they are. There's a comfort factor too, so it seems that some people prefer HST for ease of use, like some prefer automatics in their trucks. Me I want gears in everything and around here at least it's not the minority that I'm a part of.

 

[4570Man]

Gears put more torque to the ground for one thing, for another all hyd. pumps/motors lose efficiency over time regardless of how expensive they are. There's a comfort factor too, so it seems that some people prefer HST for ease of use, like some prefer automatics in their trucks. Me I want gears in everything and around here at least it's not the minority that I'm a part of.

The little tractors run out of traction before power. An identical weight, engine power, and tire tractor will have the same max draw bar pull. The geared will pull the same load a little faster.

 

[/pine]

The little tractors run out of traction before power. An identical weight, engine power, and tire tractor will have the same max draw bar pull. The geared will pull the same load a little faster.

and or at less RPM's