Gear or Hydrostatic Transmissions for Compact Utility Tractors?

[k0ua]

Eric, I don't think it will do much good to point out the benefits of a Hydro to the hydro haters. Or for that matter the fact that in these larger tractors the hydro whine is near non existent for normal working conditions. It doesn't do any good to point out that hydro's are in many ways simpler than a gear drivetrain and its clutch or that the reliability is greater. It doesn't do any good to point out that that more and more and larger and larger industrial machines are being fitted with hydro systems.

And that is all fine. It just doesn't matter. There is plenty of room for both types of transmission systems and there are applications where one type of system excels over the other. I still maintain that for the average homeowner CUT/SCUT guy he will be better served by a hydro for most things.

And I maintain if you don't know what type of transmission you need because you have no experience to draw from, then you need a hydro by definition. But its all good guys.

 

[4570Man]

The old forklift I have have is gear drive. My other forklift is HST. The gear drive forklift doesn't have any brakes. Guess which forklift is better on hills.

 

[ovrszd]

You don't think you can be on a perfectly flat piece of land and hit an unseen soft spot, or have something puncture the tire sidewall or something similar??? With the loader up high, it doesn't take much to put the tractor on it's side....even on level ground.

Arguing over what is, and what isn't "level ground" is simply playing with words to try and defend a silly position.

Like I said, with all the damage you've managed to do to your tractor, it would seem you'd know "stuff happens" even when things seem pretty safe.

Just stop.

 

[ovrszd]

Eric, I don't think it will do much good to point out the benefits of a Hydro to the hydro haters. Or for that matter the fact that in these larger tractors the hydro whine is near non existent for normal working conditions. It doesn't do any good to point out that hydro's are in many ways simpler than a gear drivetrain and its clutch or that the reliability is greater. It doesn't do any good to point out that that more and more and larger and larger industrial machines are being fitted with hydro systems.

And that is all fine. It just doesn't matter. There is plenty of room for both types of transmission systems and there are applications where one type of system excels over the other. I still maintain that for the average homeowner CUT/SCUT guy he will be better served by a hydro for most things.

And I maintain if you don't know what type of transmission you need because you have no experience to draw from, then you need a hydro by definition. But its all good guys.

I agree. If you have no idea which you need, you probably should start with an HST. It "dummies" down operations to two simple functions. Don't get any easier than that.

I have 3 tractors with 3 different systems. Love them all.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

:drink:

Just stop.

 

[MossRoad]

The old forklift I have have is gear drive. My other forklift is HST. The gear drive forklift doesn't have any brakes. Guess which forklift is better on hills.

I HATE GEAR DRIVE FORKLIFTS!!!

That's just my opinion, of course. :laughing:

We had one when I worked at the airport about 30+ years ago. I recall the rubber pad on the clutch pedal was missing, it was raining, I had a worthless, rude pilot screaming at me while attempting to load his nose gear converted Beech18. Just as he poked his head out the door to cuss at me one more time, my foot slipped off the clutch and I ran a wire mesh pallet of catalytic converters into his door post, just missing his head. I got my foot back on the clutch and it rolled backwards, he popped out again to cuss at me some more just as my foot slipped a 2nd time, just missing him again and caving in the door post. He stopped cussing that time... thought I was trying to kill him.

 

[ovrszd]

Great story Moss!!!!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I agree. If you have no idea which you need, you probably should start with an HST. It "dummies" down operations to two simple functions. Don't get any easier than that.

Isn't that I said in post #5??

Here's what I said: "It's all about the skill level of the operator!"

That seemed to make some folks mad, when "I" said it... lol

I stand by post #5.

SR

 

[ovrszd]

Isn't that I said in post #5??

Here's what I said: "It's all about the skill level of the operator!"

That seemed to make some folks mad, when "I" said it... lol

I stand by post #5.

SR

I don't know why readers get mad at ur posts, I find them informative and amusing.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I don't know why readers get mad at ur posts, I find them informative and amusing.

Heck, I find them amusing too! ha ha ha

SR