I am looking to purchase a 3830 or 4330 with FEL. I cannot decide on HST or GST, I would like some help. I think the GST would work better. Everyone here seems to prefer HST. I am going to test drive each but I don't think I could decide with a 5-minute test drive.
Grand L30 HST vs GST
- Thread starter Wall
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Kytractor
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I don't have any experience with the Gst, but I do have the L3830 Hst. After 90 hrs I can say the L3830 is better than I expected. The hst and fel are very smooth. I do alot of backing up and going forward with my fel/Backhoe combination and couldn't imagine bieng without the Hst. I guess it all depends on your needs. I would give the L3830 Hst with the La 723 fel Five stars. Great power and smooth.
poco
New member
I was certain I wanted a Gst or Jd PowerRevser, thats what I priced although no one had them in stock to test drive , the day i went to sign papers for a Gst the dealer had one there I was going to purchase drove it thought yea this is ok. I was sitting at the desk ready to sign the paper work and thought I should try the Hst again, the tractor with Hst is soooo much nicer to operate, thats when I went back inside and ordered the HST. My biggest concern with the GST was the fact that electric soloniods are doing the shifting in my opion there is more to go wrong in future with the Gst . I have no experience with the GST or the HST maybe someone else can share there's. I do think either one would give long service .
I was thinking you would have somewhat less control with HST examples; Using a box scraper or Bushog turning and looking over you right shoulder it seems to me it would be hard to look and control the foot pedal you know what I mean like backing up to a steep creek bank trying not to go off the bank into the creek. How can I use the brake and change directions at the same time? When you release the pedal will the tractor stop on a dime on a hill? Do you hit forward and use that for a brake? With a GST you could use the brake to stop and move the shuttle lever to change directions. May-be they should move the brake pedals to the left side. I don’t mean to sound foolish but sometimes you can get in some dangerous situations on a tractor trying to clean up around a farm.
Kytractor
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I live on a pretty steep hill (900 feet). On the steepest part, when I let off the hst pedal the tractor stops. You do have a little movement however. I don't have a Bush hog as of yet, but I do have a box blade and the tractor does extremly well down hill as well as up in medium gear. There is a break as well, but I find myself rarely using it because of the Hst. When you release the pedal it stops. Yes a tractor can be very dangerous and I have 33 acres of hill side and love the hst. Rat or some of the others can give you a better comparison. Hope this helps.
_RaT_
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Wall, your comments lead me to believe you have never used an HST equipped tractor. You rarely if ever use the brakes with HST, the control you have is incredible and really second to none. Perhaps you should try it if for no other reason then to get an understanding of it. Rat...
Henro
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Wall,
I can't imagine being able to control the tractor better than I can control mine with the hst. You can move a fraction of an inch when hooking up implements to the 3ph. Move at any desired speed while running an implement on the back at constant rpm, things like that, all without the need to move a shift lever. Not that shifting is a big deal. I think it is the low speed control where the HST shines.
On hills you can stop, back up, go forward, and so on and never, even for an instant, disconnect the engine from the drivetrain. You can change speeds on hills no shifting required...within the speed range you are operating in.
There are times when the manual shift tractors excel. For example, plowing, or doing other field work, where you want a constant speed. At least that is what I have come to believe by reading posts here. No experience on my part in that area.
On hills I personally keep thinking to myself, when I am changing direction, that I am glad I don't have a clutch to push in. When stopping with the hst, you have both the engine and the brakes holding you. [If you elect to push the brakes; generally you don't have to, as the hst will hold you.] Now if you are parking the tractor that is a different story, you would certainly set the brakes...on any tractor.
When changing directions you simply push the directional pedal in the opposite direction.
Now with some transmissions [gst I believe] the shifting sequence is automated and you don't have to do anything but select the gear you want, and the tractor does the rest for you. I have not driven one of these myself. I would imagine if you want to stop on a hill, you would have to shift to neutral, or push in the clutch. Plus push the brake. Certainly not a big deal. I just like having both the engine tied to the running gear at all times AND the brakes available too.
Like Rat advised...try both and you will get a better idea of how the HST compares to the manual shift. They are both good, depends on your needs and likes...There is no best tractor for everyone, just a best tractor for YOU.
I can't imagine being able to control the tractor better than I can control mine with the hst. You can move a fraction of an inch when hooking up implements to the 3ph. Move at any desired speed while running an implement on the back at constant rpm, things like that, all without the need to move a shift lever. Not that shifting is a big deal. I think it is the low speed control where the HST shines.
On hills you can stop, back up, go forward, and so on and never, even for an instant, disconnect the engine from the drivetrain. You can change speeds on hills no shifting required...within the speed range you are operating in.
There are times when the manual shift tractors excel. For example, plowing, or doing other field work, where you want a constant speed. At least that is what I have come to believe by reading posts here. No experience on my part in that area.
On hills I personally keep thinking to myself, when I am changing direction, that I am glad I don't have a clutch to push in. When stopping with the hst, you have both the engine and the brakes holding you. [If you elect to push the brakes; generally you don't have to, as the hst will hold you.] Now if you are parking the tractor that is a different story, you would certainly set the brakes...on any tractor.
When changing directions you simply push the directional pedal in the opposite direction.
Now with some transmissions [gst I believe] the shifting sequence is automated and you don't have to do anything but select the gear you want, and the tractor does the rest for you. I have not driven one of these myself. I would imagine if you want to stop on a hill, you would have to shift to neutral, or push in the clutch. Plus push the brake. Certainly not a big deal. I just like having both the engine tied to the running gear at all times AND the brakes available too.
Like Rat advised...try both and you will get a better idea of how the HST compares to the manual shift. They are both good, depends on your needs and likes...There is no best tractor for everyone, just a best tractor for YOU.
Richard
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I don't own either variety... (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )
That said.. I rented a GST once (L-35). I live on some hills and darn near had heart palpatations when I first changed gears while on a slope and the GST shifted into (and through) neutral to my newly selected gear. As I recall, I was going up the hill and downshifted from say 3rd to 2nd.
The thing freewheeled backwards on me. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Scared the bejeezus outta me until I learned it's idiosynchrosies. (sp)..
I then took to simply applying the brakes on hill when I needed to change gears and found myself holding the steering wheel with one or both hands, while *forcebly* exerting pressure on the brakes to hold this thing in place while the gear change took place. What I mean to infer there is holding this heavy machine with the brakes on this hill was an absolute exercise. (farily new L-35) If the brakes were "correct", then they absolutely sucked. In defense to the machine, I'm not aware if they were 100% or not... all I can say is it was a workout to stick that thing to the hillside using only it's brakes. Definately not something I care to do again.
You do not state if you have hills, but for me, that experience alone was enough to convince me that if I ever get a Kubota, the ONLY choice I'll have is HST. GST is simply not an option for me & hills.
Richard
That said.. I rented a GST once (L-35). I live on some hills and darn near had heart palpatations when I first changed gears while on a slope and the GST shifted into (and through) neutral to my newly selected gear. As I recall, I was going up the hill and downshifted from say 3rd to 2nd.
The thing freewheeled backwards on me. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Scared the bejeezus outta me until I learned it's idiosynchrosies. (sp)..
I then took to simply applying the brakes on hill when I needed to change gears and found myself holding the steering wheel with one or both hands, while *forcebly* exerting pressure on the brakes to hold this thing in place while the gear change took place. What I mean to infer there is holding this heavy machine with the brakes on this hill was an absolute exercise. (farily new L-35) If the brakes were "correct", then they absolutely sucked. In defense to the machine, I'm not aware if they were 100% or not... all I can say is it was a workout to stick that thing to the hillside using only it's brakes. Definately not something I care to do again.
You do not state if you have hills, but for me, that experience alone was enough to convince me that if I ever get a Kubota, the ONLY choice I'll have is HST. GST is simply not an option for me & hills.
Richard
rjsmit1
Member
I have an L4330 with HST (22 hours) and love it! I tested a GST and didn't have any problem with it, but I love the HST for bush hogging, loader work, harrowing my wife's riding arena, etc. And for those times when you want to hold the tractor at a steady speed, it has the cruise control lever to the left of the operator's seat that allows you to set the speed and go without holding your foot on the HST pedal. It is also very easy to look over your shoulder and hold your foot on the HST pedal in a steady manner - that's not a problem. It's easy. I would recommend that you try to get a little more seat time with the GST and HST tractors and then decide. I have absolutely no regrets about my HST. Good luck.
grandad
Platinum Member
Wall, you just about have to try the GST and HST to appreciate the difference. I hope you have a dealer who has one of each on his lot that you can operate, preferably with a loader and maybe a box blade. You can read what everyone says - and they have no reason to feed you a line of bull - but you need to see it for yourself and draw your own conclusion.
