GST SUKS

[Alan W.]

I will never ever have another tractor with GST. While I admit that it is far better than a regular manual transmission it is a dismall performer compared to a hydro. Trying to work back and forth in tight areas is a big hassle compared to a hydro. My employees like it for bush hogging the open areas, but when it comes to mowing the retention basins in the development it is almost dangerous compared a hydro. Maybe all it boils down to is fitting the tractor to the job. But a hydro is much more versatile.

 

[Thomas]

Alan,
I'm not sure I would have put it like that....GST SUKS, for its better than using a heavt duty weed trimmer or walk behind equipment for bush hogging.....you can believe me on that!!

I'm not sure of the ratio of HST vs GST owners,but safety and comfort are factors when purchasing between the two.

Have a pleasant weekend and be good to yourself.

Thomas..NH

 

[gordon]

I think the second to last sentence of your reply says it all- "fitting the tractor to the job" I own a GST and love it but I also like the benifits of the HST each trans has it's good and bad or should I say weak points and it all boils down to the tractors intended uses overall as to what is the best trans choice.
If you actually hate this tractor why not just trade it in and be done with the hassle of the GST for tight mowing and such./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Good point Gordon. Actually I think the GST and the HST both SUK! (Just Kidding) I have both and would probably be better at either if I wasn't using the other! Eventually I'll get better at both which are completely different than my old shuttle shift Ford NH. Since the clutch is always available I don't see a safety problem with the GST. If I was going to have a big tractor with a removeable loader that I wanted to take off with any frequency I'd sure say the HST is the way to go, makes lining up everything a breeze. Of course with the BX it really doesn't matter as I usually just hold the loader off the ground with my arms while the wife drives the scooter under it /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I do see an area I wish I could modify on the GST. My L35 has prebuilt notches in the shift slot so you can go back and forth without jumping out of a given "range" of gears. I wish that was adjustable so I could reset it to be different gears that are available with a certain throw. I find myself always wrestling the thing trying to figure out which way to move it to go up or down. I'm sure this will come with time but an adjustable "slot" would be nice. Used to have a neighbor that could make ANYTHING.


And if you need a tractor that different people are going to be using that don't use it often an HST is definitely the way to go. My wife (not female bashing) NEVER wanted to even get on my Ford. The HST BX seems to just come natural.

del
[email]oldcarparts@mygarage.com [/email]

 

[Alan W.]

The tractor is ok for open field mowing, and that is where it will be kept from now on. The problem occured when it was used to mow a retention basin, which is basically a deep pond with a restricted drain in the bottom center of it to prevent flooding of property downhill. The tractor would be backed up the sides due to the steepness, then once at the top you would bring it back down to repeat the scenario until the bowl was mowed. With the hydro this is a piece of cake. With the GST once you reach the top you have to throttle the tractor down to shift the shuttle pausing momentarily in the neutral position before going to forward, this is per the manual. While all this is going on you have to be on the brakes to keep the tractor from running away. Having to lower the engine speed to idle just to shift the shuttle is a joke. All of the other shuttle shifts on Massey and Case that I have owned did not require this. I even tried just shifting the shuttle without throttling down the engine first, it was hard to shift under load and would usually not complete the shift which meant it stopped in neutral and the tractor was freewheeling down the hill. I thought of trading it back in, but it is in great shape with low hours and I have enough places to use it to justify keeping it, I will probably just buy another with the hydro.

 

[MChalkley]

I was happy with my GST until I tried the HST. There's some truth to the "ignorance is bliss" cliche'.

While it's no doubt true that the GST is better suited to some tasks than the HST, there's not many in that category, and a person would have to need a tractor for a very unusual set of circumstances to be better served by a GST, in my opinion.

Mark

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Remote Control Tractor

Mark, I've already lost anything for my left foot to do with this L35, now you want me to abandon the left arm as well? What's next, a remote controlled tractor I operate from my lawn chair?

Left Hand GST STIR STICK
Right Hand LOADER JOY STICK (still having fun not having 2 levers)
Right Foot THROTTLE and TURNING BRAKES (hee hee)
STEERING? What else, my knees and or my chest, isn't that what everyone else uses?

HST NO NO...I don't know if I'd do this with your 4310, but when I was just about to grunt the box scraper forward to line up that Category .95 3pt on the BX I probably one of the safety rules, I put the BX in gear at idle and just poked the pedal with my finger to nudge it back 1/2inch, but still hold it's place, which it wouldn't in neutral. I felt safe in doing this as their wasn't anything to hit if it just took off, step on deck is only 3 inches above the ground, top speed in high is only .5mph, and since I wasn't in 4WD if it got too close to me I'd just lift the back end off the ground and yell for the wife to come shut the dang thing off /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Wingnut]

Mark said that he was happy with his GST until he tried HST ... well, I'm well known at work and in my personal life as a rebel ... so you guys might as well find out too!
I rented a 3410 HST before I bought my 'bota ... and bought a GST L3710. And darned happy with it.
I'll admit I didn't buy it primarily for the FEL ... I bought it to mow and till and auger postholes and occasionally use the FEL (and maybe sometime put a blade on the FEL mount for snowplowing) and eventually I'll get that manure spreader so Paul will have some company (but I promise not to brag about it!) .... and like the GST control just fine. I have not regretted, for one micro- or milli-econd having selected GST.
The OLY thing I don't like about GST si the remembrance of that wonderful tax in Canada - the GST (grab and steal tax)!

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[Bird]

That's the reason they make different ones; personal preference and sometimes suitability for different jobs. I was happy with geared tractors, too, until I drove an HST, and I haven't used a GST yet, but like the HST so well that I don't care to drive a GST either (except just for the experience maybe)./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But I'm always glad to hear that any owner of any tractor is happy with it./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[MChalkley]

Ditto, Bird. Besides, if everyone wanted an HST, they'd cost a lot more the next time I buy one.

Mark