GST vs HST

[texbaylea]

I am planning on buying an L3130 or L3430 with FEL depending on the deal I can get. I have never operated with either transmission other than a quick test run. I would appreciate comments/reccommendations.

Thanks

 

[Maskimxul]

If you're on hills at all or planning on doing a lot of loader work, then I'd recommend the HST for sure

 

[txdon]

Texbaylea, Since you are going to be getting a FEL with your Kubota you will appreciate the ease of operation with the HST. With HST you can have one hand on the FEL joystick and one hand on the steering wheel and your foot is controlling your forward and backward motion and your speed you will quickly realize any other setup would be cumbersome. With the HST you gracefully maneuver your tractor like a pro the first day. With HST you can also go extremely slow so you can park your tractor within a half-inch from the wall if you want and have complete control. You can just let off the HST pedal and the tractor will stop which is good in a panic situation. The HST also has a cruise control so you do not have to keep your foot on the pedal. The HST has three ranges. The high-range for road and smooth land, mid-range is the work horse and low-range is for power. The downside - If you need to shift to a different range you must come to a complete stop, HST takes away some HP, and HST is more expensive. After my first test drive with a 3130HST I was hooked. Hope this helps, with the HST, maybe someone with GST can tell you why he prefers it.

 

[JerryG]

texbaylea,
This is truly one of the things that you can't ask here. No matter what, most here will say the HST. And most here have never even driven a GST and don't know what you can do with it. Either one would be good for loader work and the GST is definitely not like the old slider transmissions. It really boils down to what you like.

 

[art]

Either would work well for you. They are both reliable and easy to operate. The hydro is a little more operator freindly for new tractor operators but you have experience with gear drives so the GST would also fit well for you.

 

[Youare]

I have only had standard gear transmissions in the tractors I have owned and perfer standard transmissions in my car and truck. I know that it takes a few more horsepower to run an HST which would probably only be noticed when using the tractor with a PTO operated device.

I think an HST requires more maintenance than a GST, one more filter to change and the hydro-fluid is more expensive. Both have there strong points but I think operator preference is the biggest factor for one over the other.

If you would rather have an automatic transmission in your car you will probably find the HST more to your liking, and if you don't mind operating a clutch and gear shift lever you will be comfortable with GST.

Randy

 

[slowzuki]

I'll difer with that, I hate auto's in cars but love hydro on a tractor. If I worked on the flat it wouldn't matter too much.

A hydro isn't like an automatic. There is a direct control of load on the engine. It's more like a manual with an infinite # of gears controlled by foot. Engine braking included.
Ken

 

[Henro]

texbaylea,

Do a search on HST and also GST and you will find more than you want to read on the subject... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I see a safety advantage on slopes for the HST, but that may only work for me...

Anyway, if you read some of the previous threads you may get some idea of which will be best for your particular needs.

Try both and see whay YOU like... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Youare]

I will admit I have no personal experience with HST. I did operate a Bobcat skid steer for a week once but I don't think that is the same thing.

I have several friends who have owned and operated tractors which did have HST. One friend had a landscaping business and owned a Kubota with HST which he traded for a Kubota with GST both about the same HP. He perfered the GST over the HST for several reasons. When baling dirt from a pile on one job he had to cross a muddy area he felt the transmission was working very hard when he slowed down for the mud hole and applied power to pull itself out the other side. Probably one of those personal perference issues.

Another friend has a B-series Kubota with HST he uses mostly for mowing and some snow removal. Previously he had a Ford 1710. He likes the HST feature but did mention the feeling of a loss in HP over the 1710, both were rated the same in HP.

I think it all boils down to what each individual likes, is comfortable with, and works best for them. I am glad we have a choice in these matters. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Randy

 

[Golfgar4]

I'll throw my $0.02 in here. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Like you, I have very limited experience with any tractor. Any I have is from test driving different machines.

I have test driven both HST and GST (or syncro shuttle, or power reverser, or whatever you want to call non-HST transmissions). Now maybe the amount of time spent during a test drive is not suffcient to properly provide a good feel for what each transmission can do. But I definitely could see and "feel" advantages to both types.

And of course, reading all of the different discussions on TBN is a terrific amount of information also.

But for me, I see it this way. Since I've never owned EITHER type, I really won't miss what I never had, right? So I would definitely be willing to go with a GST or syncro shuttle to save a little money.

Now this is not to say that if I got one heck of a good deal on an HST, I wouldn't buy that either. After all, I really won't miss what I never had, right?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ljh2]

Gary,

Having operated a friend's 3010-GST, I would add that the GST is a little different than a Syncro-Shuttle, in that it while it DOES have a Syncro-Shuttle, it has a no-clutch inline power-shift for gear selection too. It was a nice step up from a clutch-and-shift manual while costing less than HST. I'm not going to get into the great HST -vs- Gear debate, because they both have their place. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And most here have never even driven a GST and don't know what you can do with it. )</font>

Guess i fall in that catagory, have never operated a gst, only thing i can say is compared to my old clutch, shift, forward, clutch shift backward etc. HST is a godsend for these old arms and legs.

 

[sbrem]

I have a 3130 and I did not get the GST or the HST. I got the DT which is the standard syncro shuttle. I am very happy with it. For myself I couldn't see paying the extra for the GST or HST. I would rather use that extra money to buy attachments. But since you are unsure what you want, you should try out all 3, mabye even a few times and get whichever feels more comfortable for you to use.

Stephen

 

[art]

The pto is where the hydro would be at the most advantage as the infinite speeds mean no shifting for varing quanities of load.

 

[texbaylea]

I appreciate everyone's comments. The information I got today is that there are big price incresases coming due to rising steel and oil prices. There has already been a 5-9% increase in loader prices. Depending in the trade-in value of my old tractors, 20 & 30 years old, I will probably get an L3130 with the 723 FEL and R4 tires with 1 extra remote valve. I will probably get a HTL soon. I have lived a few more than three score and ten and need all the help I can get.

 

[_RaT_]

Art, you bring up an excellent point. While it is true that HST will rob a little HP, as you mention, it works out exceptionally well for PTO implements like mowers where the ability to back off on speed thus reducing the engine load both because of travel speed as well as load to the PTO device works hand in hand. When I am going uphill and encounter a wet thick patch of grass to mow, I don't think about clutching like I do with my manual International or shifting to a lower range on my HST, I just back off on the HST pedal and govern it based on the engine RPM which is discerned purely by sound level. It is second nature. While GST is an entirely different transmission then power reverser or shuttleshift, it nonetheless works very well. My comment would simply be that all work very well. The power reverser on JD's works very well and Kubotas simple DT works very well. To sum it up, there really is no wrong choice. Rat...

 

[Jamesbo]

Greetings everyone.
I will have to agree SBREM, I saved a few bucks on my 3430 with the DT tranny and I love this excellent shuttleshift. I did that also to go towards the 735 FEL and a SB720 Box. I will say it's an individuals choice and the money don't matter if it's what one can afford and believes he'll be happy with.
"I luvvvvv this tractor" come as you are. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Jamesbo

 

[Jibber]

I have the L3130HST, soon to celebrate it's first birthday in my possession.

I had never operated an HST before getting the tractor. It's wonderful and easy to operate. But, the one thing that you need to remind yourself is that pedal is a shifter, not an accelerator. In other words, if you're going uphill or driving into a pile with the loader and the engine starts bogging down, you don't push down on the pedal, you ease up.. to downshift!

Once you get the hang of that you'll wonder why you ever considered the GST.

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> I had never operated an HST before getting the tractor. It's wonderful and easy to operate. But, the one thing that you need to remind yourself is that pedal is a shifter, not an accelerator. In other words, if you're going uphill or driving into a pile with the loader and the engine starts bogging down, you don't push down on the pedal, you ease up.. to downshift!
</font>

Jibber I couldn't agree with you more. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The first time that I pushed into a pile with the FEL, just as the RPMs dropped my inclination was to push harder on the forward HST pedal. Well, it took just a couple of times whacking away at that pile before I realized that less pedal is much better than more. The learning curve for using a HST can be very quick once you understand the basics of the beast. I for one wouldn't be without mine.