Kubota Hydro or Gear

Anonymous Poster · Aug 23, 2001

I have narrowed my compact tractor choice down a Kubota L3010 or L3410. I have also looked at the New Holland and the John Deere, but I can't see myself buying a tractor with all those plastic parts (Fenders & Hood).

My final choice is to get a Hydro or Gear transmission.
I don't want to make a mistake because I plan on using this tractor for the next 30 years.

I have talked to several dealers in my area and they tell me they have had no problems with the hydro transmissons.
I have owned several garden tractor with hydro transmissions with no problems, but I am concerned about how the hydro will hold up over the years with a bigger tractor and the higher horsepower. I have seen posting on different forums saying the hydo's won't hold up like the gear transmisson in the long run. At this time I plan on using the tractor for mowing (Finish & Brushhog), plowing snow, some garden work, and loader work, but who knows what the future holds. I want a tractor that is trouble free and won't cost me alot to maintain.

I would like to know if anyone has any real life pros or con's on this subject.

frank_f15 · Aug 23, 2001

most definitly go hydro. the ability to maintain rpm and adjust your groung speed from zero to max with just a little pressure on the pedal is great. especially when doing loader work. go slow at first, takes a few times to get used to it .

BigE · Aug 23, 2001

The gear transmision will last longer in years, because the hydro is so much fun you look for ways to play, I mean, work with it where a standard trans model will sit in the shed.

GlueGuy · Aug 23, 2001

I vote hydro too. You lose a little power, but gain in many other ways. I think they're pretty darn reliable either way, but the hydro is actually easier on the engine (less transferred shock).

The GlueGuy

MChalkley · Aug 24, 2001

The postings you've seen regarding the shorter life are merely repetitions of tales that once had a basis in fact, but no longer do.

Most of the hydro bashing tales began with a certain brand of dozer, which I won't name because they make very good stuff nowadays and I don't want to be party to the crime. At any rate, it was in the early days of hydrostatic transmissions, and it really was lousy. Not as much power as the gear models, especially after it got hot, and boy did it get hot! And, of course, with such high temps, they didn't last very long, either. So, as I say, as with most tales, there's some basis in fact to them. But this one has outlived it's useful life expectancy.

For the current facts, check with your local equipment rental agencies. While it's possible to find a few who are still in the dark, the vast majority of them don't even rent non-HST tractors anymore, or if they do, they rent the HST's for less, or are only renting the gear models until they bite the green weenie.

As for other reasons to prefer HST, I agree with the other posts on the topic. Another MAJOR one, for this tractor user who has known far too many people who met their end on a tractor, is SAFETY. I'd be willing to forego some of the other advantages for this one alone but, fortunately, there are very few disadvantages to HST, and many advantages.

Your usage, as you explained it, will be pretty much typical, so HST is definitely the way to go. If you were going to be using it primarily for plowing, you might be better off with gears, but you're not, so my vote is that you go HST.

One other thing to consider is this: I've known a lot of people who got rid of a GST or a DT (or another brand's equivalent) in order to switch to a hydrostatic (myself included), but I've never known anyone who did the reverse. That tells you something...

If you need even more details, this subject has been discussed ad infitum, ad nauseum in the past. Go to the search page and seach using HST and gear - you'll get more than you care to read in one sitting, I promise you.

MarkC

glennmac · Aug 24, 2001

Shadow, I have owned two tractors and am considering buying larger and I would never even consider a gear tractor for all the reasons already mentioned. One of our members, Kubmech, is a tractor technician, and I believe he has stated that he rarely sees an hst in for service but he regularly sees gear tractors coming in at about 900 hours because people tend to ride the clutch all the time, especially when doing loader work.