When did Hydro drives come into play and get perfected?

[jkski]

I am looking to purchace a tractor in the next couple of months and want to be in the 35-45hp range 4wd, with an FEL and hydro drive. Since I am building a new home, I need to keep my costs down and wanted some advice as to what year and models to consider what I should expect to pay?
I would like to be able to get something with a backhoe but realize that increases the price and I could just rent a mini when I need to dig.
Once the house is built the tractor will be mostly used for field mowing (5ft. brush hog and 5ft. flail mower), post pounding, posthole auger, log splitting and FEL work.

In terms of a budget, I'd like to stay at $10k or below so I know I am not looking at a "new" tractor but I want to get as new as possible.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Martian]

You will not be able to meet all of your requirements. In the 10k range your looking at about a mid 90s era machine with that much HP, and it won't be HST. A backhoe would pretty much be out of the question, they increase price drastically. If you did open your budget to the $15k range, it opens a lot of doors.

Good luck!

 

[uphere]

Not sure I can answer your question but I had a 1970 IH624 (built in Germany with the D206 motor) with what was called an "agriomatic" transmission ... I believe it was one of the first real HST - but don't know that for certain.

 

[namesray]

check out Used Tractors For Sale at TractorHouse.com: John Deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, tractors for sale, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Kubota this will give you good ideas on what models are in your hp range and respective prices on used tractors. happy shopping.

 

[jkski]

Thanks guys, I kinda thought I'd have to go to around $15k but was hoping maybe to pick something up that is a bit older....then again, you get what you pay for so sometimes you have to pay more to get something that will not break the first time you use it!

 

[charleyfarmall]

Hydrostatic tractors were available in the 1970's so they have been around a long time. They became mainstream 10 years ago. Kubota and Deere have perfected them with HST+ and eHydro, say for the last 7 years.

Even so, basic HST tractors are pretty good and very reliable. They are also very easy to use.

 

[k0ua]

Apparently International Harvester had some in about 1967 with the model 656. This is said to be the first "practical" hydrostatic farm tractor.. Also saw where JCB had a trac loader with hydro that year.. Course you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. but somewhere in there is when they started to become readily available.

James K0UA

 

[oldnslo]

When did skid loaders start using them? I don't remember but suspect before the where put into tractors.

In construction there where used for track type excavators, etc also.

Some of the early IH models had problems with Sunstrand HST when they filled the pistons with an epoxy resin. This resin deteriorated over time and destroyed the tranny.

 

[Martian]

I would like to mention, even though that there was HST back in the early 70's, it wasn't widely implemented until the late 90's early 00's to be more similar to what it is today. I wouldn't get one of the old HST's but more like the Deere 4x00 series and on, and comparable models that also came out with HST at that time

 

[uphere]

I'll second the reliable part - my 624 had over 12000 hrs on it when I sold it - never had a problem with the tranny (and I had a heavy duty loader on it that got over-worked!) ... as long as you maintained it (cleaned the tranny "screen" often, changed the tranny filter, and occasionally changed the fluid) this tranny was a bull!!!

 

[MHarryE]

As mentioned above, the IH 656 in 1967 was the first major hydro. It had problems and did not really catch on. They aren't as efficient as straight gear drives but they make up for it in versitility where frequent changes in speed and/or direction are required. They do demand clean, high quality oil that is well cooled. Cooling - you are at the mercy of the manufacturer.