XR 3135 synchro shuttle or hydrostatic transmission??

[T REX]

I'm a newbie, I have 1720 with a clutch-gear tranny and want to move up a bit in power... Seriously considering a XR3135 with FEL AND turf tires. We'll be using it mostly for mowing, brush hogging and occasionally loader usage. I've had smaller lawn tractors with hydrostatic but not at all familiar with the Synchro shuttle on the XR tractors. Any comments and experience with the pro's and con's will be appreciated.... Thanks!!

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN neighbor.....

IMO you can't beat hydrostatic for repetitive loader work and also brush hogging forward and backward mowing. Most, if not all XR 's come with cruise control which will make mowing long areas easier.
Syncro shuttle will cost less than a hydro. My last 2 tractors were hydro. Gear tractors may be better for farm type work pulling implements but I don't do any of that so I have no need for a gear tractor.
Just my opinions.

 

[Maxify55]

Had a shuttle shift on an old Yanmar 4X4 w/FEL I used to build my place.
I've had all the bending and shifting I care to do the rest of my days.
I use all my FEL implements and THAT'S where you create all the back and forth repetitive motion.
If you are planning on using you equipment to work/build your place, pay the extra money up front and
get the hydro trans.
I've seldom seen anyone complain about it. Except for the occasional person will complain about the hydro pump noise at lower RPMs.

 

[T REX]

Thanks for the replies George and Maxify.. I know the hydrostatic s are easy-to-use and may go that route.. The XR models have what they call a (fully) synchro shuttle.. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with this type of tranny....

 

[Cataclysm]

Yes, I have ran a synchronized shuttle (SS) on a 30hp MF quite a bit. You still have to use the clutch to shift. You still have to feather the clutch to be smooth and to move real slow. It works well but can't compete with a hydro for ease of use.

Usually on these smaller tractors you have to go to low range to push into a pile. So that means in addition to changing the SS lever you also have to change the High Low lever. Then shift to reverse and shift to high range then shift to forward. It get tiring at times and a couple times my shifting knee would get tired.

I run a hydro transmission now and would not want to go back unless I was only doing tillage.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[T REX]

Cataclysm, thanks for the reply, it sounds worse than standard shift.... why would anyone want shuttle???

 

[westernstar]

I bought an XR3135HC a year ago, never even looked at the shuttle shift. I traded up from a John Deere gear tractor, and would never go back to a gear. Price difference for a hydrostatic is not as large as it used to be. A shuttle shift is nothing but a gear tractor with a forward and reverse selector in all gears. buy the hydro and you will really like it.

George

 

[T REX]

I bought an XR3135HC a year ago, never even looked at the shuttle shift. I traded up from a John Deere gear tractor, and would never go back to a gear. Price difference for a hydrostatic is not as large as it used to be. A shuttle shift is nothing but a gear tractor with a forward and reverse selector in all gears. buy the hydro and you will really like it.

George

George, thanks for the reply!!! Seems everyone is hydro... I can't argue with that! Can you tell me about your XR3135H? What do you use it for, tires etc??

 

[westernstar]

In the winter it is for snow, 700 ft driveway. I use the bucket or have a 7 foot plow that I can mount on the front quick hitch. In the summer it is for general farm work. I bought a backhoe attachment and do ditching and stump removal. I also have a set of forks for the quick hitch and use these to carry out logs for firewood. I have an estate mower for the rear, and use that to mow my lawn, use a hydraulic log splitter off the 3 point hitch, a chipper to chip up the tree branches from the trees I take down for firewood, a rototiller for my garden. And when the grandkids are here I keep them busy giving them rides around the property.

George

 

[PJSprog]

Same deal for us. We do no tillage work. It's almost all FEL stuff, with occasional rotary mower and rear blade work. Hydro makes it much easier on The Wife as well, who's bordering on tiny. We never even considered a gear tractor.

 

[T REX]

In the winter it is for snow, 700 ft driveway. I use the bucket or have a 7 foot plow that I can mount on the front quick hitch. In the summer it is for general farm work. I bought a backhoe attachment and do ditching and stump removal. I also have a set of forks for the quick hitch and use these to carry out logs for firewood. I have an estate mower for the rear, and use that to mow my lawn, use a hydraulic log splitter off the 3 point hitch, a chipper to chip up the tree branches from the trees I take down for firewood, a rototiller for my garden. And when the grandkids are here I keep them busy giving them rides around the property.

George

George, WOW!! You keep her busy!! does the front quick hitch attach to the loader arm's somehow????

 

[westernstar]

By front quick hitch, I meant the quick attach for the bucket, pull the two levers and drop the bucket, drive into the next attach for the forks, some call it bobcat style attachment. It will be a year old in a couple of weeks and I have 130 hours on it. I have lots that I can do, but it doesn't run all the time. Only 2 or 3 hours a week on average.

George

 

[T REX]

By front quick hitch, I meant the quick attach for the bucket, pull the two levers and drop the bucket, drive into the next attach for the forks, some call it bobcat style attachment. It will be a year old in a couple of weeks and I have 130 hours on it. I have lots that I can do, but it doesn't run all the time. Only 2 or 3 hours a week on average.

George

Have you had any problems with it and what tires do you have?? Bernie...

 

[westernstar]

I have just the regular R4 tires that came standard. I thought about going with Agricultural tires R1s because I have a lot of areas that get wet and the John Deere had problems slogging thru at times with R4s. Dealer said he could get the R1s, no extra charge, but I stayed with the R4s and I have no problem getting around on them. And it even goes better in the snow than the John Deere. It does weigh about twice as much though. And I have had no problems with the tractor what so ever.

George

 

[T REX]

I have just the regular R4 tires that came standard. I thought about going with Agricultural tires R1s because I have a lot of areas that get wet and the John Deere had problems slogging thru at times with R4s. Dealer said he could get the R1s, no extra charge, but I stayed with the R4s and I have no problem getting around on them. And it even goes better in the snow than the John Deere. It does weigh about twice as much though. And I have had no problems with the tractor what so ever.

George

Thanks George! I'm going with the hydro for sure, it'll be easier for my wife and two boys to use as well..... best wishes, Bernie...

 

[robertsa]

I've used both. I prefer the shuttle. My father also prefers his "power reverser" or whatever JD calls theirs over the hydro. I wonder how many who say you have to have hydro to perform loader work or that it's easier have ever used a shuttle shift.

 

[Cataclysm]

I've used both. I prefer the shuttle. My father also prefers his "power reverser" or whatever JD calls theirs over the hydro. I wonder how many who say you have to have hydro to perform loader work or that it's easier have ever used a shuttle shift.

I had a shuttle and reluctantly went to a hydro. For most loader/blade work hydro is eaier, less fatigueing and more accurate, espescially for the average user.

No, you dont "have" to have a hydro. It is the better trans for most users.

 

[robertsa]

I had a shuttle and reluctantly went to a hydro. For most loader/blade work hydro is eaier, less fatigueing and more accurate, espescially for the average user.

No, you dont "have" to have a hydro. It is the better trans for most users.

I don't know that it's "better." Easier to learn for sure but my wife is picking up on the shuttle pretty quickly. I also enjoy having all the power I paid for versus the transmission robbing me.

To each his own though. My lawnmower is hydro, and it's not bad. I'd still prefer the manual where I select the gear I want for the speed I want and go, but it's acceptable for the little bit I use it. My wife is generally the one using it anyways.

 

[mjstef]

I'll take a shuttle over a hydro any day. I don't need full RPM to move around most of the time and they use less fuel this way. Shuttle is nice, Run around without reving the crap out of the engine for nothing and when i need to lift the loader faster i hit the "gas" pedal. Also too much power loss through the hydro ESPECIALLY on hills. No issues running a loader either. That said i drove a stickshift truck for 30 years and got forced into a slushbox as Ford doesn't make a manual any more. It sucks but thankfully it has a manual mode to run in.....