Tractor question - hydrostatic drive or shuttle-shift reliability

[Rick_W]

Given the same tractor - be it John Deere, Kubota or Mahindra - is either drive system more or less reliable than the other for clearing land (pulling/pushing small trees/stumps)?


Speaking of new tractors only.


Looking at a tractor to bush hog 3 1/2 acres but will also need to maintain a 1/4 mile dirt driveway and partially clear another six acres. Power company dropped a dozen 12-18 inch diameter pines that need to be cut up and pulled away. The uncleared land is old paper company land with pines. Most of the pines are all over a foot in diameter but there are some nice oaks that have started to grow up in there. I'd like to thin out the undergrowth, a lot of 4-6 inch trees, and cut some of the pines to allow the hardwoods more room to grow - not to mention get rid of the old dead stuff that's nothing but a fire hazard.


Right now I'm looking at the Mahindra 2538 4WD HST and the Kubota L3901 4WD (either shuttle shift or HST).

[gbflyer]

After years as a civil contractor and farmer before that, I would give 2 pieces of advice:

1. Rent a couple of different one first and try them out.

2. Buy the one that you like best and has the best dealer support. That will typically be Deere, Kubota, Yanmar, not necessarily in that order, however I do prefer Green[emoji1]

[NicfromAlabama]

I am far from an expert, but I did quite a bit of reading a while back about tractors and transmission types. At the time, I really wanted to buy a Kubota L3940 with hydrostatic transmission and front end loader. I figured I was better off at the time to try and pay off my property first, so I did not do it. I bought an old John Deere 2030 to run a rotary cutter to get me by for now.

99% of the time, from what I read, everyone that has used a hydrostatic tractor said they would never go back to anything else. If you plan to use a front end loader, the HST will have a big advantage of going from forward to reverse quickly. Some say the HST is not as reliable, but the more I read, the more I saw people claiming that was not true. Again, I have no experience with a HST, other than my riding mower, and that really doesn't count.

As gbflyer said, it would not hurt to try them all out if you have the opportunity. I think either transmission type would serve you well. But, like I said, people more often than not rave about their HST tractors.

[mbohuntr]

Love my Mahindra 2615, HST is what you need to brush hog in thick stuff... you can rock and twist forward and back in the trees with no effort. Handled a 5' howse with no problem.

[Rick_W]

After years as a civil contractor and farmer before that, I would give 2 pieces of advice:

1. Rent a couple of different one first and try them out.

2. Buy the one that you like best and has the best dealer support. That will typically be Deere, Kubota, Yanmar, not necessarily in that order, however I do prefer Green[emoji1]
While not necessarily extensive - all of my tractor experience has been on traditional manual transmission models.

I went to a Kubota dealer today and one of the first things the salesman did was go back inside and get the keys. Allowed me to drive a traditional shuttle-shift and a HST model - exact same tractor.

The HST was definitely smoother to operate. Did not like the way the brakes were set up on the same side as the HST controls. The shuttle-shift model was just like I remembered the old tractors.

[ksw13]

buy a case skid steer, and then start buying attachments, you will never regret it

[yobuck]

I did the same thing years back on a 10 acre parcel. I first bought an old Ford 600 with a loader on it,
then traded that for a Kubota with a loader and a rear mount pto driven mower. It really wasent the best at anything.
Skid steers were just beginning to appear back then and I never even considered one of those.
But if I had my time over I would have bought a good used construction type backhoe with a loader on it to do everything as for clearing ect.
Then later decided what type mower I needed to maintain it. A skid steer with a backhoe attachment would also be hard to beat
for everything except mowing. Renting the right equiptment for the heavy work would probably be a wise move.

[mbohuntr]

While not necessarily extensive - all of my tractor experience has been on traditional manual transmission models.

I went to a Kubota dealer today and one of the first things the salesman did was go back inside and get the keys. Allowed me to drive a traditional shuttle-shift and a HST model - exact same tractor.

The HST was definitely smoother to operate. Did not like the way the brakes were set up on the same side as the HST controls. The shuttle-shift model was just like I remembered the old tractors.

I never needed to use the brakes unless I wanted to get off the tractor on a hill. You shouldn't need them otherwise...

[racer55]

I was a kubota tech for a time and am not a fan of hydrostatic for heavy work,but mostly because people are not educated on how to drive them.

If you need power for pulling just crack the treadle and travel slow for maximum power-peoples learned reaction is push the peddle harder for more power and that is EXACTLY THE WRONG APPROACH for hydrostatic drive.
As speed increases torque decreases so you only cause excess heat and wear and will have repair bills and lack of satisfaction with the tractor.

I prefer shuttle shift if you intend to use it as a tractor and not a garden/lawn tractor.

[Rick_W]

buy a case skid steer, and then start buying attachments, you will never regret it
If money were no option...

[Rick_W]

Renting the right equiptment for the heavy work would probably be a wise move.
This is actually the direction we're leaning - along with looking at tractors in the the low 30 HP range.

Driveway maintenance and mowing will be the vast majority of work done with it.

[Rick_W]

I was a kubota tech for a time and am not a fan of hydrostatic for heavy work,but mostly because people are not educated on how to drive them.

If you need power for pulling just crack the treadle and travel slow for maximum power-peoples learned reaction is push the peddle harder for more power and that is exactly the wrong approach for hydrostatic drive.
As speed increases torque decreases so you only cause excess heat and wear and will have repair bills and lack of satisfaction with the tractor.


I prefer shuttle shift if you intend to use it as a tractor and not a garden/lawn tractor.
Most of my use lawn/land maintenance. Very little heavy dirt work.

[yobuck]

This is actually the direction we're leaning - along with looking at tractors in the the low 30 HP range.

Driveway maintenance and mowing will be the vast majority of work done with it.

That's all fine, but first things first. And for that which could also include (creating) the driveway, septic system, etc, etc, you will do more work faster and better with the proper equiptment.
As for the actual grass mowing, assuming its an established lawn and not a field requiring a brush hog, the tractors you mention would be no match for a zero turn mower.
I had that proven to me when I sold my property and offered the Kubota to the buyer.
He turned it down and had a zero turn delivered for a trial. He did in less than an hour what would have taken 3 hours with the Kubota, and there was no need for a small trim mower afterwards.
Again, the right tool for the job at hand.

[Armed in Utah]

Don't over look the 'Kioti'.......made in South Korea.....

I bought a new CK35 in 2010 w/front end loader...now has 300 hrs...not a minutes worth of trouble...

Tranny is gear driven...not HST......Have a variety of impliments..soon to add a 60" PTO tiller

http://www.kioti.com/products/tractors/ck10-series/ck3510/

[Rick_W]

That's all fine, but first things first. And for that which could also include (creating) the driveway, septic system, etc, etc, you will do more work faster and better with the proper equiptment.
As for the actual grass mowing, assuming its an established lawn and not a field requiring a brush hog, the tractors you mention would be no match for a zero turn mower.

It's all field, all the way up to what will be the house. I have been looking at a zero turns and would like to get one after we get the yard established.

We'll have licensed contractors doing the septic system. It's actually the only construction that requires an inspection here.

The "driveway" is nothing but grass right now - 1,200' long. There's already quite a few dips in it. Most fill dirt delivered in this area has a lot if not mostly red clay. Not a fan of that for a driveway. Will be looking at crushed concrete or limestone in the future.

[Rick_W]

Don't over look the 'Kioti'.......made in South Korea.....

I bought a new CK35 in 2010 w/front end loader...now has 300 hrs...not a minutes worth of trouble...

Tranny is gear driven...not HST......Have a variety of impliments..soon to add a 60" PTO tiller

http://www.kioti.com/products/tractors/ck10-series/ck3510/
I'm not familiar the brand but will check them out.

[NicfromAlabama]

Kioti's are highly regarded from what I have read. They are often referred to as "the other orange" tractor. I too considered a Kioti, but finances changed my mind, and I settled on the old John Deere 2030 to get me by.

[GeoBoy]

Demo a John Deere and a Kubota on the property and decide between those two, all others are just cheap alternatives. My background is 20 years on a large dairy farm, all JD's and 8 years in the compact diesel tractor sales business.

[Rick_W]

So - is anyone familiar with LS tractors? Good or bad?

[mbohuntr]

You will find zero turns are heavy, and don't like soft ground. other than that, they rock!