Pros and Cons of Manual vs Hydrostatic

[fishin coyote]

I grew up using nothing but manual shift tractors on the farm as a kid. 40+ years later I’m looking to get a compact in the 30hp range for my little slice of land. So I’m looking for opinions on transmissions. Seeing as it will mostly be used for small projects and loader work is one better than the other.

 

[jsasker007]

The hydrostatic is easier to be smooth with when you need to. I like both but the hydro is a bit easier.

 

[SwampCat]

Hydro way easier with loader work.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

I also grew up on a farm. Best for me is a geared tractor/manual with a reverser for loader work.
If you want 30HP out of a hydro, then you should buy a 40+HP hydro IMO. The only way I will ever run a hydro is if I cannot physically manage a clutch.

 

[rocksnstumps]

If you want to work your loader like a skid steer, agree hydro would be better with lots of backing up and maneuvering for stuff like dirt work.

If loader work is more for lifting heavy stuff and going from point A to point B a few times the manual with power reverser is fine. Like loading some logs on to a trailer or just pushing fallen trees off a trail.

My tractor has power reverser, would not want to give that up and have just manual only. Probably 2/3 of tractor work is brush hog use for me.

Going to hydro does rob a few horsepower and takes more $$ from your wallet.

My compact tractor with power reverser is good enough for me. My lawnmower tractor HAS to have hydro. Too much maneuvering in mowing around stuff. Was given a geared tractor to mow lawn. A freebie. After a year sold that sucker cheap and spent a few thousand to get hydro.

 

[bigboreblr]

Ive owned 3 kubotas, 2 hydros and a manual trans L175. Hydro will be just fine. Technology has been around for many years. Id wager a huess and say it would be hard to find a manual trans small tractor new.

Prescion work with a loader, its the way to go. Hairy situations on hillsides, much rather have the extra control of a hydrostatic.

Even with attachments I think hydro is better. Especially if your underpowered, speed is inifinite more or less. I had a steep hill with a rar snowblower on a L3200. Manual trans would of stalled out. When I was running out of pto power I could slow down some. Be real tough to do on a manual.

30hp is not alot of power for an L series. 40 is better. Those little tiny kubota BX surprise me every time I use one if you need a fooling around machine. Could easily do a few acres of foodplots. OFcourse your limited with attachments.

Flat ground my L3200 would of been ok for mowing, spring harrows, york rakes, maybe going slow with a 2 bottom plow or rototiller.

Personally, Ill probably buy a basic BX kubota some point down the road. However, it may not be a popular opinion on here.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

My L3000 handles a rototiller no problem. You HAVE to go slow with a tiller if you want it to work. I also brush-hogged over 100 acres with it last year. Another contractor in town sold his bigger hydro because he didn't have enough power to brush-hog up hill.
I can find the right gear for any job with a manual transmission. I guess everyone's experiences are different. The only benefit I see for a hydro is it is "easier". It's also cheaper to replace a clutch than a pump.

 

[Swampwalker]

I switched from a regular geared to a hydro tractor a couple of years ago and for the type of things I use it for I’ll take the hydro any day. For me it’s way nicer when doing loader work or when using the forks or grapple on the loader. The hydro just makes things easier and thus more enjoyable.
With that said, my geared tractors did not have a synchronized transmission or power reverser so the change to the convenience of the hydro was all the nicer.

 

[somich]

I have a Kubota L35 TLB pre 2000 model and I really love the glide shift system. I can pick a gear and just slide a gear higher lower if I want, or just let her cruise at the steady speed, no need for cruise control.

 

[bigboreblr]

You could just save money use your bare hands and be out of work for 2 months cause you almost ripped your arm off.

Being behind a 20hp walk behind rototiller is fun too.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

You could just save money use your bare hands and be out of work for 2 months cause you almost ripped your arm off.

Being behind a 20hp walk behind rototiller is fun too.

???

 

[tooln]

I grew up on a farm. If your looking to plow or disk more than 40 acres manual. If you plan in any loader work hydro is your best bet. Working in plots or trails/woods that are rough you will have more control with hydro, other wise you be riding the clutch.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

I grew up on a farm. If your looking to plow or disk more than 40 acres manual. If you plan in any loader work hydro is your best bet. Working in plots or trails/woods that are rough you will have more control with hydro, other wise you be riding the clutch.

I also grew up on a farm. I've spent thousands of hours on a tractor and never found a need for hydro. You can get a geared tractor with a reverser or synchro without going full hydro. I've never understood the attraction of hydro. It's perfect for lawn mowers.

 

[Foggy47]

I have used 3 tractors on my deer property.....all in the 30 to 40 gross HP range. I started with a gear driven tractor and it worked fine for many things....but it is hard to do precision loader work with a gear shift....same is true for forks and even with a mower when it starts to load up. But the biggest reason I switched to a Hydrostatic transmission was for positioning my stump grinder. Doing that with a gear shift tractor is a major PITA. With a hydro transmission it's a piece of cake. Same for hooking up implements....hydro = easy / peasy.

With a decent hydro tranny it's far easier to operate near max load on the engine and provide more or less ground speed as the need dictates. No going back to gear shift for me.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

I don't know why everyone thinks you need hydro to do bucket work. A reverser does the same thing with a geared tractor.
Agree with you on the stump grinder, but that's a very particular usage for a tractor.
If I can't find one of 8 gears to match PTO and ground speed, then something's wrong.

 

[Tree Spud]

Haven't seen a convincing reason why manual has any benefit over hydro unless you are doing larger commercial acreage. Sure some like as that is what they are used to.

I couldn't imagine doing the work I do with my tractor and having to mess with a manual gear shift. For me, Hydro makes moving & positioning so much easier.

 

[buckdeer1]

My JD has hydro and it doesn't shift all the time.Wish I would have went with a Massy or kubota with a cab

 

[Stubborn1VT]

Haven't seen a convincing reason why manual has any benefit over hydro unless you are doing larger commercial acreage. Sure some like as that is what they are used to.

I couldn't imagine doing the work I do with my tractor and having to mess with a manual gear shift. For me, Hydro makes moving & positioning so much easier.

Less expensive, simpler, easier/cheaper to work on, and more available HP. A geared tractor with a reverser would do the same loader work with ease.

 

[rocksnstumps]

^^^^ You are pissn in the wind trying to bridge the chasm of those with fat checkbooks from those who need to stretch their dollars when it comes to convenience features. Would be like asking if they would order a base model pick up at this point in their life.

For the record I have a 20 yr old base model pick up but with cruise and air conditioning to haul my stuff around. Only pay for the upgrades I really value and choose reliability over glitz. So yah, I have crank windows. I also lived below my means many years and retired early.

Different strokes for different folks.

Wish the OP would list his anticipated use in more details and side banter goes away. Maybe the best solution is tractor with hydro and cruise control for his situation. I would do the same if makes sense as I'm frugal not a cheapa$$

 

[bigboreblr]

One dealer wanted to charge me and extra $2000 for AG tires because he had an R4 model at his store already. IF the deal is right, I wouldn't shy away from either type of tractor. On my old property, it was on a side of mountain. The slow control of hydro felt more comfortable. I drove both L3200 and L175 over there.

My brother in law has tons of tractors. He buys the biggest case tractors often for tillage and to jockey alongside the combines unloading grain while moving. He seems to buy a L series kubota every 2 or 3 years for the dairy part of the farm. Likely buys another one or two for the CT and finger lakes farm he manages too. All of them hydros, some with tons of hours. Think he sells them around 4-5k hours which doesn't take long. No problems other than flat tires, and damage, like poking something in the radiator, breaking a light. He has bought a B series or two over the years. These tractors are for cleaning the barn, moving feed, fixing fences, road repairs. He also has a few big front loaders for the feed, ones like quarrys or highway departments use. Thehydros in the kubota side by sides are very reliable too. Only downside they get stuck easily. Not much suspension travel or mean tires on them.