Hydros vs Manual

[userj8670 68]

Why do some people prefer hydros over stick shift ?  Im not very familiar with the hydros but i would think that the stick shifts could out pull a hydro any day?   Im just looking to get educated on the advantages and disadvantages of each

 

 

specifically talking about the c160s 

Edited October 28, 2013 by userj8670

[546cowboy 302]

Personally I have always been a fan of the hydro's for the simple fact when you have obstacles ( trees, bushes and such ) it's much easier to move a lever forward or back than to push a pedal in and select a gear without grinding one. Besides that speed control is much easier too. With a hydro you rarely use the brakes. I pushed snow with a 520H for several years on my 400 foot driveway and the neighbors too and never had any problems. That was without chains or weights, I really don't believe a manual trans has more pulling power than the hydro,

[squonk 43,843]

I can shave 45 min. off my mowing time with a hydro. Snow plowing is faster too.

[i967mustang 21]

If you pull with the tractor like I did with the old one at tractor pulls with a sled, yes the gear tractor has more pulling power. The hydro uses more engine power to run than the gears do, but that is the only place you would ever notice the difference. Hydro has it all over the gear tractor everywhere else. I really like not having to push the clutch then the brakes to stop the tractor before you can shift to any other gear. Like was mentioned above if you have things to mow around the hydro is much better than a gear because of shifting from forward to reverse and back again.

[mowerman1193 42]

If you ever put the big snowthrower on without a lift assist spring and no hydro lift..... your left arm will be a lot bigger by the end of winter.. unless you sit on the tractor backwards for half the winter, :laughing-rolling: :ROTF:

[Wheel Horse Kid 105]

We only have about a half acre place and have tons of trees and tight areas to mow around. I always used to use a manual to mow with, but just got tired of having to shift all the time. A hydro is much eaiser for me, since I don't have to shift at all anymore and I do save a little mowing time. Basically I have always heard that a hydro is best for snow blowing and mowing, and a maunal is best for tilling and snow plowing. I am sure some disagree, but this is just what I have always been told.

[dtallon 320]

Most of my experience is with gear drive tractors, but do/have owned a couple hystats (non-wheel horse, so far...) so I will throw my 2 cents in.

 

From a technical standpoint, a hydro is typically less efficient than a gear drive, so in an apples-to-apples comparison, the gear drive will put more power to the ground.  That said, alot of the time traction is the limiting factor on these tractors, not power, so you may not be able to tell the difference.  

 

From a practical standpoint, each has applications where they will work well.  I push mow around things first, so when I get on the riding mower I don't have to stop or slow down much.  The green tractor I primarily use for mowing is a manual with a variable speed control (sort of like a CVT) and I do use that control to fine tune ground speed in a few spots.  I have also used my Lawn Ranger with a plain 4-speed and it has worked just fine, although there are a few bumpy spots I go a little faster over on the Ranger than I would on the Deere, rather than stopping to shift gears.  I have also used a manual for plowing a garden/field and it works fine for that.  I have only used the 4 speed, but suspect an 8 speed would really be nice for plowing.  

 

I have a 40' driveway and used a manual one winter for plowing snow.  It was alot of shifting going forward and back, and lots of speed adjustment; needing more speed for pushing piles and less speed for more precise work.  Between the manual blade lift and manual shifting, it kept me busy, and I was concerned about wear and tear on the transmission.  Last winter I got a hystat with hydraulic lift and that was much more enjoyable for pushing snow.   If I had a longer driveway though, a manual might work just fine.  When my kids drive a tractor around the yard, they like the hystat better.  One lever to control speed and stop, instead of a foot pedal they can barely reach (not that I am ever too far away that I can't help).  

 

The biggest negatives I have found with hystats is when I am not actually using them.  Hystats are more complicated to work on that a manual.  Although it isn't exactly easy to rebuild a manual trans, it can be done.  Hystats have parts you can replace, but  most are not something you would want to or can rebuild.  Some hystats can be tricky (or impossible) to adjust so they don't creep, i.e. move when you don't want them to, especially as the tractors get older and the linkages get worn.  My biggest gripe about the hystats though, is they are hard to push/move.  It may seem silly, but like alot of us on here, I have as many tractors as my storage space will allow.  That means jockeying stuff around to get to the tractor or implement I want to use.  My gear drive tractors I can just put in neutral and push.  The hystat ones you have to drive, or release the system to push, in which case they still have a fair amount of rolling resistance. 

 

I think both types of transmissions have their place.  The best solution is to have one (or more) of each so you always have the right tractor for the job!

 

Dave

[leeave96 490]

IMHO - both are great and both are worth owning.

However....

Where I live, it is right hilly and hand regulated hydro's, where you set the speed via lever, will tend to slow down going up hill and speed up going down. So one hand is on the hydro lever most of the time. Another problem for the hydros with hydro lever speed control (for me) is when using a front blade or blower, need to regulate the hydro, steer and control the implement lift, etc. Only two hands and sometimes that ain't enough to go around. Not a problem (again for me) with a gear drive.

I've got some new lawn and garden tractors with foot control and I'd say (for me), they are superior to a gear drive. So easy to drive and keep both hands on the steering wheel.

Matt has designed a foot control kit for the Wheelhorse tractors with the Eaton 11 pump/tranny set-up. I've got two of these tractors and made the conversion. Without a doubt, it brings the old iron Wheelhorse into the present century and IMHO, Deere or CC bring nothing to the table in equivalent size that beats them with the addition of foot control.

So - hydro vs gear drive, my advice is love and own both!!!!

Thanks!
Bill

[JackC 617]

Pulling power is not an issue for me.  All of my hydros have all the pulling power I need.  I like the convenience of the older one stick hydros.  No stopping necessary to make changes, just move the stick.  All the newer subcompact tractors are all hydros, are they not?

[mowerman1193 42]

My Deere 140 H3 doesn't loose or gain speed on hills it pretty much stays steady speed no matter what unless of coarse I am loosing traction or something..That said a few years back I owned a C-145 Auto and that thing the first few times I mowed with it on the big bank I have...well lets just say I almost needed to change my underwear after the first time heading down that bank, lol.. But it does slow itself back to speed after a couple feet going ..it is just that initial down hill free wheel feeling for a few feet..same thing happen while going up hill..it would slow down some but normally would catch up speed.. Maybe it was just the drive belt running the pump or something..however I think I was told that was just how they work..

 

Kevin 

[userj8670 68]

very interesting to read everyones opinions - i have always had stick shift tractors but i think i might have to cave and buy a hydro sooner or later.  They sound very practical.  I personally dont mind shifting gears but thats because i have never had a hydro 

[varosd 1,185]

after using my Dad's B-80 8-speed for all these years, I picked up a 88 520-H and love it!

[boovuc 1,090]

I'll throw this in quick: for ground implement attachments and in particular, the rear tiller, a manual 8 speed is the best way to go and is recommended. (Prevents the tiller from "pushing" the tractor using low range gears). Garden plows also are better pulled by manual trannies. Both transmissions have their pros and cons.

[Tankman 3,523]

Owned many WH's over the years all gear driven.

 

Then I picked my my '73 "No Name", 12 hp Automatic. I love it!

 

'Cause nowadays I only mow or pull a trailer, I use my '90 520-8 most of the time. Guess I like the sound and wider front axle. Who knows?

 

I do tend to believe the gear drives are indestructible.

[Fordiesel69 271]

I like operating the sundstand hydros better than an 8 speed, but feel more comfortable from a durability standpoint in owning an 8 speed. 

 

With a manual, you change the fluid whenever it gets water in it, and never look back.  On a hydro you have to keep it fresh, + new filter, be careful not to overheat in the 95 degree days, let it warm up in the winter to prevent damage, etc...

 

We bought a new holland boomer 30 diesel, and spend over a month try to decide which is better.  Korean tractors are a 10 yr support product, plain and simple.  Historically manual gears are more durable so we picked it.  Operating it sucks.

 

On a side note, im sure with as OCD as I am with maint, my hydros will last equally as long as an 8 speed.  But when buying used, where you have no clue how it was treated, 8 speed for sure.