Thanks for the great explanations Mike! I'm looking at cashing in my Hydro for a power shuttle with a little more power, I do a fair amount of loader work, but not a majority. It was hard finding the differences between all of these! Thanks again. Kapper
Thank you for the informative video. Even though I am not a farmer and do not own any tractor, I've been learning more about agriculture and this video just gave me a lot more understanding of how the different transmissions differ
Actually the folks at New Holland tell us they're cheaper to manufacture than hydrostats. Their problem is lugging. Early designs struggled when trying to push into a compacted dirt pile and scoop up a full bucket without lugging down. They're still trying to get all of the bugs out of them. They're in the large farm tractors and the owners seem to love them. Thanks for the comment!
That’s a great runs down Mike and has helped me out a lot in that I am new to tractors. Now to look to your collection of videos and see if you have done a more in depth description of what leaver does what on the typical two stick transmission tractors
Hey Mike, great video! It's surprisingly difficult to get good information about how these different transmissions operate. One question: do you know if Kubota's "synchro shuttle" (like on the L3301 / L3901) works the same way as the power shuttle you mentioned?
Thank you so much for sharing this valuable knowledge. I am so much better off now that I saw your Video. I finally learned what Shuttle shift and Shuttle power shift are. The fact that you don't have too use the clutch to go from forward to reverse is a big deal in power shuttle. It's also a good choice if it costs substantially less than the hydro tractors. Thanks a million
I have a JD 790 tractor (2002) model and it has High and Low range with 4 wheel drive. The transmission has 5 speeds forward with 1 speed reverse in either range. I don't know what type of transmission is in it and really never thought about it. I see that the newer models don't require the clutching like I have to do with mine. My tractor don't get used that much and used mostly with the bush hog attached. Thanks for explaining the types of transmissions used in tractors.
Great video, thank-you. I purchase a Kubota M6800 shuttle thinking it was a power shuttle. I'm a little disappointed but not a big deal I do enjoy clutching feels like I'm part of the process. Thanks again,
I still drive the John Deere 2855 N at work (the old John Deere in the video), i use it to mow orchards, lots of reversing to turn around in vary tight spaces
The newer transmissions are great until they break. Stick w/ the older equipment, they last for a long, long, time. Also, they don't have any computers that will fail.
Mike, I recently purchased a Mahindra 4550 with manual transmission and wanted to get your take on whether or not it would be a good idea to use a transmission additive such as Lucas to keep things slicked up a bit to prevent wear and tear in the future? Thanks a lot!
Hello Mike. I own an old JD 300 TLB. The shift tag you first showed ,is like mine except mine has a park above the II . Do you know what models have the same parts has my old girl. Thank you in advance for any help in this matter.
Hey Mike......you may not recall what my situation is so briefly, I am in NH....we have 123 acres, mostly woods but about 5 acres open. The majority of what I will be doing is with a back hoe and loader.....but the loader stuff I don't expect will be 'a lot'....the rest of what I expect for use, will be pulling stumps, and dragging log wood to the 'farm' area for processing, as fire wood or, cut for lumber. I'm not really sure, given that, which would be the best transmission for my application. My thought was the 8&2 or 9&2 but I wanted your thoughts. I understand service and repair is pretty much equal.
+Keith Rayeski If you're pulling a lot of weight and not using a loader too much you'd probably be better with a gear drive transmission. Then, you have to decide if you want a shuttle or not. I'm seeing fewer and fewer of the 8 X 2 and 9 X 3 "crashbox" transmissions being offered anymore, many of the new tractors have shuttles and I like a shuttle. I'd start going to dealer's lots and test driving the different tractors too see what you're most comfortable with, transmission-wise. My initial thought is you probably want a clutch shuttle but after driving several options you may decide otherwise.
Hello, we have a Long 4/25 gas tractor .Do you know where we may find parts for this tractor such as hydraulic pump? It seems to be much like a nuffeild or a Leyland.
A Deere 5105/5205 have 9 spd with synchronized 1st and Reverse. Yes you have to clutch but you get the best of both worlds at a reasonable price. Deere does this on several models. Some of the older Deere Dubuque tractors had a hydraulic reverser that gave you both directions in each gear and has been around since the late 50s. Hydrostatic transmissions are fine but soak horsepower and generate heat, not my choice for hours of loader work or field work. CVTs are the best at both without the heat and horsepower waste but expensive. The other 2 criteria I think of is repair and resale value.
Thanks Tractor Mike! Does Mike have any videos about fixing common tractor transmission problems? I have a Crash Box transmission where I often have trouble putting it into some of the gears. I'm thinking there's an issue with the synchronizer.
On the john deere 8-2 transmission, which lever can you shift on the move? Can you shift from I to II on the go or do you shift the lever on the right with all the numbers? I know this video was released a long time ago, i hope you see this!
Adam, I'm guessing a little bit here because that was a LONG time ago. I think I was still in college then :). I'd bet a lot of money you can't shift the I to II on the go because that's the range shift and generally they're not synchronized. The only exceptions are the tractor makers who try to combine the range and shuttle and synchronize one range gear and the reverse so it's sorta like a shuttle, you can shift from forward to reverse on the go but the speeds generally aren't matched. Deere's done that but I don't think they were on tractors of this vintage. I honestly don't know if the gears are synchronized, it could go either way. On some tractors 3rd and 4th will be synchronized so you can shift from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 and 4 back to 3 without grinding. My Deere experience is not as great as it should be, maybe a green viewer will see your question and answer. I'll try to remember to do some research on this and comment later.
fantastic and straighforward video, still trying to decide is my 40hp I am getting with a loader is going to be shuttle or hydro (more money). I heard your thought regarding a loader, but do you think the price point will be worth it if I am putting a small 3point backhoe on it? ?
Be careful putting a three point backhoe on a 40 hp tractor. All that weight out to the back can have a real detrimental effect on the frame of the tractor (in other words, break it in two, usually around the transmission housing). A better option on any compact is to have some kind of subframe kit that transmits the load to the entire frame of the tractor. The three point option is cheaper, but dangerous.
Our tractor at work has 3 ranges and 4 speeds each and is a power shuttle as well. I've always pushed in the clutch when changing the direction and always come to a complete stop before changing direction. I work on a golf course so really there is no reason to flip between directions so fast
First off, your videos are very informative and I greatly appreciate your site. Question: I've rented a mid-40hp hydrostat multiple times over the last several years for brush hogging and light loader work. It has done everything I have asked of it. I'm to the point now of purchasing. My rental company will not rent their HST with a disc plow. Since I plan on discing a 5 acre pasture twice a year, should I opt for a shuttle tranny, or will the HST suffice? I don't want to buy an HST and ruin it by discing. Thoughts?
+Ran - Man That's a tough one. You'd really prefer the hydro, right? You would probably be O.K. with the hydro and a disc if you keep the transmission in the low range in 4wd and kept the pedal to the floor, or close to it, which means you're pumping a high volume of oil. The way you ruin a hydro is to keep it in a higher gear range and don't keep the oil flowing through it by running slow. In a lower gear you're pushing more oil through the system so it stays cool. The rental company is worried (rightfully so) about sending tractors out and having novice operators run slow in high range and burning everything up. A gear drive is definitely safer for tillage, but you're accustomed to a hydro, it would be hard to go to a gear, especially if you do a lot of loader work. I hear you say discing versus plowing, if you're not breaking up virgin ground with a plow, but just running a disc across the top to make a seedbed, that's a lot easier on everything. No guarantees here, because soil conditions may put more pressure on the tranny where you are than here, but if it were me I'd go with a hydro. The other thing you might look at is a power shuttle, it's not as convenient as the hydro but it's the next best thing. Good luck!
+Mike Wiles (Ask Tractor Mike) Thank you, Mike for the insights (and quick response). The hydro certainly is convenient. I've never driven a power shuttle, but I have some experience on a gear tractor and am not opposed to them. If a power shuttle would save me money on the purchase as well as long-term in maintenance, I would definitely consider it. I mostly will run a rotary cutter and a box blade, but light loader work will be needed occasionally. I will take your advice and talk to my dealer's service department and take a test drive of a power shuttle tranny before laying out the cash. Your channel is great - thank you for putting this together for us newbies. You're providing a valuable resource.
Ran - Man You might post what your final decision is so other people get a little insight. I've gotten so used to the hydro for loader work it would be tough for me now to get away from it. Plus, my wife will run the hydro tractor but she won't a gear drive. That probably influenced my answer a little. I'm really curious where you end up. Good luck!
Hey Mike, I went with the JD 4044M with their PowrReverser tranny. Since it was just delivered, I have no time in the seat other than to drive it around briefly. My reasoning was I am used to gear drives, my loader work is quite less than mowing and blading, and I saved $1k. Once I get a chance to work the tractor, I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the educational videos!
Are the CVTs out with enough market exposure to do a video update, Mike? From what I've found so far: Case IH/ Farmall has been running a couple in their line up and one of the New Holland Boomer options has it available. JD has introduced it even on their lawn and garden line (at least 1 tractor). Thoughts?
***** You are absolutely right. Case and NH had it in their compact cab tractors briefly and I hate to say this because I worked at a New Holland dealership that sold them, but I wasn't a big fan. They seemed to hold up O.K., but the controls were a little confusing and several of us that had been around tractors a long time had trouble making them do what we wanted. One of my co-workers said it was the closest he'd ever come to running a tractor into a building when he moved one around to display it. The other thing I didn't like, you could do MAJOR damage by moving the tractor around without it running. So, if it died in the field and you towed it to the house not knowing this, you could be looking at a serious repair bill and that scared me. I think we'll eventually see them in a lot of applications because it just makes sense, it's still a little early for me to recommend them.
Tractor Mike what about a comparison between 2 identical tractors, one with Hydrostat, and one Gear. Which one has the better pulling stats? If you are tilling, pulling a disc, etc. I would think the gear will outperform the Hydrostat.
@@WestBendNews I am not surprised. I live in a farming community, and no farmer has hydros. Too expensive to buy and repair and no power . All farmers here in Louisiana use gear tractors (mechanical or electronic). Hydros are good for lawn mowers.
Out in my area lots of us run hydros because we live in steep terrain. We’re seldom ever in high gear though, except moving from field to field. Things vary depending on local conditions. FWIW we haven’t seen excessive maintenance costs with our equipment.
Mike you are a legend! Open library in tractors! I prefer hst as clutching all the time in areas like fields with trees always easier stop and go forward or reverse with hydro,even in my area they do not know at all for hydrostatic transmission in tractors.everybody use gear transmission:) But tell me something: If you have two same tractors in power -frame even brand,one with hydro and another same with gear transmission and climb to a hill upward perhaps the hydro will stop? And gear tractor will continue till clutch die?or this is a myth? I never done it to see but i know when a hydro is pushing too hard just stops. Perhaps plowing hard soil make hst stops also but my small experience showed me that hst do same work in plow even plowing heavy clay soil if you put in slow range and 4 wheels drive option , same job as a gear tractors. Keep good educating people with your knowledge you have! Best regards from Greece
+KOSTAS2231 My wife found your comment about me being "a legend" very humorous! She doesn't quite see me as having arrived there yet, but thanks for the nice compliment. I've never actually done it but I think you've nailed what would happen in the hydro versus gear test. The hydro transmission would stall out and the tractor would stop when climbing a mountain and the gear tractor is going to "gut it out" and keep going until the engine dies (not likely), or something breaks, or it gets to the peak. I'm like you, I love a hydro, because I have a lot of obstructions to mow around and they're extremely handy for that. I can't believe I have a viewer in Greece. I would LOVE to visit your country someday. The Internet is amazing in how it brings folks from great distances, with similar passions, together. Thanks for watching!
+Mike Wiles (Ask Tractor Mike) you are welcome anytime to Greece!email me and i will guide you with pleasure! I saw now your very good website , again congratulations ! Thank you for your time.
I recently attempted to make a few holes with my auger and tractor. I noticed that the tractor does not provide downward force into the ground to help with auger work. Is this normal is it gravity that helps with the digging? Help!
Yes. Unless there's a cylinder on the auger frame for downward pressure gravity does the digging. And, usually, if it doesn't dig, the point on the tip of the auger is dull and needs replaced. Usually they sink right in the ground, even in the rocky conditions we have here in the Ozarks.
TheNomadluap I'm sorry about that. It's an issue between the format with camera I use and iMovie and I've found a fix that I need to install for future videos but I don't think I can go back and change the early ones. I'm really sorry about that.
do you mean the ctv as in Polaris bikes and Daf trucks . I was driving a Daf truck in the 80s that had a ctv transmission was grate on the flat but on hills was only governed buy the speed (r.p.m ) on the motor you had to rev it to nilly red line to go up a 10% grade needs work on tractors to keep power to the ground. Australian
Probably, I think they all work similarly but I've not been around too many. They're been out for a while in larger tractors, in fact my neighbor has one, but I've not had much experience with any of them and they're still fairly rare.
I must reveal my ignorance. My dad passed away last year. He has a Case JX 60 tractor. I cannot figure out how to check the transmission. Can you please help?
Sorry it took me so long to answer, I had to reach out to an old friend/Case expert. He says it's above and to the right of the PTO. You may have to use a wrench to get into it, it's the same place you add hydraulic oil. The transmission and hydraulic oil should all flow together on that tractor if I'm reading his answer right.
I got a second opinion on this question from a different source and it's at the bottom. They both seem to agree its not going to look like a dipstick, but more a bolt head, but the stick is mounted on that. If you have more trouble finding it e-mail me at mike@asktractormike.com and I'll see if I can dig up an owner's manual on it. The dip stick is on the top of the transmission just below the seat. It looks like a bolt head, 17mm fits it and the dip stick is there.
Thanks. I found it. It is a bolt with the dipstick attached and there is small gasket. It is on the right side of the transmission and there is no bolt in the same place on the left side. Thanks again.
1:20 Eight/2 is not bullet proof, I've got the top off one now trying to figure out why it's stuck in first gear. Even with the fork part assembly out, I can't move the forks... and I'm wondering why... is this some sort of puzzle box mechanism? Is there a clutch input at this point that keeps them locked in place unless the clutch is down? choppergirl.air-war.org
