GST forward and reverse

[p t farmer]

Is it nessasary to use the clutch going from forward to reverse and vice versa?
I don't need to clutch to change gear speed.
If clutching is not needed, I assume you would need to be stopped first.
I have always clutched, and will sometimes do so just prior to stopping to save time. I will use the brake at the same time. This gets a little tricky on a hill.
Thought I'd ask here before grinding some gears.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

On your model, No you don't need to be stopped and no you don't need to use the clutch.

When you use the shuttle lever, it disengages a hydraulic clutch and will not reengage the clutch till the gears are in place, and it reengages it at the proper rate to keep it from doing damage to you and the tractor.

I have an older GST and it surprises me how well it works, and it a lot faster than the manual disengage clutch, shuttle, reengage clutch method.

I only use the manual clutch when working in tight quarters or hooking up Implements.

Also you will not do any damage to the hydraulic clutch, they are designed and built too take it, but you are doing a lot of wear on the manual clutch disk and assembly using it.

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Wolfman, I've got the Hydro-Shuttle tranny on an M5140, would it behoove me to use the shuttle lever instead of the clutch to lessen wear? I do that a lot of the time except when I need to feather in tight spots.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Wolfman, I've got the Hydro-Shuttle tranny on an M5140, would it behoove me to use the shuttle lever instead of the clutch to lessen wear? I do that a lot of the time except when I need to feather in tight spots.

Ok you ready for this, you don't have a mechanical clutch, transmission is connected to the motor via a flex plate!
Both the shuttle shift and the clutch pedal both control the same hydraulic clutch pack.
So in your case you can use either the clutch pedal or the shuttle without any damage or excessive wear.

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Ok you ready for this, you don't have a mechanical clutch, transmission is connected to the motor via a flex plate!
Both the shuttle shift and the clutch pedal both control the same hydraulic clutch pack.
So in your case you can use either the clutch pedal or the shuttle without any damage or excessive wear.

Hmmmm.....interesting. The clutch pedal is the easiest to press of any tractor I've owned. Kubota specs say it has multiple wet discs of organic material. So is the clutch pedal engaging the clutch pack mechanically while the shuttle lever controlling by electrical means? It's easier to feather with the pedal. Using the shuttle it's either in or it's out.

 

[Bulldog]

If you're in a tight spot or hooking implements use the clutch pedal. Aside from that I say it's up to your personal preference or depends on the surroundings or situation whether you use the shuttle or the clutch. Either will work so use what's comfortable for you at that time.

Most of the ones I have used have a adjustment knob that controls the engagement speed of the shuttle. It could be set so it reacted as soon as you shifted or it could be slowed down so you could shift and it had a slight pause before it moved. Not sure if yours has this or not.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hmmmm.....interesting. The clutch pedal is the easiest to press of any tractor I've owned. Kubota specs say it has multiple wet discs of organic material. So is the clutch pedal engaging the clutch pack mechanically while the shuttle lever controlling by electrical means? It's easier to feather with the pedal. Using the shuttle it's either in or it's out.

The reason the clutch is so easy, is it's just moving a variable hydraulic valve, unlike a mechanical clutch that has to physically move the fingers on the pressure plate.

Shuttle is also mechanical/hydraulic, its just on a faster engaging valve than the pedal valve for the clutch.