I have an L2501 DT. I find myself really only using low range for everything. It has been working just fine this way, but after watching some videos of folks using their gear drive tractors of similar size and power, I find myself wondering if I am selling myself short by never using high range while working. It would be really nice for loader work while I’m shuttling longer distances with fill dirt. Do any of you folks have a similar tractor and any insights? Thanks folks.
High range question
- Thread starter Luckyman84
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85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
I understand EXACTLY what you are saying!!! Now I have a BX .... different but similar - I do not have any flat areas around my land so Low gear is what I stay in.
I have taken my BX to other places to move large piles of dirt or gravel and I find that H gear is wonderful when you have a large flat area to move across.
It really matters WHAT you are carrying and how fast you need to move the load.
High range has a unique privilege - speed! You are low on torque but distance is covered quicker.
I would suggest the next time you are moving materials in your FEL - go into the pile in LOW and then shift to M or H and move - be careful, that extra speed can really move the center of gravity of the machine so quickly that you cannot recover.
I have taken my BX to other places to move large piles of dirt or gravel and I find that H gear is wonderful when you have a large flat area to move across.
It really matters WHAT you are carrying and how fast you need to move the load.
High range has a unique privilege - speed! You are low on torque but distance is covered quicker.
I would suggest the next time you are moving materials in your FEL - go into the pile in LOW and then shift to M or H and move - be careful, that extra speed can really move the center of gravity of the machine so quickly that you cannot recover.
I spend most of the time with my L2501 in the medium range. That's the range I use for mowing. I only use the low range if I want to go REALLY slow. My high range sees very little use.
I only use high gear on geared tractors for road use. My M59 lets me use HST with high gear more but where I need more grunt its low or mid.
Thanks for the feedback. I think it's a slightly different animal with a geared 2501 as it's the only transmission like it in the lineup, with 8 forward and only 4 reverse. Like I said, it's not a huge deal, she still gets the job done.
L is for loader, M is for mowing, H is for highway....painting with a broad brush.
My tractor is nearly identical, so here is my experience (my property is completely flat basically, so that plays a factor).
General driving around the property with or without a load is typically in 5th or 6th gear (some loads will require low though). My ground gets a little too rough to run in 7th gear. Ive only ran it on the road in 8th gear once and that was for about 10 minutes. Also when using the loader to say go into a dirt/gravel/mulch pile I will run into it in high gear and push clutch in once it hits the pile. If needed I will then shift to low and continue in to fill the bucket.
For mowing it all depends, I use anywhere from 3rd-6th gear depending on conditions.
Pulling disk harrow is generally done in 4th-6th gear, again depending on conditions.
Running the tiller, 1st gear.
Box blade work, 2nd-3rd gear.
I will also note that I hardly ever run the tractor at PTO speed (except mowing and tilling obviously). For uses besides that I typically run between 1500-1800 rpm, match the gear to the task that keeps it in that range.
My biggest annoyance with the ranges though is the low/high and reverse range ratios. I wish they would have matched the reverse ratio to either the high or low range ratio. Reverse seems to be a medium range and at times when doing a lot of forward to reverse changes it gets annoying. And yes I realize a gear drive is not ideal for this work, but I had no choice in transmission type when I got my tractor
Next one will be a HST tractor (but the 3200 will stick around too 
)
Only advise I can give to you questioning if you should use high range or not is to just ride around without a load or doing anywork and see if you feel comfortable with it.
General driving around the property with or without a load is typically in 5th or 6th gear (some loads will require low though). My ground gets a little too rough to run in 7th gear. Ive only ran it on the road in 8th gear once and that was for about 10 minutes. Also when using the loader to say go into a dirt/gravel/mulch pile I will run into it in high gear and push clutch in once it hits the pile. If needed I will then shift to low and continue in to fill the bucket.
For mowing it all depends, I use anywhere from 3rd-6th gear depending on conditions.
Pulling disk harrow is generally done in 4th-6th gear, again depending on conditions.
Running the tiller, 1st gear.
Box blade work, 2nd-3rd gear.
I will also note that I hardly ever run the tractor at PTO speed (except mowing and tilling obviously). For uses besides that I typically run between 1500-1800 rpm, match the gear to the task that keeps it in that range.
My biggest annoyance with the ranges though is the low/high and reverse range ratios. I wish they would have matched the reverse ratio to either the high or low range ratio. Reverse seems to be a medium range and at times when doing a lot of forward to reverse changes it gets annoying. And yes I realize a gear drive is not ideal for this work, but I had no choice in transmission type when I got my tractor
Next one will be a HST tractor (but the 3200 will stick around too )Only advise I can give to you questioning if you should use high range or not is to just ride around without a load or doing anywork and see if you feel comfortable with it.
That's really good feedback. Thank you. Just today I dressed my 1000 foot gravel driveway with my box blade and used High range 1st as opposed to Low range 4th. It did just dandy. To echo your comments on reverse though, I did notice that it made it very annoying when turning around at the end. Being in 1st gear High is great until you shuttle into Reverse 1st. Kind of a bummer. But hey, how can I complain about a little extra seat time.
D
Deleted member 47704
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If you put chains on, be careful the first time you put it in high range. Chains can balloon and hit fenders.
I don’t think Lucky or I have to worry about chains in Virginia or Louisiana 
but good advise for others in different parts of the country/world reading.
but good advise for others in different parts of the country/world reading.
D
Deleted member 47704
Guest
True enough, but a lot of guys use chains in the woods for pulling logs.They are not just for snow/ice.I don’t think Lucky or I have to worry about chains in Virginia or Louisiana
