Hydrostatic use opinion question

[Jeffcall720]

Hi everyone. I'm a long time lurker, but new poster. I transitioned from having an L2500DT for the past 20 years, to a new LX3310HSDC this spring.... so I've never had a hydrostatic transmission before. When changing directions, I've always been used to coming to a full stop using the clutch, changing gears, and then going again. Now, this treadle pedal is new to me. With a hydrostatic, how long do I need to stop between forward and reverse, or do I need to stop at all? Can I just mash from one direction to the other, within reason, or do I need to pause? And does the answer change if I have the engine at PTO speed with a mower spun up, or if I'm using the loader? Thanks for any guidance you can provide!

 

[SDT]

Hi everyone. I'm a long time lurker, but new poster. I transitioned from having an L2500DT for the past 20 years, to a new LX3310HSDC this spring.... so I've never had a hydrostatic transmission before. When changing directions, I've always been used to coming to a full stop using the clutch, changing gears, and then going again. Now, this treadle pedal is new to me. With a hydrostatic, how long do I need to stop between forward and reverse, or do I need to stop at all? Can I just mash from one direction to the other, within reason, or do I need to pause? And does the answer change if I have the engine at PTO speed with a mower spun up, or if I'm using the loader? Thanks for any guidance you can provide!

No need to delay when reversing direction regardless of engine speed.

SDT

 

[Bmyers]

I will slow and then change directions. I don't come to a complete stop. I don't do high speed changes from forward to reverse. I don't change engine RPM.

 

[NCL4701]

Hi everyone. I'm a long time lurker, but new poster. I transitioned from having an L2500DT for the past 20 years, to a new LX3310HSDC this spring.... so I've never had a hydrostatic transmission before. When changing directions, I've always been used to coming to a full stop using the clutch, changing gears, and then going again. Now, this treadle pedal is new to me. With a hydrostatic, how long do I need to stop between forward and reverse, or do I need to stop at all? Can I just mash from one direction to the other, within reason, or do I need to pause? And does the answer change if I have the engine at PTO speed with a mower spun up, or if I'm using the loader? Thanks for any guidance you can provide!

Well, if you’ve ever driven a zero turn mower it’s kind of like that. If you haven’t, that probably wasn’t helpful.

Basically, there’s no clutch and no gears changing on a HST changing direction. What you’re doing is moving the swash plate far enough to reverse the direction of rotation of the hydraulic motor that’s driving the wheels.

So, if you slam it from full forward to full reverse that will stress everything in the drivetrain and you better have your seatbelt on to help you hang on to that bucking bull. Definitely not recommended.

When you first start driving it, bring it to a stop by easing up on the pedal, then ease it past neutral into traveling the other direction. No pause needed. Pretty quickly, I think you’ll find you’re reversing direction very quickly and smoothly without really thinking about it.

Engine RPM. Higher RPM will make it more responsive (or sensitive if you want to look at it that way) but doesn’t change anything above. Changing direction at WOT with the PTO running is not a problem.

 

[OrangeKrush]

I'm glad you asked this question because I've had concerns about that. My new BX sticks mainly in reverse so I'm getting use to hitting the brakes to stop it so I can go forward in case it could damage something. This is always at a crawling pace but still wondered about it.

 

[Nicfin36]

I find that when I am needing to go backwards and forwards, I am doing jobs moving slowly anyway, like loader work. So, when I let off the treadle pedal to press it for the other direction, the tractor has already stopped. I would never just stomp on the pedal going the other way while I was moving fast.

 

[Jeffcall720]

Thanks so much to everyone for the responses. Just didn't want to wear something out prematurely, or be missing an important aspect of driving properly with this transmission since I plan on having this tractor for a long time!