Go BottomL3130 FST versus HST
 | alusnamx
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2 upstate New York 
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2004-06-26 89381
I am looking at getting the L3130 with a loader/ backhoe/bush hog and am not sure if I should go for the HST or FST. I've got 90 acres and will be using it primarily to recontour some of the property, move small trees, and clear the brush from 30 overgrown acres. Recommendations?
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 | blizzard
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 282 Central Maine
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2004-06-26 89387
Be sure to take test drives at your local dealer. In my personal opinion HST is the only way to go. ....
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York 
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2004-06-26 89389
See if they have a GST for you to test drive while there visiting the dealer. Both the FST as well as the GST will give you a clutch petal for inching control verses the hydro which eliminates that need. The gear types have potential advantages for you while mowing or heavy pulling. ....
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| alusnamx
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2 upstate New York
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2004-06-26 89392
Thanks for the feedback. The dealer has the FST and thinks he is getting one with HST in. He says the GST doesn't sell around here. My B2100 is hydraulic, so was thinking it might be easier to stick with that. ....
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 | WPHill
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 57 Florida
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2004-06-27 89418
Once you test drive the HST it will sell itself. I just bought one. I looked at the GST, but once I test drove the HST it was all history. In my opinion there is no comparison. I run the loader, bush hog, box blade, rake. It performs like a champ. ....
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 | grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct 
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2004-06-28 89481
I debated between the two also before purchasing. I opted for the gst. I didnt like the heel on the hydro pedal personally. My dealer told me the same thing about how they dont sell around here. I made him locate one which he did. He got it out of tri city out of New Jersey. Dont let the dealer make your dessions, Try them all.
I found I have better accuracy & more control when inching up to something with the gst. Good luck! Which ever you choose, you'll love the machine. ....
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 | jarndt
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 351 Northern Virginia
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2004-06-28 89483
I am very familiar with both FST and HST tractors, but not so much with the GST. Never driven one. The kubota website says it is "clutchless". Is it a hydraulic clutch then? How does it work from the operator's perspective? Just a curious question. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2004-06-28 89491
the GST is a wet clutch system much like the larger farm tractors. It does allow for forward and reverse operation with out the clutch as well as gear changes. Although some one made mention of better inching qualities of this transmission over a hydro I've never seen a clutch petal operate better then the exact speed required like a hydro. I would assume it was only through poor instructions of proper operation that that would be the case as a hydro is the most accurate other then maybe a torque converter style which is not used in this industry. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-06-28 89556
Just curious.....for those of you with hst models...do you use your heel to back up or the front of your foot? ....
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| cerberus
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 38 Westsunbury Pa
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2004-06-28 89557
I had to think about that for a bit :) But I use my heel now that you asked . John ....
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 | AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin 
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2004-06-28 89561
I like to hook my toe under the petal and lift it like a motorcycle shifter. For extended reversing i use my heel though. BTW My tractor is a BX2230 with the "Banana" HST petal. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-06-28 89566
Very interesting reply's so far! ....
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| TheWDCTexan
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 18 Davidsonville, MD
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2004-07-13 90774
Because I turn around to back and am only 5'6", I am more comfortable with the toe. The 3130HST is powerful enough to remove most things in its path - so I really look first. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-13 90788
How does your height participate in the way you use your foot pedal? Just curious... ....
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| jarndt
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 351 Northern Virginia
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2004-07-14 90842
The HST is addictive, and yes, even smaller units are capable of removing things in their path. I put one of the lower arms of the 3-point right through the side of the man-hole riser for my septic tank. Oops! I got carried away while manuvering back and forth around obstacles. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-14 90889
Ouch! ....
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| excel25
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4 inman SC
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2004-07-14 90913
I've got a 3010 HST and use my heal.would not want to shift!! ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-14 90920
would not want to shift what? are you reffering to the FST? ....
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| RobbieF
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 9 North Carolina
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2004-07-15 91012
I have a 3430 HST and I actually wish I had gotten the FST or GST. When I purchased my tractor the dealer brought a GST for me to try. I loved it. My land has a lot of steep hills and the GST handled these slopes with ease. I assumed the HST would as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my tractor and it works very well but if I had it to do over I would go with a gear tractor. The HST is extremely easy to operate but when it comes to pulling / climbing the gear tractors have it covered. If your land has many slopes I would at least consider the GST or FST. What ever you decide I'm sure you'll be pleased. It's really a matter of personal preference. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-15 91022
Robbie - I agree. I demoed an Hst first. The dealer let me use it for a week. I found it to be less agressive on the hills. I had to waite an extra 2 weeks to get the GST, but I am glad I did. I hardley even use my feet at all. I use the column shuttle shift lever to do all my forward & reverse moves & it has impressed me on some serious inclines. ....
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| jarndt
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 351 Northern Virginia
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2004-07-16 91050
I suspect the HST "appears" weaker than the GST or FST because it is designed to go into bypass mode before the engine really starts to lug down, whereas with a gear model, the operator is free to push the machine until it stalls out. Been there. Done that. ....
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| reaton
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2 G'ville, Florida
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2004-07-16 91132
I'm also researching the L3130. I've tested all 3 transmissions. But my experience with other equipment leads me to believe that for heavy loader work, the FST or GST would be a better choice than the HST. You're gonna want that foot throttle. For a lot of box blade or mower work the HST or GST would be best. ....
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2004-07-16 91135
I know this started as a kubota thread, but since reaton mentioned other equipment I would have to say that not all HSTs are equal. A JD EHydro with LoadMatch is ideally suited to loader work IMHO. LoadMatch modulates the transmission to match the load and keep the engine in it's peak torque curve while preventing any possibility of stalling when driving into a big pile of material. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2004-07-17 91174
Ken, any hydro can out work a gear in loader work. I believe that it might be a problem with how to work a hydro properly. I have farmers that won't give up there old hydro's for a new shuttle shift with cab as they tear up what they are working on to much. ....
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| denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 542 Quarryville PA
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2004-07-18 91226
I can't say enough good about hydros. I would buy nothing else. I have used them all commercially for the past 16 years. Most people who buy a compact plan on using it to mow at least sometimes. The Kubota gst is a disaster when it comes to mowing. What an engineering flop. Maybe Kubota has changed it in the past 6 years but the tractor I had was awful. Mowing requires the RPM's to be reasonably high. Just try to inch up to a building or over a bank with that tranny. you dont want to lower RPM's and the second you touch the clutch it disengages the PTO since it is the cluth for that too. Then you are inching but so is the PTO. Even the old standard transmissions had a 2 stage clutch so you could depress it 1/2 way to move gears and all the way to cut the PTO. After that incident gst was not even a remote consideration. With a loader there is no equal, no clutches to burn, levers to move. The more loader work you have, the more you need a hydro. Hydro, any speed at any rpm at any istant. If you know what you are doing it will not stall and it will climb any hill till 3 wheels spin. It is a shame we can't get a front differential lock in the US, they can on compacts in Europe, Push button electric. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-18 91234
Denwood - With all due respect, You need to operate a new Gst before commenting. Mine has a 2 stage clutch however I hardly use my clutch. I did 13 hours of rotary mowing last week agains buildings & on serious hills, It was no sweat for my 04' gst. And when i do need a little more idle for a sec I just tap the foot pedal & raise the rpm's. When i am doing loader work I go into the pile till the bucket is full & quickly slide the shuttle shifter with my hand into reverse & away I go. How is the hydro faster? ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2004-07-18 91250
Denwood, in the early days of the GST there were only certain models that had independent PTO. Today they all do as well as 12 speeds so you can find the right speed easier. No way can a gst cycle full bucket as fast as a hydro with out the clutch but it sure does beat a non shuttle tractor. ....
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| denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 542 Quarryville PA
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2004-07-18 91255
A tractor is a jack of all trades, master of none, except maybe pulling an implement behind. That is what it is designed for. Many people cannot affort to have a garage full of dedicated machines. If you want a dedicated loader, you have skid loaders and articualted loaders as the leaders. I know of none with a clutch in this modern day. Maybe if you try real hard you may find one. My Kubota R520 articulated is only designed as a loader and it is hydrostatic. Kubota is a master of machinery. If there was a better way, they would use it. As a matter of fact, the Kubota articuated two series ago did have a clutch. That was in the 80's.
Now on to mowers. If you want a machine to mow there are many dedicated commercial machines. Many are zero turn. Front mount and mid mount are the most common. I cannot think of any off the top of my head that are not hydrostatic. I don't consider the standard riding mower a dedicated mower. Even though they were constructed to be, They are really just a tractor with a deck attached. ....
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| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
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2004-07-20 91406
mowers huh....thats a subject I could discuss all day. When it comes to commercial mowers, been there, done that & still doing that, hundreds & hundreds of acres a week with my types & brands employing several men & managing several crews. However, this is a tractor thread. I like a clutch... I recommend searching threw old posts on tractor tranny's on this site. You can read pro's & con's of each type all day long & there are some very informative points to each. Have a great day! ....
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| Woodbutcher
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 9 Schaefferstown, PA
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2004-07-26 91940
On my old B8200HST I never used my heel, just stuck my toe under the forward pedal and pulled up. But on my new L3130 the heel pedal is a little easier to hit and the toe pedal is a little closer to the deck, making it more convenient to heel and toe it. ....
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| TheWDCTexan
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 18 Davidsonville, MD
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2004-07-30 92285
I use the front big toe. ....
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