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Orange vs Blue GST or Hydro

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radio1
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 15 South West
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2003-10-03          65505

Hello everyone,
I posted a similar mess. on the Kubota site. I wanted to say hello to everyone, I'm a new member. I've been reading for awhile and just signed up. I'm in the market for a New tractor and believe I have narrowed it down to Blue or Orange. Any good reasons for one over the other? Any common problems with either one? Looking at about 40 hp, 4X4, no cab, R4's. Also leaning toward a Hydro. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
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2003-10-04          65506

First of all, welcome to the forum! There's lots of good folks here who are helpful and enjoy talking about tractors (and other stuff).

It would be helpful to know what you plan to do with the tractor. Bushhogging? Lawn mowing? Loader work? Snow blowing, plowing, gravel driveway maintenance, skidding logs, etc. Knowing what your needs are will help hone the feedback. Personally, I'm a fan of sizing the implements first then picking a tractor that is best suited to run them. What type of terrain is your property on? What type of soil? That has a bearing on tire selection.

The strong suit of GST is that it doesn't take any power away from the rear PTO and is a little stronger for long hours doing field work. I have a hydro transmission and really like it for loader work and ease of operation. It is worth the loss of a couple of PTO horsepower for me. If anyone else in your family will use the tractor ease of use may be an important consideration. Generally hydros are better for resale as well as being a little easier and safer on hills (no shifting). Both are very reliable.

Both Orange and Blue are good machines. It is important for you to drive both and get a feel for them. Some tractors fit better than others. A persons height, girth, arm and leg length have a bearing on how comfortable it is. The tractors have different pedal arrangements and you may prefer one over the other. Dealer support is very important too. If you encounter a bad dealer the brand is unimportant. ....

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radio1
Join Date: Sep 2003
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2003-10-04          65521

kwschumm, Thanks for the welcome and for your response. I have small acreage and will be doing alot of landscape work at first, tree planting, loader work, fence posts, etc, etc. Will need FEL, heavy box blade, fork lift attachment, rototiller, post hole digger, etc. Maybe a backhoe attach at some point. Land is on gental slope now but plan to move up to larger property and build a house and hobby farming later and unknown what new prop will look like.

I agree with the local dealer concept as well. Trouble is, is where I live there is one dealer that carries both brands but is not someone I would want to do business with and price is to high. I will probably be buying out of the area. The prices I have been given in the local area are all way over prices from other areas. I see it like this; if all the dealers are paying the same or about the same for a tractor, then someone else (much better cost and attitude) will get my business every time. I don't mind paying more if I get good service and customer care. This is something I know and care a lot about. Thank you again. ....

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Art White
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2003-10-04          65524

There are still some openings here, the forklift, do you need to remove or load from a flat bed and how much weight? Ken, on the hydro, if it is pto work, the hydro's will out perform a gear any time even with the horsepower loss from running the extra pump and the looseness of the drive. The flexibility of the speed is what will boost the productivity of the unit. Small acreage in NY might be ten acres, in Texas it might be 100, can you be a little more specific. The Blue line does have some nice comfort to it as well as the orange, there are some areas that make some differences in longevity if they would apply to your uses between them. It is only right that the tractor be comfortalble to those concerned. It is much like a beatiful pair of shoes that doesn't fit. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65525

Art, Thanks for your response as well. The reason for the pallet forks is I would like to unload pallets of stone, brick or what have you from trailer or lumber off of truck etc. Would like to move like items around prop with fork lift attachment. Acreage now is just a couple of acres but have a lot of work to do and plan to move to larger prop after this prop is all done. Eventually semi-retire to larger prop out of the area. ....

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bobad1
Join Date: Sep 2003
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2003-10-04          65530

Radio1, you are not welcome here. Go home. Naw, just kidding. I'm new here too, and the folks are great. I have blue, a little TC29, and it's a real little pit bull. I just traded up on a TC35, and nearly bought the TC40. They are nearly identical except 3 cyl v 4 cyl. Heard great things about orange, but my blue experience has been great. Good luck with your decision! ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65533

bobad1, Thank you as well. Nice to be a new member. Is yours a hydro or gear? I'm thinking around 40 hp give or take because I hate to under buy and then wish I'd have bought bigger. At the same token I don't want to over kill either. I need a FEL large enough to lift heavy items with fork lift attach and move rocks/boulders around. Move a lot of dirt etc. I might also want to put a backhoe attachment on the tractor. Thanks ....

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bobad1
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2003-10-04          65540

Radio1, You need to have a good sit down with your dealer, or research on the Web. If you search diligently for comparison tables, you can find the FEL that has the kind of size and power you need. FELs are often misused. They are not for digging... ....

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bobad1
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2003-10-04          65542

...but for scooping. Use a plow to bust the dirt, then scoop it. They can move lots of dirt quickly if you do not have to haul it far. A backhoe is more appropriate for grubbing rocks. Watch out, some larger capacity FEL have the same hydraulic cylinders, and lift is no greater than the smaller FEL... ....

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bobad1
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2003-10-04          65543

I have gears on my TC29, and gears on my new TC35 coming next week. Besides the initial cost, HST is a little fincky and very expensive to replace. They are great for FEL work, but have no advantage for mowing or plowing. In fact, they cost you HP you always need for mowing. Good luck. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65545

bodad1, Thanks a lot for all the useful info. Yes, I was not going to use the FEL for digging per se, but rather moving a lot of dirt, DG, rocks etc. As for the HST, I thought they were pretty well bullit- proof if you took care of them.? Plus no clutch to replace. I know I will lose a couple of HP though. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
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2003-10-04          65547

A few comments to all the previous posts.

You mention pallet forks to move brick, stone, etc. I am running into the situation now where I want pallet forks to move retaining wall blocks. The problem is a pallet of blocks weighs over 3000 lbs and many/most/all CUTs can't lift that kind of weight. If you need this capability be sure of your tractors lift capability vs. pallet weight and even if you find one that will do it you need lots of ballast weight to carry it safely.

I think the great majority of CUTs are sold with hydros and you read very little about major repairs being required. Reports of clutch replacements being required on gear tractors are fairly common and clutch replacements aren't cheap. I have developed the impression that cost of ownership is lower with the hydro even with the higher initial cost. ....

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kwschumm
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2003-10-04          65550

Art, when I made the comment about the GST being good for field work I was thinking of heavy work like plowing. I seem to remember some discussion here about hydros not being good for that kind of work. Am I nuts? ....

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Art White
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2003-10-04          65551

You are right on Ken, sounded as good as I did when I said that, I had just added on a little more and I didn't want that hole left. I've been told to many times that I know exactly, I just didn't say it all. There is a company that does make a fork lift that has added wheels on the mast to carry the heavier loads. I can't remember who makes it at this time and I don't know if they make it small enough. You boys are making me put on my thinking cap again! ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65552

kwschumm, Thanks again for your follow up. Thats good info. The only thing I'm not wild about on the Kubota HST is the pedal they have (one pedal) and its location. I'm not sure about that rocker idea. I wish they used two pedals like the other brands. Any insight? Who knows, maybe I could get used to it and like it!? Thanks ....

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kwschumm
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2003-10-04          65554

I think the pedal design is a matter of personal preference. I liked the twin pedal design as well and that was a factor in my choice of buying a Deere. Many people who buy Kubota's really like the treadle pedal design. I'm sure you could get used to either system. ....

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DRankin
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2003-10-04          65556

I don't want to sound like 7 of 9, but I have had both types and you will adapt. ....

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Art White
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2003-10-04          65558

I here from people that don't understand the need for the extra linkage and need for two petals. It is not meant to be used as a rocker petal and if you try it you will dislike it. Put your heal on the floor and use the right hand extension when going offward. The low petal effort is a strong point of the Kubota tractors, far less tiring after eight hours of operation. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65559

Thanks Ken, Mark and Art for the great info on the pedals. That's why these sights are so great because one can get such useful info from people with experience. Its often hard to make up your mind when your at a dealer and on the tractor for only a few min's to see how you will like it in the long run. ....

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drcjv.
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2003-10-04          65562

Radio, from your description your needs were very similar to mine. I did alot of grading, put up alot of fence for horses, took down trees, spread 102 tons of stone in the driveway and moved many pallets of various weights off my trailer with forks. I have a TC33D with a 7308 loader R4s and hydro. I like the 33 over the larger 35,40,45 for several reasons. Size, for me the tractor fits better in my garage also the smaller tractor does not tear up the lawn even with the R4s. The loader has lifted everything I have needed up to 2000lbs (ballast is very important). The smaller tractor also fits in tight spots around the house and barn. If you plan on doing alot of loader work the hydro is great and very easy to use. My tractor has been awesome and the dealer has also been great. Welcome to the board and good luck. I think you must go actually try these tractors before you buy. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-04          65580

drcjv, Thank you for the great info., I appreciate that. Yes, thats the sort of work I will be doing most of with the tractor at the start. Question, how do you get it to lift 2000 lbs. when book says it will lift 875- 1000 pounds?
So you have been really happy with the NH? Any problems or things you don't care for? How many hrs on your 33? Supersteer? Do you or anyone reading think the supersteer is worth the extra $$? Did you buy because of a close/good dealer or you just thought it was a nicer tractor than the orange/green?
If I do go with a bigger tractor do you think the slightly bigger size will be a great negative for that kind of work or just a little harder to deal with? I assume you prob. have 5 foot FEL bucket and box scraper? And yes I do plan on "test" driving some in a week or so. I can't wait!! Thanks also for the welcome!! ....

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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
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2003-10-05          65595

I bought the NH TC45 with 12X12 shuttle synchro-gear transmission. The shuttle shift is fast for loader work. With a gear transmission, you can use steering brakes to tighten your turns and control traction on slopes. I prefer gear tractors to HST. (personal preference) I bought the TC45 because it is a larger framed tractor that can safely handle the heavier FEL capacities. I have never been sorry that I bought the larger tractor.

I use a 72" HD bucket 16LA loader and I do have the 758C Backhoe for it that also works well. I also ordered the Quick-tach plate on the FEL and can change over to pallet forks or any Bobcat attachment in seconds. These are all useful options.

I live at 5300 ft above sea level, so my TC45 produces about the same HP as a TC40 at closer to sea level. I am never at a loss for power. Ballast for the FEL is more forgiving due to the heavier tractor frame and larger size.

Where I live I could have bought Orange, Green or Blue. I got the best deal with NH and I get along with the dealer better. I have never regretted my choice. ....

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drcjv.
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2003-10-05          65600

Radio long story short on the loader capacity, valves were set low from factory I had dealer bump pressure up. There are mixed opinions on this board about this but, I have had no problems. I have been extremely happy with the NH as well as my dealer. My tractor has 250hrs on it. I did not like supersteer because I do mostly loader work and SS decreases loader lift capacity and I think, makes it harder to work in confined spaces. Youy might consider SS if you plan on doing alot of mowing. I looked at orange ,green and blue, Price was not an issue for me I was more concerned with value and what I got for my money. I did not like the fit and finish of the Kubota and the deere had too much electonics and was alot more expensive with no real advantages for the higher price. I maintain 4 acres w/ horses 350ft stone drive ect.. and have never felt I needed a larger tractor. A larger tractor will be harder on your lawn. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-05          65617

AC5ZO and Drcjv, Thank you again. Very good advice and info. I will look more at gear trans before I make my purchase. I will be the one driving it 90+% of the time so that won't be a problem. (difficulty of operation) My wife and kids will drive it occasionally. drcjv, I too looked at the green, but was not impressed with all the electronics, or the higher price tag. Thanks again. ....

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AC5ZO
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2003-10-05          65630

Radio1, driving a gear tractor is not a problem. I grew up on a farm and at the time there were only gear tractors. I first started operating the tractors on my own for farm tasks at around age 12. These were large tractors like the JD A, 720, 4020, Allis Chalmers WD45 and others. I think that the current version of New Holland tractors is easier to operate than these old ones.

A HST that will stop when you remove pressure from the pedal is probably a safety improvement, but in my experience, kids were much more likely to be injured by the livestock on the farm than from driving a tractor. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-05          65634

AC5ZO, Thanks again for the follow up and valuable continued imput. I think I might get away this week for some test drives. Blue vs orange and gear (shuttle/gst) vs Hydro. Right now I'm just about even split on both tractors and also even split on different trannies. I think my wife and kids will probably like the hydro much better. (nicer)
AC5ZO,(and/or anyone else ) whats your take on the NH having only 2 ranges in hydro and the Kubota having 3 ranges.?? Does this tend to give the kubota an edge as far as better torque and hp per given range? ( less loss?) 3 speed automatic vs 6 speed automatic concept.
I'm looking forward to hearing more from garynd to see what he thinks of his new NH and the Supersteer option. Thanks ....

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drcjv.
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2003-10-06          65649

Radio my TC33d has three ranges not two. ....

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Art White
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2003-10-06          65650

Working with a two range vs three range transmission I've found different reasons to enjoy the extra range if hard work is to be done on a regular basis. The low range takes you to about three miles per hour, it's great for where you need extra torque like for digging into a solid bank, or climbing a steep hill. The middle range will give you the torque you need to get into that solid bank but also idle down after and move at up up to seven miles per hour to where you need to dump or to mow nearly any type of terrain. Basically in all high ranges you might mow or just use to travel from place to place without a load. ....

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AC5ZO
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2003-10-06          65665

regarding the HST...I did not consider it after I found out that you could not use the individual wheel brakes while maintaining forward motion. From what I remember, on the NH, you can use the left one, but the right one disengages the HST. I believe that the JD will disengage the HST the same way when the wheel brakes are used. So, for that reason I could not see a reason to even have individual wheel brakes on an HST tractor.

My tractor also has differential locking which is a new feature for me. I do find it more useful in low traction situations than using the individual wheel brakes. But for tight turning I don't think that you can beat the rear brakes. Turning in this way will tear up turf, so it depends on your usage whether this is a useful item for you. ....

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drcjv.
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2003-10-06          65691

There have been many dicussions on this board about gears vs. hydro. I grew up using gear tractors and still have 4 of them, I did'nt even know what a hydro was until I was shopping for a new CUT. I did'nt know what I was missing. Any extended use were direction is changed freq. is so much nicer with a hydro. Loader work, grading, raking, ect.. Also when you just want to creep up or back you don't have to feather the clutch. There are probably many who disagree with me, I would like to know how many who favor gears tried or actually used a hydro for comparison and where they felt the hydro was inferior. As far as steering with the brakes as a kid on the farm I used them all the time with the narrow front row crop tractors. Now with the new CUT I have not once thought I needed to steer with the brakes. The real point of my post is it is great to here all our opinions, but if you are trying to chose b/w gears and hydro you really should try them both for yourself. Like I said, I would not have known how much I like a hydro if I did not try for myself. Again best of luck. ....

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kwschumm
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2003-10-06          65701

AC, I'm not sure which JD you were referring to but to set the record straight on the 10-series brake steering with the eHydro works as you would expect with both left and right pedals. I tried it just this morning to be sure! ....

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AC5ZO
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2003-10-06          65702

I don't remember which model it was at the time, but it was probably a 4300 or 4310. There were variations with a HST and an e-Hydro, but that has been a year and a half ago. I don't remember if the brake pedals are together on the JD. I felt more comfortable on the JD with the gear transmission.

On the NH with HST that I looked at, the right brake was next to the HST pedal. You had to lift your foot to use the right steering brake and that would disengage the "cruise control". You could use the left brake pedal which was located on the left side of the tractor. My TC45 has the clutch on the left and the two brakes located on the right.

I was trying HST tractors for the first time. None of the tractors that I grew up with had anything like that. As drcjv was saying, it was common to use the steering brakes to swing a tractor around with a cultivator or other row crop implement in a short space at the end of the field. My first experience with HST was on Bobcats and NH Skid steer loaders. I think that you have to use what you are comfortable with, for safety if nothing else. ....

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kwschumm
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2003-10-06          65703

It makes no sense to me to have separate (lockable) left and right brake pedals on the same side as the hydro pedals. That's one of the things I didn't care for on the Kubota L3130/3430/3830 hydro tractors. Brake steering on those things is really difficult. Not that you need to do it very often if at all, but thats why there are separate brake pedals and if you can't use 'em what's the point? I don't remember how the pedals on NH Boomers are set up. ....

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radio1
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2003-10-07          65716

Thanks Guys for all your continued great info. and responses. I don't think I will be in need of cutting brakes that much. But your right...if they put them there but you can't use them, what's the point? ....

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DRankin
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2003-10-07          65720

I went out and checked too. On my 4115 I have the brakes on the left side and the hydro pedal on the right (of course).

The individual brakes lock the appropriate wheel and the other turns with encouragement from the h-pedal.

I have not found a use for the differential braking, yet. Nice to know it is there though. I use the differential lock much more often. ....

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AC5ZO
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2003-10-07          65724

Differential locks are a newer technology. For straight line driving, you cannot beat the Diff Lock. Years ago, the individual wheel brakes were the only other option. If you started to loose traction with a wheel, you had to hit the brake of the spinning wheel to get power to the ground on the other side. They still work for this, but I like the differential lock better, also.

For row crop farming, you generally have a dirt access road at each end of the rows in the field. When you get to the end of the row, you may have little more than the road width to swing the tractor around and head back in the opposite direction. Using the steering brakes is the only way that you can make such a rapid turn.

Shopping is not a good experience for me, even if it is for tractors. Recently, we bought a new house and my wife would start talking about the houses that we had seen that day, and it is just a big conglomeration of rooms to me. She can draw out each house we saw, and I just don't have the same programming. So, I am sure that I have mixed up some features of various models since I looked at Kubotas, NH, and JD about 18 months ago. I also started looking at 30 HP tractors and ended up with 45. I am pretty sure that it was the NH that I did not like the brake setup with the HST. I did not seem to be getting anywhere with the JD dealer in terms of a competitive price and the Kubota dealer did not have a tractor in the size I wanted. So, I am sure that the brake question was one of the final deciding points after I had decided to go with NH.

I should also mention that I am accustomed to having individual rear wheel brakes on the offroad racing vehicles. In those cases, we have hand lever brakes and can get extra control of the car. These are in addtion to the regular foot brake that stops all wheels together. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-10-07          65729

My brother-in-law has a saying: "I COULD figure out how to remember all that other stuff, but if I did, I would forget how to tie my tie."

My wife can walk through a house and recite the color scheme and floor plan a week later. I can see tractors hidden in the bushes or coming at me on trailers in the opposing freeway lanes at 70 mph and tell which models they are.

Must be some sort of cosmic balance. ....

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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2003-10-07          65732

It did occur to me that my original comment about JD and HST was that the JD would disable the "cruise control" on either the normal or e-Hydro HST when you hit the brakes. Isn't that still true?

I guess I can understand why they would want to do that. So I guess that when you were turning with the steering brakes with your HST, you were using your right foot to keep the HST engaged and the left foot for the brakes.

It sure would be nice if tractors had a standard operator setup like cars do. I never worry about going to Avis and wondering if the brakes are on the left or right... ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2003-10-07          65738

I've never actually used cruise control on my 4310 so I just ASSumed that it would disengage when the brakes are hit. Interestingly enough the manual doesn't mention that it will. Another thing to test when the rain stops. ....

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radio1
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 15 South West
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2003-10-09          65866

Great info guys. I'll pay special attention to these areas when I go for some "test" drives soon. I would not have known to look for these features without your input and comments. Thanks again. Keep up the comments. This is a great sight. ....

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itsgottobegreen
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 329 Mt. Airy, MD
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2003-10-09          65904

It got to be green or i am not using it. Well not really, i have used blue, orange and green. if you will be using a loader a lot, get a hydro. The twin petals on a deere are easyer to use than a single petal on a kubota. I wouldn't know on a new holland, i only used gear versions. The joy stick on a deere is mounted to the tractor so you can leave your arm on the arms rest and still use it. A kubota's joy stick is mounted on the loader so you have to reach for it every time you want to use the loader. A JD 4600 or 4610 w/460 loader will work just find. Spend a little more and you get it back in easy of use ....

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radio1
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 15 South West
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2003-10-10          65986

itsgottobegreen, thanks for the input. I haven't completely ruled out green, but the cost was far greater than blue or orange and I did not see any benefit for the higher cost. I do like the colors though. As previously mentioned I am worried about all the electronic gadgetry on the ten series. ....

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