Shuttle type trans question

Hello Guys (after a long hiatus, sorry about popping back up with a question without contributing anything).

I'm a fulltime fencer these days, and about to push the button on a new post driver, and wouldn't you know it, my faithful old Massey 165 won't cut it with a modern hydraulic driver. End of story - I know there are options for the Massey but I need to upgrade anyway. I'm looking at tractors of 70-80hp, and finances dictate it'll be made before about 2000

So I've been doing a lot of figuring and I'm looking at being able to control my tractor from the ground at the post driver controls. Now I know ya'all gonna be saying that has multiple hazards and is dangerous etc and I know that so lets move on, besides lots of folks are doing the walk beside thing in the UK and elsewhere with post drivers on tracks (usually stolen from a tracked dumper).

I've never used a shuttle type trans on a tractor, only electric hydrostatic types that come on loaders. The Tractor ones I've seen don't seem to have a neutral position on the change lever but is it possible to reconfigure the controls on these pre 2000 shuttle type trans to give a Forward, neutral, reverse, and have them run in the neutral position for significant periods without problems ??

All thought welcome and thanks.

Foster
(down in NZ)

I know older JD utility tractors which are the only brand I have experience with had no neutral built into the hyd shuttle shifter but one could put main trans in neutral for operating post pounder.

My 2001 3010 Kubota with glide shift has shuttle with neutral and it would work all day in neutral no problem. You would need bigger of course but you could check to see if they offer glide shift in the larger sizes.

Come to think of it the 2000 model Kubota M4900 I owned with sync-shuttle had a neutral position on the shift quadrant. It isn't high enough HP but the M8200 or M9000 is enough HP

The Industrial Deere's that I have have a neutral and 2 of the 4 have a have a lockout in neutral...these are true shuttle shift....my SIL has a Mahindra and you cannot shift it unless the clutch is used...

I used to drive posts for a living. I had my driver on the back of a Ford Bronco which I had set up so I could run it with one joystick at the back. My record for speed was driving 105 posts in an hour. They were laid out ahead of time. I recently looked at a new tractor and decided it could be set up to work the same way. I would be willing to talk to you about it and give any advice I could that you would want. I have a video of the Bronco in use and have considered putting in on u-tube but I don't know how and don't know how to edit out repetition. My phone number is 388-3333 here in Montana.

Will be a neutral in any of the larger KUBOTAs with hydraulic shuttle , like M 6800,8200 and 9000 BUT I like you said am strongly against what you are about to do. IT COULD BE done with one of the Larger L series "Glide shift transmission" with an electric switch.

Any of the newer 6000 series John Deere with the left hand shuttle used an electric switch WITH neutral for the shuttle lever.