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When I see all of the new lawn tractors I notice that none of them have manual transmisions anymore. Why is that. All of them are hydros. I think that the ones with manual transmisions are better workhorses. If you do a lot of heavy towing and dragging the hydrostatic pump in the transmision gets worn out. Manuals never get worn unless you strip a gear, and even that isn't that hard to fix. Just pop a new gear in.

Probably the perceived advantages to John Q. Public favor the hydro trannies. One lever and continuos motion for forward and reverse, immediate speed control for going around obstacles, etc.

I think it is due to the fact that hydros allow the operator to vary the speed while mowing easier. Most people never pull anything with the mowers so wear from the extra weight is not a factor. Just look at cars and trucks manual are getting about obsolete in those to. Have to get a 3/4 ton or larger in a truck to get a manual and are only available in low end cars.

Low end cars like Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin?:licking::wink::biggrin:

You are right about those cars but the average joe doesn't ever own one of those.

You're right, of course. Something like 90% of late model passenger cars are equipped with automatics.

I would suspect it is related to manufacturing cost??
Back in the 1950s and 60s, with a car or truck, there were a lot of manual transmissions--you had to pay more for an automatic.
Strange thing was, many vehicles came with a standard shift and when you ordered the automatic, you paid more plus you gave back the standard shift transmission, clutch, pressure plate, and all related equipment:thumbdown:
You could check with the parts department and discover that a whole new automatic transmission with torque converter could be purchased for a little more then what the cluster gear cost for most standard shift transmissions
This is probably still true today, even with lawn mowers and such :thumbsup:

But check out the latest Volkswagens with the "automatic" manuals - they use a name for these transmissions...DSG ???
The lawn mower hydrostatics are simply better...for lawn mowing and snow removal, as I am to understand.
But at a cost...complexity and fuel economy...but we are so wealthy that this matters not...right ????

I might add that a "hydrostat" transmission in a Lawn Tractor, is Basically just a hydraulic pump supplying fluid pressure to a hydraulic motor, through a control valve.
A bit cheaper then machined gears, bearings and a manual clutch, I would suspect.:thumbsup:
A bit different then an automobile that has several gears.