Curved Loader & hood vs. Standard loader & hood

[npaden]

Some of the manufacturers are really pushing the benefits of the curved loaders and hoods that are out now (i.e. Case IH, New Holland)

Do these really give you a big advantage on being able to see what youare working on over the standard loader and hood like on a Kubota?

Thanks, Nathan

 

[RonR]

Nathan,

No need to rush into anything new. I mean, that old Farmal is just now broken in well, right.

Sorry, can't help on the other as my BX2200 has the straight hood/arms. I'm not sure you get 100% visibility until you go to a bobcat type loader.

ron

 

[SWB]

There was a thread a little while ago showing the difference in visibility with pictures. the visibility was really better. I have a Case with the curved loader arms and thinks it is great.

 

[npaden]

I searched under everything I could think of and couldn't find the post.

The 1945 Farmall M is still running strong, but I really think 4wd, a loader, independent PTO, live hydraulics, etc. might make a little bit of a difference in usefulness!

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I searched under everything I could think of and couldn't find the post.
)</font>

Here it is /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Curved arm loaders versus Straight arm loaders

 

[tjkadar]

I think a lot of it might be what you are used to. I demo'ed a Toolcat and a Bobcat. Both of those machines have the loader right in front of you. However, I still felt I knew where the loader on my M6800 was better then with the Cat machines.

Visibility was better on the Cat's, but with my experience level on the machines, I felt more comfortable with the Kubota. I think it has more to do with what you're used to working with.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think a lot of it might be what you are used to. I demo'ed a Toolcat and a Bobcat. Both of those machines have the loader right in front of you. However, I still felt I knew where the loader on my M6800 was better then with the Cat machines.

Visibility was better on the Cat's, but with my experience level on the machines, I felt more comfortable with the Kubota. I think it has more to do with what you're used to working with. )</font>

No question that you can get used to anything. But there are 3 people who regularly operate my tractors (Kubota B2910 and New Holland TC24). All 3 of us prefer to use the New Holland instead of the Kubota and yet all 3 of us have more time on the Kubota. The hours of the New Holland will easily pass the hours on the Kubota this year, despite the fact that the Kubota is several years older than the New Holland. The reason the New Holland is used more is simple, the loader design is vastly superior and more productive. There is no question that the Kubota is more powerful and more comfortable to operate (larger operator's platform, better seat) but for loader work the choice is clear that the New Holland is the first choice by a very wide margin of all 3 operators.

Plain and simple the high visibility design is more efficient in real world use, so work gets done faster (even in the case of my machines where the Kubota has the larger bucket and slightly greater capacity)

 

[daTeacha]

Yeah, I agree with the idea of the curved hood being easier to use. Driving a DX29 around Saturday and playing with the loader made it clear. I could use that loader with more confidence than I can the loader on my B7100, despite the size difference between the tractors. -- the 29 could pick up my B and drop it in a truck if I wanted to.

 

[DavidA]

In my opinion the curved hood and curved loader arms make it much easier to see what is happening in front of the tractor. My son has a Kubota 3130 with a Woods 1012 loader (straight arm loader, straight hood) and it is (to me) very difficult to see the quick attach points when attaching the bucket or pallet arms on his 3103. My TC-33Da with curved hood and curved arms is very easy to see the quick attach points and to pick up stuff with either the bucket or pallet arms. Of course, you can get used to anything.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In my opinion the curved hood and curved loader arms make it much easier to see what is happening in front of the tractor. My son has a Kubota 3130 with a Woods 1012 loader (straight arm loader, straight hood) and it is (to me) very difficult to see the quick attach points when attaching the bucket or pallet arms on his 3103. My TC-33Da with curved hood and curved arms is very easy to see the quick attach points and to pick up stuff with either the bucket or pallet arms.)</font>

Yup, the difference is dramatic. And that difference is why the curved arm, sloped hood tractors are much easier to use.

The photo pretty much tells the story. My daughter is sitting 24" in front of the bucket lip. All the pictures were taken from the drivers seat, by me, with the seats adjusted as I would normally sit. I did my best to provide close to the same frame of reference in all the photos. The tractors were lined up so the bucket front edges were sitting side by side. Notice how much of the bucket you can see on the NH and how little you can see on the Kubota.

The farthest mark on the driveway is 6' in front of the lip of the bucket, on the Kubota your view is obstructed to 5'9" over the hood or 6'8" over the grill guard. You cannot see the top corners of the bucket on the Kubota.

On the New Holland you can see the ground at 2'10" over the hood. You can see the top corners of the bucket on the NH. The ground is visible 24" in front of the bucket on either side of the New Holland hood over the top of the bucket.

I am 5'11" tall, so someone taller would have a slightly better view, someone shorter would have a worse view.

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