Thoughts on New Holland TC 30

   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #1  

gibbysr

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Aug 17, 2008
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We looked at a New Holland TC 30, new tractor with HST, FEL and 4WD. We have 13 acres, 11 in pasture for cattle, Slightly rolling. The tractor looks so small, about the same size of our Cub Cadet 7000. The salesman assured us that it would do the job with no problem, except if the 1500lb hay bales were wet. Right now we have a Massey 135 and I think the other is 175 with FEL. Need something that I (wife) feel more comfortable with. Open to thougts and suggestions.
Thanks
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #2  
My neighbor bought one (used with about 130 hours on it) about two years ago, FEL and 72" belly mower and 60" RFM for use on 5 acres... No issues yet. BIL (another neighor) yesterday bought a used TC33A (1076 hours on it) with FEL. My orange is now surrrounded by blue tractors!

mark
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #3  
The TC30 is a stout machine for its size. I have the TC30's older cousin, the 1520. It has been a really good machine for the past 20 years. I still see the TC30 as very appealing.

I suspect that your bales will be a problem. Give those jobs to the 175 Massey and buy the TC30.
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #4  
I am more of a fan of the four cylinder diesel engine so in 2002 I purchased the smallest in that group, the 121.7 cubic inch TC-40/35 hp at the pto. Find the pto hp on the TC-30 and do some research on what size attachments you can run without stressing the pto hp. Find the hydraulic pump capacity because you may want a log splitter or a backhoe attachment. The TC-40 and the TC-45 has 9.8 gpm and so does the three cylinder TC-35. Is the TC-30 going to be enough for your requirements? In the long run, I think you would find yourself better off power wise and with a wider range of larger attachments if you went with a four cylinder tractor.
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #5  
I've had my TC 30 gear model with Rhino FEL for nearly five years and over 550 hours. We have 10 acres for our four horses. I have had no problems handling round bales, but I do use a 3 pt spear rather than using a spear on the FEL.

My TC 30 has done everything I've ever asked of it*, and have never had to do any maintenance except for routine services.

*Spread gravel, tote manure, dig postholes, haul debris, mow grass, brush, and small trees, plow snow, rake fields, spread fertilizer, move round bales, and dig shallow trenches.
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #6  
We looked at a New Holland TC 30, new tractor with HST, FEL and 4WD. We have 13 acres, 11 in pasture for cattle, Slightly rolling. The tractor looks so small, about the same size of our Cub Cadet 7000. The salesman assured us that it would do the job with no problem, except if the 1500lb hay bales were wet. Right now we have a Massey 135 and I think the other is 175 with FEL. Need something that I (wife) feel more comfortable with. Open to thougts and suggestions.
Thanks

The salesman was surely talking about the 3PH lifting round bales at 1500 lb. The FEL would struggle to lift 1000 lb bales. If using the 3PH to handle bales is okay with you, then the TC30 will do the job. If you want to use the FEL, then I would look at nothing smaller than the TC35/TC40/TC45 class III Boomers as nickel plate suggested. I would think you could find one of them used with HST and FEL for about the same price as a new TC30. You have to get up to the Class III Boomers before you get a nice subframe with the FEL. With that, you can carry one round on the FEL and another on the 3PH. You'll double your productivity.

You mentioned that you and your wife want to feel "comfortable." Can you expand on that a bit? By comfortable, do you mean HST? Do you mean more reliable? It's just very hard to see exactly what you want and need by a general word like "comfortable.":confused:
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #7  
I wouldn't trade my tc-30 for anything except another tc-30. that being said it soots my needs perfectly. as the others have mentioned, you have to look at your overall work situaton and decide what tractor will work for you. there's nothing worse that spending at least $15000 and finding out you bought the wrong thing. if you thing the tc-30 is enough but not sure move up to a 35. as far as the tc-30 for me, no problems, no conplaints.
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #8  
Note that the old TC35 is a frame size bigger(with significantly more lift capacity) than the new 35hp NH CUT. The new(old rebadged) Class 3 cut has a minimum of 40 hp, I think.

It seems like several people have gotten very good deals on used class III CUT's recently, likely do to personal finances. It would be a good time to be looking.

If I were the OP, that is what I would look at(used class III's), primarily because of the ability for limited use of moving round bales with the FEL.

Chris
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #9  
I believe that I misunderstood that your dealer was talking about using the loader for round bales. Yes, your 3-point hitch should handle 1,500-lbs. Our 1520 Ford will routinely have 1,200 hanging off of it without trouble.
 
   / Thoughts on New Holland TC 30 #10  
I have had my T1520 (35hp TC30) for about a year. I've worked it hard on 15 acres doing most everything you could imagine. No problems, very stout, runs great. I'd sure buy another one.
 
 
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