Jkott
Silver Member
Anyone else broken their stabilizer mounts for the 3pt hitch?
I got the Boomer 30 (LS Made) in mid August and slightly bent the left stabilizer bar the first weekend I used it (with the tiller, as it was setup by the dealer). Being my first tractor, I assumed I must have done something wrong. I was careful to not turn or backup with the tiller down and I don't remember hitting anything while turning.
Then over labor day weekend, I really used the tractor for all it was worth. Used the loader, box blade, tiller, and ended with the yard rake. While using the yard rake, I really bent the left stabilizer bar arm and snapped the pin on the right side bracket. That pretty much ended the weekend.
You can't order just the little stabilizer arm, you have to order the entire assembly. $80. The stabilizer bracket is just a steel plate welded to a steel plate, with a cast pin welded to it. $120. So I have the dealer order parts and they finally arrive from over seas after a couple week wait. I go to bolt the new part on, and it's the wrong one. The dealer ordered the right part number according to the parts finder on NH's website and my invoice, but I ended up with the left side instead of the right side.
Tonight, I talked them into giving me the correct part from the tractor on their lot while they sort out their supply issue. While I was there picking up the part, I wandered around their lot looking at their older used tractors to look at how they did their mounts. When I got to the donor tractor, I realized exactly why mine failed. The squared off top of the lynch pin was riding up on top of the stabilizer arm and looked like it would bind because the stabilizer arm has a curve in the plate that goes over the pin. If you only moved it up and down a few inches, it was fine. If you try to move the stabilizer bar part up and down, the lynch pin essentially becomes a wedge which pushes out the pin snaps the mount. If it doesn't snap the mount, it is likely to bend the stabilizer bar.
So, has anyone moved the 3pt hitch bars from the bottom hole to the top hole and bent a stabilizer or broken the mount?
I have photos and a video of the problem, and showed the dealers service in person the problem just before closing time tonight so I will give them a chance to work out the issue with NH warranty to refund the money on the parts and cover it under warranty, but more importantly, come up with a revised part to fix the issue.
I tried a search, but I didn't find a single person complain about it. Mine was made in 2011 and the tractor on the lot was manufactured in June 2012 and they both have the design issue. I would be stunned if there isn't someone else out there that has had this happen to. Anyone else had this happen?
I got the Boomer 30 (LS Made) in mid August and slightly bent the left stabilizer bar the first weekend I used it (with the tiller, as it was setup by the dealer). Being my first tractor, I assumed I must have done something wrong. I was careful to not turn or backup with the tiller down and I don't remember hitting anything while turning.
Then over labor day weekend, I really used the tractor for all it was worth. Used the loader, box blade, tiller, and ended with the yard rake. While using the yard rake, I really bent the left stabilizer bar arm and snapped the pin on the right side bracket. That pretty much ended the weekend.
You can't order just the little stabilizer arm, you have to order the entire assembly. $80. The stabilizer bracket is just a steel plate welded to a steel plate, with a cast pin welded to it. $120. So I have the dealer order parts and they finally arrive from over seas after a couple week wait. I go to bolt the new part on, and it's the wrong one. The dealer ordered the right part number according to the parts finder on NH's website and my invoice, but I ended up with the left side instead of the right side.
Tonight, I talked them into giving me the correct part from the tractor on their lot while they sort out their supply issue. While I was there picking up the part, I wandered around their lot looking at their older used tractors to look at how they did their mounts. When I got to the donor tractor, I realized exactly why mine failed. The squared off top of the lynch pin was riding up on top of the stabilizer arm and looked like it would bind because the stabilizer arm has a curve in the plate that goes over the pin. If you only moved it up and down a few inches, it was fine. If you try to move the stabilizer bar part up and down, the lynch pin essentially becomes a wedge which pushes out the pin snaps the mount. If it doesn't snap the mount, it is likely to bend the stabilizer bar.
So, has anyone moved the 3pt hitch bars from the bottom hole to the top hole and bent a stabilizer or broken the mount?
I have photos and a video of the problem, and showed the dealers service in person the problem just before closing time tonight so I will give them a chance to work out the issue with NH warranty to refund the money on the parts and cover it under warranty, but more importantly, come up with a revised part to fix the issue.
I tried a search, but I didn't find a single person complain about it. Mine was made in 2011 and the tractor on the lot was manufactured in June 2012 and they both have the design issue. I would be stunned if there isn't someone else out there that has had this happen to. Anyone else had this happen?