MF1528 vs JD or NH

[pdxskip]

I'm trying to decide whether to buy an MF1528 or a JD3120 or NH TC30. I've been quoted $15,900 for the 1528, which seems high compared to what I have seen others on this list have paid in the past. Compared to the JD3120 and TC30, the loader for the 1528 seems to be a poor choice (i.e., 25% lower lifting capacity). Also, the warranty on the 1528 is only 2 years vs 3 years for the other machines. Otherwise the machines are relatively similar on paper. Is there something I'm missing that would make the 1528 a better choice?

Thanks, Skip

 

[mchasal]

Did you get any quotes on the others? I found that the JD 3000 series was quite a bit more than the MF. I think the 3120 is a bit bigger than the 1528 though, more comparable to the large frame like the 1533. I looked at all of the ones you mentioned and here's a summary of my thoughts:

JD 3120:
Better ergos, nicer seat, tractor mounted valve
More $$$
Bigger/heavier, but I was just too tall for the 2520.
More loader capacity

TC30:
Price was good.
Ergos were not. Very blocky, controls very simple
Non-retractable seatbelt! This just annoys me, how much can that really save.
Loader has limited capacity

MF 1531
Price was good, a little more than the TC30
Ergos were pretty good, better than the TC30, not quite as nice as the JD.
Loader capacity was better than the TC30, not as high as the Deere.
More power than either the JD or the TC30.

I'm obviously biased since I bought the MF, but I think it offered the best balance of price vs features for me. One thing about loader capacity, the MF can lift 960 to full height, but it can lift 1500 to 5'. So that was good enough for me. The specs are hard to compare since they don't all list the same ones.

BTW my 1531 with loader was $18,500, and the 1528 was quoted at $17,900(with hydro).

Mike

 

[commkam]

pdxskip,

I have had my 1528 plus a MF 5' RFM for about a month now and absolutely love it. I paid $13,050 TOTAL for everything (tax, delivery, setup, etc).....so $15,900 for a 1528 is WAY over priced, IMHO.

I live in central Alabama and know my dealer is the best price in the region (I know, I looked around a lot). If you live in AL, TN, MS, or GA let me know and I'll give you the name/address/phone of the dealer here.

BTW - I also looked at the JD and the dealer appeard to be pretty snooty and was not willing to budge on price at all so I walked away. There aren't any NH dealers close by so I didn't look at them. Here is a pic of my tractor/RFM http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3391/sort/1/cat/531/page/3

Hope this helps....

 

[biker128pedal]

Are the MF 1528s manual or hydrostatic?

 

[mchasal]

Are the MF 1528s manual or hydrostatic?

The 1528 is available both ways. The 1531 is only available with hydro.

Mike

 

[commkam]

Hmmmm - good point mchasal!! My 1528 is not the hydro model.....

 

[biker128pedal]

Is it a shuttle type? If not what is shuttle type transmission and why is it easier to operate a FEL with one.

 

[mchasal]

Is it a shuttle type? If not what is shuttle type transmission and why is it easier to operate a FEL with one.

There are 3 basic types of transmissions you'll see on CUTs:

1: Standard gear tranny. This is like a standard trans in a car/truck. You've got several forward gears(usually 3ish) and 1 reverse. You also can (and usually do) have multiple speed ranges which multiply these. You'll often see this expressed as 9x3, which means 9 forward gears and 3 reverse, since I've never seen a CUT with multiple reverse gears, this also shows that there are 3 ranges. So you have a 3 gear tranny with 1 reverse gear and 3 ranges. To change directions, you shift from a forward speed to reverse and back again. Some tractors line up 1st or 2nd directly with reverse and have the ranges close to simulate a shuttle. These may or may not have synchros to allow shifting on the move.

2: Shuttle trans. This is basically a standard gear trans with the direction function pulled out. So you will still have your gears and ranges, but in addition you'll have a shuttle lever. So you select the gear you want, and then you just move the shuttle forward to go forward and backwards to go backwards. The shuttle doesn't affect the speed at all. It's basically a switch. There are a few different types of shuttles:
a: Standard shuttle: No synchros, you have to stop (or nearly stop) to change directions.
b: Synchro shuttle: Synchronized, you can change direction without stopping, but still need to work the clutch.
c: Power shuttle: Basically a syncro shuttle with an automatic clutch. You just move the shuttle lever back and forth and the tractor takes care of the clutching and whatever else needs to happen

3: Finally we have the hydrostatic. No clutches, no shuttle, just 2 pedals. Push the forward pedal to go forward, and the reverse pedal to go backwards. Push harder to go faster. You'll still have the speed range selector.

A standard gear trans is not the best for loader work, or any work with a lot of direction changes. It's certainly doable, and worked fine for years, but the shuttle and the hydro provide some more user friendly options these days. I personally wouldn't consider a standard shuttle as it's not really any better than a gear trans, and I'm not sure there are many available. The synchro shuttle is the minimum to gain any productivity, and a power shuttle can be quite nice.

Conversely, the gear and shuttle transmissions are a bit better than a hydro for things like plowing and mowing where you want to just set a speed and cruise. The hydro's usually have some sort of cruise control to make this less of an issue. Hydros also give up a little PTO hp to gear trannys.

The 1528 is available with either a 9x3 standard gear transmission, or 3 range hydrostatic.

I hope that clears things up, and I hope I'm not way off base on anything. I also hope I didn't misinterpret your question and just explained a bunch of stuff that you already know. Basically, I have a lot of hope.

Mike

 

[JerryG]

In the last few years the types of available transmissions on compacts have increased. There are many variations of the manual transmission at this time. The only modern transmission that isn't available in a compact as far as I know is Vario CVT. I am sure that in a few years it will be available in compacts as well. The large number of different types has made it very confusing to first time tractor buyers. There is always a lot of talk about hydros and I don't have very much to say about them, but a while back I wrote out a sheet about the different manuals transmissions. Here it is again.

Let me give you a run down on all the Manual types of the transmissions. The hydro explanations are always beat to death and most don’t know the difference between all of the standards transmissions.

1. Manual Shift: plain old standard shift transmission. No synchronizers thus you have to stop and clutch for each gear change. You can’t shift on the go without grinding gears. Usually have 6-8 forward gears and 1-2 reverses.

2. Synchro-Shift: Basically the same as the manual shift except it has synchronizers and can be shifted on the go. The clutch should always be used for starts, stops as well as shifting. Usually has 6-8 forward gears and 1-2 reverses.

3. Shuttle-Shift or Synchro-Shuttle: This is a standard transmission that may have as many gears in reverse as forward. There is lever on the left of the steering that performs the forward to reverse gear change. Most Shuttle Shifts have some synchronized gears or they may be fully synchronized. The clutch must be used to start, stop and change directions. Usually has 9, 12 or 16 gears in each direction. May have a gear as low as ¼ MPH on the 16 speed models.

4. Power-Shuttle: With this Standard transmission, you can change forward to reverse directions and also start and stop without using the clutch. Most if not all Power Shuttle transmissions have fully synchronized gears. Usually has 9, 12 or 16 gears in each direction. May have a gear as low as ¼ MPH on the 16 speed models. (JD calls this a Power Reverser)

5. Power-Shift: This standard transmission has all of the benefits of the power shuttle as well as being able to shift between gears without the clutch. It can be started, stopped, changed from forward to reverse and the gears shifted without the clutch. Usually has 9, 12 or 16 gears in each direction. May have a gear as low as ¼ MPH on the 16 speed models. (Massey Fergusons DynaQPS is a powershift and Kubotas GST is essentially a powershift.)

If I have accidentally made a mistake on any of these let me know. I caught a place or two where I swapped items and had to change them.

 

[biker128pedal]

The best explanation I have seen. Thanks. I am going Hydro is I can swing the payments.

I still have to decide. It is between the MF 1528, K B7800 or NH TC30. I like the seating and leg room of the 1528 but the oil filter looks almost impossible to get at. I am 6'-1" but have long legs. The B7800 needs a little more room.

Mike