ARRRRRRGH!!!!!!! Broke my tractor.... Engine Block went SNAP...

[AGRIMAN]

I know you said that you checked the bolts, but does this include the two top clutch housing bolts?

The stress of the loader is transmitted thru the clutch housing and shared with the engine block. Typically when you see failures of the block mounting flanges only it's due to some kind of movement that results in extra stress/flex on the joint. I'm not saying they are, but if the top two (or any) bolts were loose then every time you lifted ether the bucket or the 3 point the transfer of the weight will cause a small amount of flex at the joint and over time can cause fatigue.

Have you inspected the bell housing for and cracks?

NH doesn't currently offer a loader sub frame for the 30 to 34 hp series. This is something they may need to address in the future. I sure it's cost related, but they could offer something for the guys who need it.

 

[KrisHansen]

Kris,

My heart totally goes out to you on this one. I would lay down and cry literally. I am wondering if CNH has a problem with this 7308 loader setup also since I have read numerous posts on cracked blocks on the TC30 machine with that loader and it appears to be in the same spot. I passed last week on a 2004 TC24DA loader tractor/60" MMM (127hrs) in favor of likely buying a new one since I am a little gun shy on New Holland right now. I would lay really hard on CNH corporate with my dealer to get this done on the company dime. I know you did not bang this machine around hard enough to crack the block with low hours like that.

Brian

Hey Brian, got any links? I'd LOVE to have some ammo in my pocket in case i need it.. Thanks!!!

 

[IH3444]

Kris, can you post a panned back view of the crack. I think that this is totally repairable by you, without purchasing a new shortblock. It will be a lot of work, but if the crack is in an area that has no oil passages, I know that it can be welded back into place with either nickel rod, or even a good high quality brazing job. You can then coat over the weld with steel epoxy, to besure that the oil will not find a way out. If the crack is in a oil pressure zone, then that is an entirely new can of worms. I agree with you also that the frame would have to be seriously reinforced for the FEL, to ensure that this never happens again. Sorry to see this happen to your machine. Years ago I broke a large cast steel vice, I welded it with nickel rod, and to this day it has not broken again. Some heavy duty fixes do work.

 

[KrisHansen]

Kris, can you post a panned back view of the crack. I think that this is totally repairable by you, without purchasing a new shortblock. It will be a lot of work, but if the crack is in an area that has no oil passages, I know that it can be welded back into place with either nickel rod, or even a good high quality brazing job. You can then coat over the weld with steel epoxy, to besure that the oil will not find a way out. If the crack is in a oil pressure zone, then that is an entirely new can of worms. I agree with you also that the frame would have to be seriously reinforced for the FEL, to ensure that this never happens again. Sorry to see this happen to your machine. Years ago I broke a large cast steel vice, I welded it with nickel rod, and to this day it has not broken again. Some heavy duty fixes do work.

I can try... though it's been snowing like CRAZY here today.. Yay. Biggest snowfall to date since I got this thing, and I can't use it.

The crack is very low in the block, almost down to the pan. I do not know how high it goes. I do know that even while it was running, the oil leak was VERY minor.

 

[dogbreath108]

If you end up paying for this your self, you might want to think about selling it for what its worth in this condition. If you fix it and keep the 7308 with the front loaded design. You will always feel the pain it caused, long term slow heartburn every time you use it... I know it hurts, and I feel your pain, but in the big picture it might be the time to bite the wooden spoon and upgrade..

 

[dqdave1]

After seeing your pictures; I will say that the previous posts about cracked blocks were at the front of the block where it attaches to the front frame.
Good luck, maybe you can locate a used block for cheaper price. Bare block may be much cheaper also. This should not have happened; but you have the same luck as I do. When it rains , it pours.

 

[KrisHansen]

After seeing your pictures; I will say that the previous posts about cracked blocks were at the front of the block where it attaches to the front frame.
Good luck, maybe you can locate a used block for cheaper price. Bare block may be much cheaper also. This should not have happened; but you have the same luck as I do. When it rains , it pours.

I've seen those too.. I recall a post a year or so ago where a guy split his rig in half, but I can't recall any of the details...

Messicks shows the bare block for around $1500..

 

[Bob_Young]

Kris,
If you go ahead and try to repair what you have (welding up the cracks, etc.) either:
1) You'll be successful (good)
or
2) You won't succeed and will have wasted your time (bad)

If you are successful either:
1) The repair holds until you get rid of the tractor (good)
or
2) It doesn't and you have to fix it again (bad)

If the fix holds until you get rid of the tractor either:
1) You tell the buyer about the fix and take a big hit on value (bad)
or
2) You don't tell the buyer (bad)

Seems like whatever you do, repairing what you have will end badly. Only thing it might do is delay the day of reckoning at the cost of considerable work and worry on your part. It seems your choices are either repair it with new parts (then either baby it or sell it with a clear conscience) or try to swing an upgrade now before you invest any more in it. Good money after bad??
FWIW
Bob

 

[KrisHansen]

Kris,
If you go ahead and try to repair what you have (welding up the cracks, etc.) either:
1) You'll be successful (good)
or
2) You won't succeed and will have wasted your time (bad)

If you are successful either:
1) The repair holds until you get rid of the tractor (good)
or
2) It doesn't and you have to fix it again (bad)

If the fix holds until you get rid of the tractor either:
1) You tell the buyer about the fix and take a big hit on value (bad)
or
2) You don't tell the buyer (bad)

Seems like whatever you do, repairing what you have will end badly. Only thing it might do is delay the day of reckoning at the cost of considerable work and worry on your part. It seems your choices are either repair it with new parts (then either baby it or sell it with a clear conscience) or try to swing an upgrade now before you invest any more in it. Good money after bad??
FWIW
Bob

Honetly, I have NO intention of repairing this block, unless my DEALER says they can and with some sort of guarantee. I'd at the very least replace with a bare block and swap all pieces over to that block.

I also have every intention of beefing up the loader structure, and making a subframe that ties the front and rear together, to take some of the load off of the block.

The reason I got this size machine is because it fits in my garage.

If I got a larger tractor, what would prevent a similar problem? Just because the loader CAN lift XXX amount of weight, the tractor should more than up to the task, forever. If it can't, that's a BIG problem in my book. I don't see how it should be possible for ANY tractor, regardless of size, to break itself in half by lifting some snow with the loader.

 

[jinman]

Kris, there are a lot of guys on TBN with Class II Boomers and both 7308 and 14LA loaders. Surely, if there was a danger, others would have the same problem. I just can't see that you are treating that tractor all that hard. You have a factory loader on the tractor it was designed for. You should not be able to overload the structure of that tractor. I think you had a defective block or your tractor was dropped sometime during delivery. I believe that if you buy the bare block and rebuild this tractor, you will see no more problems like this. For the price, I think that would be what I would do.

If you have to try and beef up the running gear, I guess you could. Like you, it would be very hard for me to have faith in that tractor again, but if this was a repeatable problem, surely we would hear more of it on TBN. Don't "rip your guts out" worrying about the tractor after the fix. You have enough problems just going through the grief of fixing your tractor without the added worry.

...my two cents.