BUTT-UGLY BOOMERS!

jinman · Mar 24, 2004

Bob, I'm still not convinced the light styles will make that much difference just because they are stacked. Lights need to be on the front of a canopy or just under the ROPS to really be effective for loader work in my opinion.

Last Saturday I was at my NH dealer and looked at a TC55DA, TC48DA, and several Class III '03 Boomers and also the '04s. In my opinion, if NH says the new lights have a wider pattern than the old lights, they must be talking about the standard lights rather than the "D" model lights. The wraparound lights are much more on the side than the new lights. Also, I made comparisons of the new hood to the old hood and they have raised the hood back up. With the loaders flat on the ground, the new hood looks to be 2"- 3" taller than the earlier Class III hoods like mine.

The sloped loader arms on the new 14LA, 16LA, and 18LA loaders all have a very wide beam between them that is much larger than the support beam on the 7308. My skepticism about the usefulness of the new lights with the loader on is due to that wide beam being right in front of the lights when you are transporting a load with the loader. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Has anyone ever seen a dealership stay open at night? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif It doesn't happen here in Texas. Wouldn't it be great to actually be able to test the lights before you get the darn thing home and have to find out everything on your own time? I guess this is just one of my favorite gripes, but I bet a tractor dealer who stays open for sales one or two nights a week until 10 pm would make several additional sales. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif If car dealers do it, why can't tractor dealers do it? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Finally, I love the added emblem on the hood and the removal of the vent screen on top of the hood will prevent rain from getting inside, directly on the battery (which now has a cover). Many, many improvements in features and style have been included in these tractors. I don't like the looks of the lights, but that would not be a deal killer for me. I would buy it despite its gawdy looks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob_Skurka · Mar 24, 2004

jinman . . . while I would agree that overhead lights are the BEST for loader work, I think the new lights might be better than what I have on my 03 Boomer becuase there are several dark spots in the light pattern that make mowing hard on uneven ground because the uneven light pattern makes it difficult to see bumps and dips.

_RaT_ · Mar 24, 2004

Do a lot of folks use their tractors at night? Just curious. I have neighbors so it probably would not be to wise to operate mine much at night. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

keeney · Mar 25, 2004

Do a lot of folks use their tractors at night? 

In the winter, it is always dark when I get home from work, and if I have to plow the driveway, lights sure do come in handy.

- Rick

5030 · Mar 25, 2004

Andy:

Consumer input.......Ha!!!

Bob_Skurka · Mar 25, 2004

I probably spend 50% of my seat time with the lights on. Mowing late on summer evenings or winter work in the early morings or after work.

AndyM · Mar 25, 2004

I probably spend 50% of my seat time with the lights on. Mowing late on summer evenings or winter work in the early morings or after work. 

Even when I'm plowing my driveway in the daylight hours, I have on my headlights AND flashers when I'm at the end of my driveway. As fast as traffic travels down my road, I'm terrified that one of them will hit me. They won't even slow down when I'm out there! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Bob, do you have the same problem with accidentally turning off your headlights with your knee? Do other Class I Boomer owners have this problem, or do I just have fat knees? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Bob_Skurka · Mar 25, 2004

AndyM . . . when I saw your post about it I actually laughed. My wife immediatly asked what website I was looking at and I had to prove to her that I was not doing anything peverted! Yes, I do hit my headlights with my knee and shut them off on a fairly regular basis!!!

Anytime I am using a 3pt implement that requires me to look backward (like my snowblower) I tend to look over my right shoulder, which has me twisting in the seat and my left knee shuts off the headlights. This is the main reason why I have the lights on my ROPS wired independantly from the headlights so when the headlights are flipped off, the ROPS lights can remain lit!!!

markie61 · Mar 25, 2004

( do I just have fat knees? )

If your knees (which I can't see) are proportional to your face (which I CAN see), then I think it's got to be the switch location. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mark

SteveH_CT · Mar 25, 2004

I did a couple times trying to rectify drainage problems that were causing immediate flooding in our basement - other than that typically the Deere is parked at night.