DO NOT BUY TC40/45

[Dougster]

This is a problem with any Internet forum, people are far more likely to post about problems and it's very easy to come to incorrect conclusions. There are dozens of people on this forum who have NH, as well as hydro tractors of all brands that have had ZERO problems. Kubotas, JD, Kioti, Mahindra, the list goes on. Hydros without problems. This kind of logic, as well as someone in another of Brian's threads indicating they may switch from buying NH simply because of one persons experience half way across the country, just escapes me. Can someone help me understand why people would dismiss hydro and NH, or any other brand for that matter, because of posts on the Internet?

Hi Mike - I don't think very many intelligent folks ARE reading negative comments and then blindly dismissing an entire brand based solely on the experience of a relative handful of on-line owners. I give the on-line tractor community more credit than that. In my case, I weigh every complaint thread I read against the number of machines out there, the credibility/history of the poster, commonality of various reported problems and the solutions eventually reached. Complaint posts can be valid, fake, applicable to an entire family of machines... or applicable to just one machine. It is up to the reader to digest the info posted and figure out for himself or herself the validity, relevance and importance of the complaints to their own buying decision.

Dougster

 

[HOUNDSTOOTH]

Amen to that brother!

people are far more likely to post about problems and it's very easy to come to incorrect conclusions

I'll shout it from the hilltop! I LOVE MY TC45DA AND MY DEALER.

 

[MikePA]

I give the on-line tractor community more credit than that.

I agree with what you posted, but I can only react to what people write. In this thread, IH3444 further explained his comments re: hydros. But in the other thread (Click Here) someone actually said they were reconsidering their purchase of a NH tractor until they see the resolution of Brian's issue with his TC.

 

[Dougster]

I agree with what you posted, but I can only react to what people write. In this thread, IH3444 further explained his comments re: hydros. But in the other thread (Click Here) someone actually said they were reconsidering their purchase of a NH tractor until they see the resolution of Brian's issue with his TC.

Hi Mike - I guess I can only go by my own experience here on TBN and the high respect I've got for the vast majority of intelligent, seasoned posters here. In fact, I love to follow some of these reported problems right through to their final conclusion even on tractor brands other than my own. I have learned a lot about my own machine (both potential problems and how to correct them) and about others as well. I respect Brian (LoneCowboy) as a pro and fellow small businessman and if he says he is having repeated serious problems with his new TC, then I'd like to know about them and the eventual solution(s)... mechanical, operational or otherwise. I believe that if I were specifically interested in purchasing that particular brand and series tractor that it would not be unreasonable at all to wait a few days and see how the NH factory folks address his issues.

Dougster

 

[FULLPULL]

We have had older gear transmissions for years . If you try to go up a hill in 8th gear high range they will fall on there face .It is no differance with a hydro in high gear . If you find the right range with a hydo they will perform good in my book. My tc55 with the ehss is a good choice also once you get some seat time they are easy to use. The hydro i had on my tc40 was a strong tranmission and easy to use . It would let the tractor do more work as in pushing dirt and ease of use around foundations and such. If they made a full hydro in the tc55 that would have been the transmission i would have bought. Hydro transmissions are a break through in design on a tractor.

 

[Bob_Young]

I dunno much about tuning diesels, but is it possible that Brian's TC45 wasn't properly set up for the elevations he operates at? Colorado isn't exactly a sea level state. A gasoline engine would need it's mixture leaned out to deliver full (available) power at 5000' and even then it would be down about 20% from rated power at sea-level. Would a diesel need different injectors for high altitude opn. or would a fuel pump tweak do it?

Looks like, on top of the cab and the hydro, Brian may have had altitude working against him. Hope he sees this. He might want to go to a TC55 or something that's turbocharged if NH gives him the opportunity.
Bob

 

[Dougster]

A utility class of tractor is better suited to heavy, constant use. A compact is more suited to a homeowner or hobby farmer. I am curious though, who buys more compact tractors? Homeowners, contractors or farmers?

Hi Robert - I think your use of the term "homeowner" keeps throwing me here. Perhaps the term "private landowner" is more appropriate to your question as there are a TON of rich Yuppies in and around Eastern MA owning up to maybe 10-15 or so acres buying CUTs and maybe even a few UTs too... 90+ percent of which are Kubotas. It's the local Yuppie status symbol once you have bought some serious land... or at least serious for a small state like Massachusetts.

I will agree with you that CUTs are the tractor of choice for private landowners.

Up where you are located, perhaps the typical everyday "working-stiff" homeowner already owns multiple acres... so calling CUTs "homeowner tractors" up there may be entirely appropriate.

Dougster

 

[jimg]

LC
Thanx for the update! Sounds like the corporate folks are on the right track and willing to work this out ASAP and get you back in business. Ill be really interested in the update from your Fri mtg. In my view this is a very GOOD reflection on NH. Instead of messing about it sounds like they cut to the chase and started the ball rolling to get oyu back in business.

 

[AlanB]

I guess I would add in a couple thoughts here,

When they are working with you, and everythign is going well, it is very easy to just kind of keep going, OK, OK, that's great.

But I would suggest, and you are probably already doing this. keeping yourself a small log book / diary, of the conversations, phone calls etc.

If it were mine, and I had that much $ rolled up in it, I would write what the rep said in my little log book, and ask him to sign it after Friday, or ask them to write it out. Kind of a mini contract.

When you have to go back two months from now, and you say,,, "I spoke with a lady at Corporate" or you say, "I spoke with Ms. Ophelia Smith at 123-567-3456 on 18 July 07" it carries a bit more weight.

I sure hope NH gets you going again and turned around.

I would be furious.

I had engine problems out of one of our commercial mowers once that took a bit. It finally got to mowing season and we were still getting jacked around as to if it was warranty or not (multilayer thing for kohler)

I finally got the head warranty guy for Kohler on the phone and said flat out

"Look, this thing has to run for me to make money to make the payment with. I need you guys to make a YES OR NO decision if you are going to support this or not and when you will get it fixed. If it is not warranty, that is fine, I understand that, I will kick this motor off, put on a Kawasaki, and see you guys in court later, but right now, I have to go mow so we do not go Bankrupt."

They got me a new Pro 23 installed the next day.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Hello Dougster, the way I look at it is a homeowner tractor is one that is bought by a homeowner to maintain his (or her) property. It may be 2 acres or 100 acres. The main issue is these machines see very limited use compared to a tractor that is in a heavy ag usage or state/town use where it is mowing every day while the grass grows. My friends who are homeowners and have tractors to take care of their property use their machines usually on the weekends when they have time to work on a project or mow the lawn.

I wonder if anyone has figured out a duty cycle for tractors like they have for small engines?