Tractor News New 3050 CVT

[Jackfr]

Here are some pictures of our new 2013 3050 CVT "with all the whistles and bells" as Jim said. Sorry it took so long to get them up. It arrived last Wednesday less the long 4 in 1 bucket which was delivered direct to us the next day because of a manufacturing delay. So I figured I'd wait until we had the bucket hooked up to take pictures. Jim the cab is a lot quieter than the Curtis cab on the TC45DA HST you can actually hear the radio with out blasting it and the visibility is great. The rest of the creature comforts are great also- heater and AC Bluetooth radio (auto connects to my phone)plenty of outside work lighting. Only misgivings about the cab so far are no convenient grab rail for climbing in and there is no illumination for the switches for night work but once I learn/remember their use and location that shouldn't be a problem. The tractor is definitely different operating than the TC45DA HST but I'm getting the hang of it. The biggest changes are not using my right foot for forward/reverse, the parking brake is on the right now and learning the deluxe CVT transmission operation. The engine is an updated version of the one in the 2012 TC45DA with the oil fill down on the side so you don't have to worry about the oil hydro lock problem when filling from the top. The engine compartment is packed though with the AC lines hydraulic lines etc. It's so tight I think I'll be disconnecting the loader to service it, as the oil and fuel filters will be hard to get to without disconnecting it. The oil dip stick is also real difficult to get to, so I plan on modifying it some how. I've been using a long pair of needle nose to get to it. Anyone come up with a work around for this yet?

Overall after 12 hrs of use so far I am pleased with the tractor and hopefully it will give us many years of reliable service like the TC45DA did. Now if I could just stop trying to back up with that right pedal that isn't there anymore.:laughing:

 

[Utopia Texas]

Jack, I have the exact unit you have (Shibaura engine) now with 50 hours, and it is a great tractor with a few minor inconveniences. Just did my first oil, oil filter change but have not figured out how to get to the fuel filter though I have many tools for the job. Just no room to get at the ring. One of the great things I like about the CVT transmission is that you can set the engine speed manually depending on the job with the manual throttle, then determine forward speed with the foot pedal. Great for backing up while shredding without the cutter speed decreasing. Having said that, the cup holder stinks and I've had two different travel Mugs with hot coffee bounce out and onto the floor, the ignition key slot could be positioned in a more convenient place (Especially in the dark) and..... The windshield wiper needs a "intermittent" position for fog or light rain.
PS- I love the deep buckets on the NH FEL. We have a JD about the same HP as the NH and the JD bucket is way too wide and shallow. I can move almost twice the volume of soil with the NH over the JD In the same time period. Not putting down JD, just prefer the NH set up.

 

[Jackfr]

I use to use a band style filter wrench with flexible handle on the fuel filter on the tc45da, but had more room. Have you tried backing out of/removing loader to give you more room to work to get to the filters? The new loader QA system seems much easier then the one on the tc45da. The dealer let me keep my old bucket because the new long 4in1 was late in coming and it is definitely a larger capacity bucket than the new 4in1. I added an RV/marine style foldup cup holder to the tc45da because of the same problem and was figuring to do the same to this one. Have you done anything to the oil dip stick to make it easier to get to? My third function hydraulics to the bucket run along side the other loader lines and really block that area up.

 

[Utopia Texas]

I am going to give replacing the fuel filter one more try using small filter pliers but at this point they are at another location. I am trying to avoid removing the whole FEL assembly just to replace the cartridge but all in all might have to anyway. All six of the tractors I have on the property have removable FELS but after 50 years here on the farm I have only removed one one time many years ago. Buckets I remove all the time but whole carriage assemblies....no. Even with the FEL assembly removed from the tractor the permanent post bolted to the frame may get in the way, and as you described there are hydraulic hoses that run right across the filter area. If either one of us figures out the "right" tool for the job let's be sure to contact one another. The oil dip stick I can get to by "feel" if I reach into the area in a contorted manner. Age and arthritis makes it pretty uncomfortable though....
PS- My only other concern with the Boomer 3050 is all the exposed filters, lines and wires on the under belly. I have some property near the Sam Houston National Forest in the East Texas Piney Woods. Once a year I use a bush hog type cutter to mow along the fence lines. Thousands of pine trees pop up in these areas and grown 4-5 feet tall in a year. I may have to take one of my older units for this job.

 

[Jackfr]

Same here only removed the FEL assembly on the 6640 when the trans need rebuild. The dealer went over taking the FEL off with me when he delivered the 3050 and with this new cam system it looked pretty easy, so I figure I'll disconnect and only pull away enough to get to the filters leaving the hydraulics hooked up. You must bend better then me I can only get a tip of a finger on the dip stick.:laughing: that's why I've been using a long set of 20" long nose pliers to get to it getting old is fun isn't it. I'll let you know how I make out when the 50 hr comes up. I need to figure something easier/extension for the dip stick or no one else but me will be checking it.

 

[Utopia Texas]

You need a dip stick with an extended handle that protrudes out further from the engine. On Ebay I typed in "tractor dip stick" and there were quite a lot of used dip sticks available from older tractor models. If you could find one the correct diameter with a extended handle it could always be trimmed to length and shaped to fit. Might be a good 15 minute project for someone handy with a grinding wheel. All in all, I park my tractors on concrete so I can see any leakage and I do not remember the last time I had to add any motor oil to any of the units between oil changes. I rebuild Ford Model T's and Model A's as a hobby and if someone can fix a oil leak on them they can fix a oil leak on anything. There is the saying in the Model T world, "if it ain't leaking it needs filling"?

 

[WCarp]

I replaced the fuel filter on my Boomer 3050 and didn't take the loader off. It's something I wouldn't want to do very often. According to the Owner's Manual it's supposed to be drained every 100 hours. I found that the Go Pedal and many other things were in the way which didn't make it easy.

Some sales info about the tractor says,

"Maintenance/Warranty Features

Maintenance Meets Convenience: Maintaining a Boomer compact tractor is easy because all routine maintenance points are located on the right side of the engine. In addition, you can easily check engine oil level without raising the hood and without removing the loader.
Access Doesn't Get Any Easier: For easy access to the engine, radiator, air cleaner, power steering reservoir, and battery, the hood raises and pivots forward even when a loader or front blade is attached."

The trouble is, not all of the maintenance points are easy to access. Does NH think we have long skinny multi-jointed arms and small hands?