New Holland parts rant

eddie48 · Feb 9, 2021

About a year and a half ago, I stupidly flipped my TC40D upside down, backing up without looking. Fortunately, I escaped without serious injury but the tractor broke in half. I repaired it over the next couple of months, replacing the transmission gearcase and the hydro housing (bellhousing) as well as one shaft in the transmission. I have been using the tractor since, with no problems until about a week ago when I heard something snap and all motion stopped.

Split it again and found that the lower output shaft in the hydro that provides power to the transmission had broken at the o-ring groove. OK off to my dealer to order the part as well as the seals, gasket etc that I need to replace it. Well, the shaft is not available from New Holland as a separate part. Have to replace the whole hydro unit (somewhere around $16,000). Since that is about half again what the tractor is worth, I took the tag information off the unit and called the distributor to see if they could get the part for me. They called the manufacturer, KYB, and found that, since the unit is proprietary to New Holland, they can't sell me anything for it.

Now, we New Holland owners all know that NH is very proud of their parts and accessories and prices them accordingly. I don't really have a problem with that because I really like the tractor. I have about 3000 hours on it with hardly a hiccup in spite of working it very hard over the years. However, to decide not to have a part available and to have an agreement with the supplier not to sell it, either, just strikes me as wrong.

Plan B or C is to try and get a new shaft made, locally. I assume I will be able to do that, but what a pain.

TnAndy · Feb 9, 2021

My previous tractor was a NH 1925 that I finally decided was WAY too light weight for me. Broke all kinds of things on it. Final straw was one day I was lifting a plywood concrete form up out of a hole and the bell housing to the hydro unit broke where the engine bolts to it. Stopped the tractor dead as it bound the flywheel.

I dragged it to my shop, stripped the whole tractor down to get to it, (you know what a pain that is, huh, Eddie !) $1300 for a bell housing and reassembly later, the tractor went up for sale.

10 years on my Yanmar, and so far, I haven't managed to break anything major.......but I'll keep working on it......

TractorGuy · Feb 9, 2021

That's a huge ouch! Maybe you could find something used?

I ran into something similar on my NH backhoe but on a much cheaper scale. The coil burned up on my 4WD solenoid. NH no longer sold the coil separate and wanted nearly $500 for the solenoid. Fortunately the coil had a manufacturer and part number embossed on it. After much searching I discovered I could buy the same coil with just the two wires on it for less than $20. The coil manufacturer actually had the coil by the number on it with the connector but they wanted a little over a $100 for it. I bought the one with just the wires and spliced the old connector on it. 4WD was happy and so was I.

Beaver Cove Deere · Feb 10, 2021

If I knew then what I know now about NH I would have friggin run away.

Last winter on my 4835 the forward and reverse lever did nothing but grind so much the machine wouldn't move at all. Called the dealer to come pick it up and repair it. They tore it down and found a bunch of bad stuff in the case and that the parts were not available. IT was then that I learned the machine was a rebadged Italian made machine and that explained why ordering any parts for it was always a PITA. To say the word unhappy doesn't do it justice. They were gladly willing to give me a scrap price for the machine to go buy a new one.

They gave me the cut sheet for the parts with the numbers and I started looking around for used parts. Nothing.

So happens the family I work for has a SIL who is Italian and they were heading over to see his parents with the kids and it turns out he has big connection at the factory where the machine was made. Well they came back with all the parts needed in their bags. I was told that customs looked rather strangely at the transmission parts being brought back but no problems. Brought them to the dealer and had the machine back in a couple of weeks.

Apparently that story went around the dealership rather quickly and I'm now famous. LOL.