NH electrical systems....... junk

[Robert_in_NY]

I wonder what a John Deer would have been like.....

From looking at my friends tractors who have them they are really no better or worse then the NH. There are a lot of TN's and JD 5000 series tractors around here, it would be easy to say there are hundreds of them as this is the middle of grape country. The JD's have just as many problems as the NH's. They all have weak points and strong points. So far though, you are the only one I have heard about having such serious problems with your electrical system. My TN was bought in 99, it has well over 1000 hours on it and has been thru anything and everything. The main problems were just QC issues in the first year, since then the tractor has been great. I had one snap coupler break on the pto which had to be repaired, cost a few hundred in labor but it was a lot nicer to pay $300 to have a snap ring replaced then a couple thousand to have the guts replaced.

My TN spent its first three years outside but now it splits time inside and outside of the barn depending on what we are doing. I still have not had any of the problems you seem to be describing regarding the wiring and plastic or the dash. Either it is something specific to your tractor or your area but as I said before, you are the first I have heard of these types of problems and I do hope you get things figured out and fixed.

 

[gsxrsquid]

you are right BobRip. A sad commentary when agricultural equipment has to be protected from the elements to keep it from disintergrating

 

[jinman]

you are right BobRip. A sad commentary when agricultural equipment has to be protected from the elements to keep it from disintergrating

As a differing experience: My tractor was purchased from my dealer in Feb. '01. It sat on his open lot prior to my purchase and has sat outside its entire life since I have owned it. Other than faded needles and failure of the temperature gage in the dash panel, there have been no problems with the cowling nor any of the electrics with the exception of the "fuse #2" blowing problem. My plastic dash is in primo conditon and nothing but dust inside the wiring. This is Texas where temperatures exceed 100º F on a regular basis. perhaps your environment is different or there was a number of dash panels that were not manufactured as well as mine. For whatever reason, my experience has been completely different from yours.

I don't mean to take away at all from the seriousness of your problem or failure. I think your dash failure and electrical problems are a sad commentary on quality control. I am just stating that I think your tractor is the exception rather than the rule. Yours and one other panel splitting are the only two I have heard anything about. I hope your new panel holds up much better.

 

[Soundguy]

It looks like these machines need to be stored inside or at least under cover.

I still think his may have been a friday/monday tractor. Sounds like an awfull lot of problems for a new tractor. My NH 7610s is a 02 model.. and other than scratched paint and a few dents in the sheet metal.. the dash is like new. It does have a canopy.. but.. for the first 700 hours.. that's all it had. When i got it.. i parked it under a tarp canopy.. I'm sure that helps some.. however.. I still feel that that many problems on a new machine is usually an isolated incedent.. not descriptive of the entire model line up.. ( unless you see a whole series with similar problems.. etc.. )

Soundguy

 

[Doc_Bob]

It looks like these machines need to be stored inside or at least under cover.

All the BIG farmers in my area store there equipment undercover. They most know something I don't ?
Bob

 

[Soundguy]

They probably nee dthem tractors to last as long as possible.. and if storing them under cover gets them even one more season.. then that's a huge difference to bottom line.

I don't think I've ever seen a dealer with ag equipment stored inside... same with heavy equipment...

Soundguy

 

[gsxrsquid]

oh I forgot I replaced the first fuel tank because the level sender went bad. This one stopped working too but probably because I mashed tank. I'll put a meter on it to make sure isn't a wiring problem.
I know the Florida sun is brutal but the dash plastic is just brittle. also blue paint on the hood is coming off in spots. very thin. I'll sand and spray some more blue on one of these days before it rusts. I'm glad it sound like isolated incident even if it is MY incident. LOL

 

[MikePA]

oh I forgot I replaced the first fuel tank because the level sender went bad. This one stopped working too but probably because I mashed tank. I'll put a meter on it to make sure isn't a wiring problem.
I know the Florida sun is brutal but the dash plastic is just brittle. also blue paint on the hood is coming off in spots. very thin. I'll sand and spray some more blue on one of these days before it rusts. I'm glad it sound like isolated incident even if it is MY incident. LOL

Which model NH tractor do you own?

 

[BobRip]

All the BIG farmers in my area store there equipment undercover. They most know something I don't ?
Bob

I keep cars a long time and try very hard to keep them under cover. They last longer, start better, and look better with less maintenance. Why spend $20,000 for a vehicle and not protect it with a $2000 carport. It seems to make good sense to me.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The early TN's had a problem with the paint on the hood. Almost all of them I have seen have the gray primer showing about dead center of the hood. I do not know if it is a heat related issue as the muffler is right below this area or what but it is always in the same area.