NH TC30 attachment advice needed.

clovergamecock · Feb 7, 2007

Hey guys! I have been mostly in the buying and pricing section but sense I pretty much have narrowed my choice down to a NH I figured I would pop in and introduce myself and see if I can get some advice.

I own a small farm with about 8 acres of pasture to maintain. We are going to be bringing over 2-3 horses next year after I get the land smoothed out a bit (No real big hills) and a fence up. I am close to deciding on the TC30 4wd model with a FEL and wanted to get some advice to see if ya'll think it will serve my needs. Of course I need to be able to cut the pasture but I also have a couple of ditches and gullies I need to smooth out. Will this tractor allow me to do this? What is the best implement for cutting down some small hills to fill in the ditch\gullies? FEL alone do the job or would the blade link below do a better job? I also need to maintain about a 1000' gravel driveway. Again would the blade below do this or do I need a pull behind box blade as well?

Thanks
Wade
Clover SC

http://www.newholland.com/h4/products/products_series_detail.asp?Reg=NA&RL=ENNA&NavID=000001277003&series=000005476811

Soundguy · Feb 7, 2007

A box blade is a great investment, due to it's rippers.. Lets you tear up some ground.. then drag or scoop with laoder. A rear blade is also great for driveway maintenance and shaping 'worked' dirt.. etc.

That machine will probably run a 5' rotary rought cut mower just fine.. especially if you are just clipping a horse pasture. and no tackeling jungle vegitation.

Soundguy

clovergamecock · Feb 7, 2007

Thanks Soundguy! Just so I am clear on my terminology. Is the box blade the attachment for the front that you see in the link or is it something I pull behind?

Thanks
Wade

jwstewar · Feb 7, 2007

Wade,

The item pictured in the link is a front dozer blade.

A box blade is a 3-sided box that is pulled by the tractor with rippers that go down to break the ground up. Here is a link to KingKutter's website with a picture of a boxblade.

jbrumberg · Feb 7, 2007

blackrat:

Welcome to TBN

! In my opinion you purchased a realistically sized tractor for your property and stated anticipated uses

. The TC30 should pull a 60" box blade, 60" rotary mower, 72" rear blade, and 96" landscape rake (depending on use) with little difficulty. I am "working" "SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED"

for the box and rear blade. I might add that I have a CCM MR-160 tiller (58") and have used this attachment and all the other attachments mentionned with my NH TC29DA which is similar to a TC30 without difficulty on my 12.5A's with ~200' gravel driveway. Jay

hockeyhead · Feb 7, 2007

A TC-30, should be a good choice for what you discribe, I have one with similar size land and purposes,
I have a 5' rotory cutter, light duty, nothing I've put under it has stop it yet,
A 5' box blade, get rear hydraulic remotes install to control the boxblade from the drivers seat, BIG help in learing to use one. lots of info on this site about that.
a 6' back blade used mostly for snow, I use the box blade on the drive, mines only 200' long
a post hole digger with a 9" auger, lots on fence post,
a 5' tiller, works well with mine in my hard clay soil
6' rear finish mower, tractor doesn't even know it's back there.
a single bottom turning plow 14, still leaning to use this right,
a 6' homemade drag , a 2" square tubing frame with a bunch of bolts welded on it.

I have a 2003 TC-30, gear, 7308 loader, R4's, 2 rear remotes (added after)
about 380 hours no problems at all with the tractor.

good luck in your search

clovergamecock · Feb 8, 2007

WOW!! Great info guys. Thanks for all your advise.

hockeyhead,

Can you elaborate on this a little?
"A 5' box blade, get rear hydraulic remotes install to control the boxblade from the drivers seat, BIG help in learing to use one. lots of info on this site about that."

Is this a control that alows remote raising and lowering of the box?

Thanks again
Wade

daTeacha · Feb 8, 2007

Blackrat -- The rear remotes are simply a set of hydraulic hook-ups on the rear of the tractor controlled by an extra valve mounted near your seat. You can get varying numbers of extra remotes on different tractors, and you can run different things from them. I got a set on my DX29, which is a Case about the same size you're looking at, but a newer design, like the TC29D from NH.

Anyways, I got the extra valve and rear remotes on mine set up with T's in the lines and ran extra lines to the FEL just behind the bucket. The control by my seat runs the grapple I have on the bucket. If I hook something up to the rear connections, it will run that, also. One of the most common applications in the back is a hydraulic top link on the 3 point, which lets you change the angle of attack of a rear implement so it bites into the ground with a more or less aggressive attitude. Another one is a hydraulic tilt adjustment, which would allow you to raise or lower one side of the box blade. The two together are often called TNT, for top 'n tilt. Having this somewhat costly feature allows you to make adjustments to the rear blade or whatever while in motion, thus allowing constant adjustment to changing terrain. Without it, you have to stop, get off, twist this and turn that, get back on, run a bit, see if it was right, then do it all again when you get to a different part of your drive that needs different things done to it.

My FIL had a huge blade on his big Ford that allowed him to adjust top, tilt, and also blade angle from the cab. Just remember before you start dreaming that each valve and remote set will cost you several hundred dollars.

Larry The Tractor Guy · Feb 9, 2007

Blackrat...THe TC30 will certainly handle what you are looking to do. I would highly recommend the hydrostatic transmission if your plan is to do alot of loader work. You only loose a few hp at the PTO with hydro but the convenience more than makes up for it and the power to the ground is consistant. Also allows others, such as your wife or kids to learn how to drive the tractor eaiser without worrying about a clutch or gears and that stuff....if that applies. THe TC30 is a well rounded, straight ahead, full frame farm or estate tractor. Not too big, not too small. Effecient diesel that will runs for days on a tank of fuel. Seperate power steering pump so you dont loose steering while you are working the loader. Very comfortable and pretty quiet but packs a punch in pulling power. The price is right and you will be very pleased with the tractor. Its still considered an entry level farm tractor so dont expect it to push over trees or pull out big stumps but it will do more than you expect it will. Test drive the gear and hydro before making your final buying decision.