No Joy Joystick

jinman · Apr 13, 2003

Sorry to hear of your continued problems, JT. It is really frustrating. My "fix" with hose clamps has lasted for nearly 300 hours as I approach 400 total hours on my tractor. In my opinion, the extension with the two screw holes is too long, creating a lever advantage that causes the break. I slid that piece down until the top hole (the one not broken) lines up with the lower hole in the joystick. With only one screw installed, I slid the broken piece down beside the shaft and put a couple of hose clamps on it. It ain't pretty, /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif but it sure made the problem go away. So, I effectively shortened the lever and have no more problems. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

gmason · Apr 21, 2003

I will now be on my 4th also with just under 200hrs. Broke yesterday.

I'm going to go with the NH model til they start making me pay for it.

gary

tc35dforme · Apr 21, 2003

I don't mean to offend, but ( 4 ) breaks ???? Even though the design is suspect, I wonder why some users get multiple failures. Mine seems solid as a rock at 170 hours of heavy loader use.

I was just wondering if there is something simple that your doing that is causing the failures ??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

jinman · Apr 21, 2003

( I wonder why some users get multiple failures )

I'm 56 years old and never had my tonsils out. I wonder if some people are just swallowing too hard? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Sorry, I just couldn't resist poking some fun back at you. It is curious that your joystick is solid, but don't take it apart to see if it's made differently. It just might "jinx" you like the rest of us. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

tc35dforme · Apr 21, 2003

Jinman, I said I didn't mean to offfend !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have taken mine apart, a few times, and it seems fine. You guys have made me kind of paranoid.

Just seems a bit weird, but then again, so am I. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

gmason · Apr 25, 2003

I emailed NH corp this time including this link and a day later I got a pretty good email back saying they wanted to have/keep a satisfied customer. They asked for some further info, and said they would look into this and keep me informed.
They referenced several items from this discussion so I knew they had been here, hopefully looking at the pictures and homebrew fixes.
Maybe, hopefully, NH will address this with the engineers and we'll see a fix in the next production run of the loader joystick.

Keeping my fingers crossed /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BigOaks · Apr 25, 2003

All you guys poking fun make me laugh. The guys having trouble and breaking their joysticks are the guys who WORK HARD with their machines. They use the loader. They dont sit back and wax the thing. It is a New Holland design flaw... Plain and simple! Get after New Holland

tc35dforme · Apr 26, 2003

Are you the same kind of guy who thinks the oven heats up FASTER if you turn it to 500 ??

You don't impart more power or digging force on the loader by working the LOADER CONTROL harder !! Some shafts are weak...some appear not to be...that's the deal.

And for the record: My joystick hasn't broken ( yet ! ) and I have NEVER waxed my tractor !!!!

JATO_RaT · Apr 26, 2003

Jim, you certainly have started one of the longest (time wise) running threads I can recall. It's been interesting to read about. I have to think personality traits will influence the life span of the no joy joy stick or NJJS. TC35Dforme brings up an interesting point. A death grip on the joystick isn't going to make the loader lift any harder, but for some of us, I think our brains are wired different. I have at times been guilty of using forces that would have no effect on the outcome, yet it just felt good to do it. In this case, perhaps the new design, a SJJS (splendid joy joy stick) should consider this. Rat... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jinman · Apr 26, 2003

Rat, I never expected this to go on this long without New Holland coming up with a solution. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I am certain that this problem is related to the design and I have no explanation for those who don't seem to have a problem. One aspect of operation has been overlooked as we discuss whether some of us are more "monkey fisted" than others. What about speed or how fast you change directions of joystick movement? I go pretty fast with mine and change directions instantly. Regardless, my suggestion is that if the joystick breaks from the kind of use I gave it, it is certainly not "deluxe" by any definition. New Holland should fix this problem and then fix our tractors. If there are those who are convinced there is nothing wrong with the design, they can just keep their old joysticks. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Or as the comedian Brother Dave used to say, "Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any!" ...and yes. I don't see any reason not to have some fun with this issue even though I think it is a horrible example of engineering on New Holland's part. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif