No Joy Joystick

[Red_Dog]

Hi Jim. Unfortunately, the break in the joystick did not come at a convenient time for us. I'm in the process of backfilling the foundation and grading for our new house. So, you are correct, I did not view it as a "minor" issue, since without a functional joystick, I'm dead in the water. After drilling a few holes and installing some bolts, I was back up and running with a marginal setup. I will take some pictures and post them before I install the modified joystick. Will keep you all posted. Thanks, Matt.

 

[Red_Dog]

It surprised me also that they did not stock a joystick for this issue. The dealer is a decent size, but my guess is that they generally sell larger New Hollands since they are in the middle of farm country in Wisconsin. I'm just happy that they can get the modified unit to me within 3 days of my initial email for help. They are about 3 hours away, so taking the tractor in is not convenient for them to install it. Matt.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Just to through my 2 cents in here. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have looked at all the photos and drawings in this thread and have a healthy knowledge of mechanical engineering.

I must say that it's the fault of the design.

I'm absolutely sure that some engineer for New Holland did all the calculations of how much force it takes to move the valve assembly a complete stroke, heck, they probably even added 10% just to be sure.

Now let's turn this assembly over to our manufacturing group. They shop around for raw materials and found a supply. They assemble the pieces from said metal and all is well. Except as we all know things vary and with iron and steel that can be about a 20% variance. Now let's assume that even at a -20% variance the piece will still move the valve full stroke but maybe it flexes a bit, then throw in a persons strength when they run the stick against the stop (not forcing or slamming but normal running it against the stop) and it flexes a bit more. Even then it'll still last a few hundred or thousand cycles before it fails.

Now for all those people who got the +20% metal it will probably last a few more thousand cycles than the unlucky ones.

There is an easy fix to the whole problem but it'll cost NH about a buck per unit. Just use pipe like was done but instead of drilling a hole for the wiring just flatten the pipe and press it into the same shape as the original piece drill the holes and it'll be much stronger.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

DavidJ, that was a rather technical, if not almost, forensic description of the problem /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. I'd have to say that as an Instrument engineer, you would be quite welcome by us all to write a letter to NH (with some of these pictures) on behalf of all of us educating them on how to do the job right /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. BTW, I have a TC35 (not the boomer) and they put this joystick on my unit... even though the buttons don't function... any idea why they would do that?

 

[jinman]

EagleEye, I have this picture in my mind of someone with a "Deluxe" model tractor with your joystick installed because that person knew about the problem and refused to take delivery with the "breakable" joystick installed. ...then again...maybe not. At any rate, I'd get back to my dealer as fast as I could and demand the correct joystick. What would happen if your dealer closed or changed owners and you broke your joystick after the business changed. You'd go "waltzing" back into that dealer expecting to get a warranty replacement and what would you get? Would the dealer claim that you didn't have a valid warranty claim because that was not the proper joystick for your tractor? ...okay...okay...it's a stretch, I know, but would you have let them put R1 tires on the front and R4s on the rear if that's all they had in stock? I don't want to "beat you up" about this, but I'd strongly suggest you ask your dealer to replace your joystick with the correct assembly. You paid enough for your tractor to have the correct parts installed. I'd even bet that everyone in this thread with a broken joystick would recommend the same. It's your choice, you are the one who has to be satisfied, so I'll quit this "rant" /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif and just wish you good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JATO_RaT]

Jim, I for one hope there is never a fix for this little quirk. The No Joy, Joystick must live on.

All kidding aside, the New Joy, Joystick engineer has a great point.

 

[jinman]

This thread has been around so long that Muhammad is going to charge me rent. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[JerryG]

Jim,
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifYou might want to look into a lease arrangement. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color="blue">and they put this joystick on my unit... even though the buttons don't function... any idea why they would do that?</font>

Just a guess, but sounds as if they ordered the wrong one for you, or already had it in stock and didn't want to reorder and have that one left in stock.

I'll be glad to contact NH and give them my take on the problem. We'll see what happens from there.

I'd be willing to fab one if I could get hold of a broken unit so I could get the dimensions, orientation, etc correct.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Actually Jinman, you are 100% right. It's about time I called them about that leaky o ring inthe hydraulic connector as well... I'll lump the two together.

Thanks for the good advice.