Plastic verses metal

[Hawgee]

Not long and windy at all. I do appreciate the magic of this new world. I have been around the plex'ies, lexan and buturates with the neon sign work Stops a Smith & Wesson auto 40 and larger.

The main thing I was hopeing not to see was reports of stress related cracks and breaks. Like early on in the aluminum horse trailer market. Bad design or thin material that would not hold. By the lack of this kind of reply, I have an answer.

When I put my fingers around the raised hood of the new TC45D, I was pleasently suprised. I do know that the local man-lift company "Geni-Lift" outsources the hoods and panels and have trusted thier en-gun-ears to design and make the pieces.

Do you know if NH does the work or has farmed it out? Not that it is important but this may also include some answers for the people wanting cab tractors and who made it. I don't think the weight of a metal cab would be nice on some smaller tractors. I'm a believer in wheel weights and the choice of removal.

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

 

[al f]

Hawgee,

I'm glad I didn't bore you with that. To answer your question, NH does not make these parts themselves. They have the work contracted out to other companies. In my opinion, this is much better than NH making them.. By contracting the work out, NH, an equipment manufacturer who knows zip about the manufacture of plastic parts, can have their OEM's (original equipment manufacturers) who are experts in plastics, and that is their only business, do the work I guess NH (or Deere,or Kubota for that matter) could make their own components, but the manufacturing equipment and technical people they would have to get would put the costs of the parts through the roof. I know of no equipment or even car maker that makes their own plastic parts. They all use outside suppliers.


Al

 

[stvman]

This may sound strange but one of the things I love about the NH tractors is the composite fenders. I like AL F work around the (plastics) industry. I believe Pontiac was one of the first to use it on bumper skins back in the 60's and there is no end in sight to the potential uses. The only reason STURM RUGER is not making guns out of composites is that they would be able to pass through metal detectors at airports. My father has two hips that have "plastic"joints in them ( along with some stainless steel). But like anything else if you don't take care of it of it,over time metal rots plastic gets brittle. Every year though guys like AL make it a little better. Thanks Al

 

[stvman]

One of the videos Chevy has to demo its new bed is to teather a 15# pound bowling ball from about 15' in the air slamming it into the side of the truck. Try that on the hood of a Kubota./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[JimBinMI]

stvman,

Can I, please! Where do I sign up! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[Bird]

Right after you try it on the hood of little <font color=blue>blue</font color=blue>. One bends, the other breaks./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[JimBinMI]

Bird,

Just couldn't do it to either one of them! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Good tractors are hard to come by!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[Bird]

Me neither./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[al f]

I do what I can........... (wiping sweat from my brow) Although I do envy the guys who use their tractors for a living. I only get to use mine on the weekends.

 

[stvman]

Al; I have an idea! You could design some nice tractor impliments out of composites and do all the field R&D, I will even help./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif