SacandagaBrad
Platinum Member
Hi all, been a while since I've stopped by.
Had my TC-24D since October 2003, bought brand new and been a good machine. Used for grading private gravel road, clearing snow off of same and driveways, mowing about 1.5 acres, built a couple driveways, general loader work, moving docks, basic home owner stuff. No commercial use, never abused. Has 60" MMM, 72" RB, 12LA loader, and a Woods 54" rear snow blower. Over 900 hours to date, fluids changed according to schedule, but will admit the 300 hour service is over due by about 20 to 30 hours.
Just started leaking hydro fluid, coming out of the cast casing that shrouds the front drive shaft at the transmission end. Leaking enough that oil covered my mower deck after 45 minutes of mowing. Only leaked when it was running. Had a similar leak about 3 years ago that originated in the same area, oil was running down front drive shaft until it hit the bottom and dripped off. Found loose bolts at the main split in the tractor, dealer said that could stress the input shaft seal and about an 8 hour job to split and replace. I tightened the bolts with loc-tite and the problem went away. So when I described the problem this time, but with a lot more leaking, they figured about an 8 hour job.
Got the news yesterday that they split the tractor AND split the hydro tranny, machine is in 3 main pieces and several boxes. They are 11 hours into it, finding seals that need replacing but nothing severely damaged, and are now figuring 24 hours labor plus parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How the **** does a machine this expensive and supposedly well built have these kinds of problems? This is not basic maintenance or reasonably anticipated repairs at a certain time in its life. For the type of work I do with it, this should be a lifetime tractor. If I knew I was headed into a $2500 repair bill, I would have first considered trading it (being up front with them about the leak). Who knows how much longer it will last, they are a long time NH dealership and have good mechanics, but the bottom line is this thing is being completely rebuilt in areas that were never intended to see the light of day.
As I'm typing this, I had another thought. Back in the beginning, during the first time I ran the snow blower, I stalled it out hard. The drive shaft to the impeller fan is a straight run, no gear reductions etc. as far as I can tell. I picked up a small stone (#2 driveway stone) and pinched it with the fan. Running 2500 ish RPMs for 540 RPM at the PTO. It stopped that impeller and the tractor motor cold. Based on the scrape, the fan traveled about 10:00 o'clock to noon before it stopped. Turned out that Woods had a typo in their manual calling for a grade 8 shear bolt in the drive shaft, should have been a grade 5. I confirmed this with them. Wonder if that incident could have started all this, even though 10 years ago? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/31711-grade-8-shear-bolt-confirmed.html?highlight=
Anybody else ever have these problems? Up to now, I've loved my blue machine. Not so much right now, only reason I would consider another is so I wouldn't have to buy new loader and mower.
Going to talk to them this morning. Wondering if this is something I should involve the NH reps to try to get some relief?
Had my TC-24D since October 2003, bought brand new and been a good machine. Used for grading private gravel road, clearing snow off of same and driveways, mowing about 1.5 acres, built a couple driveways, general loader work, moving docks, basic home owner stuff. No commercial use, never abused. Has 60" MMM, 72" RB, 12LA loader, and a Woods 54" rear snow blower. Over 900 hours to date, fluids changed according to schedule, but will admit the 300 hour service is over due by about 20 to 30 hours.
Just started leaking hydro fluid, coming out of the cast casing that shrouds the front drive shaft at the transmission end. Leaking enough that oil covered my mower deck after 45 minutes of mowing. Only leaked when it was running. Had a similar leak about 3 years ago that originated in the same area, oil was running down front drive shaft until it hit the bottom and dripped off. Found loose bolts at the main split in the tractor, dealer said that could stress the input shaft seal and about an 8 hour job to split and replace. I tightened the bolts with loc-tite and the problem went away. So when I described the problem this time, but with a lot more leaking, they figured about an 8 hour job.
Got the news yesterday that they split the tractor AND split the hydro tranny, machine is in 3 main pieces and several boxes. They are 11 hours into it, finding seals that need replacing but nothing severely damaged, and are now figuring 24 hours labor plus parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How the **** does a machine this expensive and supposedly well built have these kinds of problems? This is not basic maintenance or reasonably anticipated repairs at a certain time in its life. For the type of work I do with it, this should be a lifetime tractor. If I knew I was headed into a $2500 repair bill, I would have first considered trading it (being up front with them about the leak). Who knows how much longer it will last, they are a long time NH dealership and have good mechanics, but the bottom line is this thing is being completely rebuilt in areas that were never intended to see the light of day.
As I'm typing this, I had another thought. Back in the beginning, during the first time I ran the snow blower, I stalled it out hard. The drive shaft to the impeller fan is a straight run, no gear reductions etc. as far as I can tell. I picked up a small stone (#2 driveway stone) and pinched it with the fan. Running 2500 ish RPMs for 540 RPM at the PTO. It stopped that impeller and the tractor motor cold. Based on the scrape, the fan traveled about 10:00 o'clock to noon before it stopped. Turned out that Woods had a typo in their manual calling for a grade 8 shear bolt in the drive shaft, should have been a grade 5. I confirmed this with them. Wonder if that incident could have started all this, even though 10 years ago? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/31711-grade-8-shear-bolt-confirmed.html?highlight=
Anybody else ever have these problems? Up to now, I've loved my blue machine. Not so much right now, only reason I would consider another is so I wouldn't have to buy new loader and mower.
Going to talk to them this morning. Wondering if this is something I should involve the NH reps to try to get some relief?
