MODiesel
Silver Member
You know, I really did like my SS tractor. And, it's easy enough to adjust to the loader yaw movements when you can get yourself in and out and out of some pretty tight quarters. However, here are two points that I noted when I opted for a non-SS TC40D:
1. Pivot points. More moving points means more wear and tear, and that means more possible failure points, especially as the power, weight and stresses on a tractor increase. On a little TC29D, the forces are fairly minor. On a larger TC, TN, or models like the really big TJ series, that huge swinging axle looks more and more like a liability.
2. The "tie rods." OK, so that's not what NH calls them, but if you study the geometry of the SS front end, there are "tie rods" between the outer edges of the front axle and the tractor frame that help to "locate" the axle as it pivots. Otherwise, the single axle pivot would be responsible for containing all of those forces, and at the outer ends of axle, where the tires contact, the lever forces could be pretty substantial. With that in mind, it always seemed to me that the "tie rods" were fairly small.
In any event, I'd be very curious to know how well SS fairs on the TN, and larger, series in terms of durability. Anyone know? There are still times when I miss SS, but the varied and rocky terrain upon which I work gives me a pause. The last thing I need is to find the weak point when I'm sitting at some point from which almost nothing can come and extract me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Regards,
Jay
1. Pivot points. More moving points means more wear and tear, and that means more possible failure points, especially as the power, weight and stresses on a tractor increase. On a little TC29D, the forces are fairly minor. On a larger TC, TN, or models like the really big TJ series, that huge swinging axle looks more and more like a liability.
2. The "tie rods." OK, so that's not what NH calls them, but if you study the geometry of the SS front end, there are "tie rods" between the outer edges of the front axle and the tractor frame that help to "locate" the axle as it pivots. Otherwise, the single axle pivot would be responsible for containing all of those forces, and at the outer ends of axle, where the tires contact, the lever forces could be pretty substantial. With that in mind, it always seemed to me that the "tie rods" were fairly small.
In any event, I'd be very curious to know how well SS fairs on the TN, and larger, series in terms of durability. Anyone know? There are still times when I miss SS, but the varied and rocky terrain upon which I work gives me a pause. The last thing I need is to find the weak point when I'm sitting at some point from which almost nothing can come and extract me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Regards,
Jay