fire72
Bronze Member
I've had my new TC40A for two weeks now, and put on about 35 hours. It has the 12x12 shuttle shift, loaded R1's, and a 16LA loader. It replaces a '99 1920, also with the 12x12, R1's, and 7308 loader. The first two weeks have been primarily brush cutting, with a small amount of loader work and grading.
Things I've noticed so far, both good and bad:
- This is a lot more tractor than the old 1920. Same size tires, similar weight and chassis size, but much more usable HP and lift capacity. HP is 40 gross/35 PTO, up from 33 gross/29 PTO. Seems to lift a full loader bucket more easily, even though it is 72" and the 7308 was 60".
- Side mounted loader control is great. Much more convenient reach, although I'm still getting used to the new location.
- This tractor needs a 6' rotary cutter. My old 5' KK almost covers the wheels, but in grasses and moderate brush the tractor doesn't know it's back there. A 6' would increase my acreage per hour and fit the size of the tractor better.
- There are way too many little things under the tractor for brush to catch. Twice already I've had to reconnect bullet connectors on what appears to be the neutral safety switch on the left side of the transmission before the tractor would start. I need to spend some time with zip ties and wire loom to try to at least reduce this kind of annoyance.
- This tractor cools much better than my 1920, but it should still have a radiator prescreen. The first big job with the TC40 was finishing a 25 acre bush hogging job I started with the 1920. With the old tractor, I was stopping every 20 minutes to clean seeds and chaff out of prescreen when the temp would reach the top of the safe range. With the TC40, the grill screens stop most of the junk before it even gets close to the radiator, and are very easy to clean. The temp stays in the safe range much longer. Some debris still gets onto the radiator, though, and has to be brushed out. NH could have avoided that by spending a few extra bucks on a removeable screen. Even the little plastic screen like JD uses on the newer models would help.
- As I am not a fan of hydrostatic transmissions on CUT size tractors (even though my garden tractor has one), I don't miss the extra goodies that the DA model would have over mine. However, the fenders do irritate me. Where the DA has the lift levers, range selectors, etc. mounted in plastic panels in the fenders, the A model just has big hollow dents with nothing in them. I didn't buy this tractor for looks; it's for work, not for taking to car shows, but the dang thing looks like they forgot to finish building it. How much could it cost to make a cover panel or something? On the other hand, I prefer the pierced steel floor decking over the rubber mats on the DA. The mats on my 1920 got a little slippery when wet or muddy, and sometimes tried to slide around.
- The new tractor rides smoother than the old one. Not sure exactly why this is; same size tires, similar weight and chassis size. Track is somewhat wider, so maybe that is part of the reason. Whatever the cause, my back appreciates it after a full day in the saddle.
- Overall length is about a foot longer than the 1920, due mostly to the extra reach on the 16LA. That thing is a LONG way out front (and I don't even want to think about the 17LA on supersteer tractors). That really pushes it on the length of my 18' trailer when I have the rotary cutter on, and will get worse when I upgrade to a 6' cutter. It's going to be a while until I can upgrade to a 20' 10K trailer; best fix I can think of for now is to add some suitcase weights to keep the front and down and a grill guard for brush protection and leave the loader at home on bush hog jobs. That will be OK on grass and light brush, but I won't bust heavy brush without the loader on. I'll have to figure that one out. Maybe hang on to the 5' cutter for those jobs.
- I can get used to this idea of being able to see the loader. No more hanging halfway out of the seat trying to figure out where the edge of the bucket is. The sloped hood and extra length of the loader arms work well.
- The 1920 had clips to hang the seatbelt when the tractor is not in use. It was a small convenience, but one I wish I still had.
Just some observations from my first two weeks with the new tractor. Opinions, anyone?
Things I've noticed so far, both good and bad:
- This is a lot more tractor than the old 1920. Same size tires, similar weight and chassis size, but much more usable HP and lift capacity. HP is 40 gross/35 PTO, up from 33 gross/29 PTO. Seems to lift a full loader bucket more easily, even though it is 72" and the 7308 was 60".
- Side mounted loader control is great. Much more convenient reach, although I'm still getting used to the new location.
- This tractor needs a 6' rotary cutter. My old 5' KK almost covers the wheels, but in grasses and moderate brush the tractor doesn't know it's back there. A 6' would increase my acreage per hour and fit the size of the tractor better.
- There are way too many little things under the tractor for brush to catch. Twice already I've had to reconnect bullet connectors on what appears to be the neutral safety switch on the left side of the transmission before the tractor would start. I need to spend some time with zip ties and wire loom to try to at least reduce this kind of annoyance.
- This tractor cools much better than my 1920, but it should still have a radiator prescreen. The first big job with the TC40 was finishing a 25 acre bush hogging job I started with the 1920. With the old tractor, I was stopping every 20 minutes to clean seeds and chaff out of prescreen when the temp would reach the top of the safe range. With the TC40, the grill screens stop most of the junk before it even gets close to the radiator, and are very easy to clean. The temp stays in the safe range much longer. Some debris still gets onto the radiator, though, and has to be brushed out. NH could have avoided that by spending a few extra bucks on a removeable screen. Even the little plastic screen like JD uses on the newer models would help.
- As I am not a fan of hydrostatic transmissions on CUT size tractors (even though my garden tractor has one), I don't miss the extra goodies that the DA model would have over mine. However, the fenders do irritate me. Where the DA has the lift levers, range selectors, etc. mounted in plastic panels in the fenders, the A model just has big hollow dents with nothing in them. I didn't buy this tractor for looks; it's for work, not for taking to car shows, but the dang thing looks like they forgot to finish building it. How much could it cost to make a cover panel or something? On the other hand, I prefer the pierced steel floor decking over the rubber mats on the DA. The mats on my 1920 got a little slippery when wet or muddy, and sometimes tried to slide around.
- The new tractor rides smoother than the old one. Not sure exactly why this is; same size tires, similar weight and chassis size. Track is somewhat wider, so maybe that is part of the reason. Whatever the cause, my back appreciates it after a full day in the saddle.
- Overall length is about a foot longer than the 1920, due mostly to the extra reach on the 16LA. That thing is a LONG way out front (and I don't even want to think about the 17LA on supersteer tractors). That really pushes it on the length of my 18' trailer when I have the rotary cutter on, and will get worse when I upgrade to a 6' cutter. It's going to be a while until I can upgrade to a 20' 10K trailer; best fix I can think of for now is to add some suitcase weights to keep the front and down and a grill guard for brush protection and leave the loader at home on bush hog jobs. That will be OK on grass and light brush, but I won't bust heavy brush without the loader on. I'll have to figure that one out. Maybe hang on to the 5' cutter for those jobs.
- I can get used to this idea of being able to see the loader. No more hanging halfway out of the seat trying to figure out where the edge of the bucket is. The sloped hood and extra length of the loader arms work well.
- The 1920 had clips to hang the seatbelt when the tractor is not in use. It was a small convenience, but one I wish I still had.
Just some observations from my first two weeks with the new tractor. Opinions, anyone?
