TSA115 Tractor Axle broke

[Bwhite]

I have a 2004 TSA115 NH with about 300 hours on it and more than 2 years old. I was mowing this past weekend when i made a left hand turn and the front axle broke off! Fortunately, I was not going fast or it could have been a real disaster. The bad news is that the front end is smashed in, the cab is now bent (can't open the doors), and lots of other related problems. The NH rep looked at the tractor and found that a pin had come out and the weld had broken. In researching this issue the only time i could find this happening is when someone is hauling hay bails and is boucing up and down the road.

I have also found 1 example where this year model tractor had the same problem. Anyone aware of any other instances where this has occurred with a NH?

 

[Solo]

I hope you didn't get injured! Is New Holland going to take care of your tractor?

Solo

 

[jinman]

I'm guessing that your TSA115 is 2WD or you would have had even more extensive damage to the driveline, etc. On my TC45D, I had two bolts on the right side of the 4WD axle come loose after about a month and was lucky enough to see them. There's no way to know for sure, but I suspect that impact wrenches are used in the factory and not all bolts get torqued properly. I have no way of knowing this for sure, so it's kind of an unfair assumption. What I know is that several people have had loose bolts in different locations on new tractors. I can only suggest that folks take the time to inspect critical structure fasteners regularly. Yours were probably loose for quite awhile, but not obvious enough to notice without checking. I hope you get some warranty help, but with your tractor over two years old, that may be doubtful.

 

[Soundguy]

Yikes.. So.. did the axle itself break? or did the pin in the sadle come out then break off an ear? Or did the lower portion of the pedistal break?

Soundguy

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have not heard of anyone else breaking any axles on the TS-A tractors yet so hopefully it is just a freak thing and NH will take care of the tractor for you. Can you post some more specific info and maybe even a couple pics for the rest of us so we better understand what you are talking about? Was it 2wd or FWA? Is there a loader on the tractor?

I know I have been itching to buy a TS-A one of these days so I am very interested in learning more about this problem and how NH handles it.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I was mowing this past weekend when i made a left hand turn and the front axle broke off!

Post some pics!
Bob

 

[IH3444]

Jeepers!!! Glad you are OK! What a freak failure?

 

[schmism]

 

[Bwhite]

I took a bunch of pictures and will post them when i get them back.

To answer some of the questions, believe it or not, i have received one report that this same thing happened to another TSA tractor. I don't think there are any bolts that tie in the front axle to the frame. It looks like to me that one pin is gone, the weld is broke and then another pin is sheared. I don't know what all the parts are called or whether it is an ear, etc., but that is what it looks like to me.

I am just glad i was shreading when it happened and not on an incline or traveling fast down a road.

I love the tractor. I have not heard what NH is going to do.

 

[Soundguy]

Well.. if the kingpin.. or locator pins fall out.. There's not much else to hold an axle on.. I hate to say it.. but it did what i would expect a free floating axle to do.. it broke off when you made a turn.

Glad no one was hurt.... New machine or not.. it is up to the operator to do some sort of walk around on equipment before getting to work.. that includes checking lugnuts, steering linkages, checking oil, kicking tires, and looking at pins.. tractor, loader or implement.

Good luck.. hope the tractor pulls thru..

Soundguy