Workmaster 50 hydraulic problem, Am i getting the ?????

[nwut05]

Im gonna offer my :2cents: on a few key points.

Yes, its nice to have a dealer that will bend over backwards, come get and deliver your tractor numerous times (assuming at no charge) because transportation is something warranty usually dont cover.

However, I would have absolutely ZERO confidence in their service dept.

For starters, as reading your story, I kept asking myself WHY are they calling you saying "its fixed come try it out" only for you to waste a trip in and have it mess up right on the dealers lot? Could they not have done that before they called you and said "its fixed" ?

Second, not sure what they fixed really. The vague description you give indicates it could be either the feedback linkage adjustment of the 3PH, which is external. Or the valve adjustment (internal), or a draft control adjustment (could be internal or external). I am actually leaning toward a simple external feedback adjustment because they already "claimed" they changed the 3PH valve once? Or perhaps they didnt adjust it right the first time either. But my point, at the end of the day, They "claimed" to replace 2 pumps (probably $1500 ea), A 3PH valve (probably $1000), a loader valve (probably $1000) and a filter housing and filters and other misc parts + oil (probably another $500-1000).

So they threw $5500-$6000 in parts at this tractor, countless shop hours, wasted many trips to haul, as well as waste your time. When did technician skill and basic troubleshooting go out the window?

I know I have beat my head against the wall trying to figure out problems before, and suspecting expensive parts and bracing myself......but at some point before shelling out $6000 in parts......it would be wise to make sure the part was the problem.

Too many dealers and service shops these days (not just tractors) are nothing more than part changers. Takes little skill to guess and swap parts. Real skill is in diagnosing and troubleshooting.

And I am sure they as a dealer have access to all the necessary testing and troubleshooting procedures via the service manuals for testing the pump, testing the loader valve, testing and adjusting the 3PH valve, adjusting the 3PH feedback, etc. Perhaps They should have used it.

Regarding your new tractor. I agree no replacement needed unless you choose to upgrade. No harm was done to your tractor. Its not like you had a catastrophic failure of a hydraulic component that sent debris through out the system. They pulled off alot of nearly new but good working parts and replaced them with bran new parts that also work. So no harm no fowl.

The tractor is fixed, and you are happy. Thats all that matters. But I think my patience would have been expended after they dropped it off the first time and said "its fixed" when it wasnt. Let alone the other 2 or 3 times they called you into the dealer with the same claim. IT seems clear that when they "think" they fixed it, they just pulled it out and parked it without bothering to test it.

LD 1 Thanks, To make it a little clearer they did only replace the pump once, they ordered and replaced the hydraulic filter housing once, and then once that did not fix it the dealer owner had them rob a new 60 on the lot for the needed loader valve assembly and 3 point parts. Each time i was at the dealer the technician told me the pressures and diagnostic tests they done were fine and within specs. So as you say i suspected and still suspect the tractor was never tested properly before i was called. Also for them to tell me that all the testing and diagnostics were reading ok then to miraculously come up with an adjustment to the 3 point draft control sensitivity, stating it was out of whack from the factory makes me wonder?

Also for Everybody's knowledge the tractor had 34 hours on it as of 2 days ago when i last seen it and was delivered with 3. I put roughly 24 hours on it myself the rest is or has been at the dealership .

 

[LD1]

Well if they were swapping parts with a 60 from the lot....and they really did change everything on the hydraulics except the hoses as they claim.......Was that draft control adjustment or whatever also screwed up on the new 60 parts they put on your machine and didnt fix the issue til they adjusted it?

Edit:

30-50 years ago everyone knew what draft control was and what feedback linkages was. Everyone that owned a tractor knew how to adjust them if needed, and certainly all dealers knew. Again....people actually used to diagnose stuff. Now its just too easy to swap parts til that magic combination is found.

 

[nwut05]

LD1 I do not know if the draft linkage was messed up on the new 60 or not, Don't think they do either. I guess the new owner of it will find out when that time comes. Also I agree with you as far as knowing what the draft link is/does or how to adjust it has been a part of my life for years with other equipment my family owns. I really think that possibly that late night call i got from the service manager would translate to this POSSIBLY?, We had someone we knew with experience come by after hours and fix your tractor!

But i do not know that for sure.


I really just hope it is fixed.

If not a trade may be coming my way, and take the loss now instead of later while i still got some chance.....

 

[LD1]

When I questioned the draft linkage on the 60 being messed up from the factory.....

That was assuming that was one of the many parts they swapped over to YOUR 50 and still didnt fix the issue.

Meaning that as the 60 sat on the lot.....prior to them stealing parts off of it.....also had something messed up with the 3PH.

So whats more likely.....NH sent out two mis-adjusted tractors from the factory?

or

Your dealer was feeding a line of BS when they claimed they have replaced everything to do with the hydraulics except the hoses?

Cause if they indeed did swap everything but the hoses....and the solution was a valve/linkage adjustment......in my mind that means it was ALSO incorrectly adjusted on the 60 before they stole it to try on yours.

 

[nwut05]

Now that is a very good way to look at things from a different perspective LD1


I will make them SHOW me exactly the parts they replaced and that way i know what they said they replaced and not just listen to them TELL me.


As you say if they put the 60's parts on mine. and mine was testing fine before the parts swap and then it was testing out of adjustment from the factory. mine may have been right and they just fixed the 60' problem but with the part on my tractor.

 

[nwut05]

Just to update... Spoke with dealer/owner Saturday 8-19-17 again...told him i still had some concerns/distrust about the tractor being fixed. He told me that he needed to know it was fixed and told me to take it back and run it 20 hrs, and that the reason he needed to know was, and i quote "good help is hard to find" . He then stated if i wasn't satisfied or it wasn't fixed he would give me the full purchase price on trade and we would just start over. Even wrote me a deal sheet up on a Workmaster 60 that i think is hard to beat after going through this with a 50. They are supposed to bring it back Monday and we shall see what happens.

 

[sixdogs]

You have a wonderful dealer.

 

[bspeedy]

That's a fair offer from the dealer. Sounds like he is certainly trying. I personally would not be terribly concerned about all the parts changing. Unless there are leaks or problems within those 20 hours, I would expect the tractor to perform like a tractor that never had the issue.

 

[nwut05]

Thanks, bspeedy

I do believe they are trying also, NOW for the update.... I got the tractor back yesterday here at the farm, it was delivered all cleaned up and washed. I hooked it up to the drum mower and went to mow hay as the weather is not looking too bad the next few days. Wasn't long until i noticed a puddle of hydraulic fluid on the right running board near the deferential pedal:irked:. So i shut the machine down and got to looking and it was leaking from the block that the 3 pt draft and position controls go into under the right side of the seat.......... Speaking of the Position/ Draft control the first thing i noticed after hooking up the drum was i had position control and no draft control :mur:mur:....... Needless to say the dealer/owner got a call on his cell today, as it was too late yesterday ....... To Be Continued.... P.S. it had 37 hours on now has 40.4

 

[Oldpath05]

"am getting the old Barney Fife, sawdust in the tranny fix just to get me to accept the tractor back??"<<<<That's one of my favorite episodes, the best shows were the ones with Barney and Gomer together.
I was beginning to think that the NH WorkMaster was immuned to problems, haven't noticed them posted or complained about til this one and sounds like you have a doozy, cant believe you haven't demanded another tractor by now, I'd be foaming at the bit after all this crap, good luck.