NHTC30 critique

[hodge]

A friend from church has a New Holland TC30. and he wanted some stabilizers. I made them, and went to his place today to install them. I service his tractor for him, but had only given it a cursory look before.
I appreciate that it has position control, and that it is a step-through drivetrain design.
But, I don't like the shifter- it is on the left side of the steering wheel, and unlike my fathers bigger NH which has a forward/neutral/reverse shifter there, the 30 has 3 speeds and reverse on the dash. There is a 3-range shifter on the left of the seat. The shifter on the dash is clumsy and lose, and I would probably pass the tractor over just because of that.
The tractor also does not have a differential lock- that surprised me.
It runs good, and is a nice size, but I much prefer my B7100. It feels more solid and has better ergonomics, even though it is much older.
It did have turnbuckles, so the TC30 is good for business...

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Overall its not a bad tractor. Once-a-pon a time I used to drive trucks for the local New Holland dealer and the TC30 was the only tractor I was some what impressed with. Not a bad price tag either at $13,000 for a 30hp tractor with a loader.

I don't know much about the Italian IVECO diesel engine. The TC30's I hauled for the dealer were new ones I was delivering to a customer. It seemed to be New Hollands popular tractor model. I've given some consideration into buying one which at the time there was a method in my madness. I figured if I went to work for the dealership I might have got an employee discount and I could pay for it as I worked.

NOPE I was wrong...

 

[Eric McCarthy]

The New Holland TC30 was honestly an affordable 30hp tractor with a loader from the factory and sold with a $13,000 price tag to keep up with Kubota in competition on 30hp tractors.

 

[hodge]

Shibaura built the tractors and the engines. Did they source their engines from Iveco?

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I can't keep up with New Holland anymore. I know back 1990 Ford sold off a majority of its holdings to Fiat and in 1999 Fiat/NewHolland merged with Case IH and became CNH Globa. I do remember seeing Vic post something about Shibaura building some New Holland tractors. Pretty much what has steered me away from buying on these days. Too damn confusing.

I do know that back in 05 when I was hauling the New Hollands a majority had Iveco diesels in them.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

This will add a whole new deminsion of confusion into the mix. Read this info about LS Tractors who imports New Holland then resells them as LS New Holland in other markets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LS_Tractors