Modern Tractors are getting worse!!

[flash 600]

we run jd fendt and deutz had problems with them all a 8530 that kept going through brakes it has be since moved on a fendt 818 on its second gearbox and some of the older agrotrons gave gearbox trouble but only the ones with powershift the newer deutz seem to be alot better we have two 936s here one with over 3000hrs on her and no trouble but its not just tractors we run a few trucks merc actros and scania when we got our frist merc in 97 it broke the bosses heart every day it was giveing false warning lights all from bad connections the scania we have at moment has been back in a few times on its frist day with us there was a leak in the cab the auto box packed up on it as well about 3 months after we got it but as the boss says show me a garage that doesnt have mechanics .machines are made to break and thats the way its going to be thats how they make their money build quailty is got very bad it doesnt matter what make you have you will allways have one that will give trouble isay bring back the older straight forward tractors of the eightys and nineties far better than whats on the market today

[tractorbob]

i think today, theres a lot more pressure on tractors...years ago, many farms had lots of tractors so the work load was spread , today lots of farms only have 1, or 2  decent tractors so more workload on them ..... how many old scraper/straw chopping tractors are still going(no electrics or plastic) i dont think new tractors are getting worse they are just worked harder

[rabh7840]

i cant speak for any other make but i know we had to spend £2000 on the gearbox our '98 nh 7840 sle, stripped 3 gears and 2 cogs, some shaft near the borrom of the gearbox fell outof place and the gears wernt meshing correctly, and we also had to re-do the gearbox of an '00 ts110 sle which also went both tractors had between 5-6000hrs at the time, all our neighbours who have similar new hollands ahve also had to spend money on the gearbox's other than that the 40 series seemed to be more or less bomb proof i know of a 7740 sl dual power with 19,000 hours never touched!

[fordson major]

I have been round lots of tractors and users ( abusers as well) Ive seen guys put 5000 hrs on a Belarus and only have general wearing items go and I've also seen guys put 500 hrs on big name makes and want to burn them to get out of it with a sensible cheque as dealers don't want them back in trade.

some models and makes do have problems.

That is why some guys wait a few years for up grades and issues to come out before deciding to buy a particular tractor as Lord Ferguson said a few posts back.

There is good and bad in everything.

I think tractor shows in 50 years will be interesting as all this modern stuff with computers will be long gone as nobody will be able to restore it. Long live the fordson major it will see its 100 birthday yet

When I was in college in the early 90s we had not seen much of this stuff. John Fountain our tutor told us the mechanic that will be worth gold in 20 years will be the one that can take this crap and throw it away, And get the tractor to work with levers and string. I think he was probably right.

[archbarch]

i was always told windmills have cogs, gearboxes have gears and chains have sprockets,   

i do get frustrated by people worrying about the complex workings of machinery, all the electronics sensors etc, most things can be by-passed a good workshop foreman/dealer will talk through problems with mechanically minded people, its not brain surgery people just need to have a positive approach.

my uncle gave me the best advice when i was a kid learning to drive a tractor, the bigger the machine the more gentle you have to be operating it. I see so many drivers on big modern tractors revving the engine whilst manouvering especially on headlands, what they forget is there is alot of metal and oil being thrown around, its only a matter of time before something gives.