An observation

Donald Lehman

Well-known Member
Just making an observation here. Not trying to stir the pot or anything, but in the short time I have been following the YT threads I have seen numerous statements to the effect that using a loader on a manual tranny tractor is a sure ticket to financial doom and gloom. Owned/operated 4 different tractors with loaders over the years, all with manual clutches/trannys. Never noticed clutch wear on any of them to be any better/worse than my non-loader tractors.
 
Time was, there was no choice as to which type of transmission, never heard of any severe problems. No matter what you do with a tractor, there will be problems from time to time, that is a given. To blame your problem on the implement you may be using at the time of failure would be stretching things just a little bit far in most instances. When reading these forums you get all types of answers and opinions. You have to make like a combine and separate the wheat from the chaff. JMHO
 
Grew up on a farm with two loader tractors. First was a CASE SC with a Templeton loader.Never had any problems with the tranny and the tractor didn't have power steering either. Second was a 770 with a 70 series loader. It was easier to operate since it had power shift and power steering. Both were good tractors.
 
The new generation of tractor operators is like the new generation of truck drivers, everyone wants an automatic. I work on tractors and trucks for a living. I can replace a clutch a lot cheaper than rebuilding a reverser or an automatic transmission. Everything today is marketed toward the operator,not the guy that has to work on them. I would not have an automatic anything.
 
I grew up with a loader on a 2cyl 630 john deere. hand clutch, trip bucket, and hydraulic lever all on right side. my brother has the farm now, 60 years old now, no transmission or clutch troubles yet. pushing into manure pile or dumping into spreader you get quick at grabbing and moving the right lever...
 
hit reply too quick. at my current house I still have a different 630 with a 45 loader, very low cost of ownership if you take care of it.
 
On our small cow/calf and grain farm, we have a JD 3020, synchro range, with a loader on it. Just within the past 15 years, I have estimated it has shifted back and forth around 90,000 times. There is still a lot of clutch adjustment left. So I have to agree with the others that it depends mostly on how they are cared for and operated. Though I don't know how many engage/disengage cycles is to be expected from a dry clutch...
 
Only thing I ever indicated is that when doing a lot of loader work a hydro or shuttle shift can't be beat.

Rick
 
Like everything else mechanical it all boils down to the nut behind the wheel.
An inexperienced operator or an expierienced idiot can make short work of wrecking anything and everything man has ever built.
 
I've got 3 tractors with manual trans. and loaders. I've also got a backhoe with a electric shift shuttle. I've used my ford so much that the manual shuttle lever wore out the notched plate on the stick. I've never put a clutch in a tractor unless I had it split for another reason. My backhoe is a lot easier to operate but I've never blown a shift fuse at an inopportune time with a manual shift.
 
I thought the same thing earlier when it was mentioned that a kubota loader tractor with a manual trans would be a big minus.
I have had both and grew-up on old manual shift loader tractors. I don't remember ever having clutch problems with one as a result.
I was kind-of stuck in my old ways when it came to having a hydrostatic loader tractor like allot of us. But I have to admit after having one I sure do like it for loader work.
 

Well, my 1950 H with a loader is probably going to need a clutch someday. 'Course it sort of needed a clutch when I bought it 16 years ago, and it is only slightly worse now than it was then.
 
Operators that do not know how to use a tractor with a clutch and burn it out do not know that they don't know what they were doing wrong. They form an opinion based on the fact that they think they know more about it that anyone else since they now have the(experience).
I burned out one clutch on my Dad's Oliver 77 when I was about 11. After Dad kicked my foot off the clutch when I was slipping it unnecessarily several times I learned when to take my foot off. He would only say, clutches cost money! Never burned out another clutch.
I have watched people using a loader that never took their foot off the clutch in a gear higher than I would be using it.

Saw one the other day that said, when people are dead they don't know they are dead. When people are stupid they also don't know they are stupid. (or doing stupid things)
 
(quoted from post at 10:42:50 05/01/14) Only thing I ever indicated is that when doing a lot of loader work a hydro or shuttle shift can't be beat.

Rick




if what you mean by "a hydro or shuttle shift" is a lever like where the blinker on a truck is, and it shifts it from drive to reverse without pushing in the clutch, then i agree with you 150%, they are sweet, you can get a whole lot more done with a whole lot less effort with them. i rented a backhoe with that feature on it. i l loved it, if i ever won the lottery i'd buy one in a minute, cab,ac and all. i had a standard pickup for a few yrs and my back was always hurting me, got an automatic and the back pain went away.
 
You didn't hear that from me, while I love the hydro tranny in the combine, I am gear tractors all the way.

Dads 1939 H with the loader on it all these years is going strong, well anyhow in the clutch dept, the gearshift lever is so sloppy its hard to know which gear you are in.....

Paul
 
Old we sell about 300+ tractors a year in the 20 to 120 hp range. I have watched the change in ratios for years. first 2 wheel to 4 wheel change about 10% a year to now days 86% we sell are 4 wheel drive. Then the open station to cab began to change , now days around 38% are cab tractors. Gear drive vrs hydraulic shuttle or hydrostatic transmission changes about 10% a year. Only the person buying price now days buys a gear drive tractor. Most are sold with hydrostatic or at least hydraulic shuttle clutches. So many tractors are bought now for hired help use most of which are not good old farmboy operators. Like ever thing else gear drive was great but it is a sign of passing times.
 
Having said what I did above, I have to say I agree with your last three sentances 100%. One of the reasons the military changed over to auto trannys years ago was because the troops no longer had a clue as to how to drive manual transmissions.

Same thing with ATV's. I doubt if you can hardly sell a manual shift ATV anymore. But they sure squeal like a stuck pig when they find out what it costs to rebuild the things!
 
Perhaps there's a difference between 'loader tractors' and 'tractors with loaders'.... I know on 'loader tractors' with dry clutches you can expect 25% (or more) fewer service hours simply from more clutch usage. If you want to abuse it... life could be measured in weeks. If you've got a tractor that just carries a loader around all day but does little actual loading... mabey you don't see much difference in clutch life.

Rod
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top