This is a follow-up of a post of the question 1370 Rod posted on 11/21/18 ?Why doesn?t J I Case get respect anymore? Notice I titled this ---?Why did J I Case loose respect??
I waited to see what others would write in Rod?s post. I decided to break the post rules and write this because some criticism is needed to answer the question. I?m snowed in so will finish and post this for better or probably WORSE!!!! LOL
Growing up, I became a Case fan because we had a C Case that was a great tillage tractor for the time. I drove a lot of brands growing up and I never hated any brand. The 50s vintage 400 Farmall and the LA Case were ?WOW? tractors. Case remain my sentimental favorite tractors because of the C Case BUT-
Case had respect in the 20s and 30s but would gradually loose respect for tractors and combines among farmers in the 40s and early 50s. Respect would still floundered for Case until the 30 series tractors arrived and the Case rotary combine showed up.
WHY did farmers ?vote disrespect? for Case for 2+ decades??starting in the late 30s and early 40s? Over time, farmers vote with their pocketbooks regarding features that stayed or finally went.
Here are some of the Case features that farmers have VOTED down i.e. not favorable.
* Farmers voted the goose neck to go away. Other brands listened but not Case.
* Farmers voted for more gears than Case offered. Some other brands listened but not Case.
* Farmers voted for a 3pt hitch that had the sway feature?making the tractor steer much better in the field. Some other brand listened much sooner than Case.
* Farmers would vote down the use a torque converter in tractors for a power shift i.e. for ?steady pull? use--- unlike wheel loaders cyclic use etc.
* Farmers voted in favor of insert bearing rather than Babbitt bearings in the engine crankshaft.
*Farmers voted in favor of the way in which band brakes nicely responded to the pedal ---which Deere, Allis, etc. kept. (Our C?s band brakes were much better that the D?s disc brakes--- i.e. Case made this backwards move when the D series arrived.) Responsive, low-pedal-pressure brakes contribute to tractors seeming more nimble. Disc brakes needed, and were eventually given, power assist and nimbleness improved.
*Farmers voted in favor of power steering (or roll-o-matic) used on tricycle tractors so Case, and others, lagged behind to have good tricycle steering (and thumb protection LOL).
*Farmers voted in favor of styling upgrades. Case seriously lagged in styling upgrades during the 40s and early a50s.
* I thought that Case was one of the worse tractors to display oil weeps because the right side of the engine was almost totally on display. The valve cover gasket was poorly restrained and the cork would creep---leak happened!! (Farmers never voted for the ?greasy look?. LOL)
* Case drawbars lagged on adjustment features--- i.e. in and out and up and down.
* J I Case CEOs, and other J I Case leaders, unwisely decided what farmers would vote in favor of or against.
Our family?s personal votes for dad and us sons were --- Dad acquired a 36 B John Deere for light work and a 38 C Case mainly for tillage. We loved our C Case for tillage, pto, and belt work where HP counted. We were inclined to think the VAC was no match for the ?nimbleness? of our 36 B since HP tended to NOT count--- such as for mowing, raking, cultivating, hauling, etc.
I think the bigger, tillage Cases held their respects but the smaller Case tricycle tractors LOST respect in the 40s and 50s when small tractor were still in greater demand than bigger ones. It may be ironic that the SMALL Fordson holds the #1 all-time sales for a model number--?replacing big, clumsy tractors. The SMALL 8N Ford holds the #2 spot --- probably mainly for having a 3P hitch that would sway which allowed likeable steering characteristics. The H Farmall (little bigger ---no goose neck ----5 gears --- upgraded styling etc.) holds the #3 spot. Overall the other IH letter series were voted ?respectable? by farmers.
Thus the farmers, having voted sufficient respect for IH, this would save the CaseIH merger. I understand the farmers voted overwhelmingly to stick with IH colors. The IH powershift designs(TA and beyond)won out over the Case powershift designs (COM and beyond). CaseIH would soon switch to the IH powershift and stay with it in the Magnums.
For dad's family after the C Case, we voted with our pocketbook for a 49 D Case for tillage and pto (belt work was mostly gone). For lighter work, we also voted with our pocketbook for a 49 style-upgraded, 6-speed, nimble, B Deere with roll-o-matic, band brakes, powertrol hydraulic, and good drawbar adjustments, rather than vote for a 49 style-stagnant, 4-speed, clumsy, mechanical lift, no hydraulics, inadequate-adjustment drawbar SC Case for lighter work. The bigger, 2-cylinder, Deere?s never found favor with us?nor would a 4010 Deere that I used for several years. After having a 1170 for 40+years, it is still a keeper?in spite of having a few design wart's.
Your thoughts?