Fan blades on class III Boomers

[BIGBLUETOY]

There is chatter on another web about fan blades on TC35D-TC45D (non D models also) hitting the fan shrouds.
They are saying this is being caused by the front axle using the frame that the radiator mounts to as a stop. So if you are lifting a heavy load with your FEL and drive on uneven ground the front axle may push this frame up, which pushes the radiator and shroud up and causes the fan to hit the shroud. There are a couple of guys saying they have had to replace their fan.
After reading this I looked at my TC40D and sure enough my tips of my fan blades have damage to them from hitting the shroud. I also can see marks on my front axle where it has hit the frame that the radiator is bolted to.
They are saying New Holland knows about this but has not come up with a fix yet.
Has anyone had to replace their fans or water pumps?
Does Spencer or anyone else have any info on this?

Scott

 

[buckeye]

With only 45 hours on my TC40, I have not noticed the blades hitting the shroud. I have used the 16LA loader, but probably for only a total of 10 hours. I will keep a watch on this and talk to my dealer when I go to see him for the 50-hour service. Maybe one of the more experienced Class-III boomer owners could weigh-in as well. And it would be good to hear from Spencer who seems to be a straight shooter.

 

[farmacist]

I had this problem and my dealer just shaved about 1/8 inch off the end of each blade. This solved the problem. It was made with too close a tolerance between the fan tips and the shroud when the frame twists like when one front wheel is in a hole and you have a load on the loader. Easy fix that works. Frank

 

[jinman]

I checked my fan and shroud today and neither the fan nor the shroud showed any indication of rubbing. My fan clears the shroud by almost 3/8", so I think it's not likely to rub. I have a lot of uneven ground and I load my bucket to its maximum very often. Perhaps not all Class IIIs have the same problem.

 

[RickB]

There have been 2 issues with fans and shrouds. First there was some misalignment of the radiators on both class II and III tractors. This causes the fan to hit the shroud on only one side, usually the left. Haven't seen this on any Boomers with black chassis. The other issue is front frame flex, allowing the fan to strike the shroud on either side, depending on which way the frame flexes. I have only seen this condition on TC35's, as they use a 3 cylinder engine and a long front frame with no diagonal or lateral support. 4 cylinder 40's and 45's have a shorter front frame that appears not to be able to flex enough to be noticed.