Buying Advice New Holland 345D advice please.

[Gasifier]

I’m looking at buying a New Holland 345D with the 8 speed power shuttle transmission.

I do a good bit of loader work moving materials and snow, so believe it will work well for this.

But I want to be sure it will be good for mowing with a brush hog as well.

I have read that a torque converter transmission may not be ideal. ? But they may have been discussing one of the other transmission options.

Here are the transmission options:
New Holland 345D Transmissions
8-speed power shuttle
4-speed torque converter
8-speed gear

maybe they were speaking about the 4 speed torque converter?

Could someone knowledgeable with this explain and tell me if this would be a good mower as well?

I appreciate it.

 

[Sportsman762]

The 4 speed with a torque converter is the one that is not great for PTO work. The torque converter can overhead if I remember right. The 8 speeds are good for mower.

 

[Gasifier]

The 4 speed with a torque converter is the one that is not great for PTO work. The torque converter can overhead if I remember right. The 8 speeds are good for mower.

From what I am told the 8 speed is also a torque converter. ? But that it will be fine for a mower. I guess I’m not understanding the conversation I read in a discussion about these tractors.

 

[Sportsman762]

So I did some digging into it and did my favorite way to find spec's. Look for brochures on e-bay.
Tractordata is wrong, again... It had the following transmissions.
6x4, geared
4x4 torque converter
8x8 torque converter

Also I mis stated some information on my prior post (damn flue). The torque converter is not good for ground engaging activities such as moldboard plowing, ripping, or discing. They will over heat causing premature failure. Mowing is no problem nor is any other pto work.

 

[Gasifier]

So if I remember correctly a gentleman related it to trying to slow your truck down by braking but not reducing your RPMs. Basically you have to bring your RPMs up to get your PTO rpm to 540. Then you are trying to mow back and forth around obstacles reducing forward speed for turning, etc. I am use to gear, hydrostatic, and gear with power reverser transmissions. These have all been Kubota, or Industrial John Deere TLB. I’ve never had a New Holland Torque Converter with power shuttle. (Which I guess is an electronic form of clutch engagement?)

 

[Gasifier]

Then there is the electronically activated torque converter lockup. ?
I guess I would need a good lesson on how to properly operate this transmission. Or stick to a hydrostatic transmission which has been great for loader and mowing work. I have always been interested in trying one of these heavier built tractor (skip loader types) to see how I liked them.

 

[TractorTech]

The 8X8 is the only torque convertor transmission with PTO on the C and D series. You could also get a clutch 6X4 transmission on these. The PTO is independent, wet clutch type. The downfall on 8X8 torque convertor is that the transmission controller is obsolete. @eKretz, here on TBN has a workaround for these that can work. The lockup on the 8X8 was designed for mowing needs.
These tractors, the 345D being the lightest duty of these, are working fools.

 

[Gasifier]

The 8X8 is the only torque convertor transmission with PTO on the C and D series. You could also get a clutch 6X4 transmission on these. The PTO is independent, wet clutch type. The downfall on 8X8 torque convertor is that the transmission controller is obsolete. @eKretz, here on TBN has a workaround for these that can work. The lockup on the 8X8 was designed for mowing needs.
These tractors, the 345D being the lightest duty of these, are working fools.

The transmission controller is obsolete? But the “lockup” on the 8x8 was designed for mowing. Difference between the two? What do you mean by transmission controller? And that is separate from the lockup? The lockup is a button on the end of the shuttle lever?

So I bring my RPMs up to, Oh say 2200 or so, to get the mower turning fast enough to cut well (close to 540 RPM @ the PTO. At this point I can shuttle back and forth without having to do anything else? I just need to find the right gear (while I’m in neutral) for the current loading and mowing conditions. ? Anything else I’ll have to do?

 

[TractorTech]

Yes, the controller is obsolete. It controls the F/R modulation of the transmission, so when you engage the transmission, regardless of speed, it modulates the transmission to start in 3 steps so as to not jerk too much.
The lockup can be controlled by a separate switch.

 

[Gasifier]

Looks like I’m going to need a lesson in proper operation of this. LOL And I’ll try to find an operator’s manual.

Anyone on TBN who has actual experience running a 345D with 8x8 with power shuttle?

 

[Gasifier]

Well. I decided against that purchase. Dam. Found out some work had been done to it that I didn’t know about. And wasn’t told about. It was all fixed. It probably would have been okay, but I didn’t feel 100% about it. Dealer was good about it and no hard feelings either way.