Guys, the TC33, TC29, and some other similar compacts do not have a subframe. For the 7308 loader on the early Class II Boomers to the 14LA/15LA loaders on the later Class IIs, there is no sub-frame whatsoever. Of course this limits the lift capacity. However, when a person installs a quick attach plate and pallet forks, they can drag much more weight off a flatbed on a pallet than the loader is rated to lift. The same can be true for a 4-N-1 bucket or many other ways of getting more weight on the loader than the loader could lift from the ground.
In New Holland's system, the system relief valve is only in the loop when the loader joystick is not centered. The joystick may have an emergency relief, but it will be way over the rated lift value the same as the one on the 3PH. The main system relief valve that is set to about 2200 psi is isolated from the loader because the joystick is centered. Now, once the joystick is centered, you can drag enough load off a flatbed truck to put severe strain on the tractor, especially if you have a backhoe attached or lots of rear
ballast. In effect, you are bending a 'popsicle stick' and hoping it won't break in the middle. This is a danger with any tractor, but much more so because many small compact tractor owners just don't take all these things into consideration. There are tremendous dynamic forces applied to our loaders and tractor frames when we are transporting a load near the limit and hit a bump. Without a sub-frame, the shock load goes directly to the housing where it loader bolts into. If any bolt is loose, the others have to take even more shear force than normal.
Is that what happened in all the reported cases? Who knows. DK35Vince, you posted about a problem discussed on TractorPoint. I went there and found a thread that started way back in 2002 about a 1999 model tractor. That's almost a 14 year old tractor and a 10 year old thread. They don't even make that configuration of tractor/loader anymore. What I mean by this is that if you look back in almost any tractor's history, you will find some problems and failures that should not have occurred. You'll also find a lot of discussion and finger-pointing without real knowledge of exactly how the system works or what exactly happened. Many of these tractors that failed were bought used. How can you ever be sure a used tractor has not been abused?
So yes, New Hollands have had some failures, but I think it is wrong to say that New Hollands are failure prone. Are there better designs? Of course there are. Do other manufacturers configure their tractors the same as New Holland without subframes for their loaders? Yes, many/most do on some models. These are all considerations we need to discuss and compare before making a buying decision. They go right along with discussions of how much tractor we need and what we can afford. For many, getting as much tractor as we can afford is more important than what we decide to do with that tractor once it's in our garage. If you asked for a show of hands of people who have abused their tractors, I'd have to be sitting here with both hands in the air.:ashamed: Luckily, my tractor has a big subframe that I paid for by buying a more expensive tractor. It has protected me when I wasn't protecting my tractor, if you know what I mean.
