Plastic versus Metal

Hillbilly · Nov 28, 2001

I personally like the plastic fenders and plastic hood etc over metal fenders and hoods.
1. The plastic will not rust or bend.
2. A lot of the plastic made is as strong or stronger than metals.

What do you think?

butzkeg · Nov 28, 2001

They seem to be easy to clean, and keep looking sharp. Being new to my tractor, I wonder if I might break the fender get on an off if I put too much pressure on the handle. Not totally comfortable with it, especially when the weather gets colder. After a few more months of use, I'll probably be sold.

BKColeman · Nov 28, 2001

I don't have a tractor yet, I've been torn between JD and NH. But everytime I go to the JD lot, the first thing my wife says is that the handles on the fenders give too much and it makes the tractor feel flimsy. They do give more than the other brands. I'm hoping the new 4x10s will be a little sturdier feeling in that respect.

But I like the idea of the plastic not rusting. I've seen a few used models with some deep gashes in the plastic though, I guess from tree limbs.

-Brad

Hillbilly · Nov 28, 2001

I think those fenders have a high tensile strength, they will bend along ways before they break.

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

I think that hi-tech plastic/fiberglass composite/no rust/no dent/stays nice looking for a long long time/light weight/durable strong stuff is some of the greatest stuff since sliced bread...

Now that John Deere and New Holland agrees... it won't be long till Kubota joins in... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

Oooopps...

I left off...space age material!.../w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Hillbilly · Nov 28, 2001

That is the one thing about the Agco compacts I did not like,all metal fenders and hoods. They even advertise the metal fenders and hoods as a plus over the competitors plastic parts.

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

<font color=blue>...even advertise the metal fenders and hoods as a plus over the competitors ...</font color=blue>

Kubota does the same...

but to keep future costs down... I'll bet you'll see them using plastic/composite for that reason and all the others I've already mentioned...

it's only a matter of time.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JATO_RaT · Nov 28, 2001

Perhaps the new loaders will be plastic, the buckets and box scrapers even, heck even the pistons and rings, after all, this space age material sounds like a miracle. Kubotas gotta get with it and put some plastic in their machines.

therrien · Nov 28, 2001

Back in about 79-80 when going to auto school(mechanical) I saw literature about an internal combustion engine made of plastic.
If I remember:
4 cylinder
steel for crankshaft, alternater, carburator,and piston rings. pistons were plastic I believe.
That was a long time ago.

Doug T B1700 TLB

Bird · Nov 28, 2001

I've had a tendency in the past (which I am getting over) to be a little suspicious about "plastic" parts, but I was amazed 30 years ago to learn that Chrysler was using plastic pistons in their front wheel disk brake calipers, and amazed about 3 years ago to learn that Ingersoll-Rand's top of the line half inch air impact wrench has a "composite" body (in fact, it's mostly "plastic" and they also have a 3/8" impact of the same material)./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif In selecting a tractor, whether it had metal or plastic parts wouldn't be a serious consideration for me anymore (unless I lived down near the Texas coast where anything metal rusts/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif).

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

Ummmmmmmmmmm...

Do I detect some form of sarcasm....?

Actually no... Kubota will start using plastic in their fenders and hoods like NH & JD... they already use plastic in their loaders... /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Knight9 · Nov 28, 2001

<font color=blue>Kubota...they already use plastic in their loaders</font color=blue>

Seriously? Which parts are plastic? I've checked mine over pretty regular like and I don't recall any plastic at least externally.

Kevin

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

Kevin, Kevin, Kevin.... /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

I'm busting Rat's chops.................. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Only on the Kubota L48 loader's, Kevin... you're safe... {lift arms, I believe} {plastic & rubber...}

Knight9 · Nov 28, 2001

John 1: Kevin 0

/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Kevin

JATO_RaT · Nov 28, 2001

Ahhh, yes Detective John, your on to me. I mentioned this before when someone was looking at the New Holland Boomers and was concerned about plastic. My response was that I don't care and felt it should'nt matter. In terms of importance, its way down on the list. Give me a dependable and quiet diesel, a great HST, strong loader (Kubota I bought has twice the thickness of steel in the loader compared to the 4700 loader I was looking at although it uses plastic tie wraps or zip ties for the nylon sheath around the 1/2" hydraulic hoses). I have yet to get on my International (1974 and no rust yet and wonder what the plastic would be doing had they been made of that) or my Kubota and wish the fenders and hood were made of plastic and if they were, again, it just would not matter. Do you wish your JD was plastic? Probably not. The engine that was discussed I believe used a ceramic piston and not plastic which is not nearly the same thing. Again, when it comes to plastic, its not going to be a deal maker either way unless of course they start building loaders, buckets, engine blocks and hydraulic rams out of it. Rat...

raptor · Nov 28, 2001

I was about as anti-plastic/space age material as a guy could get for use on tractors. But that was before I saw the way they stand up to some pretty hard use. Sure they scuff, but if I'd a pushed my tractor ('61 Massey, with steel everything) through some of the stuff I saw a compact Deere go through, she'd of been all dinged to heck. I've gone 180 degrees on it now. Wouldn't bother in the least, and I'd probably prefer it now. Take care.

Terry

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

Hi Mark,

I had somewhat like Bird's opinion of "plastic" for a long time, but technology has certainly changed that for the better...

As you know, I've have tractors for a couple of three days now and for some reason, units make prior to 1980 sheet metal "looks marvelous darling"... with no rust or very little...

But, I don't know what it is, at a number of auctions, most tractors after 1980 sheet metal is rusty, rustier, or just plain nasty... the average person would think they were the older units...

My Massey's are in great shape{former 1969 and going 1973}, but my Satoh {1984) has some rust... so go figure.

Now, I know you'll find this hard to believe Mark, but yes, my utility John Deere has a plastic/composite hood and metal fenders... And no the determination of plastic versus metal shouldn't be a deciding factor in purchasing any tractor...

You may feel about the plastic the way I feel about the "slip-on plastic pto covers"... somewhat humorous... perhaps not.

The major advantage of plastic over metal, I do find is mostly the elimination of "dings" on plastic that will show up and stay on metal as dents...

Anonymous Poster · Nov 28, 2001

Exactly... you go out and do some serious 6-7' high brush hogging, that your loader tries to protect 99% of, well that 1% left over gets whacked and the plastic crinkles up with a sad face... and suddenly springs back to life and looks normal... whereas that metal fender takes a hit and the dent/ding stays forever... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Harv · Nov 28, 2001

I've been partial to metal myself, but I gotta admit I've been pretty impressed with some of the "plastic" materials available now. Heck, anybody but me been thwarted by an unopened bag o' potato chips? /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I was hesitant when I was splitting logs a few years back and somebody handed me a plastic wedge. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Darn thing worked just fine and as far as I know is still in service.

I probably wouldn't have a problem with plastic tractor parts if the quality looked good. My only concern with plastic fenders is that my Chalkley Cup would fall off. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif