A question for experienced tractor people.

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

This is an Industrial tractor usually used by State or local Municipalities or contractors.

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 w/torque converter
4-speed torque converter
8-speed gear

maybe they were speaking about the 4 speed torque converter?

If someone is knowledgeable with this could you explain and tell me if this would be a good mower as well?

I appreciate it.

 

So you are saying the PTO is powered through the TC?
Never seen that before myself...I've used shuttle shift with no issues of any kind though

 

No. I apparently do not understand how the system works. Just trying to determine if it will be good for mowing as well.

 

The State DOT departments in Iowa & Missouri use Deere/NH/CIH to mow roadsides with those types of shuttle shift transmissions . The pull 10’ - 20’ rotary mowers.

Most folks around here bale hay ( large rounds ) with the shuttle type shifter.
Some have the lever on the LH side of the steering wheel others are right hand.

I prefer LH shifter.

Several folks use 3pt pto powered rotary tillers on the compact/mid range tractors & they seem to get along well with them.

 

You need to know if it has a live pto or a independent pto. The tranny really has nothing to do with it,

 

I thought just about everything made after about the 50s (60s?) had live PTO?

 

A good point our friend. I asked that question first thing. And it does have a live PTO. (I have operated many old and new tractors, with and without the live PTO, definitely don’t want one without.) The 8x8 with power shuttle will just take some getting use to after having all these hydrostatic transmission tractors. I asked the dealer about mowing with it. He said it will be good for mowing as well as loader work. Designed for it.

 

Sold!!

 

I think you will really like that shuttle shift.

My buddy has 2 John Deere 7810’s, one has the shuttle lever on the LH of steering wheel the other with the shifter on the RH console by the seat, after running one or the other for a couple days, I will get in the other one & eventually start groping around in the wrong spot for the shifter, especially when backing up.


I will run the Dad’s 4240 & 1066 ( standard transmissions) & at least once a day I will start trying to find the shifter on by the steering wheel, after spending time in the 7410 & 7330 ( both have LH reversers )


The LH steering column shifter is just handy, especially when using the loader or backing up, your hand is already right there & just a flick of your fingers & you are changing directions or into neutral.

 

My only concern, losing 17 hp at the pto:

New Holland 345D Power

Engine (gross) 60 hp 44.7 kW

Engine (net) 58 hp 43.3 kW

PTO (claimed) 43 hp 32.1 kW

 

There is always a loss between the engine and the PTO HP...just as with crank HP VS rear wheel HP on cars/trucks.

 

I have owned several large TLBs, Deere and Cat with the LH Reverser. They are nice. This is going to be a change for me, going from a lighter Kubota Hydro to a much heavier New Holland power shuttle. But I’ll get use to it quickly. Now the waiting until it gets here.

 

Congrats Gas!

 

Well chit! That went unsuccessfully. I found some information about the tractor and they had not told me about. So I talked to them about it and they said if you don’t feel comfortable about it we will give you your money back and sell it to the other guy who wanted it. So I said I would appreciate my money returned. No hard feelings. Done. The hunt for the next tractor will continue at a later date. Dam.

 

Is this online tractor shopping...as in never seen/operated it?

 

Lots of smaller stuff all day long around here. But I need/want something heavier duty. Hence the shopping at tractor dealers a little further away. They were good about it to return my money. It was probably a good machine, I just didn’t feel comfortable about it.

 

used tractors be like used cars. dealers might pretty them up some but do squat for any problems.

 

I have been fortunate with the equipment I bought. I have found that most all dealers are reasonable. Sometimes they are in a tough spot that isn’t their fault. And all the overhead makes it tough to make a decent living and keep the business open. Some just get too big in my opinion. For what they know how to manage. And then it gets tough.

 

If feel like most ag/equipment places are better than most car dealers, but that could just be locally too...

 

IDK, but I just went from a Kubota with a GST (LHSS) to a HST and find the HST superior in every way for loader work. If I didn't have cruise control on the HST the GST would be better for mowing and cultivation...but I do have cruise control...so HST is the way to go for me.

It took me several hours to stop reaching for stuff that wasn't there anymore (shuttle, clutch, gear selector).

Do what works for you but I don't think I could go back to any kind of geared transmission for what I use my machine for.