Why?

[Bret4207]

Did anyone else ever wonder why New Holland made their manure spreaders with a sheet metal axle that rots away? I spent most of today rebuilding mine and still have to go back and do more work. Ended up U-bolting a lolly column under what was left of the axle and welding up new boxes for the stub axles. Why they didn't put a good heavy wall axle under something expected to carry tons of wet, sloppy manure for years is beyond me. Stamped steel and sheet metal don't last.
 

[rrlund]

Gehl had about the same problem. I bought a 250 at an auction one time. Didn't haul many loads and the axle buckled in the middle. Jacked it up and found out it'd been welded on both sides. I plated it and never could get it to hold. I had an old 450 Deere junked out,so I put that axle under it.

I've got no complaints with the New Idea (Agco) 3732 that I've got now.
 

[DiyDave]

Because when the axle breaks, it's out of warrantee, and they want
you to buy a new one.
 

[Dean Olson]

It's called built in obsolescence.

I learned that as young plumber. I was in a class learning how to
work on GE water softeners. They are specifically designed to last a
limited amount of time so they get to manufacture/sell more on a
scheduled basis.
 

[JMS/.MN]

It"s kept my local blacksmith busy for years- just formed sheet metal. Hr flips the spreader over and starts from scratch.
 

[Naylorbros]

I should have taken pictures of what was left of the axle on my New
Idea 214 spreader box. Swiss cheese has less holes in it than that
axle had. A new axle made out of 3.5" pipe in under construction.
Ken
 

[Doug Wi]

plus they stamped it a u shape with the open side up so it would hold manure so it would rust faster
 

[Bret4207]

Well, I see I'm not alone. It's funny but I've got 2 other spreaders, a NI 10 and a McD 200. Both are older than dirt and other than typical TLC they both are 10x the spreader the NH is. But they're also ground drive and small and don't take kindly to skid steer bucket loads being dumped into them. So, the NH get's a lot more use. I've already rebuilt the floor in the NH, rebuilt the apron drive assy, rebuilt and reenforced the widespread mountings, replaced many cross members...the list goes on. I looked at a brand new Peaqua PTO rig some time back and considered it strongly, right up till I saw the price. I guess I'll keep patching things up!
 

[rustyacres sd]

That is why New Holland is known for their great hay equipment and not much more. Should stick to what they know best. Seems as if each make of equipment is know for one good line. IE Combines, hay equipment, tillage. etc.
 

[Billy NY]

We have a NH in the hederow, on its side now, I moved it with an excavator and it appears thats one of the major things that was wrong with it, besides whatever else.

We've got 2 NI's in use, and the axle is a hat shaped channel, 1/4" maybe 3/8's I was a stickler for keeping the ends clean, everything accumulates in there, not sure if there is a weep, it should have been a box beam or something closed, strong but closed, if it were break, the spreader would have to be jacked up, upside down and another fabricated with the hub for the wheels on the ends, worth doing, but a real bad choice by the designer, trapping manure, moisture, hard to access, I'm probably the only one who used to clean it, besides all the other maintenance.
 

[ihman73]

We never had that problem with ours but never could figure out why they didn't put a full shaft across the front for the apron idlers to run on instead of those chincy one sided stub they used on ours. IIRC it was a 781.
 

[Weldon K]

We had a NH 518 spreader that the axle rusted through and collapsed with a full load on it. The axle was thinner steel plate formed in a "U" shape. You are correct about it catching and holding liquids from manure. It rusted from the inside . We had a local welding shop build a new axle from a piece of 6 inch square 1/4" wall tubing, and reusing the stub axles and spindles. That axle will still be there when the rest of the thing is rusted to powder. The rear sides rusted through and the apron chain broke so we parked it and got a NH 155. The axle on it is still built from thinner plate steel but the axle is made as an upside down "U" so it does not catch and hold stuff, so it should not rust out like the other one . I sold the old spreader to a neighbor for the cost of the new chain I had ordered for it plus $100.00. His son rebuilt the spreader with new rear side pieces he had made, repaired the angle frame and floor cross members plus new wood in the floor. I have not seen it but they have used it 5 or 6 years now.
 

[Ken Macfarlane]

We've got a 513 that in ok shape but I've never looked under it to
check the axle. Chain been repaired many times, floor could be
replaced.

I was told that model carried a lifetime warrantee on the sheet
metal.