TA durability

I stood up for Farmall's TA on another forum and got lack of durability thrown in my face. In the 50s, I grew up in a community that had quite a few TAs. I ran a 400 some for a farmer that had a pair of them that were used a lot of hours each year. I don't remember any TA persistent problems in the community.

What is the real scoope on TA durability?

Dad bought a 460 new in 61.

When it burned in 2006 or so it still had the same TA as the day it was new.

That tractor burned up with about 10,000 hours on it. Other than tune ups the only work done to it was 3rd gear replacement in 66 for a chipped tooth.

Adjusted right and used right they would last a long time.

Gary

Just my opinion, but i think that many people misunderstood how to use and maintain them, and that lead to many abused TA"s, which lead to many cooked TA"s, which lead to many people not liking them. I have never really had a problem with one, and I use the TA"s in my tractors almost every day.

It is a good system. Everytime I drive a non-powershift tractor, that has a standard tranny, and does not have a TA, I really miss it.

The problem is that it's human nature to make generalizations. One failure or bad experience automatically means there is a fundamental problem with EVERY TA in existence.

"I bought a tractor and the TA was bad." Well, the tractor is 46 years old and has 15,000 hours on it... What did you expect?!?

Most of these TA tractors will never see anywhere near the use/abuse they got in their younger days. When they were introduced, they were the main power on farms, and were worked hard 7 days a week.

Now, if most of 'em get 25 hours a year they're doing well. If the TA is good now it will be good for a good long time. If you replace a bad TA, it will outlast you, your kids, and your grandkids. In fact the tractor will probably go to the scrap pile with a nearly-new TA unit in it.

Like Roundredhead said. Farmall 400-560 vintage tractors.
Use-- The design of the TA was to use as a shift-on-go for getting through tough spots while plowing. It was not designed to be used all day long as some did. Some disagree. But, think about it. What's the point of having TA if you run in TA and then have to stop to down shift in the tough spots. Another TA killer is to shift out of TA while free wheeling down hill.

Maintenance-- I don't know how many times I climbed on a TA tractor and found it hard to shift. A clear sign of needing a simple adjustment.

Properly used and maintained they are a good system that last a long time.

Both maintenance and abuse were issues. Many farmers thought you had to "ease" into the TA - one of the worst things you could do one. Couple that with tractors that had 90W in the rear end even though IH said to use Hytran, or worse yet - condensed water and it's not hard to figure out why TAs had issues.

Anyone who cusses the IH TA's, just doesn't know IH tractors.

Allan

Were all the early TAs the same? SMTA, 400, 450?

"What's the point of having TA if you run in TA and then have to stop to down shift in the tough spots"

I don't agree or disagree with the use of the TA all the time, as my dad never had one, and when I left home I didn't farm. I now have a 460, but with only 5 acres obviously it gets little use. Anyway in 1954-up when tractors were equipped with TA's my dad had an H that I probably put 5000 hours on as a teenager. We had a 3 disk semi mount "breaking" plow (HM 150) that the tractor handled well in 2nd. I often thought how much better the tractor would would work with a TA. 4th TA would probably work for that tractor which only occasionally would pull the plow in 3rd, as the speed in 4th TA is between 2nd and third. About all I use 460 for is with a bush hog. Depending on the height of the grass and weeds I usually use 4th TA. It keeps the engine from being overloaded in 3rd but since it is through the PTO it shouldn't damage the TA, as traction is not the problem. I didn't know you couldn't use the TA like that for tillage until I read it on this forum in the late 90's, much discussion, no real conclusions.

What kills TAs is letting them freewheel down hills in the first place. They overspeed and blow apart.

The TA is a wear item just like a clutch. Different operators can tear a clutch out in a week and others will last for years. TA is similar . Different color tractors have different problems with different things.

My dad talks about the 300 his family had when he was young. They used 3rd TA as a "split shift" and would plow all day long in that gear (1st direct was too slow and it didn't have enough power in 2nd direct). In this case, the TA was used to get a ten speed transmission with additional working gears, not as an "emergency device" in case they bogged down. He has never indicated that this usage caused any problems.

SMTA and into 100 series used non plated rollers and a different ramp before a change to plated rollers and matching ramp. Also rear planet carrier bearing was different and changed early on in 100 series. After change the later parts worked in early units but you wasn't supposed to mix plated and non plated parts.
Rear carrier bearing was made thinner and a big shim, sheild or spacer washer used. Whatever one of the 3 you want to call it.
The bearing center and outer race is slightly offset froom each other. Have to look close to see it. Would probably take most of my fingers to count the units I found with the bearing installed backwards. Only found one old unit in the last 10 or 15 years with the old thicker bearing in it. IH hasn't made the non plated parts for years.
T/A clutches or t/a release bearings are going to wear out after a while. After so much time the lube in the release bearing is going to run out. T/A gear shafts and ramp roller parts seem to wear out the same or worse if the t/a is never used in the feild. Just my opinion but seems like the worst shape ones on average is from tractors with a non operating t/a clutch and run straight high for who knows how long.

I continually use the TA on our tractors at every task there is a correct TA or direct drive reality. Use them and they stay fine and dandy.
Our 350U is still on its original TA. Adjust as needed, and use like it belonged to someone else, they love it. Running in direct for decades wears flat spots on the rollers!!
Jim

Keep it adjusted by the book...and use it.

Different color tractors have different problems with different things.

Click to expand...

To be clear, IH did NOT have a "problem" with their TA.

I have a lot of tractors but just got my first Farmall. It's a 350D with a T/A. I really like this tractor, it has a 3 point with tripple hydraulic circuits, wide front power stearing. I was worried about the T/A as I have also heard bad things about the T/A. This will be a working tractor so everything has to work right. When I drained the fluids the trans/diff and IPTO case came out like thin brown mud. The only thing that drained clear was the rear PTO case and crank case. Looking in the top cover I can't see any rust but man was that oil ugly. I'll fill it with Hytran today and hope no damage was done. The T/A does work well. PK

Nice looking tractor and the rest of the picture also.