New Holland LS185.B anyone tried yet?

[earthwerks]

My dealer asked me if I wanted to trade up to a LS185.B from my LS180 . Has anyone actually driven or used one? The District Sales Rep for NH says that electronic pilot controls are suppose to be out mid-summer 2005 and rubber tracks not for another year early 2006.

[Tigerotor77W]

My dealer asked me if I wanted to trade up to a LS185.B from my LS180 . Has anyone actually driven or used one? The District Sales Rep for NH says that electronic pilot controls are suppose to be out mid-summer 2005 and rubber tracks not for another year early 2006.

I haven't tried one, but in theory, the CNH CTLs are out... the NH models are the LT185.B and the LT190.B.

[earthwerks]

BOBCAT--You are correct. Man, I can't understand why these Dealer Reps can't get their facts straight. The dealer salesman ddi say that they were offering rubber tracks but made it sound like they were add-ons from Loegering.

[earthwerks]

Tested a new LS185.B yesterday. There is virtually no hydraulic pump noise (for the drive system) to hear. You can hear the hydraulic pump for the loader make a slight buzz when it lifts or lowers or using the bucket. The 2 speed option eases into and out of gear rather than slamming hard in and out like the LS180. The control levers are easier to push and pull, feels kind of vague or soft--or not as quick responsiveness to the lever movement, nonetheless it's smoother.

Maybe it was just this machine being new and not broken-in, and it was very cold out (15 degrees F), but the engine bogged down slightly when the control levers were moved---didn't notice this on the LS180.

The instrument panel is smaller and has a touch pad switch that has to be touched to release the parking brake. Might be a way to get around that---I only spent a few minutes on it as it was a "sold" unit. I don't see the switch pad lasting long before it wears out even with clean fingers.

The rear engine door which is new, needs only a baby finger to unlatch and open it, and closes just as easily. But it is much thinner steel and I can see it getting banged up real easily. Probably an expensive part to replace too.

Ended up ordering one with the 2-speed, regular flow hyd., cab heat, light and horn package and factory-installed full enclosed cab, and factory-installed hydraulic quick attach plate. Dealer threw in the remote battery jump package, and winter engine and hydraulic system heater.

Basically its the same machine platform. Design- or styling-wise, the rear of the loader arm has a curved shape to it and the square, rear cross-tube is now round. The rear engine cover plays off the curved, bubbly look which kind of clashes with the very-old-but-it-works-square-edges-and-lines found elsewhere. New side fenders are cab-color and are oddly tapered fore to aft instead straight and rectangular. Cab-colored decals visually continue the curvey shape down onto the new engine side panels which are rounded along the top edge to meet the rear engine door. The LS180 engine exhaust pipe that used to exit through a hole in the rear engine door now sticks up through the top engine cover like a semi-truck. Have a hunch this is going to encourage muffler system rusting when it rains.

[Tigerotor77W]

Keep us posted on how it goes. I see lots of NH machines around usually but don't get a chance to talk to the operators much (most of them speak Spanish and don't seem to want to answer my questions... which is understandable given my "still a student" status).

I don't suspect that you'll have any serious problems with the exhaust being of the new design; after all, just about every manufacturer has vertical exhaust! (Or maybe they ALL rust... lol)

Have fun with the machine!

[earthwerks]

My old NH L555 SS had the vertical muffler---and it rusted

DOH!

[Tigerotor77W]

Is the muffler vertical on the 185, or is it just the exhaust that's now vertical (somewhat)?

[earthwerks]

The muffler, I didn't see, but the exhaust pipe is vertical and sticks up about 7-9" on the left side of the top engine cover as I recall.

[Tigerotor77W]

Gotcha. I was looking at a 317 and there's an elbow joint between the stack and the muffler... good idea, seems to me.

[CascadeScaper]

Our Cat is the same way. Vertical stack down under the radiator cover, then elbow, then horizontal muffler. Works for me! :drinkup

[jrs-jim]

Earthwerks - hello & to all you other posters on this thread.

so how do you like the 185, I am considering trading in my 170, I just don't have enough lift capacity. I have cab w/heat and grouser tracks but am thinking about getting the new one with loegring tracks.

and did I read your post correct that the new 185 has elec parking brake instead of the manual brake?

what things don't you like with it.

thnx in advance for the feedback.

jim