As some of you know I have '08 NH L190. I was reading an older thread about someone getting locked into their L170 and the seat belt malfunctioning. I knew there was a problem with the seat belt, but didn't know something like this could happen! This makes me really paranoid. Is mine going to lock me in the cab as well? How can I fix this so it will not happen. Surely there is a way? Oh, and how can it lock you in when the lock is on the outside and worked by the ignition key? My word, had I known this I never would have bought this machine. You can never do enough research. New Holland should be fixing this stuff for free because of liability issues! What if someone burned up inside the cab?!!! Heaven forbid........ Sorry...... Rant over.
Relax Grit, while I have never been not able to unlock the seat belt, I always carry a knife with me so I could cut the seat belt if I needed to. As you have probably found out already unless the boom is almost fully lowered or raised above the top of the door, you can't open the door. I am assuming that you are concerned that if one of the safety switches (seat belt, seat switch) fails while the boom is up. you will not be able to open the door and escape. On my skid, there is a yellow tag hanging off of the rear window. If you pull it the window will drop out allowing you an escape hatch. You will find this in your operators manual. While sometimes I have to fiddle with my seat belt to get the switch to engage, I have never had it fail once it was engaged. But I guess anything can happen. Tim
I think you are misinterpreting things like TMC said. The door doesn't lock you in, but the failure of a safety switch can stop the boom and trap you in because the door will not open. This happens on every brand and is why they all come with a dump valve to release the boom pressure. Many doors either have a rip cord in the weather seal to let you pop the glass out or handles to release the entire door. Your NH along with many other brands also uses the rear window as an escape, but usually thats where the fire starts so it doesn't get used much. Simple solution, install one of these in the cab and you can sleep easy at night. Our New Holland windrower actually came with one mounted in the cab as the "emergency escape". http://www.amazon.com/Seatbelt-Breaker-Emergency-Escape-Tool/dp/B002AMAXNA
Durallymax, do you know where the dump valve feature is located on the L190? I was not aware of this feature. Tim
I don't think they had one, looking through the brochure for the L100 series they make no mention of it either under the safety section. Heres where it is on the L200 series.
thanks Durallymax, I don't think my L190 has this feature. I have both the service manual and the operators manual for it though so I will look there. I have to go by the NH dealership today so I will ask there also. Tim
Oh I see now. That makes me feel much better, thank you. I guess I overreacted. I don't know enough about these machines, yet, to understand what everything means. It's easy to imagine something being a certain way, but is not the case. My owners manual would help SO MUCH. I am still waiting for it to come in. On a somewhat related note, when I got my machine delivered, the idiot who delivered it was unloading it and had forgot to close the door before he raise the booms and bent the door frame somewhat. Well, of course the door popped off it's hinges. It wasn't until researching this issue in this thread did I realize the booms are not supposed to work if the door is open. But yet it does. Someone must have jimmy rigged it where they could operate the machine with the door not in place. I wonder how much other stuff has been rigged or bypassed on the machine? I guess I will soon find out. I did notice a button on the face of the door frame. When the door closes, i assume this activates the switch and allows the boom to work? Of course the boom works with the door still open. There is a big red button under the seat. What is that for? Is that the eject button? Thanks for the link, durallymax. I am going to get one of them.
Make sure the door switch is plugged in, follow the harness there may be a dummy plug for operating with the door off. After looking at some machines with pilot controls of that vintage I would say that is your emergency dump for the lift cylinders so you can get out. If you want your manual faster you can download it here. http://www.dmcretail.com/newhollandconstruction/Default.aspx
Cool. Thanks for the link!