Welcome to our informational web pages
This is a shared collection of pictures and information for our New Holland TC-40D SS tractor
Links to our other informational pages include

Our TC-40D-SS New Holland tractor
Adding front hydraulics to a TC-40D-SS
Building a bucket grapple for a TC-40D-SS
Adding a snowplow to a TC-40D-SS
Building a dolly for a 757C New Holland backhoe
Building a boom sprayer with foam marker
Dealing with wheel weights on a TC-40D-SS
Adding a larger toolbox to a TC-40D-SS
Removing 17LA loader on a TC-40D-SS
Adding rear remotes to a TC-40D-SS

This section was put together for those of you that are thinking about removing your front end loader on your New Holland tractor and yet may not be completely comfortable in doing so. This section covers the Class III New Holland tractors equipped with a 17LA loader although we have been told that this information also carries over to the 16LA loader as well. These instructions were passed on to us from a local New Holland dealer and have worked for us time and time again.

We remove our loader using this method regularly and quite frankly we have not found an easier way. 

This section is also broken down into two parts, removal and installation of the loader.

Removal Of Loader
Click on any thumbnail picture to see a full size shot

Naturally this procedure will work much easier if your tractor is placed on a flat and level area so that the loader will remain stable while parked. Start the tractor, make sure the parking brake is set, and the transmission is in neutral position. Raise the loader to a height of about 5 foot and remove the clip and pin on the right side of the loader that secures the parking stand as indicated by the arrow. For safety sake don't get under the raised loader at any time.

This is a picture of the stand folded to the down position, now put the clip and pin that you just removed here.

Once the second pin and clip has been removed gently swing the parking stand down, protect yourself here and please don't get under the raised loader at any time. Line up the set of holes as indicated by the arrow.

Reinstall the pin and clip in the position indicated to lock the parking stand in the lowered position shown.

We have found that if you have a bucket grapple it is best at this point to slightly open it as it will make for easier reattachment of the hydraulic lines later if you do so now. Level the loader bucket and gently lower it to the ground. Now apply a bit of down-pressure (push the stick forward) on the front end loader so the front wheels of the tractor are just slightly raised off the concrete. In some cases you will need to slightly curl the bucket down to accomplish this task. If you have a tooth-bar on your bucket it might be wise to place a thin piece of plywood under the bucket to protect your concrete if you need to curl the bucket downward. In this case our TC-40D generates enough down pressure with a level bucket to raise the front tires so we have never needed plywood.

With the two front tires slightly raised, at this point the 2 large retaining pins and clips should now be very easy to remove. You will have one of these clips and pins on both sides of the tractor, remove them both and set them aside for now.

One of the retaining pins and clips removed.

You can see the retaining pin and clip removed in this picture. After both pins and clips have been removed slightly move the joystick to once again level the bucket and lower the front tires back to the concrete.

Now mount the tractor, the engine should still be running at idle. Make sure the front tires are straight, leave the tractor in neutral, take the parking brake off, keep your foot off the brakes so the tractor can move and slowly pull the loader joystick backward toward you. As the loader lift cylinders extend they will slowly move the tractor in reverse, away from the parked loader. Watch the slack in the hydraulic lines to the loader, there is plenty of extra slack but you don't want to reach a point where you go to far and put any strain on them. If you need to stop simply release the joystick and place your foot on the brake so that you won't roll.

You can see at this point that the loader is now actually clear of the mounts. When you reach this position set the parking brake, place the tractor in neutral, and shut off the engine. Once the engine has been shut down rotate the joystick to all extremities to balance the hydraulic pressure within the circuit and then disconnect all four of the quick connects on the loader. Install the supplied dust covers on the ends of the hydraulic lines. NOTE: If you have a bucket grapple like the one shown in our pictures then you will have six quick connects instead of the normal four to deal with.

Close up of loader arms with extended cylinders, now free of loader mounts.

Once the hydraulic lines have been disconnected and capped we normally drape them over the loader arm so that when backing away from the loader they don't get caught on the tractor or grill guard.

Close up of disconnected hydraulic lines. At this point you can safely start the engine and slowly back-up away from the now parked loader. 

This is how the loader will look once you have backed the tractor away from it. You don't see any concrete blocks under the parking stand here, because using this method none are needed.

Once the tractor has been separated from the loader we then insert the original retainer pins and clips back into the loader support arms for safe keeping.

Close up of retainer pins and clips in storage position.

Re-Installation  Of  Loader


Align the tractor with the loader, good alignment is a must.

Tractor view of alignment to loader. Slowly approach loader keeping tractor centered.

Continue to slowly approach keeping loader centered between extended loader arms.

Slowly continue forward until both extended loader arms mate with the mounts on the tractor. At this point set parking brake, place tractor in neutral, and stop engine. Rotate the joystick in all directions to equalize hydraulic pressure, dismount tractor.

This is the position of the loader in relation to the loader mounts. At this point remove the two retaining pins and clips, there is one on each side of the tractor.

At this point connect the hydraulic lines to the loader. NOTE: If your parked loader was sitting out in the hot sun there may be a chance that excessive hydraulic pressure built up in the parked cylinders and hoses. If this has happened it might be necessary to relieve some of that excessive pressure before the quick connects will once again seat and lock together. This has happened to us on more than one occasion so we came up with a rather simple remedy.

We took a short piece of copper tube and a cap and soldered the two together.

If we are unable to mate the quick connects on our loader because of excessive pressure we simply slide the copper cap assembly over the male end of the quick connects and lightly tap the end of the copper cap with a hammer. This releases the excessive hydraulic pressure and keeps the hydraulic oil from spraying all over you and your clothes. Since the copper cap is relatively soft it also protects the quick connects from damage and makes re-attachment of the quick connects a much easier task.

Mount the tractor, start the engine, take the parking brake off, set the tractor in low range and slowly inch forward while slightly moving the joystick forward. A little experimentation will help you to get a slow speed while pushing the joystick forward so that the loader cylinders start to retract.

When you get to this point, where the loader has seated in the lower pin on the mounts place the tractor in neutral, keep your foot off the brake, and as you continue to push the joystick forward the cylinders will continue to draw the tractor forward.

Continue to hold the joystick in the forward position until the loader is completely mated to the loader mounts and the front wheels start to come just slightly off the ground. Then set the parking brake, place the tractor in neutral and dismount the tractor.

Put a retainer pin and clip in place on both sides of the tractor to lock the loader in place.

Use the joystick to raise the loader to roughly 5 foot high.

Remove this pin and clip and fold the lower part of the parking stand up and please don't get under the raised loader at any time. 

Reinsert the same pin and clip to secure the lower part of the parking stand. 

Remove pin and clip on top section of parking stand and swivel stand up into parked position. 

Reinsert same pin and clip to secure now parking stand in the stowed position.

Parking stand in stowed position. Re-attachment of loader is now complete. I hope that this series takes some of the mystery out of removing or re-attaching your loader. If this has made you more comfortable with the task then it was well worth the effort on our part. Click on our email link below to make a suggestion and be sure to let us know if you enjoyed the reading. We always value your comments.