How mad should I be?

[D2Cat]

Thanks everyone. Since posting I've also noticed the steering wheel is on backwards (unimportant, but seriously, was the guy who put it together drunk?), and the quick connect for the loader continues to leak. I called the main location for my dealership (I bought at a satelite location) and the owner is going to call Monday to figure out how to sort this out. Thanks for your thoughts, though I'm surprised so many of you have received improperly assembled tractors.

Your frustration is overloading your logic. Probably ought to learn a little about your tractor before you go in angry and accusatory. Calling the assembly person drunk will get a good laugh on your part.

Have that service guy fix the steering wheel as you think it should be, and next time you have the engine running it will be wrong again!! Everything that appears wrong is not always wrong! Relax some.

 

[Mgrantorser]

Your frustration is overloading your logic. Probably ought to learn a little about your tractor before you go in angry and accusatory. Calling the assembly person drunk will get a good laugh on your part.

Have that service guy fix the steering wheel as you think it should be, and next time you have the engine running it will be wrong again!! Everything that appears wrong is not always wrong! Relax some.

Haha, I realized the steering wheel moves. It was just perfectly backwards for a little while.

 

[RCW]

Being I'm a mechanic I would rather fix things myself and went over both tractors with a fine tooth comb just to get to know it better and make sure everything was right..

Joe brings up a good point....you learn by doing. I'm no mechanic, but I have capability and like to learn.

After 15 minutes' use when new, I couldn't see fluid on the HST dipstick....I freaked.

My salesman (a friend) brought me a gallon of SUDT2. It took a quart-plus to fill it...it just burped some air. Been fine for 7+ years and several HST services.

My front axle was low, my lugs were loose, etc.. All good things to check early on...and as someone said - you can't put the steering wheel on backwards.

I found OTT just before my tractor came to me new. That has also helped more than you can imagine. It has helped me, and I've tried to help others (although I'm a better cook than mechanic - just Check "What's Cookin'"). As you've seen, there are many guys here that are very responsive to your questions....you're not in it alone...

My tractor has never gone back the dealer. Not for services, repairs, etc. I do it all myself, not that I've had to do much other than regular preventive maintenance, and I'm confident in doing it with my OTT "buddies".

Welcome to OTT!

 

[Mgrantorser]

Joe brings up a good point....you learn by doing. I'm no mechanic, but I have capability and like to learn.

After 15 minutes' use when new, I couldn't see fluid on the HST dipstick....I freaked.

My salesman (a friend) brought me a gallon of SUDT2. It took a quart-plus to fill it...it just burped some air. Been fine for 7+ years and several HST services.

My front axle was low, my lugs were loose, etc.. All good things to check early on...and as someone said - you can't put the steering wheel on backwards.

I found OTT just before my tractor came to me new. That has also helped more than you can imagine. It has helped me, and I've tried to help others (although I'm a better cook than mechanic - just Check "What's Cookin'"). As you've seen, there are many guys here that are very responsive to your questions....you're not in it alone...

My tractor has never gone back the dealer. Not for services, repairs, etc. I do it all myself, not that I've had to do much other than regular preventive maintenance, and I'm confident in doing it with my OTT "buddies".

Welcome to OTT!

Thanks! This has def helped me take a breath (I was ready to let the Karen out Monday). I too am a better cook than mechanic. This site is pretty awesome (and why I have a 2301 vs a bx23s). I actually considered stepping up to an lx but they're just too big for my needs.

 

[Palmettokat]

PaulL. "Problem in the tractor business is that every kid wants a university degree, not many want to work in a tractor shop."

Certainly agree. We have a large tourist based industry here and it is amazing how often your learn the employees in the retails stores are college grads making little more than minimum wage. Then to talk with the guy who has one or two years of a TEC school making $40,000 plus in less than 2 years on the job.

 

[Nicfin36]

My salesman has been quite honest and up front with me on the issues I have had. I have not been upset with him, but the ones that prepped my tractor. He has offered to send people out on all the problems, but I have decided to take care of all the problems myself because I could do it.

He told me his group pays the "mechanics" $80 and hour to get a tractor ready for the customer. It certainly does not sound like some college kid making the mistakes at my place.

I know mistakes happen, but there really is no good excuse for some of the gross errors I have read about and experienced myself. To accept it as an industry standard is just an excuse in my opinion.

 

[D2Cat]

My salesman has been quite honest and up front with me on the issues I have had. I have not been upset with him, but the ones that prepped my tractor. He has offered to send people out on all the problems, but I have decided to take care of all the problems myself because I could do it.

He told me his group pays the "mechanics" $80 and hour to get a tractor ready for the customer. It certainly does not sound like some college kid making the mistakes at my place.

I know mistakes happen, but there really is no good excuse for some of the gross errors I have read about and experienced myself. To accept it as an industry standard is just an excuse in my opinion.

The statement marked in red seems to be a bit braggadocios, and overstatement of the truth. The shop may charge the customer $80, but that amount does not all go to the tech. Now, truth be known, the salesman would probably go to work in the shop if he was paid $80 and hour!!

 

[RCW]

The shop may charge the customer $80, but that amount does not all go to the tech.

True - the Tech is paid Tech wages. The shop owner needs to add other fixed costs to keep the shop open. Lights, taxes, insurance, etc., etc., etc.....If he paid his techs $80/hour for up-fit of new tractors, the shop rate $250-300/hour.

I used to shoot for ~20-25% labor overhead, but that didn't include fringes like health insurance, as it wasn't offered much in the restaurant business back 30 years ago. Can't imagine what it's like since Obamacare.

 

[Fordtech86]

The statement marked in red seems to be a bit braggadocios, and overstatement of the truth. The shop may charge the customer $80, but that amount does not all go to the tech. Now, truth be known, the salesman would probably go to work in the shop if he was paid $80 and hour!!

For $80 an hour I’ll quit my job tomorrow and go start assembling tractors. Where do I sign up?

 

[Mgrantorser]

My salesman has been quite honest and up front with me on the issues I have had. I have not been upset with him, but the ones that prepped my tractor. He has offered to send people out on all the problems, but I have decided to take care of all the problems myself because I could do it.

He told me his group pays the "mechanics" $80 and hour to get a tractor ready for the customer. It certainly does not sound like some college kid making the mistakes at my place.

I know mistakes happen, but there really is no good excuse for some of the gross errors I have read about and experienced myself. To accept it as an industry standard is just an excuse in my opinion.

I couldn't argee more. Reading this forum it seems that folks here tend to accept that assembly etc will be done half-assed.

For $80 an hour I’ll quit my job tomorrow and go start assembling tractors. Where do I sign up?

Given they also work on Kubotas construction equipment I wouldn't be surprised if they make heavy equipment mechanic wages.

 

[Mgrantorser]

True - the Tech is paid Tech wages. The shop owner needs to add other fixed costs to keep the shop open. Lights, taxes, insurance, etc., etc., etc.....If he paid his techs $80/hour for up-fit of new tractors, the shop rate $250-300/hour.

I used to shoot for ~20-25% labor overhead, but that didn't include fringes like health insurance, as it wasn't offered much in the restaurant business back 30 years ago. Can't imagine what it's like since Obamacare.

As someone who works for our national public health care system I can't imagine what it's like to have health insurance tied to your job.

 

[Fordtech86]

I couldn't argee more. Reading this forum it seems that folks here tend to accept that assembly etc will be done half-assed.


Given they also work on Kubotas construction equipment I wouldn't be surprised if they make heavy equipment mechanic wages.

Not my field, but I just googled average salary for heavy equipment tech and no thanks. On our side in the auto world the new cars are prepped by the inexperienced guys, why would they waste the time of the more experienced guys that are doing real work making the store more money? I know tractors are a little different then cars.

Whats @lugbolt think? Im sure he would also love $80 an hour to assemble new tractors.

 

[Fordtech86]

As someone who works for our national public health care system I can't imagine what it's like to have health insurance tied to your job.

Costs more then my house payment every month

 

[GreensvilleJay]

In the spirit of good customer relations, the dealer should toss the paper version WSM and the PDF version in a box with the missing bolts. Yeesh my dealer is 10 minutes away ,having to go 2 HOURS has to be a real pain....
I'm happy you didn't rip off the back end of the tractor !!

Jay

 

[sheepfarmer]

This is too late for the original poster, but one hint is to ask for the owners manual, paper copy, when you agree to buy the tractor. Take it home and read it cover to cover especially the things it tells you to do every time you run it, every 10 hours, every 50 hours, and tell the salesman you'd like the tech that delivers the tractor into your hands to go over the process with you before you take it home. That will turn up the loose bolts and unfilled reservoirs. Some of the zerks are hard to spot, and some things in the manual are confusing. Worth the time even if you are sure you can do it yourself. I learned a lot that way. But then they've made a lot of changes since my Ford 8n was made

 

[GeoHorn]

As mentioned already... it’s not possible to install the steering wheel “backwards”... The steering wheel orientation changes naturally from day to day with ordinary use.

 

[Palmettokat]

I have 33 in the life and health insurance world as agent. Began here to post but starting new thread on suggestions on health insurance in the USA.

 

[greg86z28]

I thought the steering wheel got installed upside down . Yes, your wheel will never be "centered" since it has no hard stop on rotation.

Look, I think if it were me I would talk to the dealer (manager) and explain (politely) what has happened. Tell him you want to run the machine for a week or two and make a list of items that need to be corrected and then you'd appreciate it if they made the trip out to pick it up and take it back to the dealer to address the said items (and do a thorough check over to see if there are any other issues).

To me, that's the dealer doing a good job and making it right and you are ending up a happy customer with a machine that is operating properly.

 

[greg86z28]

Also - are the bolt holes I circled in red the bolts that are missing? I noticed mine doesn't have bolts their either.

Thank you,

Greg

 

[NHSleddog]

Tractors are not like cars, in that the "dealer" puts it together.

CUT's are assembled from a crated "kit". Not only are the kits needed to be assembled, all the mods you ordered with the machine needs to be configured as well.

When I bought mine in Dec. I wanted a quick delivery if possible. The dealer (knowing I was 90 minutes away) asked if I was comfortable with a wrench to tighten up something if it is loose. I said sure, why? He said if I said no, it would be another couple days because the dealer has ANOTHER tech go through the whole tractor before delivery.

He said they do this for most "new" tractor owners as well. He said they rarely catch something bad, but there is ALWAYS something that gets caught. It costs them another couple hours labor for a tech, but they rarely deliver a machine with an obvious issue.

This is one "first world" issue I would never sweat. I feel blessed to own my 25K machine.