ShaunRH, you mention a couple of items you can get service on in you area.
"I have two hunks of old iron I work on, Allis-Chalmers and Oliver and I could take either back to a dealership that now holds their certificates and those mechanics would be able to fix it. The older the unit is, the more likely it was designed for field repair and the easier to fix."
I've got a few pieces of old iron also, and I can get information on repairs, parts, schematics, diagrams online and quicker then in any implement dealer. That includes three Kubota dealers within 60 miles of my house.
I am not putting them down. They are excellent at what they do.
One of them handles other brands also. I needed some information on a 1978 Hesston 5800 baler. Now remember, they're a Hesston dealer (now AGCO). Parts doesn't know, sales doesn't know, service tech. tells me the baler is wore out and I need to torch off some of the springs to get the belts to tighten up. They even ask a patron who use to own one, he gives me an answer. I leave with opinions of several people, but no real information.
I buy a book, read, study and fix the problem with a few adjustments. No torch, no new parts, just adjust.
These are good dealerships. You have probably purchased parts from at least one of them! Point is, there's just too much for these guys to handle.
If you're going to own implements/tractors, at a certain point you become the service tech.(because the new guys are not going back that far). You analyze and fix the problem or you're going to be a very frustrated owner.
I would even venture to say, anyone who owns older equipment probably gets a great deal of satisfaction out of the problem solving process. And if you don't better buy newer hardware!!
"I have two hunks of old iron I work on, Allis-Chalmers and Oliver and I could take either back to a dealership that now holds their certificates and those mechanics would be able to fix it. The older the unit is, the more likely it was designed for field repair and the easier to fix."
I've got a few pieces of old iron also, and I can get information on repairs, parts, schematics, diagrams online and quicker then in any implement dealer. That includes three Kubota dealers within 60 miles of my house.
I am not putting them down. They are excellent at what they do.
One of them handles other brands also. I needed some information on a 1978 Hesston 5800 baler. Now remember, they're a Hesston dealer (now AGCO). Parts doesn't know, sales doesn't know, service tech. tells me the baler is wore out and I need to torch off some of the springs to get the belts to tighten up. They even ask a patron who use to own one, he gives me an answer. I leave with opinions of several people, but no real information.
I buy a book, read, study and fix the problem with a few adjustments. No torch, no new parts, just adjust.
These are good dealerships. You have probably purchased parts from at least one of them! Point is, there's just too much for these guys to handle.
If you're going to own implements/tractors, at a certain point you become the service tech.(because the new guys are not going back that far). You analyze and fix the problem or you're going to be a very frustrated owner.
I would even venture to say, anyone who owns older equipment probably gets a great deal of satisfaction out of the problem solving process. And if you don't better buy newer hardware!!
