Where do all the Owners Manuals go?

[pmsmechanic]

Interesting question. Obviously some people don't feel that a manual is that important. Right now I don't own an implement/attachment that I don't have a manual for. Usually you can find a pdf online. If not then I usually just buy one somewhere.

John Deere 59 snowblower manual PDF came from John Deere. They have a lot of owners manuals available as a download. Lawn Gennie flail mower. The owners pdf came from their website. Those are two that come to mind but I'm sure there are others.

 

[Egon]

It might be interesting to see how many folks can really make use of the manual.

 

[pmsmechanic]

It might be interesting to see how many folks can really make use of the manual.

I like to read the manual and then go operate for a while. About a month later I read the manual again just to pick up on stuff that I might have missed the first time. For servicing I always refer to the manual. Ah there's that grease nipple that I forgot about when I didn't use the manual etc.

 

[4570Man]

I have an owners manual for a grapple. I never opened it and I'm failing to see what could be useful instead. As for equipment manuals I wish they send two. One for useful information and one for liability crap.

 

[von-mil]

I guess I must be lucky. I'm the third owner of my current tractor and the original owners manual has always traded hands along with the tractor. The same goes for the front-end loader manual.

 

[k0ua]

I guess I must be lucky. I'm the third owner of my current tractor and the original owners manual has always traded hands along with the tractor. The same goes for the front-end loader manual.

Without a doubt, an exception to the rule. Most manuals don't seem to get passed down. I have always passed my trade in's manuals down, but it seems from reports on here, that is not a common practice.

 

[TractorGuy]

My JD855 was the exception. I got a factory owner, service, and parts manual with it. The guy I bought it from buys and sells used tractors too so these managed to get passed along with the tractor.

My backhoe came with one key and no manual. The jackleg I bought it from never even sent the bill of sale I was promised but he pretty much lied about everything I asked him. Moral of that story is don't buy tractors off ebay that are 600 miles away. At least I have record of the ebay sale.

A lot of used tractors and cars have no manuals and no spare keys. I bought a used Mustang from a Ford dealer and I made them get me a owners manual, spare key, and spare remote in the negotiated price. My F150 on the other hand only came with one key and no remote. I used my spare Mustang remote for it and have been real careful not to loose my only key.

In the old days there was a place for owner info inside the front page of vehicle owner manuals. I have seen salesmen pull the manual out of the glove box and chunk it. Never figured that one out but it was common practice at one dealer I worked for.

 

[sandman2234]

JD855guy, I have seen them throwing manuals away also. I think it is to keep the new buyer from knowing what to do with a problem, so they need to take it back to them to get it fixed.
David from jax

 

[k0ua]

My JD855 was the exception. I got a factory owner, service, and parts manual with it. The guy I bought it from buys and sells used tractors too so these managed to get passed along with the tractor.

My backhoe came with one key and no manual. The jackleg I bought it from never even sent the bill of sale I was promised but he pretty much lied about everything I asked him. Moral of that story is don't buy tractors off ebay that are 600 miles away. At least I have record of the ebay sale.

A lot of used tractors and cars have no manuals and no spare keys. I bought a used Mustang from a Ford dealer and I made them get me a owners manual, spare key, and spare remote in the negotiated price. My F150 on the other hand only came with one key and no remote. I used my spare Mustang remote for it and have been real careful not to loose my only key.

In the old days there was a place for owner info inside the front page of vehicle owner manuals. I have seen salesmen pull the manual out of the glove box and chunk it. Never figured that one out but it was common practice at one dealer I worked for.

JD855guy, I have seen them throwing manuals away also. I think it is to keep the new buyer from knowing what to do with a problem, so they need to take it back to them to get it fixed.
David from jax

I think the reason they throw away the manuals is they don't want you to possibly know who owned the vehicle previously and how it was serviced. As there is often a place for service records in the manuals. Of course the actual manuals for most cars and trucks can now be downloaded. Only some (most?) tractor manuals cannot be downloaded. Which really sucks.
A few dealers don't mind you knowing previous history, and will tell you who owned it if you ask. One dealer asked me on a trade in if a prospective buyer could call me about my trade in. I said yes. And someone did call and ask about it.

 

[jenkinsph]

It's a conundrum that I see constantly here on TBN... missing Owners Manuals.

Presumably every new tractor had one when they were first delivered to their owner, yet the moment (it seems) the tractor is sold the Owners Manual (and the meticulous maintenance records that the previous owner kept up to date in that manual) disappears! I've even seen requests for Owners Manuals from new owners because the manual didn't show up with the tractor (or implement).

So, two things come to mind; a) Where do they go? [like a sock in a dryer :confused3:]

And b) Perhaps Muhammad/TBN could set up an on-line library of Owners Manuals... maybe even Service Manuals, for TBN members? Something that wouldn't infringe any copyright.

All owners manuals, service manuals and useful implement manuals return to a man in Davenport Iowa. He buries them 10 feet deep in a concrete vault and seals the openings. Can't find his name, phone number or address right now but I thought I had written this info down and put it in my old tractors service manual.