How long should we expect parts to be stocked by manufacturer?

[prs]

Like the title says. Given parts availability, I could keep my 32 year-old JD 650 going like new for another 32 years; well except I will never make it that long. I purchased it in part because it is just what I needed and need, plus JD had a great rep for parts. But, when I order now I often get the "obsolete" reply. I few parts are on e-bay, but not what I need. It was built by Yanmar for JD, so maybe Yanmar would have some parts, then again.

prs

 

[2458n]

Lifetime in Ohio is seven years.tttttttttr

 

[prs]

Lifetime in Ohio is seven years.tttttttttr

Not familiar with ttttttttttr? 7 years is way short for a service life, if ya gots da parts it will never wear out.

prs

 

[TomSeller]

I would try Yanmar for sure since the parting if the ways with JD

 

[Sportsman762]

I imagine that the bean counters have a formula to determine when a part / machine should no longer be supported. I suspect it takes into consideration the age of the machine, number of machines the part fits, and how much demand there is for the part in previous years. There is no set drop dead date but a group of factors that take it into account.

 

[Texasmark]

Early '60's JD implements usually next day delivery from warehouse in Dallas to local dealer. 2014-1961 = 53 years and that is on numerous implements. Obviously if you can get that kind of service on implements, tractors will go back farther than that. One of the reasons JD is a popular brand. I have had several of their tractors over the years and most of my current implements (the old ones) are green.

Mark

 

[adventure bob]

Product Supportability Analysis: Has absolutely nothing to do with your tractor. Has everything to do with stockage cost, sales price, turnover. If I have a part that I turn over 1000 a year and I make more than it cost to keep them, Ill keep stocking them for you. If I sell 10/yr and it cost me more to keep them than I can sell them for, Ill dump them. This is pure logistics. Any company making a profit manage stock this way or they won't be in business long.

 

[TomSeller]

The JD 650 was manufactured up to 1989 according to Tractordata.com. And if the serial number is sequential they sold about. 24,000 of them. JD is known to promise good parts support and 25 years is not that old for them. My bet is that this is more that the source management did not handle the change in relationship or that it isn't profitable for them. If Yanmar manufactured the same tractor to other countries under different badges, that will help. Besides Yanmar dealers, maybe check with Cub Cadet dealers, Yanmar is making tractors for them now. My feeling is that this situation is only going to get worse with many of the brands with as much major outsourcing as there is these days. There is another thread right now looking for Montana parts, evidently the main website shut down.

One thing I like about Kubota is that they probably do the smallest amount of outsourcing of any of the manufacturers. So they should keep the parts source strong.

 

[Texasmark]

My nearest JD dealer is Agpower and is one of the largest JD dealer networks in Texas. However, they don't try to stock everything. Like I said, if they need a part they order it out of the Dallas warehouse and usually you have it the next day. Sometimes it has to come from a different warehouse especially if it is a part that is common in a certain location; like corn headers and such in Iowa. Then it takes 2-3 days.

Mark

 

[TractorTech]

Agreements, outsourcing and regulations are the biggest reason for shorter parts supply cycles, even with John Deere!

John Deere may not have been sold off or purchased other manufacturers, but, like so many products now, they are assembled from components all over the world. I don't remember which components come from where, but the 5000 series is made up of four or five different country components. Rear end/transmission from one country, engine from another, front axle still another and hitch from another. John Deere, like everyone else, tries to make a less expensive product in order to make more money - just good business!
The more World products we have , the more parts longevity problems there will be.
Emission regulations are adding another wrinkle by making older, more polluting engines less rebuildable from the the manufacturers. It is easier to replace whole components rather than supply parts for regulated obsolete engines.
Pre-1975 tractors in general, depending on popularity originally, will still be supported as long as aftermarket manufacturers are supplying parts.