My MSG to Haynes Repair Manuals

[Mitkof]

Good Morning and Happy New Year. In 2016 opportunity knocks for HAYNES PUBLISHING to open a new era. Please ask Haynes Publishing President, CEO and COO to truly consider creating and selling repair manuals for the increasing number of tractor owners with less than 100hp farm tractors. Yes, this has been a huge discussion item on farming and tractor forums in US, UK, Asia and Africa. It痴 a very, very large market, especially for electronic pdf repair manual sales.
I have either a Haynes or Chilton repair manual for all my trucks and Jeep. Many folks own more than one farm tractor. Just bought a new Workmaster 40 tractor last month and found there is no repair manual for this Workmaster series of tractors. Silly but true. Haynes do you want to make some real money, Y/N? The need is there, the buyers are there and waiting with cash. You would need specialists in farm equipment to assist and build the program, as many tractors are sole source mfr and branded or labeled as LS, New Holland, Cabela痴, etc. But they are all from the same mfr plant, with identical engines, transmissions, hydraulics, electronics and emission controls whether tier 3 or tier 4. One Haynes manual could cover 2-4 tractors with 4-6 retail names.
My US New Holland WM40 is built by LS in Korea under a Licensing agreement with Mitsubishi. Seems silly, but it痴 sold under 3 or more retail tractor labels and comes in 33 and 38hp with same engine, frame, brakes, tranny, etc. ONE MANUAL would cover a multitude of products being repaired on farms around the world. That痴 lots of money to whomever publishes a repair manual on the quality and name recognition has Haynes or Chilton.
I look forward to your favorable reply, and I値l then spread the word in tractor forums that Haynes is moving into the farm tractor repair manual field. Recommend, electronic PDF first, followed later with printed manuals if sales warrant it. I know of thousands of tractor owners who would purchase a good complete PDF repair manual for their tractor right now, TODAY.
If Haynes builds it, WE will buy it, will you build it???

 

[Stimw]

I haven't looked at/bought a Haines or Chilton Manual in years and it's not likely that I will!
The ones I have seen were 1/3rd the paragraph something to the effect- "See your dealer or consult a professional mechanic for this repair."

 

[Mitkof]

I had a Chilton one time, before Haynes brought them, and it that was weak on detail, basically worthless. I have 4-5 Haynes that are OK and at least show me the exploded views of what I am tearing into. I prefer the old Motor Manual series, but last set I looked at was years ago for $900. and they did not cover tractors. I will take what I can get. Knowledge is away good, and gaining wisdom from others is never a waste of time. Happy New Year…

 

[ray66v]

Don't hold your breath. They don't even make a manual for my Sedona van.

 

[MossRoad]

They sold 16.5 million cars in the U.S. in 2014. They sold a little over 200,000 tractors in 2013. That's 82-1 ratio. Go into an auto-parts store and look at the Hayne's books. They are covered in dust. Not many people work on their own cars anymore because they don't have the expertise with the electronics/diagnostics AND cars have much better warranties and last a lot longer than they used to. I'd suspect tractors are the same way.

I'd rather have factory service manuals for my own machine than a Hayne's book. When I had an IH2500b, I purchased several service/technical manuals and an operator's manual. They were several hundred dollars, but well worth it. I do have Hayne's books for pretty much every car I have owned, with the exception of our 2013 Impala, as its still under warranty. They are O.K. if you can read between the lines and try and extrapolate what they are trying to tell you from the several different versions of the same make and model of the vehicle that are included in the book.

I just don't see a profit for them tearing down tractors and documenting the procedures. There's not enough volume of demand to cover the costs.

 

[MossRoad]

Don't hold your breath. They don't even make a manual for my Sedona van.

That's a great example. Kia only sold about 14,500 Sedona's in 2014. There isn't enough volume to justify creating an entire repair book for that low of volume.

 

[stuckmotor]

I too like the Haynes and Chilton manuals and have both for at least one of my vehicles. If I can't figure out something by reading one of the manuals, sometimes the other tells me what I need to know.
If memory serves, I paid somewhere between $80 and $100 for the factory service manual for my MF 261 and would likely pay that or more for a thorough manual written by someone else, especially if it was written by a good independant mechanic who didn't have access to the special tools that the factory manual sometimes calls for.

 

[davesl708]

Have you tried Clymer? They make manuals for all types of vehicles. Even found one for my old boat.

 

[CCWKen]

Many of the new computer controlled tractors will lock themselves up if you attempt to do anything but change a light bulb. Why do you need a manual?

 

[Avondale]

I would be happy if the OEM Service manual for my Kioti was a bit more detailed. A good editor, (in English) would also be appreciated.