Antonio Carrera Tractors

[wstr75]

Tractor Rep, thank you for your informative post. It sounds like AC needs to put some labels on the tractor regarding implements locations and acceptable chassis loads on the equipment. A lot of European companies think we American companies are nuts regarding all the warnings and lawyer-proofing labels on our products, but this is a fine example of where a stitch in time saves nine. I think AC should also load up its website with information regarding acceptable implements and pointers regarding product usage. AC tractors are ahead of the learning curve but their information disbursement system is behind the times regarding videos, on-line searchable information, etc.

Help me out with this simple question as I noticed you used it in your post and the AC folks out in California say it, too. The end of the AC tractor where the 3 point hitch is located, it that the front end in AC parlance? My manual does not identify things front and back, but from my brief conversations with AC folks, I get the feeling that the motor end is the rear and the 3 point end is the front. Is that correct? I can see why it could be because about 2/3 of implement activities are going forward with the PTO engaged (mowing) and the three point hitch going forward with the driver's seat facing the implement/3-point hitch.

Front = 3 point hitch end. Rear = motor end. Is that correct?
Bill in NC

 

[Tractor Rep]

Ya' know, I'm referring to them as front and rear same as the conventional tractors. Mostly because Carraro does produce tractors that are not of the reversible design. But the reversibles often do have the optional 3 point lift on the engine end or what I refer to as the front.

You are right though... just about every country I have traveled to people are amazed at all the lawsuits and abject stupidity in America....Although they tend to put it far more subtly. The Japanese really find the whole sheilds and lables thing a real good laugh,,, if some one is dumb enough to grab a spinning PTO or hang their clothing in moving parts,,, odds are they need the lesson to smarten them up a bit. And if the worst case happens,, the Japanese folks I know from the grey market industry, would consider it a blessing to not have some one that dumb in the gene pool. Can you imagine your daughter bringing home someone that stupid?

 

[Tractor Rep]

Dave, is there any signs that some one could have been tampering with it? Lets face it, some moron meth head could have been thinking they were going to make quick work of stealing your loader,, and not knowing what they were doing went to work on the wrong bolts,,, it may have been that they were interrupted it the middle of it and left them just loose enough that with time and strain eventually they just came apart?

It just doesn't make any sense. These guys sell thousands and thousands of tractors all over the world, then all the sudden 1 in an entire history of manufacturing has this happen? Like I said,, years before that oscillation joint was their trouble maker,,, and it wasn't just here and there, it was common if the tractor was owned by someone that did not religiously grease it every day it was in use.

But this is bizaar. I still have to stand beside them on the idea that there really had to be some sort of extenuating circumstances that made it break.

Carraro might be alot of things to alot of people in matters of opinion. But they aren't bad guys and they've always done such a good job of standing behind the tractors out here. Even ones that were several years old. I've seen lots of little things get broken on these tractors,, and some of my clients are LARGE corporate orchard owners and managers,, and they are running the old 8008's. (about 17 year old tractors) and still other then the normal old wore out tractor issues, have not had anything like this. Lots of tractors hitting trees and the Mexican workers continue to run them,,, with the fan firmly embedded in the radiator,, etc. Those are times Carraro doesn't warranty. But on a model several years ago they had a design flaw on the wiring harnesses. It was too close to the fuel tank inlet and guys were getting diesel fuel on the wires. After about 6 years of this repeated heat and diesel treatement those harnesses began to fail. When this happened, 4 years after the warranties had expired Carraro provided brand new, completely redesigned wiring harnesses at their own expense with instructions and phone tech support. It was up to the owner to install it, and if guy did did not do it, it was his own choice to risk having his tractor burn. But it gives you an idea,, these guys aren't out to screw anyone. They told all those guys with that wiring design that there was a recall, and how to avoid having a melt down,, then when the supplies were ready they provided them the needed parts, and help. It's what anyone should do,,

If there is any chance that vandals or want to be theives could have been trying to make a quick $1500 on your loader by stealing it. This would probably be the most painless way to manage it. Did you get my other email about where you might be able to get those parts salvage?

Wish I would have had insurance on my mini Excavator and 10ton BTR had been stolen,,, I bet those sold for $5000.00 ... theives suck and they don't care who it hurts.

PS, I'm going to work for Freightliner, but will still help with this as I can.

Paula

 

[rangerdave]

Thank you for all of the supporting e-mails and concern.

There is no way even a meth head could mistake front end loader bolts with frame bolts.... The frame bolts (except for a few) are completely inaccessible because they are hidden behind the body sheet metal... The bolts that would have shown any tool marks must have rattled off of the back of the ramp truck on the 4.5 hour drive...

I would like to show you why I got so excited about buying this tractor.... I spent 2 years looking for a new tractor and I was in a position to buy new. When the dealer I had been working with sent me the Antonio Carraro Tractor People magazine, I saw the tractor I wanted... The TRX set up with the forestry package!!!

I also took the dealers advise and bought the Sigma loader that was designed for it.

Also, I found this picture in their magazine that shows a tractor completely lifted off of the ground with BOTH the FEL & the backhoe... I never thought that it was an issue until now...

 

[Eagleview]

You may need to think about trading it on a stronger tractor if your wanting to make money with it in a non orchard enviroment . This morning after i pushed this huge tree over with my "real" 100hp tractor (front wheels 2' off the ground) i cleaned up all the lantana on the rock ledges with the rake and piled it on the tree . Sometimes because you can't see through this stuff i get hung up on boulders and logs , not once have i been worried about the thing breaking in half . Then i mulched all the flat land Lantana and made 2.2K for the day . I trust this tractor for my income and with my life daily .

 

[jake98]

Dave,
If I were on the jury, I'd think that the bolts were never tightened in the factory. That's a heartbreaker of a story. Any possibility that the guys that installed the loader had to remove and replace those bolts? Jake

 

[rangerdave]

I don't think that there would be a chance for that since half of the bolts are completely inaccessible due to the fact that the body sheet metal completely covers the frame. I'm not sure how one would be able to inspect all of the bolts for tightness either... Thank you for your sympathies.

 

[Tractor Rep]

Ok


I give up... I've repeatedly left private posts in order to help get this TRX repaired, and to get the company to do it for you.

I tried.


Paula

 

[redneckford]

Hi Dave,

Luckily the National Sales Manager lives only about 15 minutes from me,,, and they hate seeing me show up with "that look" ,,, just like any man hates seeing a woman walk up to his door with "that look".... cause you know something is about to go sideways.

Anyhow, keep me in touch ..

I'm sorry about that service shop taking so long.

This happens alot in the tractor business where big names really muscle their dealers around and tell them "If you have our tractors this is what you can or cannot do or sell"..
The supplier gets paid the same no matter what so they don't care. The margins & suppliers in the tractor buisness can be brutal, and they just don't care because theres always somebody behind them just waiting their turn thinking they will be the next big deal in tractor selling.

The Machinery business is ugly,, with a capital U.

If you are happy with what you got and want to be able to stay happy, give your quality dealer referrals,,, in the end, you are really helping yourself.

Paula

So since you do not work there any more just post all those names and addresses and we will see how they back up their product over the long term!!!
Just like many companies, when they get a zone rep that cares,they transfer/ fire them---it is about the money!!!!

 

[SPYDERLK]

I don't think that there would be a chance for that since half of the bolts are completely inaccessible due to the fact that the body sheet metal completely covers the frame. I'm not sure how one would be able to inspect all of the bolts for tightness either... Thank you for your sympathies.

I think it is extremely telling that they have gone out of the way to ignore the specific indications and paint this as your fault. It is pretty clear that that either by design or faulty parts or assembly your tractor was unfit for actual realistic use with an approved implement. If it is design then the whole line is suspect for anything but rolling around and pulling on stuff.
larry