75hp parts scam

[Tony H]

How is it that i need to replace a simple AC rheostat on my friends 2 year old tractor and I can’t? What tractor company would force owners to spend $2000 for an entire panel of switches because one ($35) Switch gailed prematurely?
HVAC CONYROL PANEL E007517550D91

 

[LHF2019]

Did you just buy the switch you needed? The key is to disassemble, find markings on failed switch, and spend a lot of time researching to find your needed part.

Had a mirror fail on a NH. They only sold it as an assembly for $xxx.xx. All that I needed was a spring, couple washers, and a locking nut. Disassembled the one on the other side for spring measurement. Through lots of research found the spring at McMaster-Carr, while expensive was cheaper than the whole assembly. Nut at local hardware store and ground a washer down to fit. Can't remember cost but less than $30 I believe.

You state the price of the switch, so hopefully the switch only is the way you went.

 

[steve tym]

I agree, the tractor manufacturer didn't make the switch, they sourced it from somewhere. Unlikely that the switch is proprietary.

 

[mikester]

Don't worry there will be a 26% tariff added to that $2000 price tag to punish those Indian scammers. You should sell it and buy a John Deere tractor - those are American made in China with only 34% tariffs.

 

[WinterDeere]

The good thing about switches is they're almost always clearly marked with a part number and date or lot code, so easy to direct-source thru DigiKey, Mouser Electronics, or Newark Electronics. You'll waste all of 2 minutes on Google, figuring out which is the date code versus the part number, but I've never encountered a removeable tractor electronics part that I couldn't easily direct-source.

 

[Offroadtek]

I agree. I think any of those switches should be replaceable without changing the whole assembly.

I assume you mean the little black switch for cooling?

 

[WinterDeere]

The biggest challenge might be releasing those push nuts without snapping off the associated posts, if the plastic is at all aged and brittle. A reasonable home-shop machinist could replace any broken posts with a couple of button head or flat heat countersunk screws from the front, but it's usually nicest to not have to do that.