Renze
Elite Member
The common purpose for a track loader, is to be used as a loader, not to turn it into a self propelled working machine. As ASV notes, the special application (tree mulcher) requires special attention, and therefor they offer the modification kit for sale, not for free. That sounds like logical reasoning, however:
If ASV made this tab washer kit available for free, they would thereby legally admit that there was a design error: That would open the way for many customers that toasted their engine, to claim the damage on ASV even years after it happened. Next to those that claim damage from this particular problem, there will be lots of vultures that toast their engine just because of poor servicing, no oil change, plugged coolers, who will want to exploit this. Even though giving away some tab washers away for free, wouldnt hurt at all, I assume ASV/Terex doesnt want to give this opening for lawsuits by charging a few cents for the kit...
The best example was a local Mercedes dealer where my brother in law worked: a gypsy brought his 25 year old Mercedes 240D in for a major service at the Merc dealership: Merc dealerships arent the cheapest, so it doesnt make sense anyways to get an old car serviced at the dealer. However, after 2 weeks he called and said that his engine was toasted, because the drain plug ran loose, which caused all the oil to leak away and ruin his engine: He demanded a free replacement engine !!
My brother in law, at that time a service manager, said that they didnt even open the drain plug of the sump, but the modern way of quick&clean oil change, is to suck the old oil out with a pump through the dipstick tube !!
None the less, i think ASV is handling this issue quite well. I've never seen a service bulletin being publicised on the internet by company staff. Mostly it only gets to a manufacturers authorised dealers, and the machines serviced by owners/operators or non-brand service shops are left hung out to dry. ASV doesnt do that, but notifies everyone...
If ASV made this tab washer kit available for free, they would thereby legally admit that there was a design error: That would open the way for many customers that toasted their engine, to claim the damage on ASV even years after it happened. Next to those that claim damage from this particular problem, there will be lots of vultures that toast their engine just because of poor servicing, no oil change, plugged coolers, who will want to exploit this. Even though giving away some tab washers away for free, wouldnt hurt at all, I assume ASV/Terex doesnt want to give this opening for lawsuits by charging a few cents for the kit...
The best example was a local Mercedes dealer where my brother in law worked: a gypsy brought his 25 year old Mercedes 240D in for a major service at the Merc dealership: Merc dealerships arent the cheapest, so it doesnt make sense anyways to get an old car serviced at the dealer. However, after 2 weeks he called and said that his engine was toasted, because the drain plug ran loose, which caused all the oil to leak away and ruin his engine: He demanded a free replacement engine !!
My brother in law, at that time a service manager, said that they didnt even open the drain plug of the sump, but the modern way of quick&clean oil change, is to suck the old oil out with a pump through the dipstick tube !!
None the less, i think ASV is handling this issue quite well. I've never seen a service bulletin being publicised on the internet by company staff. Mostly it only gets to a manufacturers authorised dealers, and the machines serviced by owners/operators or non-brand service shops are left hung out to dry. ASV doesnt do that, but notifies everyone...
