At Home In The Woods
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OP
Obed
Elite Member
Wow! Did you attend a course to learn how to operate that thing? I'm thinking you should be able to stand in your shower and it would do all the washing for you!
Obed
OP
Obed
Elite Member
Friday I took my tractor to the John Deere dealer to get the 400 hr and 500 hr maintenance performed. In addition, I had several grease fittings that would not accept grease so we asked them to make sure all the fittings would take grease and fix them as needed. Yesterday morning I went to pick up my tractor.
As I was loading the tractor onto my trailer, I noticed that the backhoe bucket squeeked when moving it. So I closely inspected the lube job around the backhoe bucket and did not see new grease coming out of some of the joints. I went into the shop and borrowed their grease gun. I then tried to lube the joints around the backhoe bucket and noticed that 3 of the 4 pins that hold the bucket would not accept grease! I then went to the FEL and found some fittings that also would not accept grease. I did not try all the grease fittings but concluded that I had gotten a very poor lube job. I suspect they did not have the grease fittings on hand and didn't want to take the effort to do the job right.
I unloaded the tractor and went and talked to the manager. He said they would do the job right and not charge me. Not happy. A while back I replaced myself one grease fitting near the BH bucket because it would not accept grease. After replacing it, it would still not accept grease. I imaging the area to be lubed was clogged with dirt and would need to be cleaned out, probably requiring the removal of the pin that was being lubed.
After the fact, I wish I had just taken the tractor and not left it there. But I did. Unfortunately, I had already paid the manager the almost $800 for the service before I discovered the lube job and grease fitting repairs were unsatisfactory.
More and more, I'm coming to the conclusion it is extremely difficult to get good work done and "if you want it done right, do it yourself". Fortunately we have a good auto mechanic that we trust. I hope he lives forever and never sells his business. I don't, however, have a good tractor mechanic.
In some ways, it might be quicker for me to do the routine maintenance on the tractor myself. Spending the time to schedule the maintenace, hitch up the trailer to the truck, load the tractor, drive 40 minutes one way to the dealer, wait in line, drive home, then do it all again when I pick up the tractor easily eats up 6+ hours of my time. Plus I have to pay for the work. My rationale for taking the tractor to the shop is to save time in my busy schedule but that doesn't always seem to work out.
As I was loading the tractor onto my trailer, I noticed that the backhoe bucket squeeked when moving it. So I closely inspected the lube job around the backhoe bucket and did not see new grease coming out of some of the joints. I went into the shop and borrowed their grease gun. I then tried to lube the joints around the backhoe bucket and noticed that 3 of the 4 pins that hold the bucket would not accept grease! I then went to the FEL and found some fittings that also would not accept grease. I did not try all the grease fittings but concluded that I had gotten a very poor lube job. I suspect they did not have the grease fittings on hand and didn't want to take the effort to do the job right.
I unloaded the tractor and went and talked to the manager. He said they would do the job right and not charge me. Not happy. A while back I replaced myself one grease fitting near the BH bucket because it would not accept grease. After replacing it, it would still not accept grease. I imaging the area to be lubed was clogged with dirt and would need to be cleaned out, probably requiring the removal of the pin that was being lubed.
After the fact, I wish I had just taken the tractor and not left it there. But I did. Unfortunately, I had already paid the manager the almost $800 for the service before I discovered the lube job and grease fitting repairs were unsatisfactory.
More and more, I'm coming to the conclusion it is extremely difficult to get good work done and "if you want it done right, do it yourself". Fortunately we have a good auto mechanic that we trust. I hope he lives forever and never sells his business. I don't, however, have a good tractor mechanic.
In some ways, it might be quicker for me to do the routine maintenance on the tractor myself. Spending the time to schedule the maintenace, hitch up the trailer to the truck, load the tractor, drive 40 minutes one way to the dealer, wait in line, drive home, then do it all again when I pick up the tractor easily eats up 6+ hours of my time. Plus I have to pay for the work. My rationale for taking the tractor to the shop is to save time in my busy schedule but that doesn't always seem to work out.
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CurlyDave
Elite Member
I think you are right on all counts.
You can buy a very good Lincoln rechargeable grease gun for ~$200, and all the other service should be just common hand tools.
You will save at least $500 the first time and $700 or so every time after that. plus you will know it was done right.
You can buy a very good Lincoln rechargeable grease gun for ~$200, and all the other service should be just common hand tools.
You will save at least $500 the first time and $700 or so every time after that. plus you will know it was done right.
hawkeye08
Elite Member
Curly, why do you need a rechargeable grease gun? I use a hand lever grease gun and never had a problem lubing my Kubota.. do the John Deere tractors require higher pressure or ??
I agree though that you can save some $$ doing it yourself and be happy with the results or at least know who is responsible.
I do all my own service work, even rotate tires on the cars and trucks. Teaching my 3 daughters how to change their own oil, check and fill fluids, rotate tires, checking brakes is very satisfying.
CurlyDave
Elite Member
Curly, why do you need a rechargeable grease gun? I use a hand lever grease gun and never had a problem lubing my Kubota.. do the John Deere tractors require higher pressure or ??
No john Deere tractors do not require higher pressure. But, once I tried a rechargeable grease gun, I would never go back. It is not necessary, but it sure makes a chore into something that is almost fun. The big deal is that I can hold the hose on the zerk with one hand and pull the trigger with the other.
If your tractor has only a few, easily accessible zerks then you can use a hand pump, but my backhoe has many grease points, with a lot in contortionist positions.
No john Deere tractors do not require higher pressure. But, once I tried a rechargeable grease gun, I would never go back. It is not necessary, but it sure makes a chore into something that is almost fun. The big deal is that I can hold the hose on the zerk with one hand and pull the trigger with the other.
If your tractor has only a few, easily accessible zerks then you can use a hand pump, but my backhoe has many grease points, with a lot in contortionist positions.
Damifino
Gold Member
I have always had better luck greasing right after use while pins and grease is hot, doing when it was cold would always create problems.
radioman
Super Member
Many good points... I too like doing things myself since I know I am not being cheated out of laziness. Problem is, some places WON'T honor warranty unless they service themselves or have no written proof of work been done. :thumbdown:
scoutcub
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2008
- Messages
- 2,374
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Yanmar LX4900//Cub 7532//Cub Yanmar SC2400//Komatsu D38//Cub Volunteer//Cub SZ60/CAT 289C/CAT 308
We'll probably never learn how to use every function. The owners manual is barely legible. I've fixed numerous leaks on it. Just has a hose bust off that I need to replace. (for the foot massager :laughing
The side spray jets feel like needle torture. jet pumps aren't working. But, the phone in the shower is pretty cool....:thumbsup:Glad I didn't buy this thing, just the house it came in!!
Frank
