Cylinder repacked & my wallet also!

[Richard]

I'm suffering a very unique set of feelings right now.

I'm very angry (an inappropriate feeling)
I'm very happy (kinda strange given circumstances)
I'm very shocked (very appropriate)
I'm almost "saddened" (kinda weird)

Why so, you might (or might not) be wondering?

I took the middle hydraulic cylinder (dipperstick?) off my backhoe. Seems it had a leak that with HARD use, would allow a slow, yet steady (and small) stream of fluid to escape and drip down it's length.

Being one that hates that kind of stuff, I figured let's get it fixed "properly", so I took it to the dealer instead of some unknown hydraulic shop.

Dropped it off, said Hi to the guys (who know me by first name). The service manager said it outta be done in several days, call back Wed/Thurs.

I call today, it's ready, I go pick it up....

"What exactly did it need?" I asked
"we just repacked it" was their answer.

Evidently, repacking it means taking it apart and putting new seals on the piston and then they put a new seal on the very end of it where the ram enters the cylinder. All in all, a small baggie full of what appears to be O rings.

handed him the card to pay the bill and noticed the amount.

$650 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Yes, six HUNDRED fifty U.S. dollars, smackers, greenbacks

I was absolutely floored. It surprised me so much I repeated the amound outloud (not intendending on making a scene, was more just like pinching myself). That drew two other people over. They all (parts department) seemed very surprised by the amount also. SO surprised, that one of them ran to find the manager who of course, wasn't in. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif he found the asst. manager to find out if I'd been overcharged and of course, HE didn't know, as the Mgr had taken care of it.

I told them that the odds were that it was a correct charge, but had I had a CLUE it'd be that much, I'd lived with the drip. After all, $650 for something that creates ZERO income for me, could buy an awful lot of hydraulic fluid.

I went ahead and paid it telling them that it was probably right, I just wish they'd called me for an amount that large.

I don't LIKE paying that amount, but if that's the "going rate", then I have no right to gripe. I don't mind them paying their bills either, I just dont' want to be the only one contributing to their Christmas Party Fund.

The assistant manager said to call back tomorrow and he'd talk to the manager & double check everything. I just bit my lip, joked with him some and said no problem.

My "anger" was inappropriate, so I didn't show it. It was more directed at myself for not doing the prudent "let me know how much it is BEFORE..."

My "surprise" is (I think??) fairly self evident
My "happiness" is having my cylinder NOT leaking
My "saddened" is sort of how can these nice people, my "pals", the dealer of the machine I so enjoy, charge such an outragous (to my currently uneducated opinion) price to me for $35 worth of washers and perhaps 4 hours of someone's time?

Oh...they also repainted the cylinder... maybe I can sue them for defacing/vandalizing my property?? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[JohnMC]

I have no idea what it cost to pack a cylinder nowadays, haven't done one in years, but I sure think this had to be in error. I would definitely talk to the mgr or even the owner. This just sounds ridiculous. I feel sorry for you but maybe i'm wrong. Have you called any other stores or a hydraulic shop just for a rough estimate over the phone to give you an idea if you got ripped off or not?

 

[Richard]

Not called anyone and frankly, not sure if I will. These guys (Power Equipment Co) are a reasonably large company, have a number of "branches" and in fairness to them, give OUTSTANDING service. (guess I would too for prices like that eh?)

We'll know more tomorrow, as it currently stands, I paid the entire bill (over $1,000 because I also included muffler assembly)

While I don't want any special favors (presuming this is correct billing) I obviously dont' want my cylinder repacked at expense of UNpacking my wallet.

guess we'll know more tomorrow

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I wish they were someone I didnt like, because I'd feel more comfortable making an issue over it.

 

[theonlybull]

personally, i think that's extremely high. it always costs more to buy the packing kit from the dealer, then through a hydrulics supply house, and quite often the dealers labour rate is rather high, but for $600, you should have been able to completely replace the whole cylinder, not just the packing.

i run a machine shop, and do alot of hyd. repair work, and if a simple repacking job was going to cost that much, i would inform the custom b4 i went ahead with the work.

 

[Richard]

Thanks Bull, that's kinda my sentiment also. Guess I'm prepared to "live & learn", but that doesnt' mean I gotta like the lesson.

 

[AndyMA]

I just repacked a loader cylinder on my Ford 2120 myself. The New Holland kit cost $34 and it took a few hours with a couple of cuss words and a 3 foot pipe wrench. the last time I had a cylinder of this size repacked it was about $100 labor and parts. The huge cylinders on my 44,000 pound Hitachi excavator can be repacked for $1500 and it takes a fork truck to carry them.

Andy

 

[jpm]

I would question that bill a lot lets say $50 for parts ,labor rate $60. per so it took 10 hours ?? not on the machine?? ask a lot of ???

 

[DiskDoctr]

Richard,

Just a thought, but you said they repack and also repainted???

Sounds like you bought a new cylinder to me.

To be fair, tell us what machine it was from and the length (approx) and diameter of the cylinder.

For my Case 580K (full size backhoe), the swing arms needed repacked and I was quoted a generic "repacking most cylinders is about $100." This included them coming to my site and taking the cylinder off.

I watched them do one of the swing cylinders in the dirt in about 20 mins or so.

Unless there is something I am missing and didn't mention above, you would be well advised to get an itemized bill and question the $500 line item with the small print "He don't know no better" /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Also- did you ask them to repaint? If not, you may wish to be generous and pay a reduced $, maybe their cost, to keep good relations.

That is something you might try- tell them that you want to keep referring business to them, but you have to get this huge error fixed.

But again, depends on what you had fixed.

-JC

 

[dixiedrifter]

Sounds like a classic example of price gouging to me.

As they say, hind sight is 20/20... ALWAYS ask for an estimate for labor up front, preferably in writing.

With labor being $60 an hour, it would have taken them about 10 hours to rebuild a cylinder... waaay too long.

I would start calling around other no-name hydraulic repair places and getting estimates from them on how much it would cost, and how many hours of labor it would take to re-pack the cylinder.

Get at least two estimates, and if there is a signifigant diffrence then you need to contact the dealership, inform them that you think you have been overcharged by about x amount of dollars and the reasons why you think you were overcharged.

Then ask them nicely for a refund of slightly more than what the other two places quoted to be fair.

They don't want to play ball, off to small claims court with them.

 

[Richard]

The machine is a full sized JCB backhoe (1550-B), digs to 15 1/2 feet. The cylinder was the middle one on the backhoe (dipperstick?). It is, and this is strictily a guess since it's early, probably about 4' long compressed (will JUST fit inside truck of full sized car). The ram is in neighborhood of maybe 2 1/2 inches diamater? again, only a guess. Although it's possible for me to lift/move it, it's on the upper limit of what I'd care to punish my back with. NO WAY will I be able to lift it 5' in the air to replace it, I'll need help for that.

I realize taking to dealer, verses independent is going to cost a bit more, I reallze being an English machine MIGHT also cost more...but yikes.

As far as the repaint job, frankly I DO wish they had NOT done it. They didn't "refinish" the outside, they just took their spray wand and went over it. I kinda wish they had not done it because now it won't blend in with the rest of the machine but frankly, having it oversprayed doesn't raise any hankerings in me.

I'm in a real emotional quandry, because , yes, I DO sorta feel someone "taken" thus far (presuming pricing is right). I also have NOTHING but good things and experiences to say about these people, they've been fantastic. I've NEVER had any bad experiences with them. They've always bent over backwards to help me.

Going to be a slow time coming waiting for them to open today.