Does John Deere actually care?

[rdln]

Now I see the problem....Marketing...there are too many hoytie toyties buying CUTs and the OEMS are making them too pretty which means hiding the fasteners which means poor serviceability. My 970's foot step has been bent for 10 years or so, had I wanted to fix it I could easily but my tractor would not pass for world class design today.

So why not thread item 17? (see pic) at 22lbs seems like CI? but the wall thickness driven by cast part design standards is minimal for thread engagement??

Bottom line you are another victim of Appearance Engineers!!!!

If your issue would ever reach the person ultimately responsible, She would save it to her blackberry which is stored in her Prada purse drive her Miata home to her studio apartment uncork some pinot grigio, turn on the whale mating mp3s, bring up your issue and wonder how anybody could bend a footstep while mowing the grass. After all arent these just lawn tractors for people with ego problems?

 

[slaveToHorses]

Yup, that's right. They could have cut threads. Or they could have drilled an access hole in foot plate (item #1). That's what I did, just in case I need to get there again .
Just a dumb manufacturing engineer move. Probably more a lack of decision rather than a concious decision. Access to some of the bolts on the floor board were clearly thought out while others are just the opposite. I was able to just loosen the floor board enough to prop it up. Of course I had to loosen up the dumb-*** one piece cover around/under the drivers seat too. That sucker is a particularly agregious design.

It sure is a lot easier to work on the larger, more traditional, tractors than on these CUT's with all the bodywork. You got that marketing thing right!

I would have just left the step alone but it was in the way and I have a bad spinal cord and a bad knee, so the step really helps. It is a very sturdy step. I am amazed it got so bent up. I drove over a small log and one end poped up and crushed the step. I spend more time looking down now!