Howse Equipment avoid it

[Sixgunsix]

I have been looking for a 7' farm blade. I have two Howse attachments, so I looked on the net and found them. I called the number to get a quote and place an order. I got message machines for four days, so I called around Phoenix AZ to find a local dealer. I found a FB-7 Howse blade there. I drove 5 hours to get it, brought it home and found it to be the worst welding assemly I have ever seen. The blade sets 10" off the ground at one end while the over end touches. There is not one weld or bracket that is centered or matching. They don't even bother to put their company name on anymore. I Emailed and called Howse, they just say "take it back". I now have to drive 5 hours again (116 degree heat) to return it. This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced. They don't seem to have any interest in the poor state of their business. I advise you avoid these attachments.

Sixgunsix

 

[BillyP]

I've heard this about Howse, the poor welding/fit on some of their identical implements. It seems they need some kind of Quality Control?

 

[cowboydoc]

Howse has never been a real quality item. They are usually some of the cheapest equipment and like the old saying you get what you pay for.

 

[HayDR]

Made to sell, but not on our lot. They do sell 10,000-15,000 cutters a year just because of price.

 

[Sixgunsix]

Cheap was $407. This is home use applicatiion. I will use it to push snow and grade the road out to the highway. You may be right about the products being cheaper, but I did not get what I paid for.

Six.............

 

[Sixgunsix]

Saw your post, sent a request for a quote to Midwest for their
7' blade and shipping. Thanks

Six..........

 

[Inspector507]

A 7' Midwest is $350 +/- and it's MUCH better quality. And thats with tilt and offset /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[fordman]

I know what you mean about Howse. I bought a 5ft brush hog and before I ever used it, I spent about 4 hours rewelding everything. They do not even have a removeable plate or any opening to get to the blade bolts,so I had to make one of those also.And if you ever have a U-joint go bad, there is no other joint like that anywhere in the world except at Howse.It would be best to just change out the complete drive line,to something you could get parts for.And when you do have to call Howse for parts, I sure hope you get to talk to someone a whole lot better than anyone I talked to after several times of recalling them back.

 

[CountryBoy]

<font color="red"> </font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have two Howse attachments, )</font> </font>

How is the quality on these other 2 implements ? Surely they must be superior to the quality of your farm blade or you would have not bothered to drive 5 hours for the farm blade ?

 

[soarkrebel]

Thats why they have parts diagrams on there website . they know your gonna need them. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[JohnMiller3]

For a few dollars more... buy something that will last your lifetime... and then some... Monroe-Tufline... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[AndyM]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I Emailed and called Howse, they just say "take it back". I now have to drive 5 hours again (116 degree heat) to return it. This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced. They don't seem to have any interest in the poor state of their business. )</font>

I emailed them to ask if they could direct be to a dealer within 50 miles of my house. They emailed back giving me the phone number of their distributor for the state of Ohio, telling me to call them to find out from them. I don't think they wanted to put in the effort to look it up themselves...

Reminds me when I had an electrical problem on my new house, and when I called the builder, he gave me the phone number for the electrician and told me to call them myself!

Whatever happened to Customer Service???

 

[markct]

well not to say that it isnt infact made wrong, but it sounds like ya may just have your tilt adjustment on your 3pt wrong, most tractors have a little crank or like a turnbuckle to adjust one side of the 3pt, did ya try adjusting that yet? but like the others have said, ya get what ya pay for. a few years ago we bought a 3pt blade from central tractor, i think it was howse but im not ceartain, but we were very happy with it for the money, it has been used alot grading our driveway, but alot less now that i own a road grader

 

[Sixgunsix]

With the tractor setting on a concrete pad. With the 3 point carriage adjusted to level. With the blade on the centering notch. The high end is 10 inches off the pad, with the other end stting on the pad. There just isn't enough crank in the turnbuckle.

You know what torques off the most is the "just don't give a **** attitude" on the part of Howse.

Six......

 

[GlennT]

I have the same opinion of the welding on Howse products. However, it's not consistently bad. I purchased a 4-foot Howse box blade a couple of years ago and got one that is assembled well because I was able to look at a number of them at a local dealer and select the one that I wanted. I actually was quite pleased with the product, because Howse uses the same 3-point attachment on their box blades ranging from 4 feet to 8 feet in width. This results in the 4-foot blade being more substantial than is necessary. The point I'd like to make is that you might find a Howse product that serves you well; however, don't buy one that you can't inspect before purchase.