John Deere Technical Manual Issue

[swines]

However, I do not expect John Deere to change their policy on this matter. This is a poor way to treat customers.

You don't have any idea how much it costs to create a technical manual.

In 1971, I worked for a company that did the technical manuals for Fuller transmissions. At that time, the cost to do a manual for a single transmission model was $15,000. Most of that was in drafting time, and layout of the manual. I'd guess that today, for an entire tractor, the cost to produce a service manual is at least $70,000 to $100,000 - if not more. While computer aided drafting helps speed up the drafting process and computerized layout software like Quark, InDesign, Pagemaker, etc. make digital compositing of the publication much faster - there's still thousands of hours that go into making up the manual.

$410 sounds cheap to me for an extremely low sales publication that was very expensive to produce. It's not exactly like it's going to sell a million copies and spend 44 weeks at the top of the NY Times' Best Seller list.

 

[texstrk426]

Actually I do understand what it costs to create a technical manual as I worked for a telecom company in engineering documentation and worked with technical publication personnel. It is an expected cost of business and a necessary provision for customers. It is one thing to have fellow professional customers and another to be dealing with ordinary lay people doing their own service to save money and provide a living for their families. Different customers/users require different handling of this aspect of business.

 

[beenthere]

Seems it is a customer choice.. pay the dealer $150 an hour to sort out the problem, or get a service manual and try to sort out the problem in the comfort of your own shop (with the valuable TBN help).

 

[swines]

It is one thing to have fellow professional customers and another to be dealing with ordinary lay people doing their own service to save money and provide a living for their families. Different customers/users require different handling of this aspect of business.

So, what you're saying is that there should be two different prices. The dealer should pay JD full pop because they're doing it for business and may be able to deduct that as a business expense, while customers who may only use it to solve one or two problems should pay less? BS. The publication has a base cost. You amortize the publication cost over the number of manuals sold and not special deals simply because YOU feel it should cost less.

You do realize that in some states, if the dealer deducts the cost of the manual as a business expense, then the manual is classified as an "asset' and they pay a tax on it, literally forever, or until they show it being sold or disposed of? It's not quite the "free ride" you want it to be for the dealer.

 

[Ellerington]

Having lift problem with bucket on JD 5205 tractor, bucket tilts fine but will not go up or down

 

[Zebrafive]

Having lift problem with bucket on JD 5205 tractor, bucket tilts fine but will not go up or down

First thing to try is uncouple and recouple the hose connectors to the lift cylinders of the loader.
If that does not work, swap lift cylinder and bucket hoses where they quick couple. This will put the bucket control valve to the lift cylinders. If lift control, now works the bucket then the valve is OK.

I'll bet a coupler problem.