Talking about your tractor problems

[Cliff_Johns]

I've noticed in a couple places, comments about the number of problems reported here (TBN) for particular tractors and how that should affect buying practices.

My concern is that, in an effort to show a person's brand of tractor as better (that is, to have brand loyalty) we may resist comming here to present issues/problems/short commings of our own brand or model for fear that this will turn off prospective buyers.

It's a cause and effect situation. We adjust to what is measured, and if problem-reporting on TBN begins to be measured, the natural reaction is to not report these problems.

Please carefully avoid this trap.

Perhaps I'm being overly worried about something that has not and will not come to pass, but I thought it would be helpful to bring the possibility into everyone's consciousness.

Thanks you for your time,
Cliff

 

[PineRidge]

Cliff I am also concerned that there may be more than a few owners that simply don't want to hurt the dealers themselves. A problematic tractor is not the fault of the dealer that sold it is it? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[frank_f15]

CLIFF: understand where you are comming from, but for MYSELF and i am sure MOST of the other members , if there are problems with my tractor i would most assuredly tell folks about it.

 

[OrangeGuy]

Cliff johns,

I understand what you are trying to say, but how do you balance the few problem tractors with the majority that have no problems. In addition, many tractor problems are operator error and not problems with the tractor itself. Unfortunately, some people will interpret one person's problem as a general indictment against the particular model identified, or worse yet, against the entire brand.

I have a neighbor with a less than two year-old tractor that is constantly broke down. Last week I helped them get it back into running shape. The mower blades were original and worn so badly that they were almost unrecognizable. One rear mower bracket and one front bracket were broken off and had to be welded back on. The blade belt was broke (this necessitated their asking for help). The tilt hood brackets were broke. I checked the engine oil; none on the dipstick. Two tires low on air and on and on.

I won't identify the brand of tractor because it wouldn't be fair. This tractor has had the crap run out of it. The owner could post each of his problems and many would think that this unit must be problematic. The problem is that the owner has little knowledge or experience with this type of tractor and his 20 something son is the operator. The operator drives as fast as he can possibly go and cuts the lawn as low as he can drop the mower. If it was an animal, I would call the humane society.

OrangeGuy

 

[hazmat]

I think you see more of the problems in the brand specific owning/operating sections. I've posted in the NH forum all the problems I've had (there have only been a couple in 2 years). None have put me out of commision. I don't tend to report my minor problems when people are asking for "which tractor" advice. I figure any brand has it's share of minor problems.

 

[beenthere]

O.G.
That was very well put.
Thanks

 

[NIXON]

Cliff , I believe the majority of ownners will seek an answer to their difficulties here before consulting their dealer .
The one problem I've had with my machine was brought up here first . In the end it did take the dealer to remedy it . But I thought it better to ask here first to be sure it wasn't operator induced. Of course of brought up a few other things . Such as not remembering that the ROPS is 8' high and I only have a 7' door . But that isn't able to be remedied by TBN or the dealer /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif John

 

[KiotiJohn]

Cliff, I have had this thought before, but I don't think it's a problem at this point. It seems we get quite a few "problems" mentioned, and mostly in order to receive help in solving them. I would hope that most prospective buyers who come here had come often enough to realize just how FEW problems overall most tractors do have.
For every problem mentioned, there are probably thousands of the same model that don't have any problems, or very minor ones.
I've been very pleased to see that our Kioti forum has seemed very forthcoming on problems, and most are willing to attempt getting changes made by the MFG when there is a common, recurring problem going on.
Thanks for your thought-provoking post. I can see how it could happen. John

 

[mwood]

Cliff:
As a member of this site with only a garden tractor (hoping to upgrade to the world of CUT's soon), I find the posts regarding problems to be very useful. Not because I am trying to find the most problem free tractor. I think it's fair to say that any of the major tractor manufacturers are putting out quality machines.

However, I think it's more the responsibility of the readers of these forums to note that people here are posting their problems in order to get them resolved. They are not bashing the brand of tractor they own, or in any way saying that it is a bad machine. Mostly, they are trying to get another person's perspective on their situation.

Nothing in this world is trouble free. It's just a fact of life. But this is one of the most friendly and helpful sites I've found on teh net for tractor information. And with that, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank all of you who contribute your time and knowledge to this forum.

Will the problems mentioned here about a certian tractor keep me from purchasing it? Most likely no. However, it will give me some upfront information to make me an informed buyer. It will allow me to watch for things (instrument fogging on the JD 4x10 series for example) if I were to take the plunge.

Keep posting your problems! Please! This is the true reason for such a great site -- to help others.

 

[slowrev]

Lets keep one thing in mind folks " The squeaky wheel gets the grease" . I am sure some of what is posted on this board gets back to the various CUT manufacturers and dealers, etc. After all how many CUT tractor boards of this size are there ? It is an easy way for a manufacturer to get a feel for the market.
Real tractor problems posted on this board might help to get these problems resolved on future models.

 

[Glenn9643]

A lot of worthwhile thoughts and comments have been posted in this thread. As Hazmat said, it seems you see more of the problems in the brand specific owning/operating sections. If I have a ‘generic” type of question I’ll usually post here in Owning/Operating… something like when I smelled hot hydraulic fluid when using my FEL. I’d never had a FEL before and didn’t think about the vent port underneath the seat. However, if I have an issue that’s more brand specific I would address it to the brand specific area. I’ve also sent PM’s to other owners of my particular model that I’m aware of on TBM advising them of my problem, etc. but that works for me because there aren’t that many 1455v’s out there!
Slowrev commented “I am sure some of what is posted on this board gets back to the various CUT manufacturers and dealers, etc.” It’s a good bet that all the major manufacturer reps monitor this forum from time to time. A few months ago my MF dealer was celebrating moving into a new facility with an “open house” and while there I met the MF Compact Tractor General Marketing Manager. While we were talking I mentioned TBN and he indicated that he had been here and has had contacts with Muhammad on occasion. Those guys can get a lot of good information about our thoughts regarding their equipment from right here. They are constantly trying to improve their product and provide what the buyer wants. I believe that the threads posted concerning our likes and dislikes are of considerable value in the long haul other than just getting to “vent”.

 

[MicroPilot]

I think there is the possibility that someone new to tBN could see a number of problems reported for a tractor and take them to mean that brand should be avoided, however, there are also a LOT of threads here about how great their tracotor is, or different jobs that the tractor helped to accomplish with minimal effort and time, and these seem to me to balance out the problem reports.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">My concern is that, in an effort to show a person's brand of tractor as better (that is, to have brand loyalty) we may resist comming here to present issues/problems/short commings of our own brand or model for fear that this will turn off prospective buyers. </font>

I must admit that this kind of thought is foreign to me...

Do people really care what brand tractor others buy?

Personally the only time I would fear turning off prospective buyers would be if I were selling a certain color and might lose a sale! But I don't sell anything and don't like selling to begin with, so that is not an issue for me...

Cliff, you might be on to something here but I don't think it is the case for the most part. But I sure don't know...

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do people really care what brand tractor others buy?)</font>
Henro,
I think general board discussion when someone asks "companyAtractor .vs. companyBtractor" shows how much people want others to buy their brand/tractor.

I'm really not sugesting that it's a common problem, rather, I was worried when I started seeing posts that used phrases like "based on the number of problems posted about the X tractor, I would worry about the quality." It just felt like that was a worrysome trend, and I wanted to make folks aware of the bog we were driving into before we were in up to our collective cup holder.

Problem postings, and the discussion of how to fix them are the life of the board and help keep our tractors in shape and our butt in the seat. Keep 'em comming.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Cliff, you might be on to something here but I don't think it is the case for the most part.)</font>

I don't think so either, I was looking to stub out a smoking stoogie before the forest caught on fire.
Cliff

 

[To20Chris]

I'm more than willing to discuss the problems I have with my tractor. Like, right now, it has mud on it! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif And even worse, I'm not on it! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Egon]

Anyone want to know about problems with my Kubota B7100 or other equipment for it just ask.

Egon

 

[gabby]

I think most of us are willing to accept a glitch or two when we buy something, as long as the dealer and/or mfr. stand behind their product and make it right.

On the other hand, when they fail to make it right that's a horse of a different color.

I will never again buy anything made by Bush Hog because I was the victim of a driveshaft design failure on their 3210 mower, and they wanted ME to pay through the nose to fix it. I told them to shove it and I patched up my 3210 and it's still running, but . . .

I'm getting a Deere!

Gabby

 

[Glenn9643]

Sorry to hear you had a problem with the Bush-Hog mower that wasn't resolved to your satisfaction gabby.
I agree that how a product is backed up by the dealer and manufacturer is more important than never having a problem!
I have a Bush-Hog 286 rotary cutter that's been bulletproof. I have a 6' Bush-Hog box blade that I've punished in unimagineable ways, and did destroy the original one that I bought. The welds cracked holding it together in several places when it was about a year old. I took it back to the dealer and he told me to unload it and hook to a new one out on the lot. The welds were bad in several places; apparently someone was having a bad day when they built it. I don't really know who's to get credit for the immediate replacement, Bush-Hog or the dealer, but I'm a happy customer.

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Anyone want to know about problems with my Kubota B7100 or other equipment for it just ask.

Egon )</font>

I'll bite...... please tell us in 10,000 words or less exactly all the problems you have had with your <font color="orange">Kubota </font>B7100. Please go into excruciating detail including, but not limited to the number of hours each defect reared its ugly head. Also please advise what remedial action was taken by the dealer, and if that dealer was also the selling dealer. Has this tractor has been fed any high sulfur fuel in its life that might have precipitated its indigestion causing said maladies???? Have you treated said tractor with respect and dignity, washing and drying it when it is dirty? Have you massaged its loader arms with High Pressure Molybdenum Disulfide Lithium Based grease every 10 hours? Does your tractor have a UV resistant coating of Mothers wax? Do you wipe around your tractors snooty nose after it belches out black smoke trying to come to life at 3 AM in the middle of the winter? Do you offer it shelter from the cold night and frigid rains in the winter? Have you given it all of the life blood fluid changes at the proper intervals? Have all of its dialysis canisters been changed on a regular basis? All of these things are important to a tractor, even if they aren't important to you. Treat your tractor well, and it will return the favor three fold. Inquiring mind want to know...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( we may resist comming here to present issues/problems/short commings of our own brand or model )</font>

Looks to be quite the opposite. I've seen lots of warranty claim problems reported in the blue, green, and orange forums.. along with lots of HST drive problems in the blue/green forums, and fogging dashes int he blue/green forums, as well as brakes and bearing/casting problems in the blue forums.. doesn't look like people are pulling the punch too much.

Yanmar forum is pretty much online help on how to keep the old japs running, and the chineese forum IS DEFINATELY there to service people with chineese tractors to keep them running. Lots of issues in those forums about problems.. but it seems to actually help the sales as people feel a bit better knowing that there is a support system available..

Soundguy