Under Engineering

[SPYDERLK]

As a corollary to a similarly named thread, I think it would be interesting to share some experiences of part failures on our tough, made for work, tractors and related machines. It may even provide useful information to the manufacturers ... So --
oooIs it always your fault when your tractor or equipment breaks? Do you often see that the failure was due to problems in the design of the part that malfunctioned or broke?
larry

 

[k0ua]

I dunno, The last 2 tractors I have owned are Kubota's. Nothing has ever broken. There was a little surface rust on some of the exposed parts, from setting on the dealers lot for months, and the suspension seat was stiff from lack of lubrication but other than that... Now the old Long 2260 I bought new, and owned for many years. Well that was a different story. Alternator wire was loose, and cooked and split 2 batteries before I (and dealer who tried while still under warranty) finally figured out the overcharging problem. The fuel lift pump gave out, I replaced that. The 3pt cylinder developed a bad leakdown, and I traded it off.. Romanian engineering? or just some bad luck.?

James K0UA

 

[forgeblast]

42c mower deck by john deer, the first one had the roller wheels fall off the first day I cut with it. The welds were not very deep.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Sometimes a weldment is just designed wrong and doesnt self brace. Thatll cause em to break after awhile. Sounds like yours just had bad welds period. Is the new one designed the same ... and lasting this time?
larry

 

[jinman]

This is a matching test. Pick out the under engineered and over engineered products form the photo below.

BTW: Everybody scores 100% on this test because it was under-engineered.:laughing:

 

[SPYDERLK]

This is a matching test. Pick out the under engineered and over engineered products form the photo below.

BTW: Everybody scores 100% on this test because it was under-engineered.:laughing:

ggYes. ... But cross drilled holes on the hitch pins should be a little further from the taper.
larry

 

[RobertBrown]

This is a matching test. Pick out the under engineered and over engineered products form the photo below.

BTW: Everybody scores 100% on this test because it was under-engineered.:laughing:

"D" All of the above

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I get both ends in my field. For the most part the engineers I deal with are great. The one's that get me are the sanctimonious one's that think because I spin a wrench and don't have a degree I am not worthy of having a conversation with them. But that's okay, I keep my mouth shut and let their crap fail then I go over their head and fix it correctly.
In my field, we need factory authorization before replacing a high dollar part. We are on kind of like a private forum where anybody with access can see our discussions. If I cut and pasted what factory engineers requested me to do, anybody with half a brain would cringe. But that is not the norm. I actually like poor engineering. It gives me overtime to fix their screw ups and keeps us mechanics working.

 

[Martian]

I think you can find ANY product to be under engineered for different situations. There is no possible way that someone can engineer a product to do everything imaginable with it and it not fail in some way. There are some instances where a product is clearly under engineered for every day uses - but those are becoming less, and less common.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I get both ends in my field. For the most part the engineers I deal with are great. The one's that get me are the sanctimonious one's that think because I spin a wrench and don't have a degree I am not worthy of having a conversation with them. But that's okay, I keep my mouth shut and let their crap fail then I go over their head and fix it correctly.
iii I actually like poor engineering. It gives me overtime to fix their screw ups and keeps us mechanics working.

:laughing: ... But when you have to fix your own, or pay to have em fixed, and deal with associated delays you really appreciate the parts that keep on ticking. And when sometimes you note the good choices made in them youre impressed and thankful.
larry