Who makes the repairs on your tractor?

[rScotty]

Over the years,I've done most of my repairs simply because I didn't know mechanics that were both,competent and honest. When I did know of one,I came out ahead earning money in my profession while hireing out mechanic work. Several years ago,Tx Att. General set up a sting taking cars with known condition in for repair. Between fines and bad publicity on tv,mechanics had no choice but straighten up their act. Wasn't long until it was ruled intrapment and discontinued.

Sounds like it could have been a good program if they worked out how to tell dishonest mechanics from the honest mechanics from those who make a mistake or just work differently.
And it's the honest ones who are least able to defend themselves.
A lot of good mechanics out there are self-taught and I know their diagnostic skills aren't as good as their wrenching skills because I had a mechanical shop & diagnosis was always the biggest problem.
There's a lot of variability in how mechanics diagnose and fix problemsn - a lot of them make extra work for themselves by how they do it, and the customer pays. But that isn't dishonest.
rScotty

 

[super55]

Every piece of farm machinery I own I went and purchased a technical manual in CD format for. That goes for my old oliver tractors, my gator and two john deere tractors. I downloaded them all and keep them on an old out of date laptop in the garage. With the manuals and wifi to check vids on youtube for reference, tractors aren't overly difficult to work on.

I would say electrical on modern tractors is the most difficult to diagnose because they have so many safety interlocks in them now. Seat, PTO, neutral, parking brake safety switches all interlocked can create some real headache. But at 100 dollars an hour I'll spend my time trying to find the problem before I send it to a dealer.

 

[jaxs]

Sounds like it could have been a good program if they worked out how to tell dishonest mechanics from the honest mechanics from those who make a mistake or just work differently.
And it's the honest ones who are least able to defend themselves.
A lot of good mechanics out there are self-taught and I know their diagnostic skills aren't as good as their wrenching skills because I had a mechanical shop & diagnosis was always the biggest problem.
There's a lot of variability in how mechanics diagnose and fix problemsn - a lot of them make extra work for themselves by how they do it, and the customer pays. But that isn't dishonest.
rScotty

I've heard lame excuses for overcharging customers but that's pitiful Scotty. Let me guess,other than wrenching which you are connected,you don't hold that opinion about all professions? Blackjack dealer to gambler "oh forgive me sir,I pulled that card from the bottom because I don't really know how to deal". Barber to guy with hacked up hair"I haven't got the hang of it yet but to show good will,I'll give you 10% discount next visit". Dr. to Scotty "I removed your balls,a lung and a kidney without helping your problem so pay me $80k and find a Dr. that know's what he's doing."

 

[rScotty]

I've heard lame excuses for overcharging customers but that's pitiful Scotty. Let me guess,other than wrenching which you are connected,you don't hold that opinion about all professions? Blackjack dealer to gambler "oh forgive me sir,I pulled that card from the bottom because I don't really know how to deal". Barber to guy with hacked up hair"I haven't got the hang of it yet but to show good will,I'll give you 10% discount next visit". Dr. to Scotty "I removed your balls,a lung and a kidney without helping your problem so pay me $80k and find a Dr. that know's what he's doing."

OK. We're talking mechanics here, not medicine. So tell me, how do you propose to tell the difference between the dishonest and the inept? As I understand it, that was the problem with that particular legislation.
I agree the dishonest should face legal penalties, but in the USA we don't put legal penalties on being stupid. That's probably a good thing, since not all legislation works right the first time around.
rScotty

 

[RickB]

Actually I think Scotty makes a good, if not popular or understood point. I know great mechanics that are terrible troubleshooters. The shops that I’ve worked in over the years typically had between four and seven techs and typically only one or two I’d describe as excellent troubleshooters. Fair and mediocre troubleshooters are more the rule than exception. And these were successful service oriented dealerships that prided themselves on happy repeat customers. The kind of technician that can maintain a consistently high level of diagnostic and repair skills will often also be looking to improve himself out of the shop to another position.

 

[ch1ch2]

Tractors, trucks, cars, ATVs, house, everything is done by me. Been burned to many times, I have the skills, and can't trust anyone else enough to to what I expect.

Ditto!

 

[4570Man]

Actually I think Scotty makes a good, if not popular or understood point. I know great mechanics that are terrible troubleshooters. The shops that I’ve worked in over the years typically had between four and seven techs and typically only one or two I’d describe as excellent troubleshooters. Fair and mediocre troubleshooters are more the rule than exception. And these were successful service oriented dealerships that prided themselves on happy repeat customers. The kind of technician that can maintain a consistently high level of diagnostic and repair skills will often also be looking to improve himself out of the shop to another position.

I wouldn’t consider anyone that couldn’t trouble shoot as a mechanic. Any idiot can change a part. Figuring out the problem is in most cases the harder part.

 

[jaxs]

I wouldn’t consider anyone that couldn’t trouble shoot as a mechanic. Any idiot can change a part. Figuring out the problem is in most cases the harder part.

You are 100% correct. It's not just knowing righty tighty from lefty loosey,it's all about what to loosey and which to tighty the first time around. Read through these forums and people are looking for diagnostics and troubleshooting help,even backyard diyers know how to turn bolts and screws if someone tells them which need's turning. But how do you explain to a guy that thinks barbers and Blackjack dealers are in the field of medicine? This is the kind of reasoning that force's college entrance scores to be weighted for those that can't cut the mustard.

 

[RickB]

I wouldn’t consider anyone that couldn’t trouble shoot as a mechanic. Any idiot can change a part. Figuring out the problem is in most cases the harder part.

There are varying degrees of every skill.

 

[fried1765]

There are varying degrees of every skill.

Exactly correct!