John Deere Tractor

[KE4AVB]

They are green and gold (yellow) for a reason. It is because it takes a lot of Gold to buy them and a lot of Green stuff to maintain them; unless, you are buying the big box store versions which takes a little less Gold to buy them. Those Big box store versions are not built as well either.

They even want a lot of Silver for their Service CDs. Sometimes I get lucky and find them cheaper. I only buy them when I need a wiring diagram but I do charge a service manual access charge on those machines that need these manual for. So far those manuals are for the 8K + ZTRs that I repair so it not a problem for the Owners. Just did a triple bypass of an ECU on the Z830A on the service yard currently, That makes the third one of a JD ZTR ECU that I had to do a triple bypass on. For some reason the PTO when it shorts out takes out the related ECU circuits along with the fuel solenoid.

[Arkie]

That Green and Yeller paint shore is purty though. It must be lead paint to hold that color so well

Also it creates the illusion of being a Big Dog when you are riding one. (not so much if you are laying under one) I put mine inside the shop so not one can see me working on mine.

After working on JD's stuff and pricing some of their parts I kinda get a cold chill and a bad taste in my mouth when I see Green/Yeller.

[bgsengine]

That Green and Yeller paint shore is purty though. It must be lead paint to hold that color so well

Also it creates the illusion of being a Big Dog when you are riding one. (not so much if you are laying under one) I put mine inside the shop so not one can see me working on mine.

After working on JD's stuff and pricing some of their parts I kinda get a cold chill and a bad taste in my mouth when I see Green/Yeller.

Should try pricing out parts for the old (best built machines ever) WheelHorse (Not the screwed up toro versions either) .. $65 for a new spindle PULLEY... just one.... I used to work on and rebuild these machines on a daily basis for many years.. Can still rebuild the 8 speed transmissions almost blindfolded (as well as the K series Kohlers) but those machines are few and far between any more, many are in storage as collectors items, others have just been beat into the ground and parked because owners can't afford the repair parts any more.. So I know exactly what you mean there..but in my own experience, the JD parts were much more reasonably priced by comparison..

[KE4AVB]

Oh the last idler pulley I needed for the Z830A was over $85 and I needed 3 of them. Phoenix did have them for less but still local JD prices are high and only getting higher so many of the parts now come out of Indiana. It is $200 for the ECU that I just bypassed for less than $15 in parts. Boy that research on terminals a couple years ago really has paid for itself now and the 40+ yrs of doing electrical repairs helps.

It seems everyone is getting on the band wagon lately with ridiculous parts prices. One of my aftermarket suppliers which also my Briggs distributor (not PD) is now charging full UPS shipping charges on smaller orders to a point that a $35 part cost $16 to ship they suggest that I sale that part below my actual cost now. Just can't do it and make a living so I reprice the price file to include a 10% GPMu over the suggested list prices. Now if I can come with a $200 order everytime I need a part would great to get the free shipping. One of last orders would been over $45 in shipping charges if I did add an item that I did need to make the order $200.25. Mean wasn't I as the item that I added just got tossed.

Thanks for Smile Amazon I can still get things reasonable and make a couple dollars. I just ordered an OEM voltage regulator for $2 more than the distributor with free shipping when the distributor wants another $15 to ship it.

[hanz63]

I agree on the old WH and Toro parts pricing. 100$ drag links and belts. 80$ for an MTD double pulley. Not so much on on the Deere pricing in general for me. $80 list for an Accel belt that's not even 1/2" wide and 144" long seems a bit out there, but most things no. Is there no diode in the PTO circuit on these big Deere Z's that kill the ECU's?

[KE4AVB]

Yes there is a diode but that wasn't what kill the ECU. It was a dead short this last time. The anti rotation stud fell out.

The first Z830a ECU had no apparent reason for the fuel solenoid circuit failure, just that circuit got bypassed. The second failure on the Z925A also had no root cause that I could find other than an upper bearing failure on the PTO clutch. But this Z830A had a reason as the PTO lost its anti-rotation stud and shorted the lead out. Plus it looks like some joker had removed the two interconnect housings. The last two ECUs got triple bypass surgery. Getting easier to it each time but I expecting to need do the seat circuit anytime and that one will take reversing its current operation so to kill the magneto directly. Not hard to do just time consuming the first time as that might require also adding a circuit to the normal shutdown circuit at the ignition switch too. Of course there is still a chance that the starter circuit might fail. Oh what fun it is.

[Arkie]

It's GREEN....don't buy GREEN....

+1
Someone please forward this statement to Al Gore.