Introduction, RK Purchasing Team, Brian Evans

[airbiscuit]

I don't consider that efficient either in time or economics. Certainly not to the customer in terms of down time.

This seems like a reasonable plan for the early years of a new distributorship. NEW tractors seldom need to be split. I would expect the central repair shops to be super knowledgeable, super efficient and super fast. That will evolve to Regional Repair centers, and then volume local dealers. If it were me, I would have a couple of Super Techs - One to be available to Facetime with local mechanics to trouble shoot and walk though the repairs, and a few field techs to hit the road and put out fires. That model is often used, whether it is manufacturing equipment or construction equipment. I hope to see RK Tractors thrive and grow and keep the big boys honest. Parts availability and service will be a big part of that.

 

[fried1765]

This seems like a reasonable plan for the early years of a new distributorship. NEW tractors seldom need to be split. I would expect the central repair shops to be super knowledgeable, super efficient and super fast. That will evolve to Regional Repair centers, and then volume local dealers. If it were me, I would have a couple of Super Techs - One to be available to Facetime with local mechanics to trouble shoot and walk though the repairs, and a few field techs to hit the road and put out fires. That model is often used, whether it is manufacturing equipment or construction equipment. I hope to see RK Tractors thrive and grow and keep the big boys honest. Parts availability and service will be a big part of that.

"I hope to see RK Tractors thrive and grow"

I too "hope" that will be the case.
Unfortunately, there are lots of bodies along the way, of others who have tried and failed.
Let's hope that RK (this time) will be the exception.

 

[sandman2234]

NW 12th Street.

I haven't eaten at Ivy House. Worth it?

Well, it is worth the drive to Williston from Jacksonville, if that answers your question!
David from jax

 

[brianevans]

This seems like a reasonable plan for the early years of a new distributorship. NEW tractors seldom need to be split. I would expect the central repair shops to be super knowledgeable, super efficient and super fast. That will evolve to Regional Repair centers, and then volume local dealers. If it were me, I would have a couple of Super Techs - One to be available to Facetime with local mechanics to trouble shoot and walk though the repairs, and a few field techs to hit the road and put out fires. That model is often used, whether it is manufacturing equipment or construction equipment. I hope to see RK Tractors thrive and grow and keep the big boys honest. Parts availability and service will be a big part of that.

We have 9 mobile techs right now and will be adding an additional 5 in the west to support expansion in 2020. These guys are the "Super Techs" and absolutely consult with in store mechanics on troubleshooting and walking through repairs. They have trucks and are on the road to get bigger jobs done too.

 

[HAR]

To the point about splitting a case. If we have a tractor that needs a case split or something very big, like an engine replaced, we'd send the tractor to our Full Service Centers at either Waverly, OH in the north, or Williston, FL in the south. This is where our top mechanics have the space and large equipment like gantry cranes and large jacks that can lift tractors and pull them apart.
.

I also find "shipping" a tractor half way cross the country to split the case very inefficient and a waste of time. I have a neighbour who is a dedicated diesel mechanic. If it runs on or is powered by diesel, he can fix it. His small shop is busier than some of the local "dedicated dealers". He works on any make and model, and has access to any part needed. Should the job require that he do a split, he has no cranes, or gantry's, but with proper use of jacks and jack stands, he gets the job done, often times with 2 or more split units waiting on parts. His large quonset hut garage with large overhead door lets most trucks/tractors into his shop. What does not fit through the door, may be worked on in the yard. Besides repairs, he and his crew have a passion for tractor restorations. While his preference is "RED", his yard looks like a rainbow.

 

[Qapla]

We have split more than on tractor in the backyard ... but we do have a homemade engine puller that uses a chain hoist and pulls from above

 

[JLH4]

Hello Brien
I would like to welcome you here as well.:welcome:
I have a RK24 with about 110 hrs. on it and I’m very satisfied with it. But, there’s always a but involved, I would like to see an owner’s manual in good American English. It is a little hard to understand in some places, ie. Page 5-6 (When is loader installed, the turn clock-wise valve cock. Also when loader is not installed, turn counter clock-wise valve cock.). Also a repair/maintenance manual with a parts list would be very helpful.
I may have an older owners manual because mine doesn’t have section 8 and is in a slightly different configuration.
Again welcome and thanks for helping with our problems.
Joe:thumbsup:

 

[gunny0628]

Are we going to address the issue with the loaders not being level?

Gunny

 

[ovrszd]

No.....

 

[lastride]

Brian welcome to the Forum. I recently found the forum after a recent purchase of a RK24 in the Glasgow, Kentucky Store that just opened this year. I found the manager there to be very helpful and did a good job. The tractor has 40 hours on it now and I have really got a lot of work done with it. I will say I have found with the grapple and backhoe attachment it is a very different machine than without the backhoe attachment. That attachment seems to make a nice improvement on the way the tractor handles with a load on the FEL. I keep waiting for the Glasgow store to get some pallet forks in, I would like to look a those.

 

[DonRybak]

It amazes me how those that don't own RK tractors always seem to give their negative opinions of other brands or the company's operation. Some on this forum just love to add their two cents worth on how if we hadn't been so cheap we'd have went with name brand. I feel sorry for those that's feel they must slam owners of other brands. I guess as a military retiree and at 72 years of age I learned to keep my thoughts to myself it they weren't of my concern or directly affecting me. Too bad others don't feel the same way.

 

[ptsg]

It amazes me how those that don't own RK tractors always seem to give their negative opinions of other brands or the company's operation. Some on this forum just love to add their two cents worth on how if we hadn't been so cheap we'd have went with name brand. I feel sorry for those that's feel they must slam owners of other brands. I guess as a military retiree and at 72 years of age I learned to keep my thoughts to myself it they weren't of my concern or directly affecting me. Too bad others don't feel the same way.

I couldn't agree more Don.

As an outsider, I do read the RK threads and leave with the feeling that non-RK owners are eager to see RK fail miserable for some reason. I suppose they are looking for that so they all can come out of nowhere with the typical response: "You get what you paid for" and so on, if things go bad.

 

[markie61]

I may have an older owners manual because mine doesn稚 have section 8 and is in a slightly different configuration.

Have you gone to the RK Tractors page RK Tractors | More Tractor Less Price TM and looked at the owner's manual on the support page? I'd *assume* the newest version is there.

 

[LouNY]

It amazes me how those that don't own RK tractors always seem to give their negative opinions of other brands or the company's operation. Some on this forum just love to add their two cents worth on how if we hadn't been so cheap we'd have went with name brand. I feel sorry for those that's feel they must slam owners of other brands. I guess as a military retiree and at 72 years of age I learned to keep my thoughts to myself it they weren't of my concern or directly affecting me. Too bad others don't feel the same way.

Yes, but it's not just RK it's on all the so call "off" or "minor" brands seems that some people have to try and belittle anything but their brand, doesn't matter if it's tractors or trucks cars, phones what ever they have is the best and anyone that doesn't buy the same is an idiot and will regret their purchase.

 

[Diggin It]

I suppose they are looking for that so they all can come out of nowhere with the typical response: "You get what you paid for" and so on, if things go bad.

What they're getting is a TYM machine that may or may not be supported and serviced by the manufacturer's dealers if the store stops selling them. That has happened several times in the recent past with this and other stores. We've seen the corporate replies here and on other sites to customer and prospective customer inquiries and have been less than impressed. And now the spokesman has suddenly vanished with conflicting explanations as to his departure. I've seen whole product lines disappear from RK stores without notice. We've also seen that TYM has moved into another arrangement, so we wonder if they may pull this plug.

 

[Diggin It]

Yes, but it's not just RK it's on all the so call "off" or "minor" brands seems that some people have to try and belittle anything but their brand,

At least with LS, we're dealing with the manufacturer, not a retail store rebrand. Our concerns as owners is the small dealer network amid hopes for expansion.

 

[fried1765]

What they're getting is a TYM machine that may or may not be supported and serviced by the manufacturer's dealers if the store stops selling them. That has happened several times in the recent past with this and other stores. We've seen the corporate replies here and on other sites to customer and prospective customer inquiries and have been less than impressed. And now the spokesman has suddenly vanished with conflicting explanations as to his departure. I've seen whole product lines disappear from RK stores without notice. We've also seen that TYM has moved into another arrangement, so we wonder if they may pull this plug.

Like Cabella's ???

 

[ovrszd]

I've said this several times, but I'll repeat. I hope RK is successful. I have no desire to belittle the brand. TYM has been making tractors for a long, long time. They aren't going anywhere.

But then, that's not the topic of discussion here. It's seller support that's in question.

I have three colors of tractors. They have all three had their problems. If you "search" my threads here you can find several examples of that, which I documented in detail within those threads.

There are many different approaches to entering threads here on TBN. I never, ever start with a brand forum. Each time I come here I go to "My Home" first to read responses to threads I've posted on since last being here. Second stop, if time allows, is "Today's Posts". I go there to look thru the daily topics that come up. I join in any I feel like. I never, ever look to see what forum the particular thread is in. That, to me, is brand bias.

In the case of RK tractors. If only owners of RK tractors posted on threads in the RK Forum the sound of crickets would be deafening. And those threads would miss a lot of valuable input.