Is modern tractor repair like modern car repair and super complicated requiring a dealer?

[DaBear3428]

There are several parts to answer your question. First of all - YES, the newer tractors are becoming more difficult to repair. And yes, making them difficult is a deliberate policy of all the manufacturers. It isn't just tractors, it includes cars, appliances and anything mechanical. In some cases - like emissions & safety - manufacturing has even gotten laws passed that favor non-repairability.

It doesn't take a degree in economics to figure out why making something non-repairable is good for manufacturers and several other industries - like the financial ones. The real question is, "Why did it take them so long to figure that out?"

Unfortunately for the world, this decline in repairability comes at a time when repair skills are becoming much less common for everything. Easy to see how that leads to there being more new manufacturing of things not designed to be repaired.

But here is the last part of your answer & it is the promising part: So, for yourself individually.... What do you care? This move to non-repairability works in the young mechanic's favor.

Right now there are a ton of older used pre-computer & pre-emissions tractors on the market and they all are for sale really cheap because they need some work. Stay roughly in the 1970 to 2005 year range.
My generation is getting old. We can't fix them all. So there are plenty out there for you.
As you look around you'll see there are cars, tractors, appliances, tools - and even houses that you can buy from the era when things were made to be repaired. And thanks to the internet there is still a decent source and supply of spare parts.

So grab some tools - might as well get used tools cheaply from a used tool store - and then take a look at what older tractors meet your needs. Don't buy the first one; you can be as picky as you want because nobody else wants them. Same for implements, but more so.
And although the old ones don't have the new plastic Bling!, any tractor post 1970 does pretty much exactly the same things as the new ones. Maybe even better.

Enjoy!
rScotty

not sure i agree with you, newer cars right up to the point they start locking the computers are very easy to repair with just a 29.99 code reader and some youtube time. tractors are a little harder but even the new tractors can be read by the generic code readers (some times not well) but that is beside the point, anyone with some time on their hands can find the issues with a component and just replace it. the Fuel injection computers are a spin off of the auto industry and are very dependable because of it and will rarely fail. now the newer diesel injection pumps and electronic injectors may be on a steep learning curve, we shall see.

 

[Agvg]

I have own enough old tractors to see how badly those fix it my self guys did repairs, it's quit simple, it's the right way or no way.

 

[Learning2Tractor]

There are several parts to answer your question. First of all - YES, the newer tractors are becoming more difficult to repair. And yes, making them difficult is a deliberate policy of all the manufacturers. It isn't just tractors, it includes cars, appliances and anything mechanical. In some cases - like emissions & safety - manufacturing has even gotten laws passed that favor non-repairability.

It doesn't take a degree in economics to figure out why making something non-repairable is good for manufacturers and several other industries - like the financial ones. The real question is, "Why did it take them so long to figure that out?"

Unfortunately for the world, this decline in repairability comes at a time when repair skills are becoming much less common for everything. Easy to see how that leads to there being more new manufacturing of things not designed to be repaired.

But here is the last part of your answer & it is the promising part: So, for yourself individually.... What do you care? This move to non-repairability works in the young mechanic's favor.

Right now there are a ton of older used pre-computer & pre-emissions tractors on the market and they all are for sale really cheap because they need some work. Stay roughly in the 1970 to 2005 year range.
My generation is getting old. We can't fix them all. So there are plenty out there for you.
As you look around you'll see there are cars, tractors, appliances, tools - and even houses that you can buy from the era when things were made to be repaired. And thanks to the internet there is still a decent source and supply of spare parts.

So grab some tools - might as well get used tools cheaply from a used tool store - and then take a look at what older tractors meet your needs. Don't buy the first one; you can be as picky as you want because nobody else wants them. Same for implements, but more so.
And although the old ones don't have the new plastic Bling!, any tractor post 1970 does pretty much exactly the same things as the new ones. Maybe even better.

Enjoy!
rScotty

Thanks. I'm scared of getting a lemon on older ones is all. New ones have warranties, expensive, but they have them. I wouldn't know if someone was ripping me off or not.

 

[MHarryE]

More difficult, but how often. My dad bought me a ‘51 Chev that didn’t have rod bearing inserts - babbit poured direct. No oil filter, nor did the 61 Chev that came in marriage with my wife. Both ready for junkyard before 100,000. Now my 2003 F-250 PowerStroke with the “worst engine Ford ever sold” has 206,000, still going strong but rusty. My 2015 F-150 gets an annual oil change with filters. Remember when that was every 2 months, plus points, condenser, tires, shocks. Never had time to go fishing - working on cars every weekend. And our farm tractors - my job to clean carbon as dad got the glory job of grinding valves, facing seats, like every other year. Yes, I worry about my DPF on 3 tractors, DEF on two, but they give me fewer problems than my 3 under 25 HP old school machines. And my Cummins 8.3 leaking antifreeze into the crankcase - that’s the one worrying me most, ‘92 pre emissions.

 

[Torvy]

It is hard to say. My grandfather was able to fix just about anything with time and baling wire.

To a certain degree we have, with apologies to Philip Bailey, photogenic memory. We look back fondly at the past and remember things being repairable, but forget the part about how frequently things needed repairs.

 

[rScotty]

not sure i agree with you, newer cars right up to the point they start locking the computers are very easy to repair with just a 29.99 code reader and some youtube time. tractors are a little harder but even the new tractors can be read by the generic code readers (some times not well) but that is beside the point, anyone with some time on their hands can find the issues with a component and just replace it. the Fuel injection computers are a spin off of the auto industry and are very dependable because of it and will rarely fail. now the newer diesel injection pumps and electronic injectors may be on a steep learning curve, we shall see.

The difference is that your code reader doesn't do the repair, it just does the diagnosis of what to repair.
And the problem with that is diagnostic part of a repair was always the fun and most interesting part of the job. The rest is just cleaning parts and turning wrenches.

Having a computer do the diagnosis is sort of like watching someone else eat your thanksgiving dinner.

Sure, the turkey dinner does gets eaten.....so the conclusion is the same. But just how satisfying was it to watch someone else have all the fun?

rScotty

 

[Torvy]

Having a computer do the diagnosis is sort of like watching someone else eat your thanksgiving dinner.

Sure, the turkey dinner does gets eaten.....so the conclusion is the same. But just how satisfying was it to watch someone else have all the fun?

rScotty

For some of us, it is more like having someone else prepare the food and we get to eat it...and maybe wash the dishes.

For me, the part you love is frustrating. However, I understand how some may enjoy that. I feel the same way about data analysis. Haha

 

[rScotty]

Thanks. I'm scared of getting a lemon on older ones is all. New ones have warranties, expensive, but they have them. I wouldn't know if someone was ripping me off or not.

Well, none of us was born knowing how to fix things. Just like reading or arithmetic or economics, learning mechanics isn't magic. It's just a matter of studying a subject and then doing it enough to get good at it.

And yes, it is true that learning inevitably involves mistakes like lemons and getting ripped off.
I can't even say that the mistakes go away because they don't. You make less of them but they are still there.

Maybe the bottom line is that there is a challenge in learning to do new things that some people enjoy and others do not. That seems harsh, but maybe your own challenge is something other than mechanics. Whatever it is, I hope you go for it and hope you enjoy the journey.

I wish I knew what to say to encourage you....but I'm poor at that. All I can offer is that those fears are common and I have them too; everyone does. But you won't ever know if you don't try.

rScotty

 

[Agvg]

Thanks. I'm scared of getting a lemon on older ones is all. New ones have warranties, expensive, but they have them. I wouldn't know if someone was ripping me off or not.

On new equipment you pay with money, on old well used you pay with time. Pay with money on old is usually not a good idea.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

It be nice if companies provided the source code.

Probably be more helpful than any manual they put out