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

[Hoho223]

Bobcat CT120, 10 years old. A couple of years ago something went wrong with the computer module and the fuel flow solenoid would not stay open. I rigged up a push/pull cable to the actuation lever to open and close the fuel flow and a manual start button. The key doesn’t have to be in the on position to run the tractor, just to keep the hours. Tractor is turned off by pulling the fuel flow cable. Saved me I don’t know how much by not going to dealer.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

Resources like Youtube are nice and all, but I've run up against many a problem that Youtube was completely useless for.

Case in point, I bent one of the hydraulic lift rams on my front-end loader. Now I've worked with hydraulic rams in the field on industrial equipment but I've never tried to repair one. I figured I had the fundamentals down and what I didn't know Youtube would show me. However, what Youtube showed me and what I discovered on my Massey were not related at all.

Had I known what I was doing I could have replaced the piston in just over half an hour. But I probably spent twice as much time figuring out what I was looking at as doing real work. I persevered knowing that if I didn't fix it I could either replace the entire hydraulic cylinder or bring it into the shop, of course, I'd be turning the air blue the entire time if I failed but maybe I could get it done.

In the end, it was a much simpler job than I had anticipated and I wound up with tools like pin spanners that never left their packaging. But I learned a bit. Now if I ever bend another hydraulic cylinder piston rod (God forbid!) it won't be that big of a deal.

Remember, you can always bring it to the dealer. But if you do it'll cost you both money and time, so why not try to fix it yourself first and maybe learn something?

 

[Hay Dude]

Here’s my example: While on the way back home from delivering a square bale to one of my local customers, I got code D-154 and the tractor went into neutral. The tractor glides to a stop alongside the road. No idea what the code is/means in the moment. I put the reverser in neutral, then back into gear. It went another 1/4 mile then same thing happened. This time, I pulled over and shut the tractor off for 30 seconds. Took picture of dash code. Started back up and ran fine all the way home.
Looked up the code and it probably requires a tech and myself to look for a bad ground. It’s an electrical system code.

So yes, new tractors are complicated and can require a dealer to fix.

Its not your dad’s Farmall.

 

[ranchito]

Well, yes and no. While most of the codes are standardized, every manufacturer has their own proprietary codes too, the meanings of which may or may not be easily available.

Oaktree finally made the most important point about the magical code reader. A $30 reader will pull the OBD2 emission codes as mandated by law. This will identify the spec that is out of range, not necessarily the culprit part. Think of all the possibilities on a gasoline engine that can cause a too rich condition starting with a dirty air filter. There are many dozens of modules on a modern car (or large tractor I would suspect) that are manufacturer specific and require a much more sophisticated scan tool selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars. No longer can a DIYer trace wiring from fuse through switch to motor to troubleshoot a power window which is now connected to a module in the door and controlled by a network bus. A subscription to a database is a requirement to identify components and wire color and pinout. Back to the tractor, having such a scanner, I can pull codes from the tractor, but without a list of code definitions and wiring diagrams for the Bosch system, diagnostics end there. Looking at live data and using some common sense may help. A temperature sensor reading -40* on a warm day comes to mind. Mahindra, in my case, will sell the service manual for mechanical repairs and a chassis wiring diagram, but their assistance ends there. We are left to make a best guess and fire the parts cannon, hopefully only once. Until we get true "Right to Repair" we are screwed and at the mercy of the manufacturer and dealership network.

 

[ranchito]

Looked up the code and it probably requires a tech and myself to look for a bad ground. It’s an electrical system code.

So yes, new tractors are complicated and can require a dealer to fix.

At least you are able to look up the code definition. I don't even have that.

 

[sunandsand]

I've fixed a lot of "stuff" over the years, and I've learned a few things about what is likely to break and what might not.

1) - If it is "internet enabled" or "smart" don't go near it. Appliances are the worst for this - power line 1,000 miles away gets tickled by lightning, the fancy, expensive, unobtanium controller board in your washer/dryer/refrigerator/microwave/tooth brush goes poof and you now have a large, heavy paperweight (and the warranty expired on it a week ago.) Homeowner's insurance deductible isn't enough to buy a new one, so you get to. Do you really need an internet enabled toothbrush? (Yes, they sell them!)

2) - Anything which is completely "captive parts" or "captive service" means YOU and your wallet are the captives. Stuff breaks - that's inescapable - why buy stuff that can't be fixed?

3) - There are a lot of things you CAN fix if you have some tools, some service information, some time, and some patience. If you don't have tools (why not?) and you don't have service information (Google?) and don't have time and don't have patience, you better have money to have someone else do it - hopefully they'll get it right. I have seem plenty of examples where they didn't get it right, and the owner of the (whatever) now has neither the use of the (whatever) or the money spent to "fix" it.

4) - If you're careful, chances are you may be able to fix "it" yourself, and if you realize you can't fix it, at least try to not make it worse.

Here's an example - Had an aircraft radio which would talk but not listen. (Had a wife like that once, too, but that's a different story.) Called around for diagnosis, got numbers like "$200 to look at it, then we'll talk about what it needs."

Dang thing's busted anyway, let me think about it. OK, it talks, so the power supply is OK and the transmitter section is OK. That leaves the receiver section and the frequency synthesizer sections suspect.

Take off the covers - big power transistors, that board is the power supply. More big power transistors, that's the transmitter. Lots of little coils and aluminum "cans", that's gotta be the receiver. One board with four chips - digital - that will have to be the frequency synthesizer. The four chips have the same number printed on them.

Stroke of luck - the chips are socketed, not soldered. Stroke of not-so luck - the chips don't have standard part numbers on them, but they do have "house numbers" from the radio manufacturer, and of course they don't sell parts.

Go into electronics stash. Years ago, I did some reading and writing on chips for Audi 5000 cars. Still have the reader/writer (runs on Windows 3.1 no less). One of the functions of that box is a chip checker, and it also has a "what are you?" function to identify chips.

Remove chip number one, press "test". Answer "I'm a 74LS00, and I'm good!"

Go to chip number two, same result. "I'm a 74LS00, and I'm good!"

Chip number three - Nobody home. Dead. No answer. Pining for the fjiords or something.

Well since all these chips have the same house number, there's a good chance that the dead one is also a 74LS00.

Go to box of old chips bought from Radio Shack decades ago, find a 74LS00, plug it in - and the radio works!

Put it back into the airplane, yell "Clear!" and go.

(The same issue with that ex-wife was a little tougher and a lot more expensive to solve.)


You never know until you try.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida