Parts and service
Case IH reman parts have cropping operation back on track in two days
18 Feb 2016
Two days after the transmission in his older model tractor stopped working, Toby Acocks was back up and running again despite it being a public holiday. The fast turnaround was thanks to his local Case IH dealership and their ability to source a remanufactured (reman) transmission overnight.
The fifth-generation farmer runs the family business, Forres Pty Ltd, with his brother, Ben. Their 8000-hectare operation is spread over three clusters, spanning 120 kilometres around Rochester in north-central Victoria. The mixed operation trades some livestock, and has dryland and irrigation cropping, mainly canola, wheat and barley, and oats and fodder crops for hay and grazing.
“The older model Case IH tractor had worked long and hard and had a significant number of hours on it. In the space of about 12 hours, the existing transmission went from being quite functional to not working at all. It was the day before ANZAC Day a couple of years ago, and we were in full swing with our cropping program; that tractor was pulling one of our two air seeders.
“Some of our gear is older, so you have to expect a breakdown at some stage—but that timing was not good!”
Toby says it was “pretty clear” they needed a new transmission. One option was to send it to a rebuilder, however a lack of parts because of the Japanese tsunami meant they could only offer a fix date between six weeks and six months at a cost of up to $35,000, depending on the problem once they opened the transmission.
“I didn’t have six weeks, let alone six months!”
“I didn’t expect that, given the following day was ANZAC Day, a public holiday, but it still turned up in the morning, and within two days we were going again for much less than $35,000.”
A phone call to their local dealer found a remanufactured transmission at the Case IH parts warehouse in St Marys, which Toby could have the following day.
“I didn’t expect that, given the following day was ANZAC Day, a public holiday, but it still turned up in the morning, and within two days we were going again for much less than $35,000.”
The Acocks have a variety of machinery brands, including several Case IH models — two Steiger 9180s, a Steiger 375, Magnum 260, Magnum 255 and an old Case IH 8910 that’s done 15,000 hours.
“We like Case IH — we’ve had a good run out of them — we’ve got a terrific dealer in Echuca CIH and good relationship with them, and that makes a big difference.”
“Their support, particularly from Luke Feiss, the Parts Manager, is very good. They do their best to keep things moving and go to extraordinary lengths to get the right part quickly, minimising downtime.”
Patrick McVeigh, National Aftersales Manager for Case IH, says with harvest now complete, farmers will be servicing machinery.
“It’s good to keep remanufactured, or ‘reman’, parts in mind too. Being on average 30% cheaper than buying new, they are a low-cost, fast-turnaround alternative to avoid costly downtime and get farmers back out in the paddock. And just like a new part, reman components come with a full 12-month parts and labour warranty.”
Patrick says a further benefit is increased resale value for the equipment because reman parts are as good as new.
“Case IH has very strict quality control through every step of the reman process and every machine part not remanufactured is brand new. Even the wash water is sediment tested to prevent particle contamination.
“Reman is a valued alternative that is superior to repairing or even rebuilding.”
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