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I spent last week at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville KY exhibiting with 2 of my friends. We sell some of the same parts as well as each of us kinda specialize in different areas as well. Displaying together, we bring a large amount of experience and knowledge to answer questions and solve our customers problems so they can get the right part. I met one of Tracy's customers with a JD 8430 that I spoke with 2 years ago helping him to solve transmission problem or a hydraulic problem. It has been to long and I cannot remember which one. The show brought a new set of faces each day. Each looking for different parts, each looking for a solution, and some surprised that they needed alot more info about there tractor to get an answer.
The most popular tractor that people were looking for parts was a JD 4020. This is a little unusual. The parts are plentiful for these tractors so generally I get asked more about the odd tractors. People were looking for tricycle steering knuckles, engines, transmission parts, sway blocks ,pto shafts, sheet metal!!, and hydraulic pumps. These are all parts we have and most of them are in-stock and ready to be shipped.
I also had lots of questions about what was wrong with their hydraulic systems, or fuel systems or cranking problems. I had one customer tell me how he unscrewed the hydraulic line coming from the hydraulic pump and plugged the line with his finger to see if it had any pressure. I then told him his pump was not working and he said " How do you know the pump won't work" I said " If the pump worked you would be missing a hand or an arm or you would be dead!!" He kinda chuckled and asked " How do you figure that? " I said" High pressure hydraulic fluid will will blow through your skin and it starts to kill you. The doctor will start cutting parts off until they get ahead of your hands and arms dying and if they don't get ahead of it your buddys get to carry you out to the grave yard" I don't think he realized until then what he had done. Tech Tip #1 DO NOT PRESSURE CHECK HYDRAULICS OR FUEL SYSTEMS WITH YOUR HANDS THEY MAKE SPECIAL TOOLS FOR THIS THAT WILL NOT DIE.
If I did not talk to you then come back next year and come by the booth to see me.

Eric Benton