detweiler disappointment.

[sgtbull]

A couple of yrs ago, while at the Waukee swap meet, I purchased a reproduction air stack for a 1940 B from Detweilers. I knew it would be some time before I got around to restoring this B, but I also knew it needed an airstack and this saved me the postage.
The airstack has been on a shelf, patiently awaiting its installation on my B, and yesterday, the time finally came. I carefully ground off the weld holding the bent up original in place, removed the old one, sandblasted the casting clean and made sure it was down to parent metal.
When I went to fit the "new" airstack on the casting, it was immediately apparent that there was absolutely NO WAY it would fit, being nearly 1/8" smaller in diameter than the casting.
I wasn't happy, but realized there was no way I could return it after having it so long. I sucked it up and went about figuring out how to make it fit. I really didn't want to grind away a 1/16" of casting all the way around, as there isn't a great deal of metal there in the first place.
I had considered taking the intake to a muffler shop and having them expand it slightly on the bottom, but the lap seam on the side would have certainly given way, so that wasn't really an option. I slightly beveled the edge of the casting to allow the new intake to "start" into place. I took my rosebud torch and heated the bottom of the stack red hot and using a rubber mallet, began LIGHTLY tapping the stack down on the casting, expanding it to fit. This worked well for the first three hits, but then I noticed that the top of the stack had only been spot welded in two places, on one side, less than 45 degrees apart, and the top was caving in!
I removed the airstack and using a long rod got the top back into place. I then brazed the entire top in place, all the way around it, and smoothed it back off to it looked nice.
Trying again, I successfully expanded the bottom and got the airstack in place. WHEW!
The bottom line is, I was very disappointed in the quality of the item I bought from Detweiers.. (and, as I recall, it was around $60)
Between ill fitting sheet metal, junky battery boxes, crappy plastic faced gauges, one size fits all mufflers and ersatz copies of castings, its becoming really tough to make a decent restoration. I'm fortunate to have a good parts yard nearby, so most of my parts are good used if possible. As an example, I bought a good used, (very little wear) clutch collar, B172 I think it is, for $15. Deere wants THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN dollars for it.
I've been restoring tractors for 26 yrs. and have done a lot of them, but I believe I've been priced out of the hobby.... at least for the green ones.

 

[BMAN]

I would bet that if you explained the situation to Detweilers they would have made it right with you. I had a similar problem with an Unstyled B muffler. The three holes in the base were not lining up correctly and over a year later they allowed me to exchange it and I had no receipt.

 

[Rusty wheel]

You're right on about Deere pricing. I just finished an H and I think that will be my last Deere. Maybe go to AC. Only thing is there's no dealer close, but I like'em.

 

[Douglas Zahradnik]

All of use that restore the great John Deere's of our past know that they are getting more expensive to fix up. The old antique junk yards are getting fewer and fewer with most of the parts being picked over.We have been restoring JD's for about 10 yrs. We have about 15 of them that belong to us. I know Detwilers would have made it right with you had you called and asked them about the problem. We have bought several things from them and also had problems.They have always made it right with us.I would still give them a call they still might be willing to help.

 

[tim s]

Deere parts are high, but "available",,I think that you will apreciate them even more after a bout with different brands....The grass is "not" Greener on the other side of the fence...

 

[MEANJDK]

Its nice to see, but sad to say, that there are more people finding out why others will never do business with detwilers again.

My experiences with them have been just plain awful.
Them making 'right' with people....... HA!

 

[Heath72]

I would somewhat disagree. I restored a Farmall H for my neighbor last fall, and was very impressed by our local Case-IH dealer's parts supply and pricing for this old tractor. They always had everything I needed in stock, and the prices were somewhat better than deere's. Don't get me wrong Deere should be given credit for having most parts for older tractors available, but every time I go to get something for my 4020, it has to be ordered and gives me sticker-shock to boot.

Agco, however is another story. Parts availability on older models(even Whites that are only 30 years old) is poor, and the prices are just atrocious! Restoring Minneapolis-Moline tractors is getting tough. Some parts are just non-existent!

 

[Hoss In ME]

I bought some parts for my 48 a the other day and was quite surprised as they came in the next day.I had started it and noticed no oil pressure,yup,broke the collar on the pump shaft..Soooo..,I orderd a new one along with new pump gaskets,only 75.00 BUCKS!!! Wasnt even gold plated. Hoss

 

[Machinery-Man]

I think the market rolled over a couple of years ago to the point it's no longer economically feasible to restore. While the enthusiast can put $5000-6000 in any tractor desired they will find an economic loss of some degree once they trade or sell. Economic forces from salvage yard demise to parts increases to tight recession has taken the restoration business to the cleaners...

 

[tim s]

You are right about that, you would have to get a tractor for next to nothing to come out ahead on a fixer-upper, and as far as making money on restoring one, it's not likely,,it's a labor of love...Some of the parts bills on the ones I run through here are so high I almost feel guilty to add the labor on... a Deere 4020 clutch cover assembly is $1,047..plus bearings and seals, then $90 to grind the flywheel.....

 

[Kendog]

Give Detwiler a chance to make good. No doubt it"s the same as every shop, with responsible folks on the front line, and cheap help behind the curtain. But I too have had issues with them and they came through.

Talk with Rosemary or Greg directly - nice people trying to provide the parts we need.

 

[Harvey Brinker]

I too am less than impressed with Ditweiler's quality control. Two years ago I ordered a set of fenders for a 1938 JD BO and provided them with the serial number. The product arrived quickly and they looked great. But both were shorter at the front edge and at the bottom than they were supposed to be.
The left fender went on without too much work and the fender support hid the fact that the tin was cut too short.
The right fender must have been made by some high school student doing on the job training. The metal ribs were not straight and even with the fender sides. It took forever working that fender to get it to fit the tractor. The public cannot see the problem...but I can, and so will an expert when I come to sell it.
I did not sent the fender back because I had a very tight window of opportunity to get this thing finished,,,long complicated story. As a result I did not contact Ditweilers so have no idea what their response might have been. But I was very dissapointed and will NOT order from them again. For the price I paid,,,somebody there should have been doing a better job of watching the quality.
Harvey

 

[Kendog]

Harvey, my issue too was with BO parts. The fender supports were mismatched by two inches, and the pulley guard was two inches too narrow. Some I could live with and some needed re-do. They do need to address QC, but still I believe they will try to make good when they can.

 

[720 D ES]

If you think that John Deere parts are high, just wait until you start on an AC. We are helping the FFA at our high school work on a CA and they have spent more money on it than it would cost to restore a JD B in comparable shape.

 

[RandyB(MI)]

If others have had the same problem then "they" havn't "made it right"!! Why do they still have them on the shelf? Don't they own a tape measure?? Who actually produces them and why wouldn't you double check products bought from an outside source before you paid them and resold them??? It isn't just Detweilers either , most re-pop tin I've seen is junk. The clam shell fenders are finally improved to an acceptable state but most has not. I asked Wilsons about "correctness" of re-pop B grills once and they were honest enough to tell me straight up that you could tell they weren't right from 5' away but looked good at 20'. Went through the same crap back when tiawan started re-poping auto parts. Pure unusable junk for the first 10 yrs. Not only do they insult the intelligence of me and you but our customers also. Buy the original parts even if you have to have a body shop repair them. You have to repair the re-pops too and they will end up costing you more in the end.

 

[730d se]

There honestly is no realistic explanation as to why the green parts prices soared over the past decade other than plain out and out greed! And let me tell you, greed does not make any company better.
They have offered so many excuses and none of them stick to the wall. They will eventually knock out most of the restoration and hobbist, but not before draining their wallets.
One of my friends works at a dealer where I used to get parts. They finally got fed up with having to tell me the "new" higher price on something. They started helping me find other sources for parts. The prices are just so far off of the charts.
Here is just one of thousands of examples. Anyone heard of Valspar paint? Price it at the green store and then TSC. Same stuff, no matter what they try to tell you. It makes sense that the green store would sell much more than TSC, so their gross cost would be lower. Then why is their price so much higher? G R E E D.

 

[Meangreen]

I fiugured your problem would be the same as my dad's. He ordered an air stack for hi late B and when it arrived it had been primed and there were 6 big runs in the primmer. Ended up wet sanding it to smooth it back out.

I recently ordered from Detwiler becasue their manifolds were $50 buck cheaper than anyone else. Manifold was great, but I had 2 problems. First the brake pads I ordered from their site based on serial number was the wrong ones. When I called they sent out a replacement set right away and they were the correct size. Second the exhaust pipe I ordered didn't line up correctly with the manifold and muffler, but have found out that a lot of guys have run into the same problem. I would use Detweiler again.

 

[36 Coupe]

I bought a muffler from Dearly departed a few years ago for my JD H.The muffler would not accept an original exhaust pipe.I had a new exhaust pipe made to fit the muffler.Muffler cost 100 bucks.

 

[dick orr]

My experience with Detwiler has been very good, they are very helpful and ship with out delay. I think they are trying hard to please and not charging such high prices. My experience has been limited with them but am pleased .