I want to make a comment on repair manuals

[ncpapaul]

Whenever someone asks a simple, or not so simple, question, there is a standard quick reply to "buy a manual". We all need the manuals and the restoration quides I agree and have bought a stack. BUT a lot of times the mechanic's tricks and common knowledge to those old timers's inside information is NOT in the manuals. AND some of the manuals have very poor illustrations and photos. The years of experience are what is valuable here and thanks to all who contribute. AND in my case, my tractors are 11 miles from my house, work and computer. I like to study and read the manuals so frequently the manual is not where the tractor is. So sometimes I forget to take them back and forth and the manual or parts book winds up here at my office where I can see to read and be near the computer, so I can follow what the heck we are talking about here on the forum. Then when the books are back out with the tractors? You quessed it, I have to ask here and thanks to all who educate me. And for those who just read and would not dare to write: stay here and your skin gets thicker to the smart mouths and your heart gets bigger to the caring ones. Paul in Mississippi

 

[buickanddeere]

1-800-522-7448

 

[JDemaris]

I agree and it's especially true with Deere. Some tractor makers like Allis Chalmers and Ford gave full service information in individual model tractor service manuals.

Deere doesn't. Deere spreads it all out. If you owned let's say a 1020. You spend $200 on factory repair manual set for a 1020 and still have hardly any info on the carburetor specs, fuel injection specs, alternator, starter, etc. If you want more, you have to buy more Deere "system" manuals, and the list goes on and on. Fuel injection manual, electric component manual, etc.

In that respect, sometimes the IT manuals have more of certain types of info.

And yes, there will always be short-cuts that never get put into any of the service manuals.

Years back, maybe 60s and 70s, for cars and trucks - Chiltons used to print such short-cuts (not for tractors though). Now, the new manuals are a bad joke at best.

 

[tim s]

When I was young and trying my best to understand the newer and bigger equipment I would ask some of the old timers for help,,I would get the same answer each time "find it out the hard way son",,"That's the way I did",,they would not share any help...so I did find it out "The hard way",,and ever since if some one would ask me for help I will take the time to share what I know,or don't know,,I don't mind helping some one help them selves,,and there are new ways to aproach diferent problems, found every day with exsperiance ..and the manuals can't keep up with us...

 

[Bspauld]

I always had good luck asking questions from the old timers. Sometimes they would come and show me how it was done. I had one old guy say " find out the hard way" and then he said "that means I dont know,"lol

 

[Christos]

I agree with the original poster. I have a set of manuals for a JD 1010 and in comparison to my MF 135's manual for the Z145 block is extremely well written.

As for the continued posting of the JD Pubs - we know that we need the manual, sometimes it's nice to again hear if someone has done it, and found a trick or what to use in situ when it comes down to obsolete parts.

Case in point with my FB Grain Drill - the grass seed tubes JDParts subs to a clamp that's too small for the tubing they give you - washer hose clamps work nicely in place of the of those clamps.

Also, upgrading the old cast iron bearings to the anti-friction bearings was made much easier by looking at an FB-B manual that showed the correct installation of the rubber boot whichfit over the spacer (and in turn allowed me to see that JD makes feed cups that fit FB-B and I'm going to find out if they fit the FB.)

I guess to end my rant, sometimes we've read the manual or we know the manual sucks, but I hate reading posts where you just post the phone number. I'm here to learn - so lets spread the knowledge.

Christos

 

[Vern H]

ncpapapaul,
Well said. Thanks, VH

 

[Rusty wheel]

I have manuals on all the tractors I've rebuilt, all John Deeres, A,B,Mt,G,and 40W. I'm now working on an H. I acquired Pat Brownings Restoration Guide and I must say That set of books is something I look at every day. There is so much info in there that can be applied to other tractors and tried and true suggested short cuts that, if followed, can save countless hours of frustration and lost motion, and a few dollars along the way. Anyone restoring or repairing a John Deere two cylinder tractor shouldn't be without his books. Thanks for listening. rw

 

[RandyB(MI)]

For every "get a manual" answer you get , you will usually also get three or more real answers . That's the way life is. " Get a manual" assumes you are lazy , cheap , can't read , won't read , can't comprehend what you read , that you don't HAVE a manual and that you just want to waste his time or argue. Trust me , you WILL get answers from some , put the rest in your mental "dumpster".

 

[Ryan_289]

I agree with the original poster as well. I bought the JD manual for my 60 before I started working on it. There are a LOT of things I dont feel like it describes well enough.

 

[ben brown]

i think bd gets a cut eveytime he pimps out that manual number, but a while back he had a problem with a pump i think it was ,and gues what he wanted us all to help him. lol,, ask your question most time some one will answer them or take a stab at answering them . if a guy calls and ask me a question i do my best to answer as i run into same problem with some guy who wont tell you. the one thing i was guy would do is when thy get the problem fixed thy come back with a follow up so we couild all learn what worked best. we answer a lot question but never find out if we helped solve the problem,. so guy lets post some follow up on if the problem was solved.

 

[kendak]

well said brother

 

[buickanddeere]

Pretty much covers the questions from people. Who want to know how much oil, where is the oil filler, where is the filter. What valve lash, what bolt torque,how to rebuild/adjust a PS unit, how to adjust a clutch etc.

 

[PJH]

Very good post, Paul.

I've got the manuals for two of my three tractors, and I'm fixin' to order for the third, but what about all of the service bulletins (sp) that have been issued over the years? They don't come with the manuals that I've ordered from John Deere. Then when I ask someone in the know - they say, "Oh, that's in the service bulletin. . ."

Paul

 

[MSD]

I spent a lot of money buying JD parts and service manuals and I can honestly say I use them everyday. Funny part is you can read them and go look at what your working on and still have to go back and reread again. Sometimes a person explaining a question just works better than trying to follow what they are trying to tell you in the book. A good example would be doing an overhaul on a 2-53 Detroit. I read a paragraph about 10 times and had no clue as to what they were saying. A little patients and I figured it out. I also had help from a gentleman from NE. that I never met but was willing to give his time to help me through some things. A gentleman from overseas that worked at a JD dealership here in the US at one time, helped me with a power steering problem on a 2240. The books are good and helpful but help from someone who has been there before is hard to beat too.

 

[Machinery-Man]

Manuals are going to be any help if one doesn't have some basic mechanical skills. I suppose I'm guilty of suggesting getting a manual as probably this is a screening test. Most people with basic skills will get their manuals then ask questions. We all want to bring people along but picking up on additional ideas once some techniques are presented is the role of the inquirer. I suppose the ole statement you can help those who help themselves should still apply.

 

[Machinery-Man]

I meant to say manuals aren't going to help

 

[Kurt_JDB]

PJH,

You'll be glad to know that Duane Larson spent many years assembling a complete collection of the service bulletins. He then made them available on CD. His widow still sells the CD. See link below. Really good info, and a fascinating read, especially if you have an unstyled tractor.

My view of the discussion is it doesn't matter to me at all if a person has the manual or parts book when they ask a question. Everybody starts somewhere. To my own way of thinking, if it bothers anybody that someone doesn't have the book, skip on to the next message.

Kurt
Duane Larson website

 

[Art Massing]

ncpapaul,
I understand what you saying and I try to give people good information whenever I can but most of the answers that I"m able to offer come from a combination of reading a manual and practical experience.
I find that manuals are most helpful to me when trying to determine if someone in the last 50-75 years as put something back together in the right order. Several times, I"ve found that they haven"t.
If someone trying to properly set up a corn planter, drill or a plow an operator"s manual is close to indispensable.
I believe that one of the best parts of this site is trying to help others enjoy the hobby. Sometimes the kindest way to do that is to explain why they need a manual.

Art

 

[Art Massing]

PJH,
I want to second what Kurt said.
The Larson's CD of the JD Service Bulletins is very well done and a very valuable source of information. Well worth the price.

Art

 

[Fred from MO]

The manual gives you the "basic fundamentals". The people on here give you the "experience".