[AT] refusing to replace old equipment - N-Complete

[Keith Kinney]

About 35-40 years ago my Grandpa replaced our Ford 8N with a 1956 Ford  
600.  The 600 has been our main tractor around the place, 22 acres,  
ever since.  7 or 8 years ago it was getting to the point where it was  
just worn out. We'd rebuilt the engine 20 or so years prior but it was  
time again plus everything else was tried on the tractor.  Mom wanted  
dad to invest in a new tractor that would be reliable but he didn't  
want to spend the $20-$25,000 for a new, similar sized, compact  
tractor.  I had heard about N-Complete and suggested for less than  
half of new he could have the 600 "re-newed" and we'd still have  
Grandpa's tractor.  He thought about it a while and finally had it done.

It came back looking like new.  Everything went great until he tried  
bush hogging with it.  After about a 1/2 hour of cutting it would over  
heat.  Actually the first time it over heated and after he let it sit  
a few hours to cool down the engine was locked up.  What we discovered  
is the gas cap didn't have a vent and the fuel boiled and pressurized  
the tank filling a cylinder or two with fuel.  Tom immediately sent us  
a new fuel cap and carburetor.  But, it still continued to over heat.   
We took it back to them, a 5 hour drive each way for us, but they  
claimed they couldn't duplicate the problem and try it again.  After a  
second trip and still no duplication of the problem Tom came to our  
place and watched what we did.  He saw first hand that it would over  
heat after bush hogging for 1/2 our or so and it wasn't something we  
were doing wrong.  He tried several things but still had the problem.

So he said if we'd bring it back one more time he would put a newly  
remanufactured engine into the tractor as he couldn't think of  
anything else to try.  Bear in mind this has been going on for a few  
years by now.  We took it back to Tom.  This time he finally found the  
problem.  The new radiator he put in when he originally rebuilt the  
tractor did not have proper distance between the fins.  It was an  
automotive radiator core not a farm radiator???  The problem was the  
radiator was clogging up with weed seeds and overheating.  Anyway, he  
went ahead and put a new engine in the tractor, replaced the radiator,  
and put a screen in front of the radiator to keep the weed seed out.   
We haven't had any overheating problems with it since.

We did go through a lot of inconvenience with the whole process but I  
will have to commend Tom and N-complete for standing behind their  
work.  I'd certainly have no problem having them rebuild another one  
for us or purchase one of their rebuilt tractors.

Here's some pictures of some of our tractors including the 600:
http://www.herculesengines.com/tractors/

Keith
www.herculesengines.com



On Dec 17, 2008, at 8:40 PM, Indiana Robinson wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 6:47 PM, KG Waugh <gwaugh at wowway.com> wrote:
>> Just for grins I went to the N-Complete website; this really could  
>> be a
>> good alternative to some of the current compacts.  Also, they have a
>> VERY helpful Tractor Buyers Guide, which you can see at:
>>
>> http://www.n-complete.com/Index/buyingguide.php
>>
>> Gene
>> Elgin, Illinois USA
>>
>>
>> Dave Merchant wrote:
>>> A third alternative, some outfit like N-Complete.
>>>
>>> You end up with a classic tractor that's in essentially new  
>>> condition,
>>> for far less than one of the new compacts, and will last longer.
>>>
>>> Haven't done that (yet), but they are great to deal with for parts.
>>>
>>> I'd go with an NAA instead of an 8N.
>>>
>>> There are other brands that may be better than the Fords, but there
>>> are many outfits out there fighting over your Ford parts dollar,
>>> including NAPA.
>>>
>>> Dave Merchant
> ==============================
>
>
>
> I have been to N-Complete several times and they never fail to impress
> me. Their facilities are not very impressive or even that big for as
> much as they do there but the workmanship that I have seen is awesome.
> One advantage of a tractor like that is that if well cared for it can
> actually go up in value while that expensive compact can only go down
> in value (at least for the first 40 years)
> :-)
> Just the first day is a huge hit.
> Of course as much as I love these old tractors there is no question
> that the new compacts are nicer to use...
>
>
>
>
> --
> "farmer"
>
> "Good clean muck never hurt nobody!!!"
> Morris Moulterd
>
>
> Hay and Straw Exchange (Buy it, sell it and trade it.)
> http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/HayandStrawExchange
>
>
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana USA
> robinson46176 at gmail.com
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