After Market Parts -- Need a little HELP

After market box was of good quality and looked to be a perfect match. NOT quite. The rear bolt down brackets had bolt holes that were a size to small to accept the bolts. Drilled them out and reinstalled the box only to find that the grounding bolt and post would not clear the opening in the rear of the box. Once again had to remove the box and cut the opening bigger and put on more primer. Finally on the third try the box is installed.

These are just small problems that wouldn't cost one red cent to correct. I am continually amaized that these after market products arn't build to better specks than they are. I would think that the manfacturer would have an orginal item to speck out the after marked item from so there shouldn't be any difference in the after market item.

Sure would make life a lot easier for this old man if everything fit like it should.

In the past we have had discussions on here regarding the demise of IH, often with reference to the book A Corperate Tragety. The consences is IH went down because corperate managers were out of touch with the customer. There opinion was they were going to sell us what they considered we needed. Plain and simple they forgot one principle of business," That being the costomer is always right."

Did they forget, or were they just ahead of their time. Today every major corperation out there is operating exactly as IH did. It's just a case of build it and convince the public they need it. Oh sure they put in the items the public are asking for, but how much more useless crap along with it.

A few things I see, North America did not embrace the front wheel drive car to the extent Corperate America took it. Just look at how light truck sales soared. Look at household appliances, quality is no more, it's use it 5 years and throw it out. Some of us do like the option. New cars, trucks, tractors and any other motorized vehicles are being carted off to the dealer two and three times per year. You hear of tractor customers being without their two year old tractor for the entire planting season. That never happened in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. I bought 3 new cars, 2 new pickups, 6 new tractors during 60 and 70 and not one of them were ever back to the dealer within ten years, car and trucks never. Since being involved here at YT, I can tell you one thing. I put a whole lot more hours on tractors than average.

No my friend, the same corperate intrests pull the purse strings at OEM as every where. No one ever looks when you are a 5 man shop. As you said OEM has invested heavily. Building parts exclusively for we the antique tractor guys, NO.

Lets face it, if any significant number of Super A, Super MTA, 450, 656, etc. survive the 100 year mark in commercial agriculture, how will they ever explain why a new Farmall 2004 model will only last 15 years. I'm not so sure CNH doesn't already have a bounty on our old tractors. Starting to hear some stories on tractor wreckers that can't sell you a tractor, regardless of your offer.

I've been accused of hoarding tractors but now I feel like a national hero.

Thanks, Andy