Why I don't throw things away....

Another big mowing job today, but fortunately only about 4 miles from home. 2 1/2 hours into the job I see something in the field up ahead...turns out it is one of the laminated tires off of my Bush Hog mower....look back and sure enough one side is running on just the rim. So I head to the truck, get out my smart phone and call a couple of dealers in the area. JD dealer wants $214+ $30 shipping and 6 days to get another one in. I decide to head home and do more research. On the way, I'm thinking I still have a hard rubber tire from a LandPride mower that the hub bushing wore out on under warranty and the dealer just gave me a new one. Sure enough, it looks close to the same size, but the rim is pressed on around it. I try to pop the center out with the skidsteer and forks, but no go. I take a pneumatic cutoff tool and cut out a section of the rim and bend it out of the way...this steel wheel is tough! Anyway, it pops out with the forks this time. Tire has all these little rubber lugs on the ID, though...and I wind up cutting them all off with my pocketknife sawblade (I am back at the job now). The rim is tight, but the bolts draw the split rim together....and I am back in business in 1 1/2 hours! Tonight I get on the I-net and found a laminated wheel for a total of $57 including shipping. I think I will order two. I didn't think a laminated wheel would break, but there is a center steel ring that holds the rubber pieces on that broke.

I have the same thing happen to me. Stan

Yep never pays to throwaway/scrap good parts sooner or later you'll need them.

The last company I worked for. Made me take all my spare parts off of my service truck.Junk they called it.One day out in west Texas. I needed some parts that I had just been forced to throw away.Called my company and told them. Since you are tracking the service trucks. I just want you to know why I am leaving the tower site and driving a hundred miles to find parts.So after eating to cost of paying me to drive 220 miles. Plus fuel and mileage,time lost on site. They let me put the parts back on my truck. Customer was mad because he knew I always had spares on my truck.

Billy reminds me of when GTE bought us out. My job was taking care of the PBX (large private company phone systems) in our area. One of my customers wrote us a check that varied from $20,000 to $80,000 per month depending on what was going on, and we kept enough parts on hand to completely rebuild or replace one of their systems. GTE told us we had to send all of our spare parts to the main warehouse at Columbia and if we needed one would have to wait for the weekly truck run or have to make the 275+ mile round trip to get it, which guaranteed a minimal outage for the mining company of 24 hours. My supervisor was not happy with that setup, but could do nothing about it. I suggested he go to his office and not pay any attention to my next phone call, which I made to the man at the Mining company I took care of (they had 9 systems I maintained). When supervisor came in the next morning there was an email stating the policy of our spares being sent to the Columbia warehouse had been canceled. Supervisor looked at me and said "Officially I don't want to know how you did that, but good work"!

Yep.That's why I have such a 'vast' inventory of parts........LOL

I have an inventory of parts as well. I call it my "research and development" pile... Mike