A bearing, common old ag bearing, read the number sampled on the edge or measure with the dial gauge he has on the front desk and cross it to whatever brand they stock.
No model numbers, no make needed, just a simple bearing, see here is where I cleaned the grease off to show you the numbers stamped on it. I need two of them.
20 minutes later, I get 2 bearings that are different from each other?
That's my fault?
Now I check before I leave the building, I didn't think a professional parts clerk could mess that up so that day I had to drive back to town to get it sorted out.
Now I understand a lot of funny people come in a store and asks for the impossible, and there could be pages of stories of dumb customers and all very well deserved.
This was -not- one of those cases. I'm not perfect either, but I try to have my ducks in a row when I go for parts.
It shouldn't take 20 minutes for the counter person to cross reference a common ag bearing when I have the part there, it has a number on it, and for gosh sakes how can it be my fault for giving me mismatched bearings?
The old parts guy would measure the bearing, run upstairs, come back with two, open a box and hold them side by side, and it was what was needed every time. I'd be out the door in 5 minutes.
Another day at JD I got the new kid, I needed a bearing and a spacer for an older letter series JD disk. I had the model number, and the old busted cone bearing and the broken spacer.
The kid looked on the computer for 10 minutes, and just supposed they don't handle that stuff any more. I was thanking him for looking.... The fella from out back happens to walk by, look up from his papers, ask what I wanted, I showed him my parts sitting on the counter - he never picked them up he just stepped back 2 isles, reached up and grabbed a cone bearing, set it on the counter, took the p willows out of the spacer sitting on the counter by the next cash registe (made a nice centerpiece on the counter), put it next to the new bearing, and said ring this up for him.
Now I realize there are a lot more parts now than there were years ago, and new kids have to learn somehow and it takes time. And I don't expect thrm to have the entire inventory memorized!
But both Napa and JD got rid of the old guys, and pay chump change to the kid with no training.
It makes for poor experiences. I keep getting told thry can't order what I want, several times I've gone back when an older guy is working and he pulls what I need out of inventory.
I needed a light switch for a 1970s Ford tractor, sat with the 3rd parts fella for 15 minutes, he had to order it. Drive the hour to pick it up a week later, and one of tge other 2 parts people helps me - he wonders what the heck I got? I explain what I was wanting, and he said well this is some odd rotary deal, I don't know why that got ordered for you, but I think what you need is back here, and without any model numbers or anything he brings out a push pull switch from the shelf that they stock that looks like what I need.
Really now, I can see getting me the wrong push-pull switch, but the first fella orders me a rotary switch to replace the deal I needed? When I have a picture of all the numbers and codes on my tractor, plus the old switch with me the first time?
It's not my fault.
Paul
I did have to laugh to myself on the way home, the look on the kids face after he had just said those parts dont seem to be available any more after a long time on the computer screen, and both were in stock within 2 paces of where he was standing.
Just - not my fault!
Paul