How's this for parts price inflation?

littlefarmer · Aug 18, 2016

Need to replace one of the sliding gears in my Farmall 656. I don't trust used gears, as my tractor is a "working" one---field work, etc.

Gear is no longer available from IHC. So I did an Internet check and found an outfit that had a new one for $695.

Received the gear today, and noticed it was stamped with the name of a certain tractor part mail order company. This company had this gear listed in their catalog a few years back, for $195. But they don't carry them anymore. They probably sold their stock to the company I bought the gear from.

From $195 to $695 in three years. Forget investing in the stock market---flipping antique tractor parts apparently pays a whole lot better!

1948CaseVAI · Aug 18, 2016

I don't see that as an unfair price for something that is out of production and not available anywhere else. You have no idea how much money the seller has tied up in inventory that will never move off the shelf.

Whoever bought up the last stock took a gamble that "eventually" some of the products would sell, but certainly not all of the stuff will ever sell.

I think you should be thankful you found it such that you didn't have to take it off yourself in a salvage yard.

tim s · Aug 18, 2016

I agree that that is a high mark up,, but a couple years ago when I was building my John Deere 60 MFWD I priced have a couple gears custom made and "WOW",,it was $1200 for one gear,,so I was able to re-purpose some gears out of a different transmission to make the project come together.

Married2Allis · Aug 18, 2016

I can understand if this is a working tractor and you need it right away. If you need it, you need it.

Otherwise paying $695 (plus tax?) for a new gear when there are hundreds of dismantled IH's out there is not something I would want to do. Those sliding gears will fit IH 544, 656, and 666 so there are bound to be good ones out there used. Wengers of Myerstown PA is a huge source of International parts (with some honest Amish working there LOL) . A place like that may have worked harder to find that gear in good condition.

markct · Aug 18, 2016

Well said, just like people who cry
about the guys who buy a trailer load of
generators down south and bring them up
before a blizzard and sell them at a
profit. Well let's not forget that if
the storm heads out to see and misses us
he is stuck with a load of generators.
It's all a gamble, the original poster
could have bought a spare gear at 195
bucks years ago to keep just in case,
that would be a risk to take cause might
never need it. So he paid someone else
for taking that risk for him!

Traditional Farmer · Aug 18, 2016

That's why I buy up NOS parts when I find them cheap for machines I run and always try to have a spare machine for anything I run regularly.Of course like the fellow you bought the gear from probably has a whole lot of money tied up in inventory some he may never sell so he has to even it out.When you got the price you could have still bought used apparently you thought it was worth the difference.

Traditional Farmer · Aug 18, 2016

Is that a Fiat front end?

used red MN · Aug 18, 2016

Not to steal the thread but if you click modern view and put John Deere 60 MFWD in the search box you will find out all you want to know about Tim's 60, just like the attached link. I also think Tim built a crawler out of another 2 cyl Deere. A very talented man.
MFWD 60

fixerupper · Aug 18, 2016

For a working tractor I will agree with buying a new gear but the matching gear(s) need to be replaced with new too. I have had generally poor results with using used gears, mating them with an existing gear in a working tractor even if they look perfect.

Traditional Farmer · Aug 18, 2016

Didn't see anything about what brand the front end was.

Dick2 · Aug 18, 2016

My nephew told me yesterday that he is having trouble finding parts for his 8820 combine. When he does find someone who has a part that he needs, he will buy two if they have that part as he intends to run the 8820 several more years. He thinks JD is trying to force users to scrap their old machines because parts are not available from the company and buy new combines instead. Users are getting pretty mad at Deere over those parts.

37chief · Aug 18, 2016

one thing about a used part, is has been proven to work. Stan

MN Scott · Aug 19, 2016

I'm curious as to what parts your nephew is having trouble finding for his 8820? Most wear parts for the 20 series are available aftermarket. It uses mostly standard bearings. I had a 6620 that shares most parts with the 8820 until last year and the only parts that were unavailable were nonwear parts that rarely need replacing and can be obtained used. Parts from deere are priced high but that is the case with all parts nowadays. Only thing is that most Deere dealers no longer stock parts for them but in most areas they can be ordered and delivered the next day.

wilson ind · Aug 19, 2016

As i recall he got it in a scrap yard and did not really know what brand it is.

How's this for parts price inflation?

littlefarmer

Member

1948CaseVAI

Well-known Member

tim s

Well-known Member

Married2Allis

Well-known Member

markct

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

used red MN

Well-known Member

fixerupper

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Dick2

Well-known Member

37chief

Well-known Member

MN Scott

Well-known Member

wilson ind

Well-known Member

Similar threads