Mechanic Frustrated With Garden Tractor Repower “Experts”

2018 - Volume #42, Issue #1, Page #13

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Dan Lien owns a small engine shop called Small Engine Unlimited in Northfield, Minn. “A customer with a Deere 317 garden tractor ordered a repower kit from Repower Specialists in Oregon and had it sent to me. Unfortunately, the kit components didn’t fit right so the customer sent the kit back – and had to pay a restocking fee of $250,” says Lien. “The customer got no support from the company at all. Except that they told him he would need to grind down the tractor’s fenders in order to make things fit, and also swap out the valve covers every time he changed the oil.”
  Then the customer read a story in FARM SHOW about repower kits available from T.H.E. Co. “The customer called the company’s engineer and owner before purchasing the kit and then had it sent to me. It didn’t fit right so I called the engineer about the problems and they sent a second kit, but it didn’t fit, either,” says Lien.
  So early last December Lien decided to haul the tractor to the T.H.E. Company’s Iowa headquarters to show them the problems with the kit. “The company salesman said he felt terrible about the entire deal, and the guys in the shop were embarrassed to be pushing a product out the door they knew wouldn’t work. I have nothing but good things to say about the employees.”
  Lien ended up creating a kit that makes use of a Honda engine and requires no grinding or cutting, and no modification to the tractor. “I offered to work with the company thinking they might want to sell the kit but they didn’t want any part of it, I guess because it wasn’t their idea.
  “These companies did not do the necessary research and development work, and also don’t stand behind their product. They’re selling kits that aren’t a true fit, and expect the customer to ‘hack’ everything together”.
  Lien has no plans to put his kit on the market and no interest in doing more repowers.

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Mechanic Frustrated With Garden Tractor Repower “Experts” MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Dan Lien owns a small engine shop called Small Engine Unlimited in Northfield Minn “A customer with a Deere 317 garden tractor ordered a repower kit from Repower Specialists in Oregon and had it sent to me Unfortunately the kit components didn’t fit right so the customer sent the kit back – and had to pay a restocking fee of $250 ” says Lien “The customer got no support from the company at all Except that they told him he would need to grind down the tractor’s fenders in order to make things fit and also swap out the valve covers every time he changed the oil ” Then the customer read a story in FARM SHOW about repower kits available from T H E Co “The customer called the company’s engineer and owner before purchasing the kit and then had it sent to me It didn’t fit right so I called the engineer about the problems and they sent a second kit but it didn’t fit either ” says Lien So early last December Lien decided to haul the tractor to the T H E Company’s Iowa headquarters to show them the problems with the kit “The company salesman said he felt terrible about the entire deal and the guys in the shop were embarrassed to be pushing a product out the door they knew wouldn’t work I have nothing but good things to say about the employees ” Lien ended up creating a kit that makes use of a Honda engine and requires no grinding or cutting and no modification to the tractor “I offered to work with the company thinking they might want to sell the kit but they didn’t want any part of it I guess because it wasn’t their idea “These companies did not do the necessary research and development work and also don’t stand behind their product They’re selling kits that aren’t a true fit and expect the customer to ‘hack’ everything together” Lien has no plans to put his kit on the market and no interest in doing more repowers

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