Two days after the transmission in Toby Acocks’ older model tractor stopped working it was up and running despite the public holiday. Source: AFDJ eNews
Toby Acocks, a fifth-generation farmer runs the family business Forres Pty Ltd with brother, Ben.
It is an 8000-hectare operation, which is spread over three clusters, spanning 120 kilometres around Rochester in north-central Victoria.
The Acocks’ older model Case IH tractor had worked long and hard and in the space of about 12 hours the existing transmission went from functional to not working at all.
“Some of our gear is older, so you have to expect a breakdown at some stage—but that timing was not good,” Toby Acocks said.
It was clear it needed a new transmission.
One option was to send it to a rebuilder but a lack of parts meant they could only offer a date between six weeks and six months at a cost of up to $35,000.
“I didn’t have six weeks, let alone six months!” Toby Acocks said.
A phone call to their Case IH dealer found a remanufactured transmission at the Case IH parts warehouse in St Marys, which Toby could have the following day.
Mr Acocks said he didn’t expect that as the next day was a public holiday but it turned up that morning as promised.
“We like Case IH — we’ve had a good run out of them — we’ve got a terrific dealer in Echuca CIH and good relationship with them, and that makes a big difference,” said Mr Acocks.
“Their support, particularly from Luke Feiss, the parts manager, is very good. They do their best to keep things moving and go to extraordinary lengths to get the right part quickly, minimising downtime.”
“It’s good to keep remanufactured, or ‘reman’, parts in mind too,” Patrick McVeigh National Aftersales Manager for Case IH said.
“Being on average 30% cheaper than buying new, they are a low-cost, fast-turnaround alternative to avoid costly downtime and get farmers back out in the paddock.
“And just like a new part, reman components come with a full 12-month parts and labour warranty.”
