Parts for the old 100 series are becoming obsolete

i have had real good luck finding parts for my 175/180,only thing they did not have was gas tank light sending unit,which i found easily on ebay...i thought considering the age had lots of parts..PS,thanks for the steering wheel,it works great

Oh! Oh! This can't be good. and I may need that very spring soon. Maybe Rusty WILL become a parts tractor.

Or my favorite......"If at first you don't succeed, Lie and cheat for what you need".

There are still many parts available and they will be for a long time.What I meant was that there are some of the small parts that you really dont think about until they break that are slowly,one by one,becoming obsolete.

Another good reason to use when explaining to the Mrs. why I need to diversify into different tractor series :fing32:

I just found the same thing with a remote angling kit I got for the 200 series. Many of the small bits are NLA. Probably a corporate push to reduce part numbers because some consultant told them it was a good idea.

Herd of Deeres said:

Another good reason to use when explaining to the Mrs. why I need to diversify into different tractor series :fing32:

I just found the same thing with a remote angling kit I got for the 200 series. Many of the small bits are NLA. Probably a corporate push to reduce part numbers because some consultant told them it was a good idea.

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Excellent point!

I think Curley Fine said it best..."If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking until you do succeed."

It based on unit movement , they only built so many tractors originally and every year there are X number fewer so they are selling fewer of those replacement parts and if the parts aren't moving they are dropped . So if you know you might need something in the future to keep your Tractor running factory original and not having to cobble things then order/purchase those spares now at least you will have parts to trade barter when the factory has pulled the plug . I m not saying buy huge amounts only what you can afford to invest and treat the old tractor with a bit more maintenance so you can catch things before they break , wear out completely or fall off .

Once the mfg stops supplying spares its a long wait until someone after market may start making them , provided the second hand market has been cleared of any cheap left overs .

Part NLA = Need to buy used parts.
Need used parts = Might as well get a parts machine.
Parts machine = Need more storage space.
Need Storage = Another shed.

I personally don't see the problem here.

Probably a corporate push to reduce part numbers because some consultant told them it was a good idea.

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Exactly, and to be honest it is a good idea from a corporate point of view, but for those trying to keep the old iron going, not good news, maybe an aftermarket maker can step in if there is a big enough market, I fear not though...

most of the stuff I find on eBay (parts that actually wear) are for sale because they are so worn... unfortunately nothing like a shiny new OEM part... :trink39:

From stories I have read on other forums that Caterpillar still makes parts for all the machines they have made not sure if that's true or not .

Aksarben96 said:

From stories I have read on other forums that Caterpillar still makes parts for all the machines they have made not sure if that's true or not .

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No way that's true. If the product is really old, and they sell say 2 parts per year, that part will be eliminated. Just a Cat fanboy upset that JD has the best parts system in the business. JD offers parts for everything they've ever made too...just don't expect to buy a frame for a Model D. Regular service parts, sure.

I know JD will keep pretty much anything in stock that sells regularly, regardless of age. If the sales are high, JD will find a new supplier if the original goes out of business. If it's a JD-built part, they will pull out the tooling and weld up a batch, within reason. JD's availability is awesome compared to other companies. But, you do have to wonder how long it's a viable business case to keep every part available for a lawn tractor that's worth $500.

The tricky thing is if it's a slow moving part and the supplier goes out. Or, if they just flat out don't sell any of that part. It will go NLA.

My 2¢-
One of the biggest reasons for deciding for JD last year was a quick look at the parts guy's order pad. He had orders for parts from tractors from the 50's.
He told me that he can get some parts for the 1940's and earlier.:fing32:

Case in point- I had a problem with a hydraulic fitting on a 1970 JD 500. Parts rep gave me (as in free) the two "O" rings I needed and offered to order the rebuild kit "From John Deere" if it was worse than the two rings.:thThumbsU

It's that kind of attitude that seems to have run through the entire company and I appreciate it too.