Price of parts

[Truck Shop]

This is for the people contemplating buying a glider or rebuilding an old tractor or truck. Expect the price of parts on pre-emission engines to climb.
The company I work for has 22 gliders all powered with DDEC 4 Detroits 2004 models. This last Sunday morning we had a Horton fan hub fail and I
didn't have time to put a kit in it, so I installed a new hub. I bought it 10 months ago for $810.00. Called Monday morning to order another----------
$1,447,00, What the hell? Horton offers no remans or hub kits. Some aftermarket company has kits-but who made it.

I asked the price for a reman air compressor it to went up a good forty percent. The truck manufactures are pushing the prices of parts for older
engines up to gain sales in new rigs. Don't have a heart attack or be shocked when fixing that old Cummins, Cat or Detroit.

Truck Shop

 

[DoyleX]

I've been seeing that the last few years. Problem is the pencil pushers that run the checkbook will put it on a spread sheet and believe it. If a guy has the time, sourcing and knowledge those components can be overhauled in house for a fraction.

 

[SchuLace]

We use Kit Masters complete hubs and revuild kits. We are a dealer and have installed tons of them with no issues. They are pretty reasonably priced.

 

[JPV]

I hear what you are saying about parts, tough to tell when the law of diminishing returns says when to buy a new truck rather then repair. The company I work for has 10 Kenworth dump trucks all 2006 or older. We plan to run them until it isn't legal which hopefully never happens. We'll see how that works out!
Also Kit Masters hubs and kits are fine, I have used several and haven't had any problems.

 

[Old Doug]

Back 30 years ago alot of truck parts i thought were dirt cheap for what you got. You could do a inframe almost as cheap as you could rebuild a pickup engine. Today things have changed big time i cant see how owner operaters can make it some times. I live in a rual area there are just a hand full of dump trucks and they trade trucks often. Parts are high and dumb stuff like computer controled electric dash lights,windows and climate controls are out of this world high. Parts for every thing are high a guy stoped by today and said his pickups 5speed was makeing noise he had it replaced less than a year ago $3000.00.

 

[nowing75]

KENWORTH wanted $700 for that pipe off the turbo. Going to make my own for les that $100

 

[Truck Shop]

View attachment 153939

KENWORTH wanted $700 for that pipe off the turbo. Going to make my own for les that $100

Making custom exhaust is fun anyway! Always liked that job.

Truck Shop

 

[lantraxco]

$700?????????????? Even for KW that's insane.

 

[nowing75]

I also got a switch for the power mirror they call a kit. Turns out to be only a switch with 6 wires on it for $249.00

 

[mekanik]

I just received a outside door handle for a 2002 Doosan G45 forklift.
$486.00 for a cheap plastic easily broken handle. Outrageous

Terry

 

[bteigrob]

I do not know where manufacturers get off charging an insane amount for some parts. it's like they are trying to get the public away from repairing and refurbishing and just buy new. The problem is a lot of people cannot just buy new and now it seems they cannot afford to rebuild and refurbish anymore.

 

[John C.]

Most parts for any machine are bought in lots of many. Say a manufacturer is going to build 100 machines, they might buy a lot of 100 and then piece meal as needed until they figure out the failure rate. During that time they will charge by their delivered costs plus a markup. Once they have a failure rate they might buy another lot of 100 but now the price will go up until a secondary market appears that makes them lower their price or they just get tired of them sitting on the shelf. What is worse than the high cost of parts is that many parts will just not be available.

Repairs can always be justified to the point that the machine is no longer profitable to operate. Refurbishing went out of style for all operations short of large mining complexes. The cost of labor plus the parts makes total rebuilds to not be cost effective on most everything smaller than a 988 wheel loader or D9 dozer. Other brands such as, Komatsu, Hitachi, Deere, Volvo and others are cost prohibitive across almost their entire product lines. As the system exists now, you could rebuild your own stuff as you don't have to put a profit margin on your labor. It will be very difficult to rebuild a machine at a dealer and deliver a product that would be cost effective against a new machine with all the perks of new technology, warranty, emissions and safety improvements.