I was called out on a customers AP555E last week for a fuse blowing problem. Troubleshot it to a bad electric motor operated from the right screed extension panel for the extension up/down. Called CAT for a replacement and after 15 minutes on the phone he finally found it. I was told this was an assembly that included the motor and the gearbox........Fine, no problem. None in stock of course and without an additional freight charge would be 5 days out. That isn't going to work so I told him to next day air it.
I go into Cat the next morning and when he places the box on the counter, I can tell by the size of the box that it is not the whole assembly. I open the box and its the gearbox only ($400.00+ I might add).......NO ELECTRIC MOTOR. So back to the parts counter I go, have him pull the part number of the gearbox up to save that 15 minutes again to find it...........and he shows me on the computer screen that it should be the whole thing. What he didn't notice was that the illustration for the component stopped at the gearbox assembly, and the motor was separate. I could see how that mistake could happen so no big deal. Ordered the motor which they had in stock...
SHOCKER! (another $450.00!) . So I go back to the machine with everything and laid it all on my truck bumper.
Here is what I think is stupid. The motor retaining bolts have to be installed from the inside of the gearbox. You have to unscrew the brand new gearbox apart, install the motor, then reassemble it. Not a big deal for most of us......its pretty simple. .......BUT, I know plenty of guys around here that I would trust to do even this simple task. So why would someone like Cat even consider this......its a new part that is warrantied. If someone were to screw this up, are they still going to warranty it?
I don't think its a good idea to require customers to have to assemble something like this, then warranty their work. I understand a customer wanting to replace a burned out motor and reuse their gearbox........but this should be an assembled unit that the customer shouldn't have to fool with. I dam sure wouldn't warranty something like this if a customer screwed it up.
I go into Cat the next morning and when he places the box on the counter, I can tell by the size of the box that it is not the whole assembly. I open the box and its the gearbox only ($400.00+ I might add).......NO ELECTRIC MOTOR. So back to the parts counter I go, have him pull the part number of the gearbox up to save that 15 minutes again to find it...........and he shows me on the computer screen that it should be the whole thing. What he didn't notice was that the illustration for the component stopped at the gearbox assembly, and the motor was separate. I could see how that mistake could happen so no big deal. Ordered the motor which they had in stock...

Here is what I think is stupid. The motor retaining bolts have to be installed from the inside of the gearbox. You have to unscrew the brand new gearbox apart, install the motor, then reassemble it. Not a big deal for most of us......its pretty simple. .......BUT, I know plenty of guys around here that I would trust to do even this simple task. So why would someone like Cat even consider this......its a new part that is warrantied. If someone were to screw this up, are they still going to warranty it?
I don't think its a good idea to require customers to have to assemble something like this, then warranty their work. I understand a customer wanting to replace a burned out motor and reuse their gearbox........but this should be an assembled unit that the customer shouldn't have to fool with. I dam sure wouldn't warranty something like this if a customer screwed it up.