I remember when we opened our office in Charlotte, NC, high horsepower farm tractors were literally flying off the shelves. At its peak, North American sales of these machines peaked at a little over 50,000 units in 2013. Fast forward almost a decade, and the tables have turned. More and more customers are 'dusting' off older machinery and putting it back to work.
Talking with customers, their frustration with modern machinery is evident. Slightly older machinery is easier to use, cheaper to repair and maintain, and parts are more readily available than for equipment released in the past couple of years. A long-term STEINBAUER customer from Iowa recently told us. "I just can't afford the downtime of the new machines, there are fewer technicians who can fix them, and we just can't wait for the John Deere dealer to send someone out... don't even talk about the cost of parts!" Generally destined for early retirement, these slightly older workhorses are being serviced, dusted off, and put back into the field.
The lives of combines and tractors are measured in hours of operation. With the average hard-working farm tractor logging around 500 hours per year - these old machines are well used. One school of thought is that you don't have to worry about 'tuning' an older machine, and any cheap tuner will do. Nothing is further from the truth - taking care of your machine's engine should be at the very top of the list. STEINBAUER was the first tuning company offering 'Plug n Play' modules to enter the market for Agricultural tuning 20 years ago. We have the most extensive proven application list available in North America.
"Delivering a quality product that lasts has always been our top priority. Just because a machine is 10 or 15 years old doesn't mean we change our products to cheaper components," says Herbert Steinbauer. "...our team is continually developing new products and using the latest technology available.
We don't believe in cutting corners and using cheaper components in products for older machinery. "
So if your farm equipment has a modern electronic injection system, give the STEINBAUER Michigan Team a call. They will help you select the correct module for your machine.