Farmers hacking dealer software for repairs ...

Crazy Horse · Mar 28, 2017

This is an interesting link ....... the dealer control over repairs on equipment is the situation, I had no idea they had such control over someone other than themselves being involved with fixing farm equipment. This fellow (and many others too) somehow bypass the scam and are able to do their own repairs somehow. Interesting stuff ....
Avoiding Dealer Charges

rrlund · Mar 28, 2017

I just wonder how smart it is to spend that kind of money on a piece of equipment then trying to fix it yourself?

RM-MN · Mar 28, 2017

When you have 1500 acres of beans that you just swathed and the weather guy says you have a couple nice days and then snow for a week and the tractor decides to act up. You call the dealer and he says he's a little backed up but can be there in about 3 weeks. Now what are you going to do, let the beans rot in the field or hack the tractor's computer?

docmirror · Mar 28, 2017

(quoted from post at 15:27:20 03/28/17) I just wonder how smart it is to spend that kind of money on a piece of equipment then trying to fix it yourself?

Suppose you have a $100,000 piece of equipment, and the diagnostic check reports a fault in the hyd pressure control unit. You know what module needs to be replaced, and you can buy one for $3000. However, it's not good to just unplug the old one, and plug in the new one. The system won't recognize the new module until it has been coded correctly. If you go to JD with the used module installed, they won't even code it for you. They didn't sell it, so they won't code it for recognition in your tractor. Bingo, you wind up having to buy a new module from them, and then have them code if to be recognized by the management controller.

Hacked diagnostic and management software gets around this. The hacked code will allow a used module to be coded and recognized by the system controller so that you don't have to rely on the mfg for everything(where prices are out-rag-ious).

PopinJohn · Mar 28, 2017

What happens if a tractor manufacture decides not to support their
product after a few years the way Microsoft made Windows 98
obsolete, no more updates or support?

buickanddeere · Mar 28, 2017

We are still using XP on two computers .

RBoots · Mar 28, 2017

They'd probably be nice enough to sell you a new one if you wanted!

hydro70guy · Mar 28, 2017

While I do not believe there is ever a 3 week backup to get field service, never have i seen it be more than 4 hour wait with either red or green equipment. Once warranty is up you should have ability to have work done anywhere. Else its almost like robbery or extortion.

Fritz Maurer · Mar 28, 2017

They don't even need to be backed up 3 weeks... only takes one day to lose $60,000

mmi · Mar 28, 2017

from what I here @ $100-200-300k deere is only leasing you said equipment..you dont own even though the bank loan said you did...all the systems that make it work are theirs...pay them $$$$ for a poor repair or buy another @ $300K
it is extortion the hedge funds and govt like it all around fees ,licences ,repair tax,new purchase tax,new equipment sale every 3-5 yrs profit + tax and lest we forget the govt back door to ALL data and all the data mfg can resell

Traditional Farmer · Mar 28, 2017

Deere will probably file some lawsuits now to set an example and since they have more money than most buyers they'll win.Really I don't feel sorry for the people that bought the tractors from JD they knew what the deal was when they signed up.

FormerlyPaMike · Mar 28, 2017

If the OEMs are truly going to go after aftermarket repair work then they better start staffing up their shops. 90% of the farmers I know don't go to the dealer for repairs. If they start being forced to that dealers shop staff better double in the next couple of years...

Goose · Mar 28, 2017

You could always rent a tractor to bail yourself out and then have yours repaired at your convenience.

NCWayne · Mar 28, 2017

I haven't seen anyone necessarily hacking machines on the construction side yet, but I'm sure it will come...if it already hasn't.

That said, what needs to happen is for these guys to 'hack' the entire system, and reprogram it with their own stuff. This would be no different than taking a computer running Microsoft, and replacing that operating system with something entirely different like LINUX, etc.

I know its not quite that simple, but it's going to take things like this, along with buyers flat out refusing to buy new equipment that subjects them to this kind of crap.

In the end, the ONLY thing that will ever make the OEM's stand up, and take notice, is to hurt their wallets, and hurt them BAD....

CenTex Farmall · Mar 28, 2017

Same thing will happen with the so called, "self driving cars".

CenTex Farmall · Mar 28, 2017

I read an article about two years ago from a computer magazine where they tried to hack into a JD combine. They got nowhere with it. Everything was encrypted. The article was mainly about when you buy something these days whether you really own it or not.

Obviously someone worked the system over long enough that they found a weak spot.

When you're trying to beat the weather, a minor failure should not waste you're whole day. It's really not right the way they've set it up where only dealers can access the system for repairs yet there's not enough staffing to get equipment fixed in a timely manner.

I guess once they have your money they're happy and forget the rest.

ASEguy · Mar 29, 2017

We've had this issue in automotive for a while. Proprietary software is considered intellectual property. Some manufacturers were worse than others. We have had to purchase the proprietary software ultimately through the manufacturer either by purchasing their diagnostic tools or purchase other diagnostic tools which has it built in for a fee. Then there are updates which have to be purchased sometimes through subscriptions and so on. This huge overhead is one reason why some shops rely on generic scan tools and then use scopes to diagnose problems. We use scopes to look at communication lines, sensors, solenoids, motors etc. It's not going away. What has happened in our field is a lack of trained technicians going into the field to repair these systems. Our students are taken right away after they start our program. Almost 40% of automotive technicians are over 50. We are dealing with a huge void which it sounds like the tractor dealerships will experience as well. OEM's are putting this issue on the backs of the dealerships.

BarnyardEngineering · Mar 29, 2017

Let's get real for a minute here.

1. On these modern computerized, electronic, sensors-up-the-wazoo pieces of equipment, how much repair work are you actually doing yourself? It's blinking and beeping and it won't move, and you don't have the $50000 diagnostic computer to tell you what the problem is. Where are you going?

2. Where are all these independent equipment mechanics that will work on anything that this is supposedly hurting? Around here the only place to get equipment worked on is at the dealer, and the blue dealer won't work on green stuff, and the green dealer won't work on red stuff, and the red dealer won't work on yellow stuff, and so on... Well, there is ONE guy who's a retired old-school IH mechanic in his 70's, but he won't work on anything newer than a 1086 and won't work on any color but red.

Farmers hacking dealer software for repairs ...

Crazy Horse

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

RM-MN

Member

docmirror

Well-known Member

PopinJohn

Member

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

RBoots

Well-known Member

hydro70guy

Member

Fritz Maurer

Well-known Member

mmi

Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

FormerlyPaMike

Member

Goose

Well-known Member

NCWayne

Well-known Member

CenTex Farmall

Well-known Member

CenTex Farmall

Well-known Member

ASEguy

Well-known Member

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

Similar threads