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54D MMM Setup Fee for 1 Series

5.2K views 22 replies 17 participants last post by  PJR832  
#1 ·
Anyone know what is involved in the MMM setup that would justify my dealer wanting $ 650 setup fee where the deck is concerned? Could I do this myself as a cost savings? There is a separate $ 100 setup fee for the tractor itself.
 
#3 · (Edited)
My setup fee for the 54" deck was $400 from my dealer back in Feb of this year. It was another $253 for the auto connect parts and stuff that go with installing the deck. That sounds about right if he lumped all that together instead of itemizing.

5315M 54D MOWER DECK (DOMESTIC) 1 $1,815.00
5315M1100 MECH LIFT KIT 1025R TRACTORS 1 $0.00
5315M2001 AUTO-CONNECT 1 $253.00
Freight 1 $83.04
Setup 1 $400.00
 
#7 ·
This is how my quote looks also, except instead of $ 400, they are quoting $ 650. I think this difference MIGHT be that the original quote had Hydraulic lift, which may be the extra $ 250.00 in labor and when they scaled the quote back to $ mechanical lift, they forgot to adjust the labor.

This is for a brand new tractor.

I just am trying to figure out why it takes so long to setup the deck - that money is better in my pocket than the dealers. If I can do the work myself, I will do it.
 
#6 ·
Are you getting the "Hydraulic Lift" or the "Independent Lift" options? If so, that may explain the high cost.

My setup fee would have been about $250. I decided to install it myself. In my opinion, you are much better off setting it up yourself. Nearly all of the problems that people have with these decks can be traced back to poor dealer setup. It is not hard to do, but must be done right - it is not something that should be rushed.

Follow the directions that come with the deck and read through this thread before starting the work and you should have no problem getting it installed.
 
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#8 ·
If you were nearby, I’d say bring it by still strapped to a pallet and a cold half-rack of beer and we’d have you all set in no time. :thumbup1gif:

Save the dollars and do it yourself. There’s a sticky thread here on how to do it. If you’re somewhat technically and mechanically inclined, you can knock this out better than most high school kids assembling these things at some dealers.
 
#9 ·
What DS said, besides that, even if they set it you are still going to have to do it yourself to make it right. :thumbup1gif:
 
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#11 ·
You will have to kill a chicken and spread some blood over the hood of your tractor for the mowing installation procedures to take well. A few prayers and lizard toenails won’t hurt either. :mocking:


What you will need is the mower leveling tool from JD that’s about $7. I don’t have a pic handy, but I’m sure your dealer will have that. :good2:
 
#13 ·
You will need 2 thirteen mm wrenches to assemble the auto connect, a 15mm and a 17mm to adjust the autoconnect. 1 1/8 wrench for the front draft rod adjustment. A few allen wrenches for the gear box collar and to check the fluid in the gear. 54" deck comes without the gearbox on the deck, so there you just take spring tension off and bolt on gearbox, 15mm and 18mm socket and hook spring back up, I use some starter rope to pull spring and attach, also use rope on front draft spring. Other items needed, grease gun for spindles, 2 fitting on auto connect, pto and gearbox coupler. Also I add thread lock to the small allen screws on the gearbox coupler.
 
#14 ·
In addition to the above, you may need about 5 ounces of 80w-90 gear oil. When I set up my MMM, the gearbox came dry and needed oil before use.
 
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#23 ·
Don’t forget the lizard toenails, I have found them to be very crucial in the voodoo set up procedure [emoji1303][emoji57]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#16 ·
After I paid my dealer to install my backhoe, I came to believe that I could have saved a lot of money and aggravation by doing it myself. My seat was installed backwards and with the wrong bolts so that it crashed into the frame as it was turning, there were bolts missing on the backhoe frame, there was no evidence that a torque wrench was used anywhere, the wrong bucket was installed, and the unit was not greased at all. There was also a bad valve that was pretty obvious, so no effort was made to actually test the unit to see if it was working. There were a few more issues, but I'll stop at the highlights. Simply by reading and following the manual, I could have have done it right the first time. You may think you aren't mechanically inclined, but you're also assuming the person they assign to your tractor is better than you. This is not necessarily the case. People who "know" how to do it frequently skip over those messy details in the manual. It takes too long. Any lack of knowledge on your part will be compensated for by a passion to get it right.

Keane
 
#18 ·
Here are the installation manuals:
 

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#21 · (Edited)
Often, the dealers are using "set up fees" to offset some of the discount they are giving on the sale of the item or implement itself. They know that people will talk on line and in person about their "price they paid" for something and knocking down the price of the item and then padding the deal back up with a "Set up fee" is partially a way to give the appearance of having sold it at a larger discount. Bottom line, its left pocket verses right pocket of your money to a large degree.

I have seen quotes where there was a $50 set up charge on the IMatch hitch, a $100 set up fee on the rear box blade and a $150 set up fee on the 60" rear core aerator. All of those items require absolutely NO set up or technicians time to justify the set up fee. Many of the implements come fully assembled and strapped to a pallet. The dealer's extent for getting it ready for delivery is to cut the banding straps releasing it from the pallet.

There is some shop technician time to perform the set up on the MMM and many who buy the tractor simply want to get on it and go when they receive it. If you have tools, patience, can follow directions and have the physical ability to work on the floor / driveway, you can do this yourself. On the flip side, if you don't own tools, or lack any of the requirements in the last sentence or simply don't want to bother with it, negotiate the set up fee with the dealer. After all, everything is negotiable. Just keep an eye on the bottom line as the set up fee is just a means to restore profitability to the deal when actual technician labor isn't required on an item for which a set up fee is charged.

Post Script - Flames on the hood of your tractor will put you in the "cool kid" category and it's reported to make the MMM set up easier. :good2: