"ETD66SS" wrote:

I won't pay to use forums. If I get into a real bind and can't receive help here for one of my ailing CAT's, I'll try some other website. I see a lot of the same members here on other similar forums. If they refuse to help me on other websites due to not paying the fee for this site, then so be it I guess.

With the modern way and auto parts stores no even keeping the books of how to work on current automobiles, I have stumbled onto sites that are set up to pay and you get one answer. Next time you want help you pay again.I have stayed away from them so far. Because I am a skeptic of such things where I don't know how to check them out,and how much real experience does the expert have.But here you have a proven place and in most instances there is someone that has had the exact problem you are facing. You get a back and forth which helps you understand much more than a one time answer. This is not a site put here to put money in someones pocket. Looks very short sited to me,but believing in freedom of choice do as you want.

"Ray54" wrote:

With the modern way and auto parts stores no even keeping the books of how to work on current automobiles, I have stumbled onto sites that are set up to pay and you get one answer. Next time you want help you pay again.I have stayed away from them so far. Because I am a skeptic of such things where I don't know how to check them out,and how much real experience does the expert have.But here you have a proven place and in most instances there is someone that has had the exact problem you are facing. You get a back and forth which helps you understand much more than a one time answer. This is not a site put here to put money in someones pocket. Looks very short sited to me,but believing in freedom of choice do as you want.

I've been on here for 14 years, and now all of a sudden I won't be able to see attachments, because, money... Just doesn't sit well is all.

"ETD66SS" wrote:

I've been on here for 14 years, and now all of a sudden I won't be able to see attachments, because, money... Just doesn't sit well is all.

You admit to needing the expert help here on ACMOC 2 or 3 times a year to keep your Cat running, I assume you got the Cat given to you free of charge, and when it needs parts, the Dealer can't help with technical support obviously, because you are on here asking us for free help several times a year, but obviously the Dealer gives you the new parts needed free of charge, because using money just doesn't sit well with you.........

Tell me sir, does the local gas station give you free diesel to run it, that Cat of yours, and your truck, how about the local grocery store, I guess they deliver all your food free of charge too, been doing that since you were born I assume, how about electricity and gas for the house, you get that free too do you, how about the IRS, no need to pay tax either I assume, you want to go to the local restaurant for a feed, I guess they must send a car and driver to pick you and the family up, to get your free dinner, all the cocktails you can drink, don't even need to tip the waitress I assume, then they drive you home again, free of charge, just because paying for things doesn't sit well with you.

Well I never, I've heard it all now, there's a place on the planet where everything is free, must be nice living your life, free of financial responsibility, happy to use people up. For years I have been saying here that the Club is going broke, we have talked about it a million times, obviously you never read those threads, if it involves money.

That's not the USA I know and love, and the people I know and respect, you sir, are simply bludging on the generosity of me and the 2,800 other hard working financial members of this Club, you bring absolutely nothing to the table, and expect me and our other financial members to roll out the red carpet for you every time your Cat get's sick, do us all a favor, next time it doesn't run right, call your local Dealer to fix it, better still, take it to another free forum.

I've had a gut full of free loaders on this site, "Senior Guest Members" with hundreds, even thousands of posts over the years, what a crock, that's not a "Senior Guest Member", that's a "Serial Freeloader", some guys are running their tractor repair business, billing customers thousands of dollars, using the free technical support generously uploaded here on ACMOC, time and time again by our members, what a joke.

The $40 a year it costs to keep this Club alive is not even half a tank of diesel in that Cat of yours, and you whine about not being able to see attachments anymore. Welcome to the real world.

"Mike wrote:

You admit to needing the expert help here on ACMOC 2 or 3 times a year to keep your Cat running, I assume you got the Cat given to you free of charge, and when it needs parts, the Dealer can't help with technical support obviously, because you are on here asking us for free help several times a year, but obviously the Dealer gives you the new parts needed free of charge, because using money just doesn't sit well with you.........

Tell me sir, does the local gas station give you free diesel to run it, that Cat of yours, and your truck, how about the local grocery store, I guess they deliver all your food free of charge too, been doing that since you were born I assume, how about electricity and gas for the house, you get that free too do you, how about the IRS, no need to pay tax either I assume, you want to go to the local restaurant for a feed, I guess they must send a car and driver to pick you and the family up, to get your free dinner, all the cocktails you can drink, don't even need to tip the waitress I assume, then they drive you home again, free of charge, just because paying for things doesn't sit well with you.

Well I never, I've heard it all now, there's a place on the planet where everything is free, must be nice living your life, free of financial responsibility, happy to use people up. For years I have been saying here that the Club is going broke, we have talked about it a million times, obviously you never read those threads, if it involves money.

That's not the USA I know and love, and the people I know and respect, you sir, are simply bludging on the generosity of me and the 2,800 other hard working financial members of this Club, you bring absolutely nothing to the table, and expect me and our other financial members to roll out the red carpet for you every time your Cat get's sick, do us all a favor, next time it doesn't run right, call your local Dealer to fix it, better still, take it to another free forum.

I've had a gut full of free loaders on this site, "Senior Guest Members" with hundreds, even thousands of posts over the years, what a crock, that's not a "Senior Guest Member", that's a "Serial Freeloader", some guys are running their tractor repair business, billing customers thousands of dollars, using the free technical support generously uploaded here on ACMOC, time and time again by our members, what a joke.

The $40 a year it costs to keep this Club alive is not even half a tank of diesel in that Cat of yours, and you whine about not being able to see attachments anymore. Welcome to the real world.

Hey MM, maybe he is worried membership dues are retroactive to the 13 plus years already used??? Shoot, if I got to post over 600 times at a cost of less than 3 USD each year, I’d be tickled!!!
Nothing in life is free. Club needs $ to keep the BB alive. What isn’t FAIR, is having the 2800 financial members picking up the tab for everyone else.
Mike, you took the words from many of us like minded folks. Thanks for speaking out. JM

"juiceman" wrote:

Hey MM, maybe he is worried membership dues are retroactive to the 13 plus years already used??? Shoot, if I got to post over 600 times at a cost of less than 3 USD each year, I’d be tickled!!!
Nothing in life is free. Club needs $ to keep the BB alive. What isn’t FAIR, is having the 2800 financial members picking up the tab for everyone else.
Mike, you took the words from many of us like minded folks. Thanks for speaking out. JM

I would like to join the club, as I think it's extremely important to allow this site to continue. The cost of membership is extremely low compared to dealing with folks who don't know your equipment at the dealership!

Additionally, I was made aware to this post by a friend and a $ contributing member to ACMOC. I am currently not a paying member, but would like to be one if someone can guide me on how to make this happen.

As to some of the posts under this topic, it is free loaders (no offense) that will ruin a good thing... just like in life, give an inch and take a mile. IF you value your time and the assistance of others than the low cost of entry should be a non issue. I'm happy to support and also the great folks (some) that you meet are well worth the money.

I own about 30 acres and a 5U D2. When the steering clutch went out, I got great help from the members of ACMOC. Because of this I became a member to repay the organization. If I would have had to pay before I knew if there would be help, I don't think I would have. I am not a motor hear, but enjoy reading the posts and looking at the pictures. I hope the new format will be easier to use so that I can get even get more out of the organization.

Thanks for the kind support, I'm normally a very polite person who bites his tongue, but it fries my brain that people are posting hundreds, even thousands of times on here, with no thought of chucking a dime or quarter in the jar each time.

I mean for $40 at the local Cat Dealer, that might buy you the first 5 minutes of travel time for the Mechanic to come out and wrench on a dead Cat, only to discover he or she has never worked on a D2, or a RD6, and has no tech manuals to guide them to even start the repair process, so figure what, around $500 minimum for a call out, at $160 a hour plus travel, plus parts, plus "consumables".

I welcome with open arms any newbie coming in the ACMOC door looking for help, and enjoy watching them bring a dead Cat alive, but after the 10th or 20th visit, sucking tech info out free of charge, I start to be a little bit less hospitable, particularly as many of them can't even say please or thankyou.

I know both Old Magnet and EDB personally, and I know they are on the wrong side of 70 years old, and I know how much free time, and energy, they have donated over the years to help us, not to mention sharing their own private technical libraries at absolutely no cost to us, information even Cat Inc no longer have in many cases, or are willing to find. None of us know how long our journey on this planet will be, but I worry about the day we lose those 2 brilliant guys here on ACMOC.

For crying out loud, EDB was dumpster diving at the Cat Dealer where he worked in the 1980's, pulling discarded manuals and tech sheets out of the bin that were heading to the tip, and thank goodness he did, because he knew way back then that information was priceless, and once gone, it would never be seen again.

You see him generously sharing those tech sheets with us here regularly, so does Old Magnet, I'm always amazed at the tech info those 2 guys come up with, AMAZED, particularly details about "Field Upgrades" Cat Inc did over the years that are not mentioned in the repair manuals, like subtle changes to seals or bearings, having that information will often mean the difference to saving a dead Cat, or it remaining a boat anchor, plain and simple.

I mean go to your local Dealer and ask for the undercarriage specs for a D2, or 22, or RD4, they will look at you like you are from another planet, my local Dealer doesn't have a workshop book for the D2 4U for example, and they will not be alone there.

If you own a old Cat, and you run it, you are not broke, they may not burn much fuel, but they will still drink a full tank a day, 20 gallons to over 200 gallons, $80 to $800 a day, just for diesel, so I figure the $40 a year I pay for technical support here on ACMOC is peanuts, relative to, or compared to, the cost of getting the local Cat Dealer to repair my old girls, at what $500 minimum to drive a hour each way to my home farm.

I was told once a very good saying, there are 2 types of people in this world, the type you like to see walk in your door, and the type you like to see walk out it, if you can get the ratio right, then life can be fun.

My sincere thanks to the many volunteers working their tails off behind the scenes to help save our Club.
Mike