Tuthill TI850

[ronbeatty]

If you own a Tuthill TI 850, pull the four bolts out of the collar and check for a leaking oil seal. They have had several revisions, I hope they got it right this time.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I still can't get over the fact that your blower is not mounted straight. I just don't trust that design.

 

[ronbeatty]

Daniel, I corrected the angle of the blower on both of my trucks. Tuthill's Manual states that the blower MUST sit level.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Just another reason your V is a scary purchase.

Was any real engineering put into the design and layout of the V, or was it just thrown together?

Seriously Ron for what you spent the blower should have been installed right the first time.

 

[Jim Martin]

If I was to buy another Vortex..I would jump all over Ron's......out of every one out there Ron has put more time and money setting everything the way it needs to be to make sure it is running in top shape.....

 

[ronbeatty]

Daniel, I would agree that I should not have had to re-engineer these trucks. Engineer's draw it up on a computer,we are the ones who work the bugs out through the years that we use them daily to work. If the manufacturers were smart they would let someone who knows what they are doing, field test the units before they put them out for sale. But that has not been the norm in this industry.

 

[ronbeatty]

Jim, With some help from you. !gotcha!

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Ron good luck.

True Jim, but look at the pictures. Good Lord.

Look at all the belts, nuts and bolts, and things that will need to be replaced.

I told my supplier I was thinking about getting a V. This was two years ago. I really wanted to get one.

My plan was to buy one, get a bunch of commercial accounts :roll: , use it for a three or four years, and sell it for half (close to 50k). Jim you executed the plan perfectly, but doing so going forward is going to be even harder for others. I think everyone that bought one got caught up in how much more productive you could be, but at the end of the day that just means you will have to work twice as hard to net what others make with less gross.

They told me the purchase price was not the real problem. It was all the little 20-40 dollar parts and repairs that needed to be done all the time that would add up and cost big money in the long run. I thought they were crazy, but it turns out they knew and still know what they are talking about.

The real question is who will be next to list their V? Would Mikey trade his for a newer used cargo and new slide in? I think he would in a heart beat.

There is nothing wrong with trading down.

If I had one that I either had to sell or it did not make sense anymore, I would figure up what a new cargo van and slide in would cost and ask that amount. I would accept the loss and move on.

It really is amazing how fast things have changed. When I came to this board two years ago the V was the talk of the town. It was like that for a long time. Then overnight the story changed on a dime.

Was it availability of parts or operating costs?

We all know it is operating costs with high fuel prices being a main factor.

 

[Jim Martin]

Ron good luck.

True Jim, but look at the pictures. Good Lord.

Look at all the belts, nuts and bolts, and things that will need to be replaced.

I told my supplier I was thinking about getting a V. This was two years ago. I really wanted to get one.

My plan was to buy one, get a bunch of commercial accounts :roll: , use it for a three or four years, and sell it for half (close to 50k). Jim you executed the plan perfectly, but doing so going forward is going to be even harder for others. I think everyone that bought one got caught up in how much more productive you could be, but at the end of the day that just means you will have to work twice as hard to net what others make with less gross.

They told me the purchase price was not the real problem. It was all the little 20-40 dollar parts and repairs that needed to be done all the time that would add up and cost big money in the long run. I thought they were crazy, but it turns out they knew and still know what they are talking about.

The real question is who will be next to list their V? Would Mikey trade his for a newer used cargo and new slide in? I think he would in a heart beat.

There is nothing wrong with trading down.

If I had one that I either had to sell or it did not make sense anymore, I would figure up what a new cargo van and slide in would cost and ask that amount. I would accept the loss and move on.

It really is amazing how fast things have changed. When I came to this board two years ago the V was the talk of the town. It was like that for a long time. Then overnight the story changed on a dime.

Was it availability of parts or operating costs?

We all know it is operating costs with high fuel prices being a main factor.

out of almost all the machines out there the Vortex is probably one of the easiest ones to understand and work on.....The new Thermal wave is a bit more complicated..but in time...and with help from there great service department....I will know all the in's and out's of this machine.....but it was defiantly not a trade down...I was happy with my Vortex and it did everything I needed it to do so I can't complain....but to be honest....I have been running this Thermal wave for a few months now and I really wish I would have gone this direction instead .....every machine out there has belts, nuts and bolts, and things that will need to be replaced....and yes some are more expensive to replace then others....IMO..that is just where good business since has to kick in and you have to learn where to look and how to handle your situation.......Ron has good business sense...knows what it takes to make his machines worth every penny he has spent on them..no question he has the best machines and company in the entire Vortex fleet........