[cat man]

I bought a new horch Anderson joker RT370 last winter. I am putting it to use this fall for the first time to manage heavy wheat straw and thick straw mat on ground after years of notill and ground that is to wet. So far both wing frames have cracked right next to the weld, both wing casters have broke out around the pivot bushing, the rear center packer frame has broke in half 6 times now! It is in the shop every morning before we go in the field getting welded on. I have talked to my dealer about it, they contacted horsh Anderson and there reply was "just weld it up" . At the cost of my down time and me paying the repair cost. I paid $86,000 for a new tillage unit. I still have the original blades on it. Is any one else having frame problems? In my opinion after paying $86,000 for a new unit I should not be welding on it the first couple days of use. I haven't even wore the blades, what is going to left of it after years of use, if it can't hold together the first couple weeks. Has anyone got any results from horsch Anderson on them standing behind the joker and fixing all the weak points? Or is everyone on their own after the ink dries?
End of "rant".
I am going out to weld the center frame back together again this morning for another day of use.

 

[8850jd]

Anyone else out there looking at the joker,,

Look at the amazone first... My area has half a dozen new and used models, and have had zero issues...
I went gates over horsh because I have heard this problem before.

 

[Jason Hildebrand]

Our has been terrible, tons of spring packers breaking, disk bearings going out, and we had a front castor wheel issue as well. Its always so covered in dirt I'm not sure if we have any cracks. We probably do, my neighbour got rid of his with cracked frame. The only support we got from Horsch is they sent out thicker spring packers for the centre frame but we got the luxury of doing all the labour. Its a pretty crappy tool IMO, it won't be on my farm next year.

 

[JoRu]

We have a few Jokers (7) in the area running and except small things....we have no issues at all.

 

[clb]

Telling you to weld up a new machine and not offering any support? Ok, I'll stroke Horch Anderson off my short list then. Obviously this situation is extremely frustrating for you.

Your name has no location under it. Here in Alberta:

Farm Implement Act Administration

 

[cat man]

I pulling my joker at 8.5mph. I was hoping the slower speed would help the thing hold together. it does a better job at 10mph but the coulter hubs come off at that speed. The snap ring that holds the bearing on breaks and the whole hub with blade comes off. And I have only found one in the field, so the rest must be buried. At 8.5 mph there has been less bearing problems. But the frame is still breaking up. If I go any slower it won't throw enough dirt to level.

 

[JoRu]

I am not sure when, but they changed their supplier of the bearings because of issues. I would expect some help from them too.
Where is your frame cracking/breaking? I would like to check this on mine.

 

[cat man]

Frame broke right next to where the front hitch attaches. Rear packer frame broke on both sides right below the center cylinder on rear packer the tubing on each side broke off. Wing wheels cracked right around bushing. Horsh rep was here today they are going to change rear packer frame over to 5/8" thick tube. Mine was 3/8" wall. Also hyd block on frame for electronic depth control is faulty. Causing wing pressure not to work right. They are changing that to a new style. I haven't heard any thing on the bearings yet. I did have another one go today. I am very glad that they are standing behind their product by updating units.

 

[w-mFarms]

.... that's one thing we didn't do with our lemken, weld.
so far the new update has been holding really good.
haven't heard guys (like JoRu) that farm in our area complain, only some guys that have had theirs for 2 years have really bad issues.

 

[lynas]

At $86000, that is one crap deal, Cat man. No way should you be having to weld on it! Talk about a POS.
If you are using it in the proper manner and for the job that it is designed to do, then Horsh, if they have any pride or backbone at all, should have a team of their engineers around there sorting that thing out for you, pronto.

 

[cat man]

Dealer and horsch told me to pull it 10-12 mph so I pulled it at 10mph for one hour. In one hour I broke off two packer tongues, one coulter hub bearing snap ring broke off losing the whole hub and one disk blade. It took me 45 minutes to fix it after one hour at that speed. Can't get any thing done with the tractor sitting. If I slow down to 8.5 mph I can keep it going. I am a little worried about the scrap metal it is leaving in the field.

 

[ajl]

I have operated two different RT370 this fall and so far no issues with either one. Will have to keep a closer eye on it though by the looks of things. Will do 10 mph if we have the big tractor available otherwise 8.5 with the other.

 

[SouthernSK]

It sounds like the joker and the company that makes it is a complete joke. Their policy is disgusting. Hopefully farmers stop buying their product and they go out of buisness. Companies that operate like this should not be given the time of day.

 

[Valley Farmer]

It seems strange to me that you are having trouble with a "new" machine from last winter. All the problems you are having we're on the older style machines they were selling prior to last fall. We bought a new one last fall and everything you are breaking was addressed in the update. They must have sold you old stock. I doubt your dealer would do it for you but if you thought you were buying a new updated machine they should change it out for you.

We have had trouble in heavy residue and wet clay soils here and they have come to us with an extension piece to increase the space between the disc and frame. The company seems to be trying to help us with our problems so far.

 

[ricefarmer09]

Sounds to me like you get your money back and get a Landoll Vertical Tillage tool. Those things are indestructible and are made in Kansas. I like the concept of the Joker but wondered how it holds up. Apparently not very well. There are alot of VTs running in Texas and it seems that Landoll is the tool of choice. By the way I've never seen a Landoll frame break. Ever. Might want to try one and they're cheaper than the appropriately named JOKER.

 

[HoRFarmsJesse]

Sounds to me like you get your money back and get a Landoll Vertical Tillage tool. Those things are indestructible and are made in Kansas. I like the concept of the Joker but wondered how it holds up. Apparently not very well. There are alot of VTs running in Texas and it seems that Landoll is the tool of choice. By the way I've never seen a Landoll frame break. Ever. Might want to try one and they're cheaper than the appropriately named JOKER.

The Landoll is just a totally different type of tool in my opinion. We have one, and holy jesus that thing is built like a brick ****house, but at 11* gang angle, it truly is more for just stirring dirt and making it fine, rather than burying residue....which a lot of the high speed discs seem to excel at.

I love the build of our Landoll, but I quickly realised that its actually too heavy for our soft/wet soils, since we are running it behind a deeper JD 630 disc first pass. The center carrying wheels leave two vallies that i havent been able to overcome.

I think we will be looking to sell our VT for something that can deep till to bury trash, and later on do a clean finishing pass as well. Tough to get something that is good at two jobs.

 

[lynas]

Cat man. Put some pressure on your dealer. It is his job to sort this out. By now, a good dealer should be feeling highly embarrassed, eager to please, and on Horsh` back.

 

[JoRu]

We have had trouble in heavy residue and wet clay soils here and they have come to us with an extension piece to increase the space between the disc and frame.

Where did you get this piece from?
....any pictures?

 

[cat man]

also noticed I sheared the two bolts off at the end of the packer shaft that hold the shaft onto the bearing at 10mph also. Then the whole packer comes off and goes rolling out the back of the machine.

Valley farmer what has been changed in yours that is so different? I haven't seen any newer style machine that looks any different then what I have.

Lynes you are right , I had to keep on my dealer to try and get something fixed. After I was real persistent with lots of pics of all the broken stuff, dealer did step up, come out and look at the machine.

 

[lynas]

Lynes you are right , I had to keep on my dealer to try and get something fixed. After I was real persistent with lots of pics of all the broken stuff, dealer did step up, come out and look at the machine.

Good to hear!.
As an example, I bought a new machine, onetime, from a local dealer I had never dealt with before. First time I used the machine a piece, which was obviously underbuilt, broke off. I rang the dealer and explained the situation. They came out the next day, collected the machine and took it back to their shop. The dealer then liaised with the manufacturers chief engineer, who explained to them how to modify the weak bit. It was fixed and delivered back to me the following day. I thought that was pretty good service.