I have had my 825i gator with deluxe cab for five weeks and it has been back to the dealer at least 6 times for different issues. I am looking for some input as to what other issues 825i owners have experienced. So far I have had a problem with the shock on the drivers side door which keeps coming off. The gator comes out of gear when driving normal speeds on flat ground. My front passenger tire is completely bald while the drivers side front tire is in great condition. Gator has been back to dealer twice for only running on two cylinders. Also had the packing in the muffler completely come apart and had to be replaced. The transmission seal had to be replaced. The throttle assembly bolts came loose which caused accelerator pedal to stick. Drive belt snapped and shattered plastic housing and I am currently waiting to see if the crank shaft is also bent due to the force from the belt snapping. The farm I work with also purchased 2 new 825i and are experiencing the exact same issues that I am. I do not run my gator hard to any degree so I am just curious who else has been having issues. Thanks.
825i Problems
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825 problems
I just ordered a new 825 hope you dealer helps you out did u get the extended warrenty and is the dealer standing behind the gator or are you having to pay for all these repairs and what about the other gators on the ranch. i have heard of a few problems but none of this magnitude.
I just ordered a new 825 hope you dealer helps you out did u get the extended warrenty and is the dealer standing behind the gator or are you having to pay for all these repairs and what about the other gators on the ranch. i have heard of a few problems but none of this magnitude.
The dealership has been great, they offered to extend the original warranty until 2014 and then the extended warranty I purchased will go on top of that. The other 3 gators have not had the extensive issues as mine but unfortunate to say it's a rare occasion to have all three gators in our possession at the same time. Currently we have two out of the three at the dealership, one has a bent crank shaft due to belt snapping (just like mine) and the other has a problem with the engine running on all cylinders. I was just at the dealership yesterday (7-26-2012) and the shop had 5 825i's in being worked on one had a locked up front differential. The farm has had older diesel and gas gators which have never been in for service in there whole lifetime. Unfortunate to say we are seriously looking into the Polaris Ranger's abilities compared to the gators. Please keep me updated as to your experience with your new 825i gator, they are a great machine when they don't have any issues.
I should also mention there is currently as of (7-27-2012) no replacement engines or engine parts for the 825i they are looking at the end of August before engine parts become available. The dealer is replacing the gator with the bent crank shaft with a brand new 825i because of the parts shortage and long lead time on new engines. The dealer is definitely standing behind there product, now it's time for Deere to up it's Gator R&D Budget.
Wow...I really hate to hear of all those problems with your Gator...there's been so much "good" stated over the past year, that it's hard to hear of this extreme of "bad"...I hope your Dealership and John Deere proper do the right thing by you...you simply have a lemon and they need to take it back, give you a new machine, and they need to tear your old one apart to see what, why, and how it ended up being THAT screwed up from the Factory...
Good luck with it...
Larry in MD
Good luck with it...
Larry in MD
X2 on thatWow...I really hate to hear of all those problems with your Gator...there's been so much "good" stated over the past year, that it's hard to hear of this extreme of "bad"...I hope your Dealership and John Deere proper do the right thing by you...you simply have a lemon and they need to take it back, give you a new machine, and they need to tear your old one apart to see what, why, and how it ended up being THAT screwed up from the Factory...
Good luck with it...
Larry in MD
I have to say that your experience is far different from mine. Very surprised that a snapped belt will give you a bent crankshaft. I will say that from what I've heard about the Polaris Rangers, I am happy I have the Gator.
Best of luck in getting things fixed! It does sound like you have a rare lemon. I'm surprised that you have so many issues in your area (5 in the shop) as my dealer has seldom had more than one at a time, and they do sell quite few of them.
- Steve in CO
Best of luck in getting things fixed! It does sound like you have a rare lemon. I'm surprised that you have so many issues in your area (5 in the shop) as my dealer has seldom had more than one at a time, and they do sell quite few of them.
- Steve in CO
Problems
I haven't experienced any of the problems JGatlin is having except the belt squealing when you decelerate.
However, I do have a problem with my front right fender. I was in some woods and my ops rubbed up against a tree up near the top of the ops and subsequently my fender cracked where the ops fastens into the fender. I am waiting on a reply from JD as to whether they are going to treat that as a defect. I don't believe it should crack like that with a little bit of pressure from a tree.
I was wondering if anyone has had any problems like this..
Thanks,
GlennBob
I haven't experienced any of the problems JGatlin is having except the belt squealing when you decelerate.
However, I do have a problem with my front right fender. I was in some woods and my ops rubbed up against a tree up near the top of the ops and subsequently my fender cracked where the ops fastens into the fender. I am waiting on a reply from JD as to whether they are going to treat that as a defect. I don't believe it should crack like that with a little bit of pressure from a tree.
I was wondering if anyone has had any problems like this..
Thanks,
GlennBob
Finally Giving Up!
I have unfortunately given up on John Deere's ability to remedy the problem with my 825i. The last straw was when I noticed the front drivers side tire was rubbing on the plastic inside the wheel well and hitting the nut on the front bumper whenever I hit any bumps (the bumps were not even very large). The tire also caught the wire harness for the drivers side headlight and tore it out of it's socket. Looks like the shock is not holding up properly which is unfortunate since I have not been hard it at all. It's been in the shop more than I have had it. I have asked my dealership to talk to John Deere about taking it back and giving me a refund.
I have unfortunately given up on John Deere's ability to remedy the problem with my 825i. The last straw was when I noticed the front drivers side tire was rubbing on the plastic inside the wheel well and hitting the nut on the front bumper whenever I hit any bumps (the bumps were not even very large). The tire also caught the wire harness for the drivers side headlight and tore it out of it's socket. Looks like the shock is not holding up properly which is unfortunate since I have not been hard it at all. It's been in the shop more than I have had it. I have asked my dealership to talk to John Deere about taking it back and giving me a refund.
Wow - you must have got a bad one -I'm all over the Internet and everyone is happy with their Gator - I've had mine only for a few weeks and other than a squealing belt at start up its been fine.
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I've had several issues with my 2012 Gator right from the start too .. maybe not as extreme but seems like there is always something going on with it . In the first month ..a bad brake caliper grinding on the rotor .. replaced then in a year another one found its way into the rotor ..has always had some sort of brake squeaking .. right front tire is wearing badly ..takes a long time for the starter to get the motor going , bangs out of gear on even ground , emergency brake only works if pulled up all the way to the last notch , have the deluxe cab with front and rear glass window which creates a dust storm in the cab with or without the windows cracked open,hazard lights went out twice the dealer replaced the flasher with a huge square one out of a large tractor ... With that being said ..I like my gator its a real tool around my farm . I just wish r&d had worked out these bugs ..some of which are all to common .
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709 Posts
As for the people with vibration, what kind of tires are you running?
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483 Posts
My 825i is as over a year old.
I have had it where it did not want to shift into gear (rpm has to below 1050) and popped out once, the parking brake does have to be at the top position before it really engages yet the light does not go off until the break is all the way down, and suspension squeaks when moving.
I have had it where it did not want to shift into gear (rpm has to below 1050) and popped out once, the parking brake does have to be at the top position before it really engages yet the light does not go off until the break is all the way down, and suspension squeaks when moving.
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Real-World vs Popularity
Deere needs to update/upgrade that transmission, to be sure of it. At no point should there be so much baulk at putting anything into, as well as staying in gear. Aside from that though, I just can't digest a "Snapped Belt" (which is the next issue I have with the alleged story here...belts get smoked and unravel to the point of being trashed, to be sure of it, but in all my years of CVT use, I have NEVER seen a drive-belt, "Snap") Nor is it likely a belt letting lose would or even COULD, bend a crank. I have had several 100 HP+ two-stroke triple sleds running CVT setups, and not even with THAT vicious daily abuse and tax on a drive-belt, have I witnessed a scenario where a belt snapped. They will turn into a bird's nest and get all caught-up in the clutches and start spitting chunks out the housing and quickly leave the unit immobile, but snap? Something else had to be at play here. This sounds more like seeded doubt. I've been a Polaris fan for a whole bunch of years, and have had the entire Polaris offering from the old 400L ski (jet ski) to as recent as the 900XP RZR, and most things between, down to their last nut and bolt, and I have to say, not even the Subaru/Fuji motors that were once used in Polaris motorsports, are really any better than the Chery engine/TorqueTuff trans setup in a Gator. (Now polaris mostly uses a in-house engine line [really a farce...the degree of "design cues" they take from outside sources hardly finds Polaris the creator of their current mills] which I completely find inferior to the genetics of the Subaru power-plants of Polaris past.) I would get into my engineering degrees to better substantiate my opinion here, but I will refrain, as simple trial and error/experience and being fortunate enough over the past 30 years of at some point owning most of the popular brands and models, be what guides my opinion, knowledge and wisdom. Most brands birthing a new product line will suffer development characteristics of any particular model...just the way it is. This brand vs that brand is nearly ridiculous an argument to make. Not easy to rationalize that way when YOU are the person with 13 grand invested in a new unit fraught with issues, which I'm open to believing...had a few all my own. But this story has something more underlying in it, for so many units repeating an issue I've yet to see. Not calling-out the author, but I have to believe that if this all in fact transpired, there is almost certainly something outside of the norm these machines are being subjected to that would most likely have similar effects on comparable machines of ANY brand. Nut for nut, this current Gator line is at least on par with anything else out there, and in many ways, far superior. Only Kubota offers a chassis so robust and well designed as the newer gators. I won't beat-up on any one brand but, there is a reason I use Kubota and Deere chassis exclusively in my custom builds, and chassis alone is enough reason for me to adopt Deere in my future projects. Polaris (of which I've had a fond history with) vs Deere?...you DEFINITELY are not doing yourself any favors by dropping a Gator for a Ranger. Not wanting to hijack the author's post here with, "This vs That", but if these forums are primarily supposed to be useful avenues for accurate information, then I'd like to at least contribute truth and accurate information; although not entirely the basis for what solidifies and argument, but there is an almost commonsense logic behind the fact that a very large and old implement/machinery company has better resources for design and development of a machine designed to be abused, than say a motorsports entity, who solely exists on their motorsports. Some would argue this makes them specialists, and to a degree that is partially true, but not entirely, and certainly not to a degree to trump the tools and experience Deere has when designing off-road equipment. I offer to the author of this post, that. No big coincidence that the current two manufacturers I dump thousands of dollars into exclusive use of their products for off-road customs, BOTH happen to be tractor building entities. Truth and logic. Buy what makes you feel best when you head for bed at night, but be informed enough that you have made a sound choice based on fact, and not popularity. Finally, lay a Gator fame on the ground next to a Ranger, Rhino, or Kaw frame. If you know what you are truly looking at, I wouldn't need to say another word. Sorry for the rant. I just - I eat/sleep/ breathe abusing these things. I don't buy a brand...I buy a better product. ALL have areas that need improvement, and some of the neglected areas I find perplexing but, which neglected product has the most overall to offer...lesser of evils we buy. Pound for pound, the Gator is the better product. Amen. Sorry for any typos...in a hurry, as I have things to go destroy.
Deere needs to update/upgrade that transmission, to be sure of it. At no point should there be so much baulk at putting anything into, as well as staying in gear. Aside from that though, I just can't digest a "Snapped Belt" (which is the next issue I have with the alleged story here...belts get smoked and unravel to the point of being trashed, to be sure of it, but in all my years of CVT use, I have NEVER seen a drive-belt, "Snap") Nor is it likely a belt letting lose would or even COULD, bend a crank. I have had several 100 HP+ two-stroke triple sleds running CVT setups, and not even with THAT vicious daily abuse and tax on a drive-belt, have I witnessed a scenario where a belt snapped. They will turn into a bird's nest and get all caught-up in the clutches and start spitting chunks out the housing and quickly leave the unit immobile, but snap? Something else had to be at play here. This sounds more like seeded doubt. I've been a Polaris fan for a whole bunch of years, and have had the entire Polaris offering from the old 400L ski (jet ski) to as recent as the 900XP RZR, and most things between, down to their last nut and bolt, and I have to say, not even the Subaru/Fuji motors that were once used in Polaris motorsports, are really any better than the Chery engine/TorqueTuff trans setup in a Gator. (Now polaris mostly uses a in-house engine line [really a farce...the degree of "design cues" they take from outside sources hardly finds Polaris the creator of their current mills] which I completely find inferior to the genetics of the Subaru power-plants of Polaris past.) I would get into my engineering degrees to better substantiate my opinion here, but I will refrain, as simple trial and error/experience and being fortunate enough over the past 30 years of at some point owning most of the popular brands and models, be what guides my opinion, knowledge and wisdom. Most brands birthing a new product line will suffer development characteristics of any particular model...just the way it is. This brand vs that brand is nearly ridiculous an argument to make. Not easy to rationalize that way when YOU are the person with 13 grand invested in a new unit fraught with issues, which I'm open to believing...had a few all my own. But this story has something more underlying in it, for so many units repeating an issue I've yet to see. Not calling-out the author, but I have to believe that if this all in fact transpired, there is almost certainly something outside of the norm these machines are being subjected to that would most likely have similar effects on comparable machines of ANY brand. Nut for nut, this current Gator line is at least on par with anything else out there, and in many ways, far superior. Only Kubota offers a chassis so robust and well designed as the newer gators. I won't beat-up on any one brand but, there is a reason I use Kubota and Deere chassis exclusively in my custom builds, and chassis alone is enough reason for me to adopt Deere in my future projects. Polaris (of which I've had a fond history with) vs Deere?...you DEFINITELY are not doing yourself any favors by dropping a Gator for a Ranger. Not wanting to hijack the author's post here with, "This vs That", but if these forums are primarily supposed to be useful avenues for accurate information, then I'd like to at least contribute truth and accurate information; although not entirely the basis for what solidifies and argument, but there is an almost commonsense logic behind the fact that a very large and old implement/machinery company has better resources for design and development of a machine designed to be abused, than say a motorsports entity, who solely exists on their motorsports. Some would argue this makes them specialists, and to a degree that is partially true, but not entirely, and certainly not to a degree to trump the tools and experience Deere has when designing off-road equipment. I offer to the author of this post, that. No big coincidence that the current two manufacturers I dump thousands of dollars into exclusive use of their products for off-road customs, BOTH happen to be tractor building entities. Truth and logic. Buy what makes you feel best when you head for bed at night, but be informed enough that you have made a sound choice based on fact, and not popularity. Finally, lay a Gator fame on the ground next to a Ranger, Rhino, or Kaw frame. If you know what you are truly looking at, I wouldn't need to say another word. Sorry for the rant. I just - I eat/sleep/ breathe abusing these things. I don't buy a brand...I buy a better product. ALL have areas that need improvement, and some of the neglected areas I find perplexing but, which neglected product has the most overall to offer...lesser of evils we buy. Pound for pound, the Gator is the better product. Amen. Sorry for any typos...in a hurry, as I have things to go destroy.
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