GT 500 Oberdorfer pump coupler

[IBFLYIN]

Does anyone know where I can get the coupling spring for my Oberdorfer presoak pump for my Mark VII Gt 500? Mark VII claims that the springs are not available and I have to buy the whole pump. The springs always fail and I am sick of paying my dist. $700+ for the pump when I should be able to buy a $25 spring. I did change 2 of the Gt's presoak over to Flowjets, but still want to keep the Oberdorfers as backup. Thanks-Scott

 

[mac]

Get rid of the stupid thing. This is another case of someone gouging you for a $20 coupler. You might try a local power transmission shop that would have something comparable. German engineering looks cool till you have to fix it. We have replaced a bunch of these with Flo Jets with very good results.

 

[Tom Frietsche]

IBFLYIN,
The coupler is part number 3950-2247 with a list price of $84.85.
Mac,
The GT-Series is of American design, prior to Mark VII becoming part of the worlds largest car wash manufacturer. The coupler costs us considerably more than $20. You may want to refrain from commenting upon Mark VII concerns as you may have a conflict of interests and your credibility is waning.
Thanks,
Tom Frietsche
Mark VII Equipment

 

[IBFLYIN]

IBFLYIN,
The coupler is part number 3950-2247 with a list price of $84.85.
Mac,
The GT-Series is of American design, prior to Mark VII becoming part of the worlds largest car wash manufacturer. The coupler costs us considerably more than $20. You may want to refrain from commenting upon Mark VII concerns as you may have a conflict of interests and your credibility is waning.
Thanks,
Tom Frietsche
Mark VII Equipment

Tom,

Thanks for the information. You may wish to let your distributors know about the availability of that part because I was told again this morning that you can't buy the coupler only. Thanks again.

Scott

 

[Tom Frietsche]

IB,
Please don't blame your Distributor. Our Engineering and Quality departments investigate returned parts and have found an instance of a coupler breaking that may have been due to Cfaceplate corrosion. Our immediate response was to make a coupler available while we investigate the issue in more depth. The inquiry should be done soon and results published.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[mac]

Hello Tom. First, thanks for your concern about my credibility. Lord knows it could use some shoring up. This issue however about the coupling is a very real matter. I have been servicing Mark VII machines for some time, maybe 16 years. I have tried to buy the coupling many times, the last about 12 months ago. Because the local distributor in south FL is sooo incompetent, and the fact that I keep several of your machines alive, I can buy parts direct from the factory. I was told on several occasions that I could not buy the coupling only. Had to buy the whole pump. This aparantly happened to IBFLYING, who started this post. Contrary to popular belief, some of us that post things here do not sit awake all night and make these things up to annoy people. These are the real world experiences that are reported. So it seems that some distributors and the factory are misinformed as how to sell the coupling. If you could inform parts sales, you will make life easier and cheaper for many operators. And if Oberdorfer is not a German manufacturer, as I mentioned, what are they? Yiddish? Spanish? Just sound German to me. Also the fact that you pay way more than 20 bucks for this is part of the problem of replacement parts cost. Go to any large power transmission shop in your area, and simply look at what is available for many applications similar to this. Look in the Grainger catalog. Twenty bucks is about right.

 

[mac]

Just a little follow up on my conversation with myself. You can get a Lovejoy coupling thru Grainger for under 20 bucks, with enough money left over for a nice lunch. I found this out this morning from another Mark 7 distributor, who also got tired of buying a 700 pump for a ten dollar part.