Arnett Tractor Rosemark, TN Post N Ford Tractor rebuild problems

Shelby County General Sessions Court Dockett #s on Arnett Tractor

Tony Mac Crutchfield 1376631

D. Ortiz 1384831

Daniel Chang 1375962

Page written by:
Tony Mac Crutchfield
729 Hwy South
Alamo, Tennessee 38001
731-696-4163 After 2PM Central

EMAIL: Mac @ WonderBarMan.com Please put your last name first in subject line of all email or it might be deleted unopened with all the spam i get!




Problems with my 1942 2N Ford Tractor after rebuild by:

Arnett Tractor and Equipment Inc.
8366 Donnell Rd
Rosemark TN 38053
Phone:901-829-6320
1-800-474-3212
Fax: (901) 829-3583
http://www.arnetttractor.net




Being as IF I am not the #1 electronic service tech in the world today I will give any one who thinks they have right to that title a darn good scare. My thoughts of the first two photos are at best of gross incompetence, or criminal neglect, with the third pointing to the out right disregard for my property or life!

This is a Bobbized Death trap 1/4" from donating battery into exploding, spraying blinding acid and, molten metal every where, then erupting into a blazing fire fueled by 10 gallons of gas! Six inches away.

Battery with my top of the line hold down left off, so it could move around. Thin red insulator no match for sheet metal bent into place so as to cut it. And cause a direct short.

Now we add the cover doors latch witch passes over the posivite post and is held in place by sheet metal just above, into the mix.

Just over the battery, the two bottom bolt holes from rear hood support were cut out. And the two remaing bolts snug but loose. Just to make sure hood drops down onto the battery's postive terminal? I have had the hood off three times my self. And know rear hood support was soild with no reason to remove the two support holes.

Not to mention that in the work order i requested battery be moved from this location down to where the 8N tractors have them.




Above starter was on my tractor when i bought it 2/ /2003 Never gave any problems.

Below is the ''JUNK''starter Mr. Arnett put on my tractor. Bendex is bad it kicked off gear ever time i tryed to start it. After about four hours total of runing Tractor bendex hung up staying on flywheel gears as motor is running, causing the stater to turn all the time. Mr. Arnett advised to start as little as possible. He would be up as soon as possible to pick up Tractor.
Upon my first check of Tractor with Mr. Arnett in my yard I had to ask three times why? Starter kicked off and whined every time when trying to start tractor? It never did that before! On third atempt Mr. Arnett stated that he would ''take care of it''.
Early Febuary 2009 i ask Mr. Arnett to please UPS me a new starter so i could at least run Tractor. I thought he was going to cry about thinking of having to spend $15.00 for shipping. When as he put it "was going to have to come get Tractor any way and could use that money for gas!" Mr. Arnett never shipped starter or came to pick up and, make call back repairs on Tractors. Why did Mr. Arnett not just put a new starter on and charger me for it in the first place?

Terminal stud has treads stiped out, Mr. Arnett stated he put this starter on becaues my stater would not go on tractor with the battery terminal to the top as it came from the factory and He liked to keep them orginal. he also put Duck tape under brush band to keep water out {it did not for even 3 days}, AND what would have happened if left on till spring is that tape would dry up and crumbl into little peices then fall into burshes. {Just somethig to cause trouble down the road?}

Note: Missing oil dip stick holder to keep rain out of crank case. Witch two days after Mr. Arnett returned tractor i received 4" of rain at my house and had more water in the crank case than oil. I called and told Mr. Arnett i had water in my oil and he stated the problem was from the broken oil dip stick holder tube. The block i sent to be used had a prefect tube. I asked Mr. Arnett Why? he would not replace a $2.00 dip stick holder tube when doing a $1500.00 rebuild on an engine? His reply was "Well we can't worry about that now. What You need to do for me, is drain the water and oil from crank case and let it dry out for two or three days, replace filter and refill with oil, then keep tractor covered with tarp to keep any more water from getting into oil".

He also stated they had to drill out three of the head bolts broken off! I sprayed block i sent three time with high pressure water and Dawn detergent, ran a bolt in every hole in the block and sprayed with motor cycle chain lub. There were no broken bolts or bad threads! Two exhaust studs were missing witch i purcheced and had in parts pail i gave Mr. Arnett. along with four new brass nuts and lock washers for the exhaust studs.
Block was checked, magna fluxed and, given a clean bill of health by a machine shop.

Found that Mr.Arnett had exchanged a ''JUNK'' oil pan drain plug with no filter screen for the one i put on new in 2003.

Found an inch of slime in oil filter housing. Something NO COMPENTENT engine rebuilder would stand for!

After about three hours engine started spraying steam out exhaust with strong smell of Prestone. A bottle of Barr's stop leak took care of the problem. But a patch over that would not have happened if Mr. Arnett had used the block i sent as we discused over the phone and in my yard was to be used.




Mr. Arnett told me he did the breaks with new bearings and seals. No felt seal on break backing plate on left side.
Axle leaks hrdaulic transsmission fluid Tractor never did this in all the time i have used him. Oil coating hub and shoe, so left side break has no stopping abality at all.

No felt seal on right side plate and, now plate has section missing that i never spotted? untill return from Arnett's Tractor.
With section missing even a seal would not keep dirt and, debris, from coating break shoe and hub rendering right side brake of little to no vlaue. Witch i can tell no difference in breaking abailty of the right side that i use than before Aarnett's Tractor worked on them, NONE! or at best no more than the Flintstone Mobile had.




Fan new spring 2007 had no visible problems when Mr. Arnett loaded it onto his trailer in my yard. Upon return it was lookes to have been beaten with a hammer, with dents and powder coating missing.


Replacement top lift arms installed BUT Note the right side facing front of tractor is 5/16" from being fully seated on rockshaft. Also note the none factory pin in left side lift arm that had to be used on old arm was broken and badly welded. Note: I sent six factory pins in broken upright arms with Mr. Arnett.


Grill to protect new 2007 radiator not on tractor when presented to me in my yard as done. When i went to Mr. Arnett's shop and got grill he could not find my stainless steal mounting bolts.


Mr. Arnett why did You put good gears in the transmission case that was on Tractor with the two bottom mounting holes broken out and not use the good replacment transmission case i sent?


Mr. Arnett Why? did You rebuild the steering spendle housings that were on the tractor with the beat up stops and not the near prefect replacments i sent to be used?

When Mr. Arnett returned tractor he stated he had alligned my sterring for me. It was all ready in allignment and i pointed out that his job was N~Correct as the sterring arms below the sterring whell where both to be centered over the foot pegs, when front tires were straight ahead. Because he has sterring box out of time his are about 2.5" ahead of them. With does not allow for full turn radious and does not allow the front sterring arms to hit the stops and breaks the sterring box gears {$650.00}

After about an hour of riding Tractor i noticed the right side tire was no longer pointed straight with the left. Upon inspection i found both left side tire rod calmps were loose letting tie rods move in and out of the adzusting rod. Front tie rod had no more that three thread holding. Could have came loose and left one with little or no sterring at a very bad time.

After properly alling the sterring. I find that the spendle arms will not hit the stops on housing because they are so beat up. The old arms were welded on so they would hit the stops. Mr. Arnett up return of tractor stated he replced the axles because the arms were weled on. But during our talke before he left with tractor we talked about this and he said he would grind off the welds and reweld the arms back on? The new axles are fine with me IF the replacment housing i sent had been used.

Mr. Arnett all so charged me for new spendel bushing, bearings and, seal witch i sent. And no new seal were installed.




Clutch rod adjusting clevis now bent. Bolt only in one side, on it's way to falling out. When I first started working on Tractor I was on the way to mail box and stoped to look at him,the Bolt holding clevis on looked just like this. I tried to remove it by hand but had no luck ment to get some tools and replace the bolt but ended up forgetting about it. A few day later i was BushHoging on the back side of my yard and saw my UPS man pull in, came around corner going to pull up to his truck and hop off Tractor. But when i clutched him he slowed then took off just as i was standing up. It was all i could do to keep him from going straight into the door where Tim was standing on the bottom step. I did manage to turn Tractor catching the bumper, leaving only a small scratch but the whole truck moved back a foot.


This is the head that was on my Tractor when it left with Mr. Arnett. With broken oil filter bolt and crack in right rear.
The serial number on the replacment block i sent to be rebuilt was 1139. The serial number of the block now on my Tractor is 8N 209618. I was not told that a different block was used.

Note under extra thick paint over my J&B weld patch up of the crack in head. I need the replacement head i sent to be installed back. The one You say is bad but can remember what?That You can not find? So i can get my money back for the man i bought it from as good and the machine shop that checked it and said it was good.


Note tear in of seat. I just put seat on a week before Mr. Arnett picked up tractor. It did have the cut in side that is why i got it for $15.99 + shipping.


New not so right rotor installed incroectly by Mr. Arnett. With about one hour of use on my part.
I have went through about 20 of these & NAPA rotors in the last 4 years with them breaking off and, the 40K Volt Flamethower coil vaporizing center contacter.
Found a much better rotor at Dennis Carptners that has a much heavier contact to center of cap and is 3mm shorter. DC rotor had been on tractor for 20+ hours. Just 3 days before Tractor left for overhaul at Mr. Arnetts. i checked DC rotor on my electronic service bench under great light and heavy magnafication only blemish on the DC rotor was a tiny spot under center of cap, that wiped off.
At first one must say Mr. Arnett was trying to do his best and install new parts. BUT i told & showed him the different rotors and he stated the not so right kind made the caps hard to get back on distributor. IF they were not made to fit.


Items sent i wish returned:

Last of April I tried to set a pick up of these items a couple of days in advace of me coming so Mr. Arnett would have them all together for me. And was told to call the day i was coming. Then the day i called Mr. Arnett stated he need a couple days advance notice to have my parts together. This was a Tuesday he stated he would be out of shop rest of week but would bring me the items Sunday. He did not.

Hydraulic hose line T.

Head i sent to be used that in my yard Mr. Arnett stated was fine. I had checked the head, another shop checked head and even sent it to machine shop and they said no problems.
Now when it gets to Mr. Arnett's shop it not usabel and when i told him one day after the return of my tractor i wanted it back so i could get my money back from the man i bought it from and money back from the machine shop that inspected the head. Mr. Aarnett stated "We can not find that head now and do not know where it is"

Loader and 4 hydraulic cylinders. When Mr. Arnett returned tractor I sent a Dearborn model 1922 front end loader back to have Mr. Aarnett do some welding on. Witch it turned form a simple welding job in my yard to a major ordeal in his shop. So after now realizing Mr. Arnett's game i told him to do nothing and return it when he came back for tractor.

Any NEW items in 5G buckett not used on my Tractor.

Black folder with Summit Racing Logo on it that has the first work order i sent in with tractor.

Value adjusting tools in value train box.

IGNITION ROTOR that was on tractor it was a new D.C. ignition rotor $8.00 with 12+ hours

Old spark plugs

Unused oil pan. I sent a late model oil pan that is built stronger for the front end loader. It was not used on my tractor as it had been sand blasted and painted Ford blue the one on tractor now has red paint under the gray Mr. Aarnett sprayed on it. It is not the oil pan that was on Tractor when he was sent to Mr. Arnett's as it has very poor casting marks. Mr. Arnett also stated that the original oil pan was in very bad shape. I never saw any problms with it only wanted the heavy duty loader pan since i plan on installing the Dearborn loader Mr. Arnett stated it just need a lot of simple welding in my yard, But next day was a major ordeal way out of the normal for him once it got to his shop.

Buckets 2 X 5 gallon that parts i gave Mr. Arnett were in.

Gas Can. I sent a 2.5 gallon can full of new B.P. Gold for Mr. Arnett to put in new gas tank that he was supposed to put on Tractor as old one was rusted inside and i did not want bad gas in new tank witch he did not install.
Judging from extra gas in old tank to what was in tank when Tractor left my yard. I think they just dumped the gas in old tank.

Was new fly wheel ring gear installed? From what i could see when installing new starter i would say no? IF not i want the one i sent back.

Steering spindles & arms replaced and second prestine replacment set of housings not used. Since i was charged for them i want the new bearings, bushings, seals i sent returned.

Upper lift arm pin X 3 of the 6 form the broken up uprights i sent down.

Two NAPA engine front oil seals to replace rope type. Only one should have been used IF not i want both back. Or one not used.

N engine rebuild video/tape.

Front axle center bushing.

Old Carb. Not one word in work order about needing carb work! Mr. Arnett stated when he returned Tractor that my carb had to be replaced because he could not stop it from running gas out on the floor. This was a real shock since not once in BushHogN for three hours or more every Friday need, since i installed the carb new in 2003 had it given on bit of trouble! The only thing odd was that Tractor ran best with a slight amount of choke, i assumed this was because the rings were so worn out. So i threaded rod and put a nut on it so i could adjusted to hold choke closed just a bit and never touched adjustment again in using Tractor till about five weeks before Mr. Arnett picked him up late August of 2008, when cutter was moved to new 1951 8N i purchased and, started to BushHog with that tractor so i could have the 1942 2N rebuilt. To use on building projects. I did tell Mr. Arnett that the new carb was OK as long as i got the one Tractor left with back!

When returned Tractor had to have 2/3 throttle to idle. I as able to adjuzt the throttle setting on carb so when leaver was all the way up tractor did idle some what. But I never could get Mr. Arnett new crab to adjust to a smooth slow run as adjustment had no effect. or a smooth fast run. Finally after about 5 hours of run time Mr. Arnett's new carb started flooding out spark plugs when trying to start engine. It would hit for a second or two as if going to start then stop and never hit again until the next day. I knew from past experience carb was stopped up.

Mr. Arnett's new looking carburetor turned out to be a ''TROJAN HORSE'' bight and shiny on the outside full of trash inside!

Not trash that could come through the three gas line screens on the N tractors but big chunks some 3/16". Only place they could come from was the air intake?. I checked air cleaner to carb pipe and saw nothing. Placed pipe over a 5 gallon pail and ran 90 P.S.I. water from hose through tube and caught run off in pail and not one sign of any trash!

Pulled Mr. Arnett's new carburetor apart on my work bench. Found the low speed ports so stopped up cleaner from spray can would not even go through. Took outside and sprayed with water hose and they were still stopped up. Took a small diameter guitar string and had to use a lot of force to open up ports but did so. Main jet was stopped up with a gummy brown sludge and, black crusty crud.

After cleaning reinstalled crab on Tractor and he started right up with a slight amount of coke at low mid throttle. Now putters at 400 R.P.M. like a kitten about to go to sleep. Now pulls a 16" braking plow full depth at 1500 R.P.M.. Where the best Tractor could do with plow after returning from Mr. Aarnett's was about 1/3 depth at full power.




Mr. Arnett quoted me about $2000.00 over the phone to rebuild the engine and transsmission with the parts i had and he would supply the rest.

Adding the sterring spendles. Along with request for a new gas tank and,hydraulic work witch was not done, I told Mr. Arnett when i gave him a $700.00 deposit to start work. That IF work on work order was done for under $3000.00 I would not say one word! If he ran into problems let me know. His total was $2634.95 with Mr. Arnett stating he had done ever thing on work order.

Tractor was returned Tractor 9/20/2008 about 5:00 P.M. Sunday When Mr. Arnett called he stated that he would be there about 1 P.M. I told him i was up about 5 A.M. and by 1 P.M. I would be of very little use in helping with loading of concrete pump and loader he was to carry back with him to do welding work by the time he did arrive i had started with my after noon nap and was brain dead. I did drive the tractor and it started and sounded good I told him it would be tomorrow before i could do a good inspection and he said "Just make me a list of any problem and i will take care of them" I did note the starter three times the first tow with no reply! On third repeate atempt Mr. Arnett said he would take care of starter. And that he would be back in two weeks with concrette pump and take tractor back to his shop to take care of any problems i found and, install loader.

Monday morning before starting Tractor i noted no air in right front tire, checked oil, coolant found pure water. I called Mr. Arnett and asked why he did not at least put the Prestone that was in Tractor back in radiator? As i stated in work order it was new spring 2007 with 3 years MSLS still left in it, along with a bottle of Barr's stop leak. I asked Mr. Arnett if he knew that pure watter is very bad in a colling system? As it will cut the seal in water pump holding water but will leak when Prestone is installed. Mr. Arnett replied "Yes! Yes! it would!". Tractor ran for four hours before i spoted Prestone coming form seal on water pump that had not leaked one drop in the time i owned tracor, BushHogN for 3 hour every Friday possibel since 2003. I would say that water pump came on tractor when new. I expect a compantant engine rebuilder to replace the water pump when overhauling a 60 year old engine. And charger me for it.

Tuesday I went to Wal~Mart 20 miles away for supplies, left before day break by the time sunries came it was a major storm hitting my area. No outside work that day.

Wendesday: I drained radiator and refilled with a 50/50 mix of Prestone and water. Before starting Tractor i checked oil it was over full, ran Tractor less than two minutes. Went back and checked crankcase oil again it was milkey from water.

After installing new starter i found that after battery was connected for 15 minutes that new spring 2007 top of the line NAPA solenoid was shorting to triger causing starter to spin. Noted new burn marks on negative post of battery. Again workd fine until it came back from Arnnett's Tractor.

Since Mr. Arnett had rewired ingition switch and had Volt metter wired as Amp i checked the new 2007 switch and found it had been broken form over tighting nuts on studs.

Mr. Arnett replaced the brass nuts used on exhaust system with steal ones, put a bolt in on hole. I sent a full set of four new one and a replacment two replacement studs. What this does is with time the heat of the exahust welds the nuts to the studs and the block is often ruined when the stud in the block breaks the treads in the block out when the nuts are removed. Softer brass nuts strip out leaving the stud so all that has to be done is the threads cleaned and new nuts installed. More down the road pre planed trouble by Mr. Arnett.

Mr. Arnett replaced my broken but water tight hydraulic dip stick with one that has a handle but was patched over with J&B Weld. Because the stick was not cleaned when the glue was put on, after sitting over winter the weld broke loose and let water into fluid. {$65.00 for 5 gallon pail}

I sent a top of the line life time warranty Alto Clutch assembly with Mr. Arnett to use on my tractor. When i went his shop to pick up my concrete pump after returning to his sales counter from my truck he was gone but the clutch i sent was now on one of the two stools for coustmers at his counter. I pointed out to Mr. Arnett that that was my clutch and he stated "Not to worry he put a new clutch in" I said OK as long as it has a lift time warranty and not one of those ''JUNK'' China ones like the rotor he installed on my tractor.

I sent a near prefect late production 1952 8NC block to be rebuilt and put on my tractor but a 1948 8ND block that has three bolt holes helicoiled and many pits on the head mating surface. A beat up patched over block is not what i agreed to have rebuilt. Not to mention the neglect of not replacing the dip stick tube so as to allow water into crank case.

N~competent, Unprofessional, Unethical, are the best grades i can give Arnett's Tractor with criminal neglect and, vandalism backed by out right larceny the real score!

I contacted Mr. Arnett the Tuesday before labor day 2008 about rebuilding my Tractor. Mr. Arnett asked on the first call when i need it finished and i said 5/2/2009 The next day i got back with Mr. Arnett and told him i would have Mr. Ronnie Clark of Bells Tire bring Tractor to him on a roolback the Tuesday after Labor Day 2008. Mr. Arnett asked if he could come that Sunday and pick up Tractor so he could get to work on him. Mr. Arnett came that Sunday and picked up Tractor to take to his shop to rebuild. Mr.Arnett returned Tractor three weeks later and since the week before Hallween has been promising to come pick up my Taractor and straighten out the mess he made of him, and return my loader and parts. Today is 8/2/2008 with Mr. Arnett never showing up.

In summary since every thing Mr. Arnett did has to be redone. I want the $2634.95 I paid Mr. Arnett to rebuild my Tractor back. Along with all parts i sent to be used that were not. All parts removed from my Tractor. Cost of all supplies wasted because of Mr. Arnetts incompetence. My front end loader returned. And $1000.00 for me having to change the oil in my Tractor for Mr. Arnett.

I sent all parts need to end up with a good solid rebuilt Tractor What i got back was a broken, beat up, patched over rebuilt Tractor with more problems than he left with. Good parts that were on my Tractor removed and ''JUNK'' put back in there place! Pristine replacement parts i sent lost not be found! With broken parts on Tractor used instead!

With a made to order self destruct mechiasm set into place ready to mangle or kill any one unlucky to be close to Tractor when it did so!
I was just lucky enough to spot Mr. Arnett's trigger and disarm it.