BUYER BEWARE: Generic Auction Brush Cutter Inspection & Repair (Brand new JCT)

Going over the JCT Bush Cutter before taking it to its first job. I found lots of things wrong with the unit!
Link to the first video of the cutter here: • BUYER BEWARE: Generic ...
Follow me on Instagram & Facebook @dieselcreek to see some of what I'm up to before it hits KZbin! #DieselCreek
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[@danbartolini27]

I would have painted the blades and bolts bright orange.... So they're easier to find next time

[@bigjim5723]

HA -good one!!

[@drunkdunc8738]

President Xi Jinping forbids this. The blades don't fall off, never have . Matt is a capitalist liar 😝

[@388gruardian]

Drunk Dunc lol 😂👍

[@jix177]

Agree. That was the first thing I thought too.

[@peterbills4129]

LOL!

[@godbluffvdgg]

My old pappy told me in the 60's.."Buy cheap; pay twice"...It's served me well every time I did it over the next half century remembering it too late..:)

[@BruceNitroxpro]

ROB-IN-PHILLY , Mine too, back a decade or more since I was born in 1941.

[@JCWren]

My favorite expression is "Buy once, cry once".

[@packofhounds]

One of the rare times somebody would ever say "I'm glad the blades flew off"

[@AlexanderJScheu]

Hi, rare time is * relative = if I repair the Equipment (w/my russian farm-hand) in 10-or-20-30-hours, I don' care = in progress = time for Hundreds hours (12-HA-wilderness-park) use better my money for 250-years old manor (family-own, bought back from Govmt; ex DDR -communists-time) -- aside from costs of service companies... thanks for Attention, Greetings from Germany,

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@AlexanderJScheu , I had to hold my gut as I laughed out loud!

[@timothybaker8234]

It’s the “Chicago Electric” of brush cutters.

[@apachepaul]

A couple washers would have put the cutter pin deeper into the castelation of the center nut.

[@chubbysumo2230]

@@apachepaul or a second nut to make a 2 nut friction lock.

[@BillyBob-fd5ht]

@@apachepaul or another nut on top of it, welding it jinx it. a lot of times just need to upgrade the weakness. grade 8 bolts make it into a 3 blade with quality blades from another brand

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@BillyBob-fd5ht , Unless making "something" out of a "NOTHING" doesn't haul the freight.

[@Hraethigaldur]

I think this was a shining example of how you can save money on buying cheaper machines and fix minor problems yourself. It also means that I get a great video to watch on Saturday night. :) Self-sufficient at its best.

[@raypinkerton7793]

This is why they auction them, no warranty, no responsibility, take the money and run. They are too low a quality to sell retail.

[@paulblaney5726]

I believe that is an accurate and true statement. you get a negative vibe off this stuff when seeing it in the auction yard.

[@peterbills4129]

This make me wonder what they pay. What's the markup?

[@chemech]

@@peterbills4129 check on ali baba...

[@peterbills4129]

@@chemech That's actually a really good idea. So after looking on Ali Baba, and from memory of previous google & duck searches for JCT Equipment, I didn't find anything relevant to, "brush cutter," but did find a bunch of listing for emulsifiers and vacuume mixers for the food industry which seems to be their key market. IDK, maybe a one off contract swap/buy because they knew the quality was schit? IDK.

[@alan6832]

The parts seem adequate, so it seems strange that they would go so cheap on assembly to not tighten nuts. Also, a good retailer could correct the problems as is being done here, except more efficiently through repetition.

[@rhiantaylor3446]

With that central nut, I would have added washer(s) behind it so the cotter pin went where it was supposed to, between the gaps in the castellations

[@oldtimeengineer26]

I would have added 1 or 2 more washers so when the key is put in it is in the slots of the nut problem solved

[@DieselCreek]

I highly doubt that the key would have stayed in there, most likely it would have loosened up again, this was simple and I know it’s not going anywhere

[@martinsnyder4947]

more washers and a roll pin

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

Was gonna say the same thing, those tacs are going to be subjected to a lot of impact & vibrations plus if you need to get the disk off & back on, on a job site & the welds that you have done have held you need a disk cutter & a welder to do that. I think the loctite some washers & the split pin would have been enough.

[@shaneo7016]

put a nyloc on top

[@jdub229r]

I’d just flux mig the bolts & nuts. Grind them off later.

[@ForeverwildMS]

Thanks for posting this video. I purchased one just like this, and thanks to you i inspected it before using, found it to have the exact problems as you did! You saved me a ton of down time!

[@scottdorau4969]

Wish I would have seen this before operating my machine, same one. Obviously why I am watching it now!

[@stevenlea4500]

Matt, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS......PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION on any machine or equipment new or used. I can't stress to you or anyone else how important that step in ownership is. Even borrowing or hiring anything that you don't know the history of. Best regards from Sydney Australia.

[@tedefinley4780]

Yes sir. Proud of you showing professional attitude and getting on top of it all. Just beef up everything now, I know you will after your first job with it.

[@f1s2hg3]

I enjoy watching you do what I did 40 years in a row

[@northgeorgiaclearing6982]

Thank you for showing how to make what could be a throwaway piece of equipment into something that you can use. I would love to see a comparison of this cutter versus a higher quality one. You have earned a thumbs up and a new subscriber. I look forward to seeing more content like this.

[@JCWren]

I'm a little late to the game here, but my experience says attachments are always shipped dry. Partly because it adds to the shipping weight, but it's also a shipping hazard. If you buy your equipment from a dealer, the pre-delivery process includes adding any necessary lubricants.

[@TopTopTopD]

SO you are saying they make a good quality product if greasesd?

[@MikeGonzalez84]

You take a practical approach to everything. Really enjoy your videos!

[@zweg1321]

Can’t wait to see how well this works for you over time

[@hossrod]

I've got a couple chinese ATVs and the first thing you do when you get them new is to go through every nut and bolt and tighten them. At least 20% of them are loose. For some critical bolts, I replace them with 8.8 bolts as the ones they come with are almost pot metal lol.

[@FishFind3000]

Lol I had a chinese atv, you ride it around the yard are few times and all the bolts that hold the axle on are backing out and losing nuts. It was a death trap.

[@chriss2500]

Also remember to replace or at least check ALL of the fluids. You never know what kind of garbage oil they used in the crankcase, transmission, etc.

[@jesperdahl1486]

Hoss Man The bolts are made from "Chinesium" the only metal known to man, that is both soft AND brittle.

[@anonkiba]

Same, i bought a 1200 scooter off amazon. Even after tightening everything down everything still rattles lol

[@funone8716]

@@jesperdahl1486 2 funny

[@NicoSuaveee]

It’s not cheap equipment, it’s just a DIY kit with half the work done 😂

[@tekvax01]

caveat emptor

[@davidmount7560]

You’re a waaaaaaay more patient man than I. I can appreciate not spending a boatload on the cutter but after watching this I do believe I’ll spend a bit more for better quality. Awesome videos, very informative 👍

[@mdouglaswray]

Hey, I love that you SHOW US even the bad calls. Very instructive akshually! :-) Love your vids Matt, best viewing going.

[@arni780pl]

when you buy any machine like this you should disassembly it totaly first and mount it properly. It's only DIY parts set. Some modification needed.

[@lisaarns6501]

Haha "Blades fly off" That's great!

[@unogazzy84]

I really like these type of videos. You get new a tool and then you improve it.

[@inigomontoya971]

Really good video. Like the righteous indignation!! Fortunate no one was hurt with the blades coming off unexpectedly.

[@stanleyjohnston5876]

Whenever you buy equipment you should check bolt & nut tightness. Check fluid levels that's a given. LOVE Your Videos

[@dniebel739]

Suggestion, I believe you can get a friction clutch type coupler to replace the spider coupler at tractor supply. That would be a lot more durable drive with some give when hitting tough items.

[@ProjectTimeGarage]

Heck yeah, that's a quality piece of "equipment" right there. Love the video, keep up the good work man!

[@petermcdevitt8232]

That's crazy!! It apparently was not dealer prepped. Good to know. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

[@mattywho8485]

Quick "shade tree mechanic" fix for stripped threads (if you don't have a die for it) buy an extra sacrificial nut, cut three cuts inside the nut, across the threads with a metal cutting jigsaw and run it over the stripped threads of the bolt, (the three cuts give a place for the filings to go) it will clean it up enough to help get the permanent nut on.

[@gubr]

When you buy a bicycle in the super market, you have to check all nuts and bolts, since they just pre-assemble it, but not really complete it. Guess same for this brush cutter. They pre-assembled it for you but just so everything is at the right place. You needed to fill in fluids and tighten up the nuts.

[@young11984]

The bicycle thing is because they have these kids now days assembling stuff and most cant even change a tire, so you give them a box with 100+ parts and expect them to be able assemble it when they cant comprehend directions in an owners manual as how to use a jack and lug wrench lol

[@philipunderwood477]

Only the best chinesium - thanks for all the warnings and good advice I'm looking at an auction mower in the next week or 2. I'll be sure to go through all the nuts, bolts, connections, gear box before starting. Good video & good luck!

[@donaldstevenson2475]

I especially like the sound quality that Matt puts into each and all of his videos, he must use quality sound and great auditing .

[@easternlandclearing10]

Ole gear oil bottle sounds like someone in the restroom after Taco Bell

[@mikesdungeon8398]

Damn it ...nobody was supposed to hear that... They told me the stalls were soundproof 🤬

[@oldschool6345]

There's a reason they're cheaper. I used a "name brand" for exceptionally rough duty for years. While I had failures- I can honestly say they weren't the cutter's fault. Your cutter will be a constant problem. The differences I see are huge. I guess run it till you're tired of it at this point idk.... Thanks for sharing

[@coolstreetman]

From one Matt to another. I love your videos bro!

[@brentking-gmailking2570]

Looking forward to more brush cutter videos. Have a great day.

[@steveharry8762]

Between the brush cutter and the crane truck it's been a rough couple weeks!

[@MedusalObligation]

I still don't want to buy a crane truck!

[@ryanolander457]

Oh no I totally forgot about the crane truck lol it's going to be hell week

[@BeachBoyAAA]

That’s what you get when you buy junk.

[@thekodiak77]

Sooo let me get this straight, you mean to tell me, that you bought a new piece of equipment, and DIDNT CHECK THE FLUIDS!?

[@DieselCreek]

The Kodiak 77 that’s the only part that I can blame myself for but typically there is a tag or sticker or some sort of warning to let a person know it’s empty, there was NOTHING that’s what made me mad!

[@thekodiak77]

@@DieselCreek well, at least now you know when you buy ANYTHING from auction, When in doubt, check everything out.

[@arneanka4633]

But there was signs of oil on the cover. Someone put oil in or on the unit at some time.

[@davidsmith-ih2kk]

I have to say in Australia when you buy domestic 4 stroke anythings lawn mowers etc it's rare they import them with oil in them but your right over here they do put numerous warnings on the outside and sometimes rarely now they supply a small bottle of 4 stroke oil of course there is no problem with 2 stroke stuff but the machine looks good to me for the 1900 dollars paid

[@alan6832]

@@DieselCreek Wouldn't it be easier to just put a washer under that center nut so that it meshed properly with the cotter pin? Or a second nut it there is enough room, under the castle nut instead of a washer?

[@KYKAYAKER274ey1]

Thanks for the awesome video me and my 3 boys love watching your vids

[@waltermattson5566]

I’m glad you have it useable.

[@mead6754]

We have a saying here in Australia "Buy Cheap Buy Twice"

[@rakeyworth3]

@David Buy it Right, But it Once

[@patb4493]

poor man pays twice

[@120acrewood7]

I used to work for the company that built that. I was in the John Deere attachments. That symbol with the name JCT is the Paladin symbol. Paladin has a facility in Delhi Iowa.

[@Justin-pb3lt]

Cool,glad you got somewhat fixed,but you'll get it back in great working condition & I'd like to see more of the brush cutter in use

[@dakotaparsell9867]

Love the humor! Blades fly off!

[@artnickel1664]

Good point to perform a pre-use checklist on anything made in China.

[@ke6bnl]

should have been sold as a kit, partially put together may want to remove every bolt and lock tite each one engage. How about extra washers so the castle nut engages properly?

[@bobcat8439]

You are saving people a lot of headaches good job

[@2H80vids]

Nice that you gave a close-up of the manufacturer, along with a good, loud, clear shout-out to J.C.T. - obviously a maker of quality s̶h̶i̶t̶ machinery. Without trying to be over-dramatic, that's some life-threateningly dangerous sloppiness, maybe not so bad on a shopping trolley but on anything that spins quite fast, just not acceptable. It would maybe be unfair to blame the auction guys (they don't make them) but they should be aware of what they are selling. I'm never likely to buy one of these but, if I do ......etc etc.😁 Good Luck with the upcoming job; I think you'll need it. Cheers for now, Dougie.

[@erichouser6337]

I really like those tack jobs you did on those nuts really smart brother, i like the no quit attitude you have and the no swearing either takes a lot of self control buddy. And that is a big part why i like watching your channel besides how you explain how to fix problems too. Not to many people can get very mad and not cuss, you are a good role model sir. Your friend from Larned Ks Eric Houser. Besafe and take care.

[@frootloops1655]

Well said.

[@486kyle]

lovejoy couplers always do that when on hydraulic motors they're made for high speed very low torque stuff get you two sprockets and double roller chain

[@DieselCreek]

Yes I’ve seen that style before too. Might be the way I go I also thought of putting a slip clutch in there

[@harrypotter4309]

We used to run this type coupler a lot between electric motors and hydraulic pumps with no bother, but they were a lot better quality than the s##t from China looks to be. Overall from what I've seen of chinese "generic" stuff, (knock offs) it's nearly always rubbish. Remember what grandma used to say, "buy cheap, you buy dear", and you know what, she was right.

[@frankdeegan8974]

I do for sure know Massey Harris and Oliver farm tractors and probably other brands used the sprockets and double roller chain, a slip clutch might save some wear and tear on the gear box. I would hit the farm equipment junk yard and look for better built used motor and gear box with plate and blades for a total rebuild spare, when this one craps out swap out the cheap one and Let.s Roll.

[@notajp]

Genuine Lovejoy couplers are actually quite rugged. My Case garden tractor uses a Lovejoy coupler between the engine and the hydraulic pump, and tractor runs totally off the hydraulics, even the drive. My tractor has been running off the same spider for over 30 years...

[@JT-qf4it]

@@DieselCreek Or, use a U joint

[@jizzer6969]

It's good practice to check all this on every piece of new or used equipment regardless. I've bought brand new cars with an unbelievable amount of loose/misaligned/incorrect hardware or fluid levels. Also, a periodic check after several hours of operation is prudent.

[@jeffreylehn8803]

years ago my buddy made a brush hog and I couldn't figure out why , now I know why .Like your videos

[@cumulusvapes7]

8:53 Pretty much describes this thing!

[@snowmobile488]

I bought the same one from richie brothers. I only used it for 2 minutes, but now i have to plan on spending a few hours going through it.

[@Gageleavitt25]

We have the same 72 in mower and we made is to where we could fit standard blade and bolts because you can’t find those shitty ones that come with it online. We also had to modify the attachment plate because that wouldn’t fit on our bobcat t450. Finally we had to replace the love joy spider coupling. Would highly advise people to stay away from jct.

[@snowmobile488]

went through my cutter, had no oil in it. But mine had a chain instead of a love joy. All my bolts were tight though. Blades held up fine when I mowed down 2 acres of sage brush.

[@corydriver7634]

Famous last words man. Good Luck.

[@scottguy9438]

Hey Matt thanks for the great video I like the content that you put on at least you're honest about the quality of this machine thanks for the video can't wait to watch the next one and I am subscribed to your Channel have a great day

[@danevans7214]

I think I would weld all the the stuff l just hope that you can make enough money with this one so you can buy a better one, good luck

[@jmullen2426]

I agree

[@thegreatchickenoverlord5976]

Fr. What a hunk a junk.

[@bgorbeene58]

LMFAO !!! Love the warning sign.....

[@jerryminney3555]

Looks like they got great Quality control wow

[@logan2244]

I have the same unit. Sheared the jaw coupler after about 8 hours. I was unable to find lovejoy replacement for my shaft sizes. I ended up building up original couplers with stick welder and ground them mostly flat and I run it with no rubber spider bushing. I've got about 40 more hours on it and so far so good. Yes you get what you pay for but for less than 1/4 the price I make it work. At the end of the day these Chinese attachments are a roll of the dice but they're a good platform to start with if you know they're going to need some love.

[@gutsngorrrr]

Always always always check everything on new or old, as stuff always gets missed, especially with the cheaper equipment.

[@jeremytoms5163]

Don't trust the cheap locknuts, either replace them or double nut the originals so they don't come loose again. Locktite is good but wouldn't rely on it especially when you consider the forces exerted on it when it's running. Also looks like you could do with replacing the originals with some decent quality nuts and bolts , just for peace of mind and so the damn thing starts earning money instead of costing.

[@iowaunemployment]

Wow, thanks for this video, you just saved me thousands.

[@harveystephens6115]

You have a sense of humor!!! That’s good. Lemon 2 for you but you got it going. Blade mounting hole seems to still be not straight but you made it work. Hope u get rubber geometry pieces before that tears up and ruins shaft. Enjoyed Looking forward to next video

[@BarnyardEngineering]

To be fair, you are buying these things straight out of the container from the overseas factory. No dealer prep. Dealer prep is where they would have put oil in the gearbox, and done a "nut and bolt" on the whole machine, AND it's why you pay 2X as much for the same exact unit at a dealer.

[@corydriver7634]

hawkturkey he used it 5 minutes last week then it sat in the weather until he had the time to fix it.

[@bryancromwell9625]

That's just an excuse for overseas garbage, no dealer prep would cover taking everything apart to torque everything down.

[@codestah454]

Also he knew about some of the issues they have why not go through machine to make sure everything is okay before running it

[@HootMaRoot]

If it was straight out of a shipping container before you bought it that's why there is no oil in it as its illegal to ship items in containers with oil in them. Unless the shipping company covers insurance against oil carriage. And as for most new machinery you should always check every nut and bolt is tight especially the cheaper Chinese imports, as they don't torque everything to spec to save on costs. There is no need to complain about something you should have checked before using it

[@williamb6869]

buy american period or stop complaning

[@haydenuk02]

Excellent work and thanks for the awesome content stay safe and take care

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

Hi Matt. I admire your persistence and your new, appropriate signage :-D I also despair when simple "One Job!" stuff like torquing bolts and oiling gearboxes hasn't been done. It's called "Mechanical Sympathy" :-)

[@catfishslayer100]

Couldn't you have used thicker/ more washers to get the castle nut out far enough?

[@firesurfer]

I'm pretty sure there is supposed to be a bushing there to pack it out the right dimension so the castle nut is in the right spot. Possibly the bushing is supposed to be on the other side of the body.

[@MrChassmith]

Don’t you know the Chinese treat everything the same ...(including people)... DISPOSABLE?

[@fernandoqueirozpopovic7024]

That's why I i try and check everything where it's made so I can keep my money away from China

[@andrewsobek2386]

It's just a JOY coupler, it needs LOVE!

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

Well, now you know the weak spots, and know what and how to replace them! Good work Matt! :-)

[@richardlavoy4]

Most of these are assembled here in the USA by minimum wages you get what you pay for😄

[@davidbranch397]

made in PRC i think is "peoples republic of china"

[@cujoedaman]

All this little Chinese kids that had to cut all the sheet metal by hand!

[@mariowickel456]

Good job on the fix Matt

[@ChrisGerow]

Misery loves company, love this vid!

[@Vein1986]

Welding nuts to bolts/threads is a hackjob, don't do that ever, you could just put thicker washer so pin would engage castle nut, no locktite nor welding would be required.

[@cyrilhudak4568]

Also, heating the shaft with weld releases the loctite.

[@jdub229r]

I’d weld the shit out of them, cut them off next time you sharpen the blades, the original bolts are garage anyway.

[@Vein1986]

@@jdub229r bolts were OK, issue was poor fitting, and loosing pins, followed by loosing castle nuts. Bolts were damaged by ripping them thru holes, not by stripping threads.

[@motor2of7]

Not unusual for this stuff to ship without oil. I think it has something to do with hazardous material transportation. Shame on the auction house for not making sure it had the warning labels on it.

[@Error-5478]

Buy once cry once. Words to live by.

[@austinswindler5418]

Company I work for we just bought a brand new 85’ radial conveyor from Ritchie bro’s. Same kind of deal. We realized we were going to have to check every single component before we lifted it. When we went to lift it up to it’s working height the stainless bolts they had bolting the sections of frame together literally blew the nuts clean off the bolts. So we learned that lesson and replaced any load bearing hardware with grade 8s and it’s been working great since we got it set up. But like you said now that we’ve done it and learned the lessons we realized if we just went over all the hardware right off the bat we would’ve had no issues really.

[@matthewgooch7198]

The doobly do 😂 nice AVE reference

[@peterdubyoski4622]

I would not have run those bigger trees right off the bat. A few minutes with a chainsaw would have saved all these headaches

[@cccorvette]

Glad you have it cutting. I think there is a good lesson we all can learn....even though it's new.....we should verify it's safe to use.

[@christopherlind]

Love the video keep up with the great work

[@DiveJersey]

Would be better if they had just left it in pieces and sold it as a self-assembly kit.

[@dinnertime9013]

Lolol😂

[@robert3302]

I'm guessing JCT did not sponsor this video.

[@Rickimusic]

lol. I love the new name, not JCT but "BFO" Blades Fly Off.

[@funone8716]

@@Rickimusic JCT Junk China Turd

[@alainmoran8560]

Quite often it's worth viewing cheap tools like this as a partially-assembled kit for making your own tool :D

[@joeestes8114]

Great video! Thanks for the warning!

[@rottenbot]

JCT = Junk Cutting Tool😁

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

This is so typical of Chinese equipment, they have the capacity to make good stuff but they choose to not to ? You were spot on when you said that if you had gone over it prior to playing it would have worked out fine ! You will probably need to swap those blades out sooner rather than later, they didn't look as if they were made from particularly hardened steel, if they don't crack & break they will probably just wear down very fast. JCT = junk Chinese tools

[@bruceirvine3962]

Wamat want 3 cents off price.......take out 3 washers! Yes, comrade!

[@coryarcher1766]

Keep the great videos coming sir

[@donaldjordan8832]

I very glad I watched. I have a few acres to mow and thought a cheap brush cutter would be perfect. Great advice on rebuild before you use it.

[@Kitt96]

And another quality video!! Dump truck horn = good time

[@donaldshields2483]

Good job on the repairs keep up the good work God bless

[@RitzWood32]

Great videos. Nice to see you explain everything in detail. Keep it up 👍🏻

[@dougyurecko6500]

I have a Anbusher brand, I have had it for 18 years. Quality built. I did have the coupler fail once. The couple was not a Lovejoy style, it was very heavy built.

[@michaeldirkx8344]

Nice job again and if it works it works

[@Badgermatt-nc5nr]

I just wanted to let you know, because of your last video on this I was going to order one just like this but didn't. Instead, I just place my order for a MTL XC8T and it should be here in about 7 days!! I'll let you know how I like it! I paid a lot more for it, but the reviews were amazing!!

[@markfurman4386]

I flinched at the mig arc. Too many burned eyeballs in my past.

[@AlexanderJScheu]

following your *Job = thank's for *Competent - Instructions, thank' again, with Greetings from Germany