Richards Relics Engines

[jpswift1]

I called yesterday for an axle for 94 max2 $135. That sound high?

$135 is ridiculous. I'll bet you can get a good used OEM Recreatives one for $100 less than what he's charging from someone here on 6X6World. And like Drew said, Clark is most likely using a cheap, low grade steel that will bend or break after a little use.......it's happened to many other forum members that have bought axles from him.

[amphibious drew]

I called yesterday for an axle for 94 max2 $135. That sound high?

Yes, for a pinned axle, which is basically a piece of round stock with a hole drilled in it and a hub on it, that seems very high. It's probably cold rolled steal as well and not anything good. You are much better off buying new from RI or used from a forum member.

[Normable1973]

I called yesterday for an axle for 94 max2 $135. That sound high?

[eddieb1965]

I used to always at least give him a shot and price his parts,But always found them somewhere else cheaper.The last part was a Briggs Y exhaust manifold,Richard quoted 110.00 and I literally told him that was insane for a used part.I ended up buying one from Roy Padgets Small Engine Warehouse for like 40.00.Have not called since that was 7-8 years ago.

[phabib]

I'm new here and learned early on the kind of fervor that mentioning RR can bring on. Personally, the accusations that he's only in it for the money don't carry much weight with me. Of course he is. We're into it for the fun and since it pays his bills, he's into it for the money. I charge for my time when I do my job even though there are hobbyists who do it for the love of it. What turns me off about his site is what we in the computer biz call FUD. Its a technique that people used to attribute to the old time IBM sales guys who would say "Sure, you can buy that Amdahl machine and they say its faster and cheaper and 100% compatible, but what if it isn't and you have to explain why it doesn't work to your boss the day before the quarterly reports are due." FUD is Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt. So if RR said on their site, I buy the engine, I change the governor spring and re-tune the carb and I know what I'm doing so its worth the $200, I can make an informed decision. Instead he tries to instill FUD in my purchasing from anyone else with vague references to how these engines need some secret sauce that I can buy from him or risk disaster. I don't respond well to that.

Not that I'd rule out buying from him. If he's got the part I need and I don't want to wait, I'll be handing my money over.

[wheeler]

Hey everybody, I didn't expect people to get into arguments about this. Everybody has a right to their own opinion, and I will make up my own mind about things. This seems to be a real sensitive subject and I do appreciate everbody's opinions. So if somebody has something negative to say they can PM me about the person about who they have negative opinions about. This is America where we have a right to express what we feel but we need to respect each other as we do it. We have a great site here. Lets keep it that way, and respect all opinions. I don't think Drew was being slanderous, just stating what he felt about pricing. Everybody relax and enjoy what we have here.
Thank You everybody for all your links and connections to other engine sites.

[guyfox]

https://www.argoadventure.com/...ur-diesel.html

This is the link that Drew was trying to post...He had the http// there twice so that is why the link did not work.

Price of belt for centur was $47 plus change....

[atc tigers]

Try Surplus center for engines.
Surplus Center - 18 HP 356447 BRIGGS VANGUARD ENGINE W/ FUEL TANK

[amphibious drew]

To set an engine up for use in an aatv is not complicated. You put a different governor spring on and adjust your air fuel mixture as well as your idle. Some people think if they spend more on the same parts as everyone else, their parts must be better. That is not always true. I am in marketing by trade. I even got a degree in it, and most of the time marketing is why you pay more. This community has done a great job showing new members where to buy commodity and universal items needed to build, maintain, and repair their machines for as low cost as possible. It does a great job steering people away from rookie mistakes like cheap Chinese bearings and chain as well as purchasing from places that provide poor customer service. I don't know why anyone would say "Your better off just paying more for the same thing." Of coarse I never thought spending well beyond your personal means was a good idea either and yet many people in this country have gone that route to the point of bankruptcy. I don't suggest drinking that kool aid either. It just doesn't make sense. You may not always be able to get the best price on something, but you certainly should never pay more than msrp.

[akranger72]

Richard may be straight forward and sound rude on the phone but He has always had what I needed when I couldn't find it else where. Yes I think his prices are a little high but again he has what you need and has been willing to make sure I was getting the right part. There are better prices out there and I try to find the best deal on everything. I usually call Richard as a last resort but I have never been dissatisfied with the parts I have bought from him.

[Rusty-Gunn]

I bought a bearing kit from him wih no problems. Price was good. He was even willing to ship to Alaska when others would not.

[CBass]

I too have delt with RR and I know he does have some items that are hard to come by but I try to shop around as JP and Drew have said. If you are willing to spend $1700 for an 18hp Briggs, you might as well contact 600 Racing and get you a Bando Engine. These things are beast. I have one and I think I paid about $1575 to the door. You can still sale your old engine and cut some of the total out of pocket cost out. Take a look at some of the videos from Busco you will see Mike's Max IV with his Bando set up, and my Blue Max II.

600 Racing Online Catalog

[MaxRules]

Richard has been in the business a long time and has many parts that no one else has. That's his strong point. He is not going to rip off anyone, if you think some of his prices are high, that is what is called the free market. Every manufacturer and business that has any sort of specialty on an item does this very same thing. Recreatives asks $45 for a bearing you can get elsewere for under $10. John Deere gets $83 for a bearing I found online for $14. Polaris gets $60 for a $1 worth of plastic air box. It's just business and you often pay for convenience. Richard has the correct engine set up and ready to bolt in and even offered a trade in. That's fair considering the time and hassle you go through searching for a slightly lower price. Some people have the time to search and take chances on new things, others would prefer to use their time in another way.

[jpswift1]

Drew hit the nail right on the head and is absolutely right. If you have to have the engine right away, here's an 18HP Briggs Vanguard on ebay (from Small Engine Warehouse, a very reputable business) for $1144.95 with free shipping, much, much less than Richard Clark is charging (plus his shipping and "handling" costs).

18HP Briggs Stratton Engine ES 1in Vanguard Alternator 16Amp 1"X2 2 356447 3079 | eBay

[amphibious drew]

Most likely, with your return, you will be paying a few hundred more than a new one from anywhere else. Today he quoted a member $700 for a t-20 rebuild kit when rebuilt t-20's sell for $500-$600 normally depending on style and rebuild extent. Most only need bands relined and some seals and a half gasket. You would be surprised how well the bands hold up when properly maintained with fresh atf. Last week he sold a member a "rebuilt" t-20 for $1450. I have seen some pretty poor re-engineering done on his rebuilds that he should be embarrassed by. Besides that, I believe you can get a new one for $1500 directly from RI. I got an axle from him that lasted about $20 min due to the cheapness of the steal, and I believe fmints had the same experience. This forum has hurt his business by exposing his tactics as well as helping people fix their machines right on a reasonable budget. I think his profits are down so much now, he has to raise his margins even higher than they used to be to compensate. He prays on the newbie to the hobby that doesn't know any better. He has a few customers that he gives an almost fair price too, but they seem to know what day and star alignment to call so he is not in a bad mood and rude to them. I won't tell you to not shop there, if you want to give up your old engine which you could use for spare parts or sell here, on Craigslist, or even eBay to offset your cost, and then still donate a hundred or two dollars more than the full retail price to Rundown Relics, that's up to you. I picked up a new 23 Briggs off eBay for $710 a few weeks back. It pays to shop around and wait for the right deal. That's how I prefer to roll.