Why do many manufacturers prefer you don't work on your own regulators?

[Wookie]

I followed a thread int he Apeks forum about working on your own regs. HOG has led the industry (how I hate that word, more like herd of cats, but I digress) in having a program where you may get qualified to repair and maintain your own reg and buy parts. Many feel that it is because the manufacturers don't want to have some imagined liability of folks repairing theior own reg. Think about that. Instead of the manufscturers and dive shops assuming all of the liability for regulator repair, we're going to spread it out to the actual diver who worked on it. Defense attorney: "Who was the last person to rebuild the failed regulator, Mr. manufacturer?". Manufacturer: "We have evidence that the plaintiff bought kits and took the class and repaired his own regulator". "Oh, so the deceased was the last person to repair their regulator? It worked fine before the victim repaired it?" That's a case dismissed right there. So, if it isn't liability, what is it. Half of the newly repaired/serviced gear I see on my charter boat fails first dive. That's right, half. Some have tried it in the pool, but most just come on the boat and test it at 80 feet. I don't understand why a dive shop wants to have a lock on servicing gear. Any other theories?

 

[Hank49]

Same reason Toyota, Chevy etc etc wants you to bring your car back to their dealership for routine maintenance I guess. If you don't, your warranty is void.

It's business. They buy the parts they install in your reg for less than half what they charge you for, pay a hired DM/tech for $8 per hour and charge you $50. I worked in a shop in the Philippines and made a bit of money for the shop fixing regs. I wasn't/am not…..a certified tech but that's what we did. Charged for parts and labor and made a bit.

But I can't believe the failure rate you're claiming. That's absurd. But….it's also one reason I learned to service my own regs…….

 

[Corlett]

It´s the same in any industry, and like anything else, regardless of ``Whom´´ repairs / tinkers with etc etc never trust or presume just that it has gone back to the manufacturer it will be 100 %, of course litigation is an issue as mentioned,...

 

[Akimbo]

I am a big proponent of maintaining your own regulator, and the inherent understanding of how they work that results. However, I understand why most manufacturers are reluctant. Looking at the general population, basic mechanical skills are pretty minimal and declining. The difficulty of working on late model cars probably adds to the phenomenon along with more young people learning computer than mechanical skills.

Understanding the proper use of basic hand tools, pressure, and how O-rings work is a pre-requisite for regulator repair that is becoming increasingly rare.

No, a pair of pliers does not replace socket and combination-end wrench sets!

 

[Hank49]

No, a pair of pliers does not replace socket and combination-end wrench sets!

No……but a vice grip does….

 

[Akimbo]

No……but a vice grip does….

Or a Crescent hammer.

 

[rhwestfall]

nothing at all to do with liability....

all to do with a business model (poor one) that puts $$$$$ in the manufacturer.... controlling the parts access, bogus warranty programs, MAP, etc., it becomes apparent why...

it maximizes their profit

if the liability bit was true, we would never be able to do a brake job on our cars or never even be able to sharpen a knife.... its all bogus!

 

[redacted]

I am not sure there are any manufacturers who formally prevent parts sales to divers. A local Scubapro dealer told me that there is no such prohibition in the dealer agreement. But the manufacturer/distributor does verbally encourage shops not to make such sale.

HOG is a leader in allowing such sales and providing support (training and documentation) but they still have silly restrictions. Hopefully they will outgrow them but there is also always the possibility they will change their mind in the restrictive direction to get more LDS doors to open. Zeagle and Dive Rite seem to provide less opposition to such sales but that may also be up in limbo. Since GE law demands such sales, the dedicated DIYer can always seek foreign contacts. Used to be there were open sales on the internet but it looks like Scubapro (and others) managed to shut those open sales down.

The reason is to force divers to be dependent on (and pay) their authorized retailers. But I guess they believe the truth might not be good for their image so they choose to play the liability card thinking that, somehow, makes it better.

I hate liars.

 

[gtstricky]

It has everything to do with liability. They don't care if you work on it yourself as long as they said "only authorized repair...." and as long as the parts did not come from them. THey don't care if you go on ebay and buy them they just can not be seen as supplying or promoting self repair.

It is the same reason the ladder you buy has a great big sticker that says "do not stand on top step".

HOG makes it very clear that they do not teach repair or sell parts to end users. They push all the liability to the dealers. As soon as a dealer loses its shop because of a lawsuit this will close down.

 

[redacted]

It has everything to do with liability. They don't care if you work on it yourself as long as they said "only authorized repair...." and as long as the parts did not come from them. THey don't care if you go on ebay and buy them they just can not be seen as supplying or promoting self repair.

It is the same reason the ladder you buy has a great big sticker that says "do not stand on top step".

HOG makes it very clear that they do not teach repair or sell parts to end users. They push all the liability to the dealers. As soon as a dealer loses its shop because of a lawsuit this will close down.

Why don't you tell us a bit more about yourself so we might better understand the sources of your information. For example, the name of the DS you refer to in a previous post and how you happened to be there.