Good question that I cannot answer for sure. I assume that there's not enough profit in it. Several state conservation agencies throughout the country have regs that require #1 using a US made machine - and #2 crawlers must be under a certain weight-class. Since there are NO new US crawlers that meet these specs - Deere came out with the "Certified Relife" program. State of Michigan DNR bought many - and it's pricey. If, lets say you want a "new" Deere 350 - it goes like this. First - you must have one to trade in - and it has to be a C series or newer. Then, Deere updates it - including putting in a new 179 engine - and a new serial # tag - and charges around $65,000 for it. So, total cost is $65,000 plus the value of the original crawler - and - you do NOT get the old parts back. Many states have bought 350s and 450s this way. Our tax-dollars hard at work, I guess? I wonder where all those old parts are going - like 152 and 164 diesels, torsional isolators and flywheels, final drive parts, rollers, etc.?
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