We get a lot of questions sent in here at Steiner Tractor Parts – most of them are about tractors, but some of them are about me! If you’ve been curious about the person behind the Wrenching with Rachel videos, here’s some things you might want to know.
Who taught you how to fix tractors? My dad! He’s an experienced mechanic who started working on tractors as a teen and owned his own repair shop when I was a child. Additionally, my late grandfather Guy Tripp taught me a few things about tractor repair (and a lot about life!).
Do you work for Steiner Tractor Parts full time? No, I only do the videos and blogs for Steiner – I don’t work in the office or warehouse on a regular basis. My other jobs include working for a local motorcycle dealership, auctioning, buying and selling tractors with my dad, sitting on a township board, and helping my mom with her tractor fabric business.
What’s up with the IH truck that has recently appeared in some videos? In the most recent videos I’ve made, some people have noticed the vintage IH truck in the background. The truck is a 1972 IH 1100 4×4 short box with power steering, 4-speed manual. I saw it a couple months ago on Craigslist and said “I gotta have it!” and owned it 30 minutes later.
Why don’t you get dirty in your videos? The filming process adds a lot of time to the job. Sometimes these videos are shot over multiple days instead of one long day – on a few videos, you might notice that I suddenly start over clean a few times. I wash my hands in between takes often. Also, I am a lady and am naturally cleaner than men. 🙂
Why do you always wear a light colored shirt – isn’t that impractical? In my very first videos I wore a dark colored top like I usually do in the barn – but then the greasy parts didn’t show up on the dark colored background. Since then, I’ve switched to wearing a lighter colored top so that the viewers can see the greasy parts that I’m working with. My mother has some laundry tricks up her sleeve (after 31 years married to a mechanic!) that keep me from ruining too many outfits. Thanks mom!
How old are you? 23.
What are your other hobbies? I love to ride my Honda motorcycle, bake cookies, swim, lead a children’s program (Awana) for 3rd-6th graders at my church, sew, shop, and of course do anything related to tractors (shows, auctions, buying, selling, collecting, learning, and making the Wrenching with Rachel videos).
Does your family help with the videos? Yes! My dad, Dan, is a huge help – I couldn’t do this without him! He’s there for every filming day and does a lot of the prep work in ordering parts and planning how the video will go. My mom, Jennifer, is involved on filming day too. She’s a very clear communicator who helps me find the right way to put things. She also makes lunch and brings snacks! I have two sisters, Elizabeth and Hannah. Elizabeth is married and lives a ways away. She’s a communications director for a non-profit organization and helps me with my writing. Hannah is younger than me. She sometimes makes appearances on video when she’s not busy with school (studying to be a nurse).
Where did you get that pink toolbox? From my fantastic brother-in-law! He found a beat-up toolbox at a thrift store. He restored it, painted it pink, and gave it to me this winter. I love it!
What happens to the tractors after you fix them? My dad and I have been buying and selling tractors together since I was in junior high (and my dad did this by himself long before that!). Most of the tractors that you see on the videos belong to me or my Dad. After repairing them, we resell them – just like we’ve done with thousands of other tractors over the years.
Have more questions? If you’d like to submit a question to the Wrenching with Rachel blog (either about the videos or about tractor repair), email me at wrenching@steinertractor.com. We get lots of questions, so I can’t promise a reply – but the best ones will end up here on the blog!
Tom Highsmith says
Thanks for your help
Bob Miller says
It’s great to see a younger person interested in working, let alone a pleasant young lady who works on tractors for fun. I am an old guy and in my day it was unusual for girls to be interested in such things. Thankfully my wife was (and still is) unusual. She was a town kid that had almost never been on a farm. But she took to it quickly. She still says that her fondest memories are of riding alone on the old Massey Harris 44 diesel discing along the creek. We worked (and still do) side by side on many a project.
Keep up the good work. These videos help many.
Mike Henderson says
I have been a master certified auto mechanic for 25 years. I am very impressed with your videos. It is very refreshing to see a young lady (or anyone really) giving such a positive impression to mechanical repairs. I help a local therapeutic horseback riding facility with their John Deere 3020 and 210. I am a expert with cars and trucks but farm size tractors are new to me.
Your videos are also sure to inspire legions of future mechanics, both male and female. My 10 year old daughter likes your videos also 🙂
Lenny bailey says
How can I find out the year model of my 4006 deutz tractor. There dont seem to be much info out there on deutz tractors that far back.any information would be greatly appreciated.thank you
Lisa Warren says
Lenny,
I have been trying to locate information on this for you and I am not having much luck 🙁 One of our technicians has suggested checking with your local AGCO dealer (www.agco.com) to see if they may be able to five you any more information.
Will says
What is your opinion of the ford tractors with the 134 cubic inch engine from 1953-1964 ? I own a 1954 naa and wonder if the 600s,601s and early ford 2000s would be better than the 1954 naa?
Jake says
From which town and state are you.
Angelo Cardinale says
Are your videos for sale?
ST says
Angelo, we do not sell the videos but they are all online for free. Have a great day.
Jon Bachman says
Rachel,
I inherited my wife’s grandfather’s Farmall H a few years ago. I love watching your videos and replaced the brakes on my Farmall H using your video for a guide. I’m putting in a request for a water pump replacement video for my tractor as it has started to leak when engine gets warm.
Keep up the videos. They are really helpful!
Bob LaRoche says
Rachel — thanks for all the good videos — great job — I have a 1950? cub – that needs a throw out bearing – about how long should it take for an experienced mechanic take to do the job??
Jerry Helland says
Hi Rachel,
I really think you do a fantastic explanation in your videos. Several years ago my Lions Club decided we needed to participate more in our local events, like parades, homecomings, etc (we are a small club in Genoa, Illinois), so I purchased a 1949 John Deere B. Recently, it decided to stop working. It will crank but will not turn over. I tested the spark plugs and the magneto and I get a spark. Any ideas why my tractor one day decided to stop working? Best regards, keep up the good work.