Author Topic: Chinese mini-tractors (Read 2599 times)

J Beyer · « **on:** December 25, 2002, 03:47:39 pm »

Anyone have any experience with these tractors? I've seen the same tractor arond here with a different paint scheme and name on the tractor. A friend is thinking of buying one. I've seen one of these tractors in person and the engine-to-axle castings look quite solid. Any input would be appreciated.

http://www.northerntractor.com/

JB

Tom · « **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2002, 04:36:43 pm »

Understand that I am talking from a standpoint of a consumer and might be misleading you but ........ You have to be real careful with those imports.

Yanmar, mitsubishi and some of the others are good tractors. They aren't too expensive to buy, perform pretty good and don't break too often. If they do break the scene really changes.They get expensive

The best thing to do is read up on Gray Market Tractors on the internet. I did and was enlightened. A friend of mine has a k****** something lwhich has been bought out by mitsubishi and has a problem with it running. It has been diagnosed as possibly carburator and the cost of the carburator is out of sight. Rebuild kits are rare. It has been sitting in his back yard for two years now.

Norm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 25, 2002, 06:00:20 pm »

Buy a name brand tractor that is going to be around tomorrow. There was a Russian tractor sold around here for a few years, they were cheap and people bought them for that reason, turns out they were basically junk and broke alot. Now your can't hardly sell them. I had a utility tractor that was a Deutz-Allis, after 3 or 4 years parts got to be real hard to find. A tractor like John Deere is well built and will last for many years, they will be around for support also. Resale is very important and they hold their value well. When I sold my 4 year old JD5500 for a bigger one I got more than I paid for it.

whitepe · « **Reply #3 on:** December 25, 2002, 07:43:27 pm »

China is a huge source of counterfeit CAT parts and
CAT's biggest legal cost is tracking down and prosecuting
these counterfeiters. The culture in China, including the
government, is that they have absolutely no respect
for intellectual property of anyone else in the free world.
This problem is not unique to CAT as Microsoft and
the name brand golf club manufacturers sell counterfeit
software and golf clubs. My friend's son-in-law is a
U.S. customs agent and counterfeit products is his
biggest concern. A couple of years ago, counterfeit
Cobra golf clubs made it to the U.S. market. They were
so bad that the Cobra logo was a mirror image of the real
logo. Anyway sorry to get on a soap box. But
I really have a problem with many of the things that
happen in China that illegally affect all of us who work
in the U.S.A.

Tillaway · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2002, 03:48:58 pm »

The prices seem good but watch out PTO's that turn the wrong way and trouble finding parts. Also they are often imported without loaders so finding a loader that will fit on some is impossible. Better to stay with the name brands, a used one of these is probably a better value. I picked up a low hour Ford 1710 with almost a brand new loader for $7000 a couple years back. Much better value than a new Chinese tractor in my opinion. If you are in the market for compact tractors, California has lots of used ones. The wine industry took a big financial hit recently so the vineyard owners are liquidating lots of compact tractors many have never had the PTO's used. Most are in the 25 to 35 horse power class.

Gordon · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2002, 04:16:34 pm »

In my opinion the prices are HIGH for an off brand of tractor. For a $349 dollars more you can get a Kubota.

Here is a price for a new Kubota tractor. It's from a dealer that does alot of business over the web.

New Kubota L 2600 DT, 27 Kubota Diesel HP, 4wd, diesel, ag tires One @ -> only $10,348.

Other things should be considered when putting out that much pocket change. Like dealer support and repair parts are two key issues that come to mind. Another key thing is when it comes time to sell a tractor. How well will an off brand hold it's resale value as compared to the above kubota?

Just some stuff to think about. If you want the web address of the above dealer just instant message me. Unsure if I should post it here or not. So for now better safe than sorry.

Gordon

dewwood · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2002, 03:29:57 am »

Several good points above: reliability, service, parts and resale.

Generally speaking you get what you pay for.

Dewey

woodmills1 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2002, 05:23:40 am »

before I bought my tractor I did a lot of internet and real leg work and research. I ended up getting a Kioti lk3054 at a price much less than the big three. over the last 2 years this little 30.5 horse machine has worked hard and performed well. I have only serviced it, repaired the tach cable, and replaced a few grease fittings so far. believe me I work it hard pulling red oak logs out of the woods on my metavic forwarder. When the 10 foot trailer is loaded full with some 16' butt logs on the bottem the little tractor might spin a little going up hill, but it doesn't quit. If I didn't push in the clutch I bet it would dig its way back to Korea.

Don P · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 2002, 05:57:48 am »

We had one of the off brands flood us about 10 years ago. Alot of them are sitting around as yard sculpture now. The saying is "Once you buy one, its yours"

Lenny · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2002, 04:25:34 am »

I have no experience With the tractors but I did get A gen set with A chinese single cyl. watter cooled desiel coupled to A generator made in england.So far it`s been great.Runs 4 hrs on A gallon of fuel.It came with A complete rebuild kit.
The company I baught it from Buys the engines and dissasembles them and replaces all bearings and seals.I hear that is the biggest problem with them.
This engine Havn`t changed sence the fourteys.They have added electric start.charging system.and a radiator instead of the evaperative watter hopper
Its rated at 15 hp. but seems to have more punch than that. Could have to do with the big exturnal flywheel. about 24'' and all cast iron. The engine weighs in At 374lbs.
I Have heard of people around here that have had problems with some of the import tractors.Mostly the russan ones that WERE sold some years back. Igot A friend of mine that has 3 basket cases now and still looking for parts.Transmission housings break apart around the mounting bolts on front,I did weld one of them for him but only lasted about a year.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2002, 06:53:10 am »

I saw a program one time that said Ford motor Co. set up a truck plant in China in 1948. According to the reporter, they were still using the same tooling producing 1948 Fords.

I used to have some Chinese checkers but never had much success with them.

Noble

J Beyer · « **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2002, 06:58:30 am »

Noble,

Now THAT'S funny

on having

problems with

your chinese checkers! Almost did not get it at first!

BJ

whitepe · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2003, 11:26:22 am »

Several years ago my Dad and I went to the Farm
Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. We had
stopped at the Belarus tent to look at their tractors
which were priced about 1/3 to 1/2 of JD, CaseIH, and others.
One fella standing next to my Dad said.
" I wonder where you get parts for those tractors?"
My Dad chuckled and said, "Weld Shop"

Anyway, there's a lot to be said for parts and service.
Cat always says we will get parts for anything that
we have ever made. We even stockpile several hundred
20 year old microprocessor chips in case we need to replace
electronic controls on any older engine/machine. If it's older
than 20 years old, it doesn't have electronics.

whitepe · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2003, 11:29:46 am »

I got to thinking after seeing Gordon's post.
I heard or read that one of the reasons that
Woodmizer uses Kubota Diesels is the excellent
network of Kubota dealerships that carry parts
and can provide service for the bandmills.
It looks like a good marriage for Woodmizer.

Scott · « **Reply #14 on:** January 02, 2003, 12:58:48 pm »

Hey guys. A dealer around here sells an Italian tractor called Landini. They seem to sell slightly cheap but a lot of people have them and they seem to hold up well. Does anyone know anything about these tractors? Another thing i'm wondering is how good are New Hollands machines? Thanks.

DanG · « **Reply #15 on:** January 02, 2003, 01:01:51 pm »

Very few, if any, small farm tractors are made in the USA. Be careful where yours is made. Mine is an IMT, made in Yugoslavia, and patterned after the older Massey-Fergusons. They were sold here under the pretense that MF parts could be used, but, so far, I haven't found anything that is interchangable. Yugoslavia has become somebody else, now, and their parts are basically unavailable. There are a lot of sick IMT's and a lot of sick farmers out there, as a result.

Tillaway · « **Reply #16 on:** January 02, 2003, 05:04:19 pm »

Quite a few Landini crawlers working the steep vineyards in Mendocino county, CA. I had never seen one before until I worked in the area. They look like you could convert one for small woodlot logging pretty easily.

New Hollands are quite popular in parts of the Western US. In fact the folks running them say they perform better than the green ones. My in-laws run New Holland exclusively now, better price, very good performance and parts are no problem. The compact New Hollands are made by Shibaru of Japan. They also produced the Fords until New Holland bought the tractor division. The larger New Hollands are made in Italy or Canada depending on model. They might produce some in the US as well.

The trick to the Belarus tractors years ago was to buy two cause the are cheep. Run one and use the other for parts.

Norm · « **Reply #17 on:** January 03, 2003, 03:39:26 am »

Around here in the Midwest the two main ag tractors are John Deere and Case-IH, there are few New Hollands around mainly because the dealer network is not as strong as the others. One of our neighbors has one and likes it but has not had it long enough to see how well it will hold up.

Most of the brand name compact tractors have diesel engines made in Japan. Our JD955 has one and workes like a horse, only it doesn't need hay every morning and never breaks down the fences and gets out

, wonder how much a one way ticket to Belgium is?

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2003, 06:57:11 am »

I have a JD 5300 that is 4 years old and runs great. I have had the joy stick system replaced 4 times for the loader.

the last time I sent an e-mail to headquarters and told them what I thought of their engineers and redesigning of the stick system 4 times and still not working correctly.

I even offered to pay half the the cost on the forth time replacement. A new bill came a few days later, $12 less than half. I paid it. But no one else contacted me as I was told would happen.

They must be waiting for me to calm down some more. :-/

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2003, 07:00:59 am »

Oh! I forgot to mention that I have another vehicle on the Farm that uses a diesel, It is a 1974 Jeep CJ Special with the Levi interior and one of only ten that were made as experimental. It has a 3 cyclinder Perkins.

I just go to the Massey dealer near by and get all of my filters etc.

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Author Topic: Chinese mini-tractors (Read 2599 times)