Chinese Tractor EPA certified

[3ruedas]

Jorge here in Tucson Az. I am new here and forgive if the C word is not welcome here. I am thinking of bringing a 20 ho 2 wheel tractor from China. The tractor with disc plow, single plow, ditcher, tiller and double plow was quoted for 2400 including shipping to long beach. I am thinking about taking a trip and pick up the crates at the port to save on time and money. I spoke with a broker today and he stated it is very doable he recommended using DHL to put the package state side since they do that a lot. I want to know the opinion regarding this future plan from the members of the forum. I know about the quality concerns regarding Chinese goods but with the savings I could buy an engine here and replace if necessary. I would love a BCS but around here they do not come up that often. Thanks.

 

[4570Man]

I'm sure it isn't because it adds a significant expense. As long as you don't get caught there's no problem.

 

[ultrarunner]

There are buyers across all spectrums...

That said tractors are something most buy for the long run and durability and reliability are paramount.

There is a reason why some brands command excellent resale and others don't.

My brother bought his kids one of those made in China buggies with a Honda clone engine.

Amazed at how inexpensive it was... but he had trouble from day one and had to redo certain factory assembled items... I'm not exaggerating when I say it has been down more than not.

The first day out and the kids were tooling around the farm... on a good dirt road and the right front wheel collapsed... then find out most "Upgrade" the wheels, the same for the battery, tires, etc... the engine has not been an issue.

 

[stuckmotor]

Back in the sixties when I was in jr. high school I managed to get my hands on a two wheeled walking tractor. My guess is around 6 hp.
Here are some of the things I didn't like about it:
It was awkward to hook up implements and hold up the handles at the same time.
The cycle bar mower had to be bolted on.
The weighted tires often slipped, I think that if I'd had a rider my weight would have been over the rear wheels increasing traction.
One of the best things about a riding tractor is the 3pt hitch, there was none on my walkie.
It had a factory made cultivator 4 shank I think, with guage wheels. I could never set it to work worth shucks.
There were a set of discs that replaced the shanks. I couldn't make them penetrate worth shucks either. ( You might have better success with that big Chinese job.)
THE TRACTOR NEVER GOT ME ONE SINGLE CHICK!

Some other things to think about:
Who's going to repair it?
Are parts available at a reasonable price?
Is the price quoted the price loaded on your truck or are there hidden fees waiting to get you?

After all that, I too want one of those Chinese tractors with the big headlight in front, a fly wheel on the side, and a cart capable hauling a family of 5 in the rear. I think a 4 wheeled tractor would be much better and easier to use BUT, two wheelers are dear to my heart and I already have an old hen so, I don't need a chick.

 

[thatguy]

Wasnt there a post recently about picking up a tractor at the port?? From what I remember its not just as easy as driving to the port to get it.. There seems to be 'fees' (ie bribes) that needed to be paid and hoops to jump through - so the using a broker that knows the ins/outs was highly recommend..

b

 

[bcp]

All I see is trouble and hidden expense.

Save your money, look harder, and get a BCS.

Bruce

 

[3ruedas]

This is one of the quotes I got from on eof the suppliers, the engine is a Kholer and the attachment very similar to the italian machine. I am as weary as many of you but just wanted to get some information about this, I see all that we use here in the US comes from china or made with parts meade in china, does not hurt just to be informed. Let me know if the pictures show, first time posting pics. Thanks for all the advise.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! Good price ! But Two mounths ago I order from China one electric motor for my bike. Motor and wheel was 145 the shipping 105 for 20 lbs. So Handling and shipping can be very expensive. Look before order!
Some years ago . I buy two 10 hp, diesel motors (Yanmar clones) One is very good. The other with some bolts looses in thread So quality can varie. Good luck ! Oldmech

 

[3ruedas]

You are absolutely right oldmech, shipping via boat is cheaper but can take up to 30 days to get here. We'll see if i go through with the purchase is gonna be in the future I still have time to look around for one of those " old lady owned only drove to church with all the implements" crazy deals that pop once in a while. I can see the reservations everybody has but seems the Chinese are willing to adapt, Alibaba has a system that as long as there is a contract with the specifics of what you order and if that is not met you get your money back. Seems there are more suppliers than buyers and a lot of them are very willing to get that next client, specially if is here at the land of the super-Walmart. I really appreciate every body's time responding, If I go thru with this I'll make sure to document the journey, good or bad, maybe someone else can benefit from my experience.

 

[stuckmotor]

3rudeas,
I've read of some of the trials and tribulations thatguy mentions too. Infact, what he said sounds so familiar that it could have come from the same source.
I'd really like to have one of those tractors myself, so please tell us all about your journey.
Good luck,
Stuck

 

[rickyd79]

Jorge here in Tucson Az. I am new here and forgive if the C word is not welcome here. I am thinking of bringing a 20 ho 2 wheel tractor from China. The tractor with disc plow, single plow, ditcher, tiller and double plow was quoted for 2400 including shipping to long beach. I am thinking about taking a trip and pick up the crates at the port to save on time and money. I spoke with a broker today and he stated it is very doable he recommended using DHL to put the package state side since they do that a lot. I want to know the opinion regarding this future plan from the members of the forum. I know about the quality concerns regarding Chinese goods but with the savings I could buy an engine here and replace if necessary. I would love a BCS but around here they do not come up that often. Thanks.

Well you asked...
My opinion is life is way to short to buy cheap crap equipment regardless of what country it comes from. I can find about 50 other things to do than to have to re-engineer some piece of junk that was thrown together just to make a quick buck. Heck, you can find a complete copy of the BCS powersafe tractors including most implements made by some Chinese company who apparently ripped off BCS and their technology. The thing is, the cheap product is just that. Its cheap and it will fall apart and break down. I have personally spoken with someone who bought and tested this "fake BCS" machine. Its just complete junk. There are probably 3 or 4 other lines of thought I could go down regarding why one might not want to buy the China walk-behind, but I think the quality issue says enough on its own. All that being said, I am not offended in the least when folks want to spend their money on junk from any country. By all means they should spend it on what they want. Frankly most Americans want to buy junk. I don't understand it, but they do. Well, or maybe they just want to spend the least amount of money possible, while never thinking about WHY the product is the cheapest. There is a reason its cheap in cost. Lastly, I don't even think that is a very good price ($2400). Sure a BCS or Grillo with similar equipment will cost double, but so what? I have 30+ year old BCS tractors and they still work well. I get emails almost every week from some Chinese manufacturer that wants me to carry their products. I delete them as fast as they come in. Some one else can sell the cheap junk. My customers want high end quality equipment that saves them time and money, and so that is what I work hard to provide them with.

 

[two-wheeler]

Hi There,

Joel here from Earth Tools...I never have time to check out these forums much, but a friend mentioned to me that I might weigh in on this discussion. So:
We were approached a couple years ago (and I mean physically approached...the Chinese came right to our business here in Kentucky!) by one of these Chinese companies who is producing a knock-off of a BCS. They were all fired up to sign us as importers for them, being that we are the largest retailer of walk-behind tractors in North America...
They were full of claims that their product was "superior" to BCS, and told of how they had purchased 2 BCS machines to start their project...one to test, and one to copy. These guys had even copied BCS's hydro-mechanical "PowerSafe" clutch, which is something BCS had been banking on the Chinese NOT copying, because it was too precise and complex (these Chinese folks even told me that they had purchased some parts for the clutch system from Buick...[which I highly doubt, but I guess they were trying to impress me by throwing an "American" name at me]...but to me, the idea of inserting a GM part into a walking tractor did not really thrill me much anyway!) They also said that their machines were such a close copy of BCS, many parts would interchange. Anyway, they quoted some really excellent prices, and wanted to know if we wanted to start with a 20-foot container or a 40-foot. I said HOLD ON A MINUTE, I need to see AND use your products first-hand, before we make any decision. So we purchased ONE tractor and a variety of implements. They arrived here in early 2015, and we have spent 2 seasons rigorously testing them.

Of course, I expected the quality to be less than what we see from Italy. I was correct. It is quite obviously a 'cheap knock-off' of a BCS. Of course looking at it from 15 feet away, you can't tell much difference other than the color, but up close, the quality differences stand out more: rougher castings, poor welds, flimsier components. The geometries of the control-system cables & levels aren't quite right, either...they may LOOK about the same, but they just didn't copy them quite right, because the controls are much harder to operate than a BCS. The independent steering brakes are a joke...they do NOTHING at all, no matter how hard you squeeze the levers. We took them apart to see if there just wasn't some oil on the brake shoes or something...there was not, but we cleaned them anyway...it boils down to that whatever they used for brake shoe lining material, it has NO "friction" effect against the steel drum, and hence the brakes are worthless. We even tried putting BCS brake pads on the thing, but they did not quite copy the BCS brake system precisely, because we could not get them to fit. (so much for "parts interchangeability" with BCS!) Regarding their copy of the PowerSafe clutch: it works, but they did not get something quite right, because sometimes it almost stalls the engine for no apparent reason when first releasing the clutch (even when an implement is not being operated). The dozer blade we got with it fell apart the first time I used it, due to cheap fasteners. The first time we got a rock stuck in the tiller, the gears in the tiller gearbox failed completely...on an Italian machine, it takes YEARS of getting rocks stuck in tillers to finally damage the gears, IF you can damage them at all. The Chinese can make a gear that LOOKS like the gear in a BCS, but in terms of properly tempering/hardening the steel, they have no clue.

Not surprisingly, we decided against importing any more of this equipment. First, I do not believe in providing our customers with sub-standard equipment, no matter how "cheap" the price is. If you invest half the cost in a machine that lasts a quarter as long and is harder to use, how is that "better"? Second, I know that many of these Chinese manufacturers are "here today, gone tomorrow", and I would never want to sell equipment to our customers that we could not get parts for in 5 or 10 years. Third, I have no faith in consistency of quality when it comes to Chinese equipment...even if a first batch of the equipment is "acceptable" quality, there is NO guarantee that the next batch you get will be the same. I have heard too many "horror stories" from other importers regarding Chinese companies who would cut corners on quality any time you let your guard down...

So, that is our experience so far with the Chinese BCS "copycat" machines. I definitely agree with the fellow earlier in the thread who said something to the effect of "save up your money and look harder for a BCS"...only, I would modify this to say "save up your money and get an Italian machine", since both BCS and Grillo represent top-quality machines from Italy, from companies who have been in business over 60 years, and from whom you can still get parts for machines 30+ years old. And if someone reads this and decides they still want to "take a chance" on a Chinese unit, then we'll be here to provide top-quality equipment and top-quality service after they're frustrated with the "Chinese imitation" in a few years and want something better.
To anyone in North America who buys one of these Chinese units, I'll say this: #1: Please DON'T come to us looking for parts and/or service for it, and #2: DON'T let a poor experience with a Chinese machine give you a bad opinion about walk-behind tractors in general! A well-designed, high-quality walk-behind tractor will do a tremendous amount of work over many years with minimal parts expense, and will not wear YOU out in the process.

Happy gardens,
--Joel from Earth Tools