Buying Advice Transmission and rear end construction

[Hammer850]

I’m seriously contemplating purchasing a rk19. I also wanted to get a price on the Ls mt122 due to having a good number of dealers closer to me than the Rural King. One place I called I mentioned that I was looking at the RKs. The guy on the phone was like you better go and google them they have rear ends made of aluminum and a bunch of problems. I have not found any mention of that anywhere. I’m sure he was trying to sway me towards Ls but got me thinking what are the trans and rear end cases made from. I didn’t climb under the tractor when I went to check them out. (Side note the guys price he quoted me was $1400 more than any other quote I got.)

 

[mcfarmall]

JD 3038e and possibly others have a die-cast aluminum rear axle housing too. I prefer cast iron.

 

[ptsg]

An easy way to check if it's aluminium or cast iron is by sticking a magnet to it. If it sticks, it's cast iron.

As far as I'm aware, JD and maybe Kubota (on some models?) were the only ones using Aluminium for the castings.

 

[snymat68]

I have an RK24. I'm not 100% sure, but I think everything on mine is cast steel. I'll check when I get home tonight. Please hold. *plays hold music*

 

[Tennsawdust]

I’m seriously contemplating purchasing a rk19. I also wanted to get a price on the Ls mt122 due to having a good number of dealers closer to me than the Rural King. One place I called I mentioned that I was looking at the RKs. The guy on the phone was like you better go and google them they have rear ends made of aluminum and a bunch of problems. I have not found any mention of that anywhere. I’m sure he was trying to sway me towards Ls but got me thinking what are the trans and rear end cases made from. I didn’t climb under the tractor when I went to check them out. (Side note the guys price he quoted me was $1400 more than any other quote I got.)

That is somewhat funny considering that LS uses aluminum rear axle housings in some or their tractors. Either way, Google turns up nothing in the way of complaints about the axle housing on the RK 19 or it's TYM T194 and Branson 1905 siblings.

 

[Tennsawdust]

An easy way to check if it's aluminium or cast iron is by sticking a magnet to it. If it sticks, it's cast iron.

As far as I'm aware, JD and maybe Kubota (on some models?) were the only ones using Aluminium for the castings.

I think you will find aluminum rear axle housings are not that uncommon, especially among the smaller Japanese built models. They do not seem to have any unusual durability issues with them. My biggest complaint about the aluminum housings is that it takes weight out of the tractor in a place that I would especially like to have some extra weight.

 

[ptsg]

I think you will find aluminum rear axle housings are not that uncommon, especially among the smaller Japanese built models. They do not seem to have any unusual durability issues with them. My biggest complaint about the aluminum housings is that it takes weight out of the tractor in a place that I would especially like to have some extra weight.

I know. The Kubota B7000 I used to have was all aluminium castings. The front axle was the only thing that was cast iron.

As far as durability, on SCUTs it can handle fine but for CUTs above 30/35 HP, I have my doubts. There is a recent thread here, where a JD 2R or 3R just pretty much grenaded the inside of the rear housing when the mower, if I recall correctly, hit something harder.

 

[Hammer850]

That is somewhat funny considering that LS uses aluminum rear axle housings in some or their tractors. Either way, Google turns up nothing in the way of complaints about the axle housing on the RK 19 or it's TYM T194 and Branson 1905 siblings.

I didn’t find anything on google either. Just another salesman tactic, like I said his quoted prices were way more than others. I do not have a TYM near by and the Branson dealer wants 10,800 for a 1905.

 

[Hammer850]

I know. The Kubota B7000 I used to have was all aluminium castings. The front axle was the only thing that was cast iron.

As far as durability, on SCUTs it can handle fine but for CUTs above 30/35 HP, I have my doubts. There is a recent thread here, where a JD 2R or 3R just pretty much grenaded the inside of the rear housing when the mower, if I recall correctly, hit something harder.

Watching videos online the Branson 1905 and Mahindra emax 20 both of which look identical to the Rk19 both claim to have cast iron rear ends and all three have the same spec weight.

Don’t plan to do any mowing with it anyway actually at this time I can’t think of anything that I will ever hook up to the pto. I want it for the loader, back blade, and to haul a trailer around the property for fire wood.

 

[ptsg]

Branson 1905 is the only tractor that Branson don't build by themselves. This tractor is actually the TYM T194. Therefore, with RK selling rebadged TYM tractors, the RK19 might as well be a TYM T194. So all three tractors are similar.

Since you'll use it mostly for loader work, you really want some weight on the back, so cast iron is the way to go. I would also suggest get the rear tires filled or some wheel weights.

I guess whoever gives you the better price, takes the deal. Or which dealer you like and feel good the most.