Buying Advice Northern Tool tractors

[def38]

Anybody have one? Looks like they are Chinese, made by Jinma. There is a used one for sale nearby and the price is attractive. Model is N700. Little info available. Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Northern Tool and Chinese??? What could go wrong? Think down the road that maybe someday you may need parts, or service. Personally, I would stay with a name brand.

 

[Roadworthy]

A local dealer sells Mahindra and LS tractors. He said he tried selling Chinese tractors for awhile but couldn't get repair parts. That is, he could get repair parts but parts with the same part number wouldn't fit the tractors. He quit selling Chinese tractors. Incidentally, he used to sell grey market Japanese tractors as well. He quit selling them, too. My conclusion - stick with something you've at least heard of.

 

[Thomas]

I haven't heard anything positive.

 

[kenmac]

Anybody have one? Looks like they are Chinese, made by Jinma. There is a used one for sale nearby and the price is attractive. Model is N700. Little info available. Any thoughts or comments?

I'M not gonna say all chinese products are inferior quality. Some very good products come from china.
All inverter HVAC units are made in china, Your computer /parts is most likely made in china. Most if not all inverter generators are made in china.

You can get quality from china but it comes with a cost.
Is northern paying for quality, or just to build a cheap tractor?

My large tractor is Italian built. not a huge dealer network . Will I be able to get parts down the rd ?

You might go to the chinese tractor section and do a little reading

 

[Newby first timer]

I purchased (3) 6000# axles from Northern Tool several years ago.
In January I was pulling my Trailer and blew off the lugs of (3) wheels on my trailer with the Northern Tool axles.
I found out in trying to get my Trailer repaired. Northern Tool Sold me (3) 7000# axles with 5200# hubs and Brake assembly's and 3500# axle leaf springs.

I am finding it very hard to even look in there Catalog these days

Before my Trailer issues I talked to them about their Tractors and with the Interest they wanted to finance I was way better off Getting the Kubota that I eventually Purchased.

Good luck with what you end up Purchasing

 

[edgarrian]

I would personally stick with a make that you know of. Two most important things in tractor purchase is 1. your budget 2. dealer support Everything else is just one mans opinion

 

[nards444]

I'M not gonna say all chinese products are inferior quality. Some very good products come from china.
All inverter HVAC units are made in china, Your computer /parts is most likely made in china. Most if not all inverter generators are made in china.

You can get quality from china but it comes with a cost.
Is northern paying for quality, or just to build a cheap tractor?

My large tractor is Italian built. not a huge dealer network . Will I be able to get parts down the rd ?

You might go to the chinese tractor section and do a little reading

Well its not. Some isnt some is. China gets a bad rap sometimes, and sometimes rightfully so for what they make. But what people fail to realize is that often times those factories are building something in China that a company in the US has designed and spec'd out. So really it is the company here trying to sell you garbage.

Funny story my buddy just bought a brand new JD and it was dropped this weekend. Made in China parts stamped all over it.

 

[ovrszd]

Well its not. Some isnt some is. China gets a bad rap sometimes, and sometimes rightfully so for what they make. But what people fail to realize is that often times those factories are building something in China that a company in the US has designed and spec'd out. So really it is the company here trying to sell you garbage.

I've said this for years. It's our own companies doing it to us.

 

[kenmac]

Well its not. Some isnt some is. China gets a bad rap sometimes, and sometimes rightfully so for what they make. But what people fail to realize is that often times those factories are building something in China that a company in the US has designed and spec'd out. So really it is the company here trying to sell you garbage.

Funny story my buddy just bought a brand new JD and it was dropped this weekend. Made in China parts stamped all over it.

yep, the Chinese factories only build what the U.S.companies spec /pay for. You spec /pay for quality. You will get quality.
You want quality form china. Get the U.S. companies to spec /pay for quality.

Case in point. There was a story ran on a flooring company some years ago. (Lumber Liquidators)
The story was talking about how people had become sick from laminate flooring coming from China.
The news ( I forget who) sent a reporter to the Chinese factory to find out why.

When they talked to the Chinese factory MGR, they found out the Chinese factory was using glue containing large amounts of formaldehyde.
When the reporter ask the Chinese MGR. why they were using glue containing large amounts of formaldehyde, The Chinese factory MGR. said something to the effect, that ''we use what the companies spec. and in this case Lumber Liquidators spec. the glue with large amounts of formaldehyde, because that glue was cheaper.''
The reporter ask the MGR if there were other types of glue that could be used in the process. The MGR said ''Sure, if the company wants to pay xtra for it''

So the U.S. company spec. the lower priced glue so they could sell their flooring cheaper than anyone else . Yet, they claimed the reason they could sell cheaper because they were the factory selling direct !

 

[TractorNH]

I purchased (3) 6000# axles from Northern Tool several years ago.
In January I was pulling my Trailer and blew off the lugs of (3) wheels on my trailer with the Northern Tool axles.
I found out in trying to get my Trailer repaired. Northern Tool Sold me (3) 7000# axles with 5200# hubs and Brake assembly's and 3500# axle leaf springs.

I am finding it very hard to even look in there Catalog these days

Before my Trailer issues I talked to them about their Tractors and with the Interest they wanted to finance I was way better off Getting the Kubota that I eventually Purchased.

Good luck with what you end up Purchasing

A 6000# axle wouldn't have 6000# rated hubs or brakes, they only need to be rated for half the axle capacity since the axle rating is for the complete assembly. The tires would also need at least a 3000# load rating too.

 

[Newby first timer]

A 6000# axle wouldn't have 6000# rated hubs or brakes, they only need to be rated for half the axle capacity since the axle rating is for the complete assembly. The tires would also need at least a 3000# load rating too.

6 lug Wheels. Lugs Ripped off of three Wheels out of 6 and springs(3) leaf Flat as a pancake when they were replaced.
Replacement (6) leaf leaf Springs 8 lug wheel and a lot heavier drums that the ones sold with the axles.
The Trailer guy that set us in the right direction Told us what to look for and I took the Drums to him and he Identified them as 5200 # Axle Drums Not 6000# Drums.
He told me that they do not make an 6000# drum it go's from 5200# all the way to 7000#
The Springs that came with the 6000# axles were for an 3500# Axle (3) Leaf way under sized for what Northern Tool sold Me.

Like I said I am finding it very hard to even open their Catalog any more.
They risked My Safety and Life as well as everyone that was driving behind me.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

6 lug Wheels. Lugs Ripped off of three Wheels out of 6 and springs(3) leaf Flat as a pancake when they were replaced.
Replacement (6) leaf leaf Springs 8 lug wheel and a lot heavier drums that the ones sold with the axles.
The Trailer guy that set us in the right direction Told us what to look for and I took the Drums to him and he Identified them as 5200 # Axle Drums Not 6000# Drums.
He told me that they do not make an 6000# drum it go's from 5200# all the way to 7000#
The Springs that came with the 6000# axles were for an 3500# Axle (3) Leaf way under sized for what Northern Tool sold Me.

Like I said I am finding it very hard to even open their Catalog any more.
They risked My Safety and Life as well as everyone that was driving behind me.

That's acceptable today; I bought a $10,000 dump trailer with cheapazz chinese tires and then spent another $800 dollars to put good American made tires on it. My son bought a $38,000 5th wheel camper with chinese tires and then spent a thousand bucks to put American tires on it. The manufacturer's don't care any more.

 

[Tennsawdust]

Anybody have one? Looks like they are Chinese, made by Jinma. There is a used one for sale nearby and the price is attractive. Model is N700. Little info available. Any thoughts or comments?

It would have to come at a very low price. Expect to have to tinker with it a lot to keep it in working order. Rubber parts are not high enough quality to hold up over time. Seals are iffy. Fasteners are iffy. The basic design is not bad, just a bit dated.

The new price on these has gotten to the point that they are not a very good buy. LS/RK/TYM are about the same price or just a bit more and they are a lot better tractor and come with a much better warranty and service.

 

[kenmac]

That's acceptable today; I bought a $10,000 dump trailer with cheapazz chinese tires and then spent another $800 dollars to put good American made tires on it. My son bought a $38,000 5th wheel camper with chinese tires and then spent a thousand bucks to put American tires on it. The manufacturer's don't care any more.

where does one purchase a set of american made ''trailer tires'' ? far as I know, all ''trailer tires'' are made in china

 

[MossRoad]

where does one purchase a set of american made ''trailer tires'' ? far as I know, all ''trailer tires'' are made in china

Goodyear Rolls Out New American Made Trailer Tire – The Tires-Easy Blog

 

[Rebeldad1]

If the price is right for you and it works as well as you want. Why not
Use it gently and consider it a throw away if it breaks, If you can fix it even better.

 

[WM75Guy]

Originally NorTrac tractors were made by Jinma. I believe they are now using Foton to make them.

 

[kenmac]

Goodyear Rolls Out New American Made Trailer Tire – The Tires-Easy Blog

good to know. I went to regular truck tires cause the chinese trailer tires were junk. Maybe these will be much better

 

[mpsmith60]

Northern Tool and Chinese??? What could go wrong? Think down the road that maybe someday you may need parts, or service. Personally, I would stay with a name brand.

Exactly! What's crucial to any tractor purchase decision is having a good maintenance and support system like you get with name brand dealers. No thank you to a mail order Chinese tractor!