24hp tractor at northern tools

[Soundguy]

was looking at a tractor at northern tools, i need another tractor with a loader, and want this one to be diesel and 4wd, so that kicks out me getting one of my old gassers for the job. this will be staying away from my property, but not unatended.

the NT unit is about 13.5k$

looking up the laoder specs it saus 1300# at the pivot and 1900# breakout.

are those real numbers? if so.. it may work good. I have a hay spear that i adapted from a 3pt spear and it clamps into a loadter bucket. the bales i move max out at 800 or so. I have rarely moved one that was 1000 but very, very rare as i don't buy 5x5 or 6x and prefer 4x5 bales as they are easier for my oldies to move. But now it would be convienient to have laoder in 2 places and the 'other place' will have someone else using it.. so i don't want to stick an antique there and deal with all the associated issues a 2wd 60 yr old tractor can throw at ya. ( i have no problem.. but the average guy hopping on one. it will act up on him if i'm not their to spank it and make it work.. ).

what ye say?

 

[Kernopelli]

I assume the NT's are still Jinma made. I had a Jinma 284 and it was a surprisingly good tractor in many ways.... lots of power, heavy for a 28hp compact,etc. However, it just wasn't the quality of any of the 20-30 year old Japanese made compacts I've owned. Mine had REALLY cheesy electrical components and regardless of what all I did, it always ran hot. After lots of reading, I was afraid to make it a loader tractor because Jinma's small 4WD tractors seemed to be somewhat notorious for front axle/diff issues when put under a heavy load.

I am sure they are now better than my 2004 model but I would personally have more faith in any used, similarly priced, well maintained "Name brand"( Any of the Japanese made compacts).

 

[Affordable]

Well Soundguy you have about 50,000 posts so you have been around a lot of tractors, I know you have looked at the Chinese tractors many times,including the Jinmas

The NT tractor is a Foton Chinese tractor with a Koyker loader 140 loader, they are nice units and a great value for the buck. Are you going to really buy one now??

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
"Your Jinma Parts Superstore"
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[tcreeley]

I looked at the NT tractors, LS tractors and finally bought my 2003 TC30 (gear) for less than all of them. Had 629 hours when I got it. It is very reliable. One issue with temp sensor (replaced it) - but it always runs well, all year long. For 13.5 you can get an excellent used tractor. NT offers financing, as does LS which is a plus.
I think TBN scared me off the NT tractors, and I was leaning to LS - cheapest tractor in my area.

I called these guys on the phone RCO Tractor - Compact Tractors and Utility Tractors from LS Tractor USA and Yanmar of America on Sale Now! because they sold an LS tractor for a couple of thousand less than I could get it locally, and they threw in some implements. If the hassle of shipping is not a big deal to you, check them out - good deals, nice folks to talk to.

Good luck.

 

[Soundguy]

i remember back when homier was selling jinma's and you could get the lil 2wd 20hp one for 2999$

i see the weight ont he machine comes up to just over 4000#. Normally for that hp range I'd call that high, but i have seen many of the asian machines with heavy castings.

i was just curious if it will actually lift what the specs say. if so.. it would actually be a perfect fit price and size wise. it's small .. but if it will load 800# bales. it will work.

the used market for loader tractors is a bit dry here right now. i can't find anything in 4wd, diesel and with a loader except a scut kubota lawnmower sized amchine or two.

although i did find a nice old JD M while looking.

Well Soundguy you have about 50,000 posts so you have been around a lot of tractors, I know you have looked at the Chinese tractors many times,including the Jinmas

The NT tractor is a Foton Chinese tractor with a Koyker loader 140 loader, they are nice units and a great value for the buck. Are you going to really buy one now??

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
"Your Jinma Parts Superstore"
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[s219]

When I saw one, the fit/finish was pretty bad. But it may still be a good tractor. Someone on here bought one recently and seems to like it:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/chinese-tractors/317279-nortrac.html

 

[Soundguy]

thanks for the link, i'll pop in there.

 

[kenmac]

I can't comment on the tractors , but koyker loaders are good loaders . From what i have read ,they are way better than a Chinese loader I have a 160 koyker loader on my yanmar.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I have a Jinma with the Koyker 160 loader, slightly bigger but very similar. The Koyker loader is USA made. I don't weigh what I lift, but I've picked up things that were heavy enough that I could only get them 2-3 feet off the ground and the pressure relief released, so I assume that's the working limit or close to it. I need to have something heavy on the back to do that, otherwise the rear wheels lift before the pressure releases. Lifting them doesn't break the loader and doesn't break the tractor, and I am able to drive with that weight. So I believe the Koyker loader can lift its rated capacity and the tractor can handle it.

With early 2-series Jinmas there were a lot of stories of people breaking the front driveshaft when lifting heavy objects when 4WD is engaged. I haven't heard about that happening in a while.

When I was shopping I found that Northern Tool had the highest price, I saved several thousand dollars by going to a local dealer.

 

[SPIKER]

My neighbor has the 404 foton with Koyker loader, it is a NICE machine & i have my old 2002 Jinma with china hoe, fel tiller and mower, added on us fergi plow, rotary cutter and king kutter blade 7 rake... all in all I can fill bucket over flowing with wet rock & gravel without issues.

mark

 

[CowboyRon]

I really liked the tractor they had on display at northern. I think they had an 85 hp with an fel. The price was right, I would just be concerned about how I would get warranty work done.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Koyker Manufacturing - Loaders

I think the lift capacity at both ends of that tractor is marginal for a 900lb bale which puts the center of gravity out at 40" plus in the case of a clamp-on spear. The 35hp at Northern with 160 loader looks like a much better fit.

I also second the recommendation to compare to LS.

A skid-steer type bucket that lets you swap out to a dedicated bale spear would be a worthwhile option. I put a hydraulic toplink on the 3-point spear I made for my Belarus and that's another worthwhile investment. (So look for the rear remote option, standard on the Nortrac's by the way.)

 

[brotherbart]

I really liked the tractor they had on display at northern. I think they had an 85 hp with an fel. The price was right, I would just be concerned about how I would get warranty work done.

I am ordering their 35 hp tractor tomorrow. When I talked to Northern on the phone they gave me the name of a local tractor dealer eight miles from my house for warranty work. I called the service manager and he said they had only had two in there in the three years he has been there but that he had no problem providing the warranty service for Northern's tractors.

 

[CowboyRon]

I am ordering their 35 hp tractor tomorrow. When I talked to Northern on the phone they gave me the name of a local tractor dealer eight miles from my house for warranty work. I called the service manager and he said they had only had two in there in the three years he has been there but that he had no problem providing the warranty service for Northern's tractors.

Good luck to you Bart, and keep us posted.
I believe the one we saw had a Perkins diesel.

 

[brotherbart]

Thanks Cowboy. We shall see. Glad to have found this forum.

BB - Native West Texan that got stranded in Virginia.

 

[bjr]

Sound-guy
I have owned a JM354 for about 12 years and I really like the tractor for stand alone tractor work, NO FEL. I did my home work just like you and found the same deficiencies in the 200 series and some 300's Jinma tractors. I'm wondering if (not knowing what kind ground or terrain you'd be working) a skid steer would work for handling the hay. I feel skid steers have more of robust loader and hydraulics. I'm just not a fan of FEL's on compact tractors, too many people want to go and "dig dirt" or overload the machine and it seems some main gear case/housing breaks or gears go away. Turning with power on with bucket being loaded seems to be the common problem. This seems to be true with any of the "major brands" as well. What ever you decide I'm sure it will be a well investigated purchase. bjr

 

[Soundguy]

Yup, no need to dig, got a hoe for that, really just need the spear. Flat firm land too, good cinditions

 

[dusty3030]

Considered a used skid steer if mainly just needing a loader?

 

[Soundguy]

Used market here is very thin tight now.

 

[SPIKER]

I actually treat mine like a bulldozer most of the time, it has 600 hours or so and I would say 250 or so is mowing and tilling, the rest is bulldozing work. I started a thread about capabilities of the tractor in here a while back too. They are capable of most things but have a few built in flaws that have to be watched out for.

4x4 and FEL work is NOT something that gets along well as the front axle can be twisted off (been there done that 2 times) All in all they are great for price (mine is 2002) and the Fotons pricing has gone up but so has everything...

mark