First Tractor Purchase

[YukonKing]

Hello All,

Well i just made my first purchase. A JM254 2WD with a FEL and BH. I am importing it myself direct from China. So I'll see if it actually get here!! But otherwise I am very happy with my decission. For now it will be used for landscaping my new, heavily treed lot and snow removal this winter. I have almost a half mile of road that needs alot of work. I have been reading post for some time now. It doesn't seem like there are any truly unhappy Jinma owners out there. I look forward to using this machine.

Does anybody out there have much experience running other kinds of equipment to compare this to, like skid-steer loaders or small backhoes? Weighing in at 5000lbs with FEL and Backhoe with a set of V-bar chains this machine should do well in the snow I think/hope.

Our upcoming winter will be a true test of this engine, as we see -20C alot of the winter and a fair bit of -30/40C as well.

Thanks to all for keeping new threads about whatever coming up, im interested in any problems or lack of problems with these units.

 

[corey]

YukonKing,

All the best with your Jinma.
Curious about your choice of 2WD vs 4WD.
Use of 4WD is a necessity to clear my lane in the winter.

corey

 

[greg_g]

Well i just made my first purchase. A JM254 2WD with a FEL and BH.

Clarify please. The 25hp two wheel drive Jinma is a JM250. If yours is in fact a JM254, it's (part time) four wheel drive. Some have technically termed it "front wheel assist".

That engine is very hard starting in the cold. I'd recommend at a minimum you install an oil pan heater. That is assuming you've got the flat bottom oil sump. If you've got the finned one, you'll have to go to an inline (radiator hose) heater. You might also consider contacting DelJen about their electrical system cold start kit.

//greg//

 

[YukonKing]

Hello

Sorry It is a JM254 (4WD) slip of the finger I guess. Yes as far as cold starting she will be getting a block heater if possible ( do these engines have frost plugs?), as well as a battery warmer and oil preheater.

I have heard rumors that the front end drive isn't very robust? Any opinions?

YukonKing

 

[greg_g]

More than opinion actually, you can pretty much consider it to be fact. For aggressive loader use, it's strongly recommended that you use 2wd only with straight line assist from the diff lock as required. Probably a good idea to simply get used to the idea of staying in 2wd for loader work of any kind.

There are two frost plugs. With differing part numbers, one could conclude they're different sizes. But I have no idea of how much clearance there is behind them. There are glow plugs but no battery warmer, no oil pre-heater either. That's why I initially recommended an oil pan heater.

//greg//

 

[YukonKing]

Well I received my JM254 today. I'll try to post some pics

 

[YukonKing]

Here Goes

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

Congratulations ........

Give her a good service and prep before you put to work and she should make you a good little tractor.

As you service and assembile I would go ahead and set the tractor up for your intended use.


Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[RonMar]

congrats.

Interesting hood/headlight shape... It also looks like they armored the steering cylinder as it appears to have a steel sleeve over the rod end.

I love my 284, it is a real beast. I am to the point now of needing(wanting) a backhoe for mine.

Like Ronald said, give her a good service, change ALL the fluids, including what fuel may be in the tank, and make sure EVERY nut and bolt is tight. The old chinese fluid is great for starting brush piles, much more flamable than ordinary lube oil is... You will find some geat maintanence hints/reccomendations here. and over at Johns Jinma site. The wealth of info at these sites was one of the reasons I chose a Jinma.

Good Luck and enjoy

 

[YukonKing]

Well this morning I got her fired up. Started good, all seems in order. Funny thing I was as suprised as you all about the hood headlight setup. Also it came with the battery in, hood on, "ready to run", the diesel in the sediment bowl looks very questionable for sure.

This was a direct personal import straight from the manufacturer. I ordered it in blue but it ended up red, no big deal. So far I am impressed with the machine.

 

[SPIKER]

Hi Youconking

great looking so far, I have mine and still running it and did similar back in 2002 though now it is getting warn a bit from abuse. be careful on the loader like stated above/before. DON'T use loader in 4 wheel drive, only 2 wheel drive I and several others have twisted front axle/hubs off using it in 4 wheel drive while picking/loading/filling debris into the loader bucket. mine is still working but 60% of it's use has been acting as a bulldozer, I have a worn out clutch already and less than 400 hrs. I moved probably 1000 ton of gravel/dirt/sand and misc stuff using my loader since I had it and much of that had clutch slippage under normal stopping/re-starting. hope ya got shuttle shift (they didn't have that when I got mine.) I'm hoping I can get mine through winter and have my floor poured prior to having to break her in two to replace the clutch...

some pics of stuff I've done are here

WPSPIKER - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting don't think these machines aren't capable but they do break when pushed beyond normal.


Mark M

 

[YukonKing]

Hey SPIKER,

I did infact get the shuttle shift option. As she sits its only got .5hrs on the clock I look forward to moding my 80" snow blade to the loader for this winter. As we already have snow in the mountains.

 

[hill]

Hey SPIKER,

I did infact get the shuttle shift option. As she sits its only got .5hrs on the clock I look forward to moding my 80" snow blade to the loader for this winter. As we already have snow in the mountains.

Ummm, this is probably a dumb one, but how is the shuttle shift different than a non-shuttle shift? I mean, how could I tell which I have on my new JM254 that looks to be identical to yours, Yukon, except for the headlights?

 

[RonMar]

The shuttle shift has a control lever under the left side of the steering wheel(looks like a turn signal lever,only stronger) that you use to shift from forward to reverse at whatever gear you have selected on the transmission. This linkage goes down to the forward part of hte transmission and replaces the creeper(low low range) gearset.

 

[hbaird]

Does it still require the clutch?
Harold

 

[greg_g]

Does it still require the clutch?
Harold

Yes. Full stop, engage clutch, change shuttle lever position, release clutch, resume activity in the opposite direction.

//greg//