Small GMT with domestic Counterpart?

Iplayfarmer · Dec 19, 2007

Here's the crazy half-brained plan...

I love my current grey market Iseki. I'd like to compliment it with a nice diesel lawn tractor and the thought came to me, I wonder if there's a good, small Grey Market Tractor that I could fit a mid-mount mower to?

I'd like to find something with a domestic counterpart to make getting parts easier. I know that a few of the Yanmars correlate almost directly with a John Deere. My TX1500 is basically a Bolens 172.

What I'd like to do is get a list of a few models and give the list to my local guy who sells GMT's with a description of the condition I'm willing to accept and tell him to deliver it when he finds it at the price I specify.

I'm looking for something pretty small, basically a glorified lawn mower with hydraulics.

What are some models that fit this description?

js5020 · Dec 20, 2007

Well I like your idea, I have considered it myself and would like to find a small machine for similar purposes. I thought about going Yanmar for parts availability, 2wd for tire issues, and narrow enough to convert 42 or 48 inch attachments.

Iplayfarmer · Dec 20, 2007

js5020 said:
Well I like your idea, I have considered it myself and would like to find a small machine for similar purposes. I thought about going Yanmar for parts availability, 2wd for tire issues, and narrow enough to convert 42 or 48 inch attachments.

We're of a same mind. I was thinking 2wd for cost plus the wear on the lawn. It would seem that the traction tires of these 4x4 tractors would be hard on a lawn when making the kind of tight turns necessary during mowing. It would seem Yanmar is the way to go. I just figured that there was a better chance of finding a domestic counterpart to a Yanmar.

Here's hoping someone who knows chimes in with some answers.

js5020 · Dec 20, 2007

Yep, I have a 26hp 4wd machine with ag's and it will lift some turf when making a sharp turn on the lawn. 2wd just makes it easier when exchanging those rice tires for turfs, don't have to worry about gear ratio's, I think most of those small machines use 16" rims so tires would be easy. 2wd also should allow you to lengthen the wheelbase if necessary to fit the mower without to much problems.

LMTC · Dec 21, 2007

Given that Yanmar USA has a strict policy about not selling parts for grey market tractors, and will terminate (and has terminated) parts distributorships from businesses for even servicing grey market models, what difference does it make if there was a US-marketed counterpart? We have a 158 page catalog of aftermarket parts for the grey market Yanmars we market, and have never failed to get a part for one of our tractor customers.
As far as the other brands of Japanese compacts go, there is no organized parts network, OEM or aftermarket, for any of them. If I had a dollar for every call or email I get from people who have been hunting for parts for their Hinomoto, Shibaura, Iseki, Mitsubishi, etc., I could fund a Roth IRA. Even now we get 5-6 such inquiries a week, and a few years back (before adequate internet info alerting folks to parts issues) we probably got 10-20 such inquiries a week.
Does Bolens still carry a full parts line for the 172 compact tractor? It is my understanding that they offer no current support for it, and any parts are those that just happen to be at a long-standing dealership.
JD got most of their parts for the Yanmar-built compacts from Yanmar, and that relationship is now ended. Call a number of JD dealers looking for parts for early JD compacts and see what you find. We now have an aftermarket catalog started for early JD compacts, and are selling some parts to JD dealers because they cannot get them any more through their own parts supply chain. Far more important to buy from a dealer who can directly supply parts from whatever sources they have for the specific model than it is to depend on OEM support from some tractor that is similar to the grey market model you are interested in.

Iplayfarmer · Dec 21, 2007

LMTC said:
Given that Yanmar USA has a strict policy about not selling parts for grey market tractors, and will terminate (and has terminated) parts distributorships from businesses for even servicing grey market models, what difference does it make if there was a US-marketed counterpart? We have a 158 page catalog of aftermarket parts for the grey market Yanmars we market, and have never failed to get a part for one of our tractor customers.
As far as the other brands of Japanese compacts go, there is no organized parts network, OEM or aftermarket, for any of them. If I had a dollar for every call or email I get from people who have been hunting for parts for their Hinomoto, Shibaura, Iseki, Mitsubishi, etc., I could fund a Roth IRA. Even now we get 5-6 such inquiries a week, and a few years back (before adequate internet info alerting folks to parts issues) we probably got 10-20 such inquiries a week.
Does Bolens still carry a full parts line for the 172 compact tractor? It is my understanding that they offer no current support for it, and any parts are those that just happen to be at a long-standing dealership.
JD got most of their parts for the Yanmar-built compacts from Yanmar, and that relationship is now ended. Call a number of JD dealers looking for parts for early JD compacts and see what you find. We now have an aftermarket catalog started for early JD compacts, and are selling some parts to JD dealers because they cannot get them any more through their own parts supply chain. Far more important to buy from a dealer who can directly supply parts from whatever sources they have for the specific model than it is to depend on OEM support from some tractor that is similar to the grey market model you are interested in.

Sounds like I was right, but for the wrong reasons. I've heard that Yanmars are the best for support here in the U.S., but apparently it's because of guys like you instead of JD dealers.

I had hoped that by finding something with a domestic counterpart I could more easily get compatible implements too, like a mower deck or snowblower. Maybe this is not the case either. Please fill me in.

I do get pretty good parts support for my G172 equivalent. Derrick at Rainbow sales in Hawaii and Jim Perlik have been really good at having what I need. I know there are others too that supply parts, but I just haven't developed the relationship with the others.

LMTC · Dec 21, 2007

Rainbow is the only source I know of that has more than a few piecemeal parts for Iseki in stock. And shipping can get steep. Even as good as Rainbow's parts support is, I would still not say that makes for good or comprehensive parts support for the Isekis.

And yes, we are better support. Most of what we have aftermarket that fits JD is way less pricey than through them....even when they still have it.

lens12 · Dec 23, 2007

I've been supplying parts for Iseki tractors for 8 years. I can supply most parts for all the Bolens/Iseki tractors from a US source. The G192/94/242/44 are the only models that I have to get drive train parts from Japan. I can supply many of the TL & TU models' parts from US sources. Mitsubishi & Shibaura are much the same.

As to finding a mid mount mower that will bolt right on. I don't think that will happen. Wood's did make some mmm's for the early Japanese tractors, but discontinued making them about 7 years ago. I do have an all most new mm mower for a YM1300. I believe I do have one supplier that still makes a 48" quick mount mower that will go on anything with a 3 point & rear pto.

Iplayfarmer · Dec 24, 2007

What features does a small CUT need to enable it to work with a MMM? Mid PTO? Front PTO?

Am I just barking too far up the wrong tree with this idea? Are there midmount mowers that you can adapt fairly easily to these smaller CUT's?

js5020 · Dec 24, 2007

Iplay, it really depends on what your attachment needs, I have seen many ways to "hook up" the attachment. Some of the Woods mowers used on like a IH Cub were belt driven off the rear pto, I have seen pto units hooked to the front of the engine crankshaft to power a mower or a blower. I have also seen mowers and blowers powered via shaft drive from the rear pto, an example of a mower was one from Contenental, see one every now and then on e-bay, or a front mount blower from Erskine. It can be done however if you want to make things it's gonna require fab skills, equipment, time and possibly rework for things that don't work out as expected. Course there are some implements out there, lens12 just mentioned a MMM for a Yanmar 1300 in good condition, probably would be able to find a blower manufactured to fit it will just take some time to find one.