Would you pay $1,500 for 14% more HP?

[GWagon]

I had this same option and I decided on the T494. I have hilly property, some fairly steep stuff that I mow. I also stump grind and just recently got a stump bucket which works great! The TYM replaced my Kioti NX50 which I used for the same stuff but it had too many issues so I traded in for the TYM without all the BS electronics that causes many problems.

You can possibly save some money if you buy the TYM RK55 version of the T574. I probably would have done this if I didn't need to trade-in.

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When you buy the RK (rebadged) version of a TYM tractor you limit your repairs to RK technicians. Additionally, you limit the model choices, very limited model choices at RK. Rural King is a great farm chain but the above would be a mistake.

 

[rumwrks]

I have gone back and forth so much on the miniX vs. backhoe attachment debate, my head still hurts over it.

Yeah, no argument there. The things that sold me .. for my use case.. on the miniX were:

- Longer reach on the boom (I have a lot of cleanup tasks where this will be hugely beneficial due to limited access).
- a fair bit more digging power, not sure how much that actually matters to me.. more for stumps I guess but that's kind of an and-also use case.
- an actual blade (yeah it's not a dozer.. but it's a bit heavier than the FEL so for light grading it's arguably a better choice)
- and the real kicker was the ability to move (albeit slowly) around stuff clutched in the claw (also wanting a hydraulic thumb for this reason). This is largely for brush cleanup and moving smaller logs around the log yard...

I also have miles of cleanup work to do with intermittent timelines so it's significantly more convenient to just have the machine on site rather than rented... for a large one time project especially with a fixed timeline? I'd probably rent.

For more stationary and close in work.. like just digging some stumps and maybe a couple culverts? IDK.. a lot tougher call, the TLB is possibly a better choice.

I've eyeballed the Chinese imports and feel mostly like you do.. the engines aren't always what they say either "Yanmar licensed engine" would in a lot of cases be more apropos when you look at the specifics of the manufacturing. It seems like some of them aren't too bad, but I'm not sure I'm smart enough to really figure out which ones. A lot of them are also WAY too small/light for serious digging or forest/road work as well, fine for back yard stuff but .. yeah. Anything under about 5000lbs in this class is a pretty light, it's one of those slippery upward slopes.. 7K looks like kind of a "sweet spot" for what I want, but 10-14k would arguably be better for some cases.. I've been more looking at older used machines for that reason.

Another option would be an actual old loader backhoe.. if you're handy with machinery.. you can get a real heavy machine like an old case 580 for $5-6k and it'll out dig either of the above options (unless you rent a larger excavator in like the 12000lb+ range), and it won't loose any meaningful value if you kept it for a year or two (unless something goes wrong with it.. ofc..) so resell is easy. You kinda have to know a bit what you're looking at there though, lots of dodgy old hydraulics and leaky cylinders with the chrome plumb gone that "run" but don't "work" so well.. but also a fair number of old machines in not-to-bad of shape that still have plenty of hours left in them.

The other downside of course is having two machines which seems like it's twice as much to go wrong... but often feels like it's more like four times as much hah.

 

[TN8Man]

I thought the 5835 is a little big for an HST, so I looked it up and the 5835 doesn't have an HST, its a synchromesh power shuttle. Maybe will work for the OP, but I recommend trying it first to see how it works for the typical things you want to do. I know I prefer the HST for the amount of careful tight loader work I do.

My dealer told me some of those TYM Branson models will be discontinued. The OP should ask his dealer about it. I wouldn't want a model that is going to be discontinued.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I have the smaller model T474 with the same engine as the T494, I have 535h on mine without a requested regen. And no trouble to date with it.

 

[Torvy]

I had the exact same choice.

I went with the 574. I couldn't think of a reason I would ever want less power.

So far the turbo has been a non-issue. My place is mostly trees. I figured more PTO HP would be good for chipper and stump grinder. Also gives you more options for cutters. Some of the heavier ones want more HP than the 494 has.

 

[halfBaked2024]

I have the smaller model T474 with the same engine as the T494, I have 535h on mine without a requested regen. And no trouble to date with it.

There are countless stories of this with that Kukje engine; I love everything about it. I think South Korea found a smart, hard working, grouchy American farmer (farmers all being doctorate Mechanical Engineers in disguise, of course) and he designed a great tractor engine for them.

 

[halfBaked2024]

I had the exact same choice.

I went with the 574. I couldn't think of a reason I would ever want less power.

So far the turbo has been a non-issue. My place is mostly trees. I figured more PTO HP would be good for chipper and stump grinder. Also gives you more options for cutters. Some of the heavier ones want more HP than the 494 has.

@Torvy - tell me your uses for the tractor… I’m curious how closely it aligns with mine.

 

[Hay Dude]

They work great to provide more hp. Anything extra adds a little complexity, but diesel turbos are very reliable.

Actually, turbos are more impressive at adding torque. Torque is what you want in a tractor engine.

More than torque or HP, what I pay more for is weight.

Tractors, unless vastly overmatched to a task, usually have enough power to get the job down, but when you look down from your seat and see all 4 tires spinning, but you aren’t moving, that’s a loss of traction, due to lack of weight.

 

[halfBaked2024]

My dealer told me some of those TYM Branson models will be discontinued. The OP should ask his dealer about it. I wouldn't want a model that is going to be discontinued.

I must be doing research correctly with y’all’s help - I asked this very question!

Dealer said it’s a craps shoot when I asked the *glaring* Branson question. He agreed the lineup is a forensic jigsaw puzzle when choosing a model.

My research concludes that the Branson is the same, except for a shorter chassis, front axle and 3P implement attachment points. TYM has apparently fixed the front axle issues they had, so that may be a non-issue.

Dealer’s prior feedback to TYM was to merge the models together using the best parts and prune the model line.

It’s got to be challenging as a manufacturer to phase things out when you are trying to maintain a long legacy of parts inventory reputation. All while that North Korean whack job is lobbing crap over the border.

But I digress…

 

[halfBaked2024]

When you buy the RK (rebadged) version of a TYM tractor you limit your repairs to RK technicians. Additionally, you limit the model choices, very limited model choices at RK. Rural King is a great farm chain but the above would be a mistake.

I wish we had meetings at my workplace with this much honesty and forthrightness.

 

[rumwrks]

My research concludes that the Branson is the same, except for a shorter chassis, front axle and 3P implement attachment points.

My conclusion was that the 5520 was smaller dimensionally but weighed about the same so the material went somewhere.. and IMHO it showed in the axles and undercarriage. I might well regret my choice long term but that was my thought process. I wouldn't dispute that the trim on T574 was nicer...

 

[jyoutz]

Actually, turbos are more impressive at adding torque. Torque is what you want in a tractor engine.

More than torque or HP, what I pay more for is weight.

Tractors, unless vastly overmatched to a task, usually have enough power to get the job down, but when you look down from your seat and see all 4 tires spinning, but you aren’t moving, that’s a loss of traction, due to lack of weight.

Agree with everything. I just pointed out that you do loose performance at higher elevations with a naturally aspirated engine. Turbos do help a lot at higher elevation.

 

[Torvy]

@Torvy - tell me your uses for the tractor… I’m curious how closely it aligns with mine.

I have about 3 acres of easements that I cut brush from a couple of times a year with a ditch flail. The other 15-17 acres are pine plantation (13-14 years old) that have been neglected.

Will be using flail for clearing brush from between my rows of loblolly pines and along my perimeter fence.

Also regularly remove diseased/dead trees. Right now we burn most of the debris, but I am looking for a PTO powered chipper to provide mulch.

I have a root grapple that I use to haul logs and brush, but HP is not much of a factor. Same with Box blade for driveway and path maintenance.

Aside from the PTO, the extra HP can be useful pulling stumps. Stump grinder is another future purchase.

 

[Torvy]

My conclusion was that the 5520 was smaller dimensionally but weighed about the same so the material went somewhere.. and IMHO it showed in the axles and undercarriage. I might well regret my choice long term but that was my thought process. I wouldn't dispute that the trim on T574 was nicer...

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

They are both good choices. If I ran TYM, I would merge these into one pair with the best features of both. They already share the engine.

 

[halfBaked2024]

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

They are both good choices. If I ran TYM, I would merge these into one pair with the best features of both. They already share the engine.

Merging models was the feedback my dealer said he had for TYM.

 

[Torvy]

Merging models was the feedback my dealer said he had for TYM.

As long as they are smart about it, that makes sense. Just dropping models wouldn't be a good idea.

From everything I've read, it sounds like TYM is taking feedback and actually trying to make things better. Many times an acquisition just takes market share and the other models just vanish.

 

[halfBaked2024]

I have about 3 acres of easements that I cut brush from a couple of times a year with a ditch flail. The other 15-17 acres are pine plantation (13-14 years old) that have been neglected.

Will be using flail for clearing brush from between my rows of loblolly pines and along my perimeter fence.

Also regularly remove diseased/dead trees. Right now we burn most of the debris, but I am looking for a PTO powered chipper to provide mulch.

I have a root grapple that I use to haul logs and brush, but HP is not much of a factor. Same with Box blade for driveway and path maintenance.

Aside from the PTO, the extra HP can be useful pulling stumps. Stump grinder is another future purchase.

I’m a square peg in actual tractor usage. You’ll see in this thread I’m looking to do grading and tree clearing with mine. No brush or mowing needed, but it’s interesting how our basic tractor requirements are so similar. Implement-wise, I can see a chipper and stump grinder in my future but out of the starting gate, I have a shop site to clear, grub and grade for the new tractor and my other stuff to live in. For now, I will try to get that done with a rock bucket, root grapple and box blade on a TLB setup.

Eating the elephant one bite at a time, but this first bite is a $biggie$, at least for my spending plan.

 

[Torvy]

If it wasn't for the easements, I'd have little use for the mower. Probably could have worked around buying one.

The utility is supposed to mow them, but it will go a few years sometimes.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Sounds like you could use a dozer more than a tractor?

 

[rumwrks]

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

Yeah 100%. I added 2 rear remotes but definitely would have preferred 3 and one with float so I'm going to have to do some machinations to work around that. The pre-wired 3rd function is also definitely nicer. I opted for rops not cab so the rear 3pt control isn't "as big" of a deal. The trim is most definitely nicer on the T series no argument at all. I'm also more used to old crusty tractors without any of it so it didn't.. I guess .. feel like as much of a deal? I might change my mind in 10 years

But it did feel a bit like I was paying (about) $2k more (dealer made me an ok deal and I'm installing the rears myself... otherwise it'd have been more..) for what I felt was a slightly chunkier looking chassis and a castle nut instead of a circ clip... How much any of that matters? IDK.. I was also kind of basing it off of visible complaint #'s which I also realize aren't normalized for volume so kind of more than a touch hand wavey...

The stump grinders are $$$... That and (mostly) the chipper is why I opted for the extra HP... I'm not sure I'll bother with a grinder anytime soon as I can mostly either just leave (lots of thinning so those can just stay), pull (only a few), or cut flush (and deal with later..) the smaller stumps (mostly under 12") I have to deal with.

I've also been looking for a decent used forestry winch...

If you haven't found the old "farm tractor in the forest" doc it has a lot of useful, if slightly dated (so grain of salt, use judgement) information.

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/general_publications/farm_tractor_in_the_forest.pdf