Yanmar Rant

[professor]

I just have to put my 2 cents into a discussion. I can't understand why grey market Yanmars get so much bashing. Lately I have read on different forums concerning safety issues, parts availability, age and other negative comments. I have owned two Yanmars one a YM 155 domestic and a 1401 grey market and several other domestic tractors. The Yanmars have been the best both in durability and parts availability. I paid $3200 for the 1401 and tiller, approx. $65 for overrunning clutch, $900 for turf tires and approx. $900 for ROPS. My total investment was less than $6000 and I had a tractor with less than 650 hours. I have owned it since 1999 with very few problems. The parts I have needed were ordered from Hoye and were shipped immediately. In 2000 I bought a 1999 New Holland 3930 4WD for $15000 with 400 hours on it. I have put 600 hours on it and have had the following problems: alternator, starter, front axle seals, pto gears, etc. I had to wait three weeks for some of the pto parts,
The safety issues are ridiculous considering some of the older domestic tractors such as Ford 8N no live hydraulics, tricycle tractors, Farmall cubs reverse pto and top heavy and many tractors had throttles that had to be pulled back.
I know the new compacts and sub-compacts are good tractors but some people can't afford or don't want to spend $12000-19000 for a tractor that will be used 50-100 hours annually. With careful shopping and staying away from some VN rebuilds one can get a great tractor for half the cost of new.
Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[winston1]

Your welcome, thanks for venting.

 

[clemsonfor]

You can get one for way less than half of a new one!!

And if you read a lot of the old posts you will see one member who has left the board who was very knowageable but also would down talk any one who ever mentioned a VN tractor and how every one is a ticking time bomb, this and that and how bad of a decesion they made on and on, telling you to get rid of it now, you paid to much etc etc.

I almost did not join here because of this person. Im glad i stayed and stuck it out and just put on my tough skin to deal with him. He left as he felt he was being "ganged up on" apparently i was not the only one who did not think it necessary to tell every one how bad thier tractor was or that thier lucky that it is still running etc. He has his opinion, i have mine and others have thiers. We stick to geather on some things and disagree on others but thats what makes this a good place. He just could not post much without bringing up his personal feelings on the recons and slinging the mud.

Anyway welcome. These guys here know about every thing there is to know.

 

[clemsonfor]

WOW never mind your one of the original yanmar guys it looks like from your join date!! Your not new!

 

[aczlan]

On the other hand, for about the same price today you can pickup a Kubota B series or older L series with similar hours and 1 attachment (loader, tiller, mower, etc) that is already equipped with a ROPS and turf tires...

Aaron Z

 

[kenmac]

On the other hand, for about the same price today you can pickup a Kubota B series or older L series with similar hours and 1 attachment (loader, tiller, mower, etc) that is already equipped with a ROPS and turf tires...

Aaron Z

No thanks,

I'll keep my yanmar thank you

 

[rmacAU]

No thanks,

I'll keep my yanmar thank you

I've had a Mitsubishi D1550FD for over ten years and found it a great little tractor. I bought a slightly bigger one in the Yanmar F18D when the clutch failed. Why didn't I just repair the Mitsubishi?
i) I was told there were a number of different clutches fitted and that until I broke it open I wouldn't know which one to order. Once I knew which one it was it may or may not be available.
ii) it was an opportunity to get a machine better suited to my needs
iii) at the time I had work to do and a timeline in which to do it - taking week(s) to sort the Mitsubishi wasn't possible

I will now get back to the Mitsubishi and take it apart, see if I can get away with relining the clutch plate and then sell the tractor as a going concern. Hopefully I'll get the value of the FEL back from the sale.

At the price they want for a new (or often secondhand 'genuine') tractor I'd probably not be able to afford one!

The work I've done using the Yanmar has been a pleasure and I'm looking forward to getting out and about once spring comes - it is too wet around the paddocks at the moment and not much growth to slash 'til then anyway.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea that can be the problem with the Mitsubishis (there good tractors too!!) and the isekis and the other jappaneese tractors. There just as good or close but they just have not developed the market share here so there is not the demand for parts and therefor can be tough to get the parts you need, or basically impossible here in the states.

Cause of the Deere/yanmar connection people have wanted the yannies for years and i guess the parts came second.

Im sure for your tractor the clutch exists as a fastory replacement part or aftermarket part but the language barrier and it being around the world does not help you get it here.

 

[oliver28472]

I've had a Mitsubishi D1550FD for over ten years and found it a great little tractor. I bought a slightly bigger one in the Yanmar F18D when the clutch failed. Why didn't I just repair the Mitsubishi?
i) I was told there were a number of different clutches fitted and that until I broke it open I wouldn't know which one to order. Once I knew which one it was it may or may not be available.
ii) it was an opportunity to get a machine better suited to my needs
iii) at the time I had work to do and a timeline in which to do it - taking week(s) to sort the Mitsubishi wasn't possible

I will now get back to the Mitsubishi and take it apart, see if I can get away with relining the clutch plate and then sell the tractor as a going concern. Hopefully I'll get the value of the FEL back from the sale.

At the price they want for a new (or often secondhand 'genuine') tractor I'd probably not be able to afford one!

The work I've done using the Yanmar has been a pleasure and I'm looking forward to getting out and about once spring comes - it is too wet around the paddocks at the moment and not much growth to slash 'til then anyway.

The 1550 is the equivalent of the S-470 Satoh Buck, if that helps. I think the 373 uses that clutch also. I've had a 1450 since 1996 and have a 470 Buck that my Dad bought new. I have no problem finding parts. I bought the 1450 because it was basically (almost) the same as my Buck. The engine is slightly less HP. I hope this is not TMI on the Yanmar forum but my point is that these same folks have bashed Mitsubishis and Satohs too. Both of mine have been cheap to own and operate.

 

[knotweed]

Older Yanmars (I love my 1610D) were made for a population that has/had access to very few resources for repair parts and were supplied with tractors that were reliable and needed few, if any, major repairs. In in the USA, manufacturers make more money on parts than they do the sale of original unit. Frequent requirements for repairs and parts are inbred into the minds of today's manufacturers. "Keep it simple" has been replaced with "repair and fix frequently" attitudes. I've noticed that my Suburban (11 years old) has started needing repairs to most of the sensors, not the car itself but to the sensors. I'm sure this is the case with the newer tractors also.
Just my thoughts

 

[California]

Yes!

I think the YM - PowerShift models have the ideal balance of convenient features but still keeping run-forever simplicity. Then considering the low cost of the gray models and excellent parts support for them, I don't see how you can beat this combination.

The earlier two cylinder YM's are even simpler, about one step up from a water buffalo. Just fill the cooing system with ditch water and get to work. Most of the electric components, sensors, the oil filter, probably all the clutch components, ie bolt-on stuff that wears out, are common across several Japanese cars so should be available for many years. Need to do something under the cowl, say replace the keyswitch after 30 years outdoors? A ten minute job! Just reach underneath, or stick your head under there - it's all open and accessible.

I've had my early-80's YM240 for nearly 10 years now. After getting it cleaned up and put in service I doubt I've spent $50 for repairs.(Aside from problems I was completely responsible for, like tearing off the oil pressure wire in heavy brush). I'm still impressed by it. It simply feels like quality every time I use it.

 

[Yandaddy1110]

I own both a Yanmar directly imported from Japan and an Americanized Kubota. I feel most buyers are looking for loaders, hydro, turf tires, belly mowers all of which the greys do not provide. Price wise by the time you convert a typical grey to the way its most practical for your needs, you could have bought American. Plus the dealers offer financing for those who for no other reason want new. I would buy another grey Yanmar, but the prices cant justify it.

 

[California]

I feel most buyers ... hydro, turf tires, belly mowers .. by the time you convert a typical grey ... you could have bought American. Plus the dealers offer financing ...

I think the market for inexpensive tractors is broader than that. Of course adding those expensive features and hidden credit fees will make the price balloon up to unreasonable.

I think most people who buy these elderly Yanmars are the kind who pay cash, don't need a belly mower or may already own a zero-turn, and have decided PowerShift is close enough to hydrostatic for the mini-farm application they have in mind. This is a slightly different customer profile than someone maintaining a showplace - who would indeed be better off buying a modern compact tractor equipped as you described. Back when the grays were coming in at reasonable cost I think they filled a specific niche better than any other solution.

 

[Car Doc]

Yeah I agree on the rant we all on here were there at one point wondering if we were making the right decision buying one of the YM's etc and we all heard the bad stuff and still went ahead and bought them and happily and inexpensively use them.

But what it boils down to turned out to be just talk and mostly by non Yanmar folks or someone who had an axe to grind over a bad unit or more commonly as you realize someone who sells some other brand or spec tractor. Bottom line is a person has to follow the money and that leads to the root of the complaints and bad press.

Yanmar itself being the probably the worst of all imho bashing their own stuff and suing gray dealers and being anti gray simply to fend off the lawyers sad is all I can say it all boils down to stupid lawsuits and stupider people not bad equipment. my .002

 

[robsym240]

I regularly search Craigslist tractor listings in my area and I've noticed that nearly every older domestic tractor listing says ''new clutch'', ''engine rebuilt'',''tranny rebuilt'', ''hydraulics rebuilt'', etc. etc., but the majority of Yanmar listings say ''runs great'', ''everything works as it should'', ''strong little tractor'', etc.. I own a mid 70's YM240 that runs as good as the day it rolled off the line and for the quality, price, and dependability I've not seen a domestic tractor near the same age that I would rather have, I am sold on Yanmar.

 

[frankmako]

i got a 1601d and it has been the best tractor on the farm. no problems except voltage regulator, on the third one in 13 years. but that could be cause i use the 1601d to jump start the other bigger tractors and farm trucks when their batteries are dead from setting all winter. i just change oil/filter once a year and tractor on.

 

[farmfun]

Can't say I understand the bashing myself. For our little piece of heaven our 3110D was and STILL is a dream come true.
I'd do the deal again in a heartbeat as far as durability goes. I just wish we could have swung a 2nd for a his n hers pair.

You don't need a belly unit when you can set up a 6 ft flail mower.