Buying Advice YM240D. Good deal?

[dchad]

YM240D is a competent and indestructible model. In 2003 I bought a YM240 (2 wd) in near abandoned condition. After a month of fixing and replacing grossly neglected stuff like the dash warning lights dangling down by my knee and loose bolts everywhere, the tractor turned out to be solid and it's needed near nothing beyond ordinary maintenance - same as a new tractor would require - ever since. It still looks thrashed but the reliability is flawless. See my sig photo at the bottom of this post.

That's a fair, typical price. You might see what else is available in that price range. Power steering is the one thing I miss having.

Also, all of these Yanmars are narrow so put a ROPS on it! And water ballast in the tires will help resist tipping. Your application improving the path down to the river is going to include some dangerous side slope activity and if you slide a little sideways it could get a even steeper. People die in rollovers. Again, get a ROPS.

You'll love it.

And welcome!

Sorry to jump in on your thread with a somewhat unrelated question, but your comment about Power Steering caught my attention. I'm leaning hard to buying an older YM 2000 to use primarily to pull a sprayer in a berry field. The rows are narrow, so we really like the idea of the narrow tractor (ROP comment noted). My question is will we be able to make the sharp turning radius at the end of our rows without the PS. Currently use a Kubota with PS, and we skip every other row to make the turn. Hoping the Yanmar could make the same turns. Most folks I talked to stated not having the PS on the smaller Yanmar wasn't that big a deal. Your thoughts on the PS would be appreciated. Thank you,

 

[California]

your comment about Power Steering caught my attention. I'm leaning hard to buying an older YM 2000 to use primarily to pull a sprayer in a berry field. The rows are narrow, so we really like the idea of the narrow tractor (ROP comment noted). My question is will we be able to make the sharp turning radius at the end of our rows without the PS. Currently use a Kubota with PS, and we skip every other row to make the turn. Hoping the Yanmar could make the same turns. Most folks I talked to stated not having the PS on the smaller Yanmar wasn't that big a deal. Your thoughts on the PS would be appreciated. Thank you.

Welcome!

Making those turns won't be a problem. Even with the heavy loader on mine, its only stiff standing still. Steering is fine after it starts moving, not very different from PS. I zig-zag with tight turns all over my orchard because some trees are too large to go through the openings between them, no big deal.

It's rare that I feel like I have to force the wheel. Only if I have fallen into a dried-out rut, or need to turn the wheel when stopped. The steering brakes are your friend if you get in the rare difficult situation - a slick surface or something - where you need to force an extremely tight turn.

Compared to your Kubota the YM2000 will feel like the difference between A/T and manual transmission, different, but not really missing much. (Also far less expensive, and simpler to maintain.) I think it's well suited to pulling a sprayer. These were designed for pulling a rototiller so you might end up using it for that also in your berry rows. It sounds like your application is nearly the same as the vineyard cultivation and spraying I see next door. (photo1) (2) (3)

Please return with photos!

 

[careyo63]

I'm tech. 1 arm and handed. It's all there intact but limited on a lot of things. I don't have power steering on theYM2000. I've used it for 12yrs. with the injury. Primarily my FM. 8 months a Yr. easy. When I hit the end of a pass it's so easy to turn around and with no FEL. you won't need it. I only have to hit Rev. once to backup a little. 5' maybe and start the next pass. Easier than a riding lawn mower. A Garden tractor - Sears mower Was replaced by the 2000. And the Biggest plus was the blades still cut while moving in Rev. :thumbsup: I finally have my 2nd. Gear PTO staying locked in and not jumping out of gear so my Eng. RPM's stay down and shifting is only momentary to keep from grinding gears. I still to the day catch the shifter with my heel a knock it out occasionally. Esp. if I'm wearing boots. Foot space is limited IMO.............. With the sprayer your only have to barely move and be able to turn the wheel with a couple fingers I bet. I have used a FEL. on a tractor and then PS. is a must have Esp. for me.

 

[dchad]

Thanks to both of you for your comments. I passed on the original YM 2000. It had been painted in strange areas and (not an expert), but seemed like the clutch needed replacing, and the front left wheel/spindle seemed really loose. However, based on your comments and others, I'm interested in the Yanmars. Saw a YM1700 listed locally that looks pretty nice, but I'm confused. When doing research on it, several sites list it as 20hp, but TractorData lists it at 17hp. Can either of you clear it up for me. Reading mostly on this site, it appears the 1700 is equally strong tractor to the 2000, yes?

Thanks again for lending your experience.

 

[Jtullis13]

Thanks to both of you for your comments. I passed on the original YM 2000. It had been painted in strange areas and (not an expert), but seemed like the clutch needed replacing, and the front left wheel/spindle seemed really loose. However, based on your comments and others, I'm interested in the Yanmars. Saw a YM1700 listed locally that looks pretty nice, but I'm confused. When doing research on it, several sites list it as 20hp, but TractorData lists it at 17hp. Can either of you clear it up for me. Reading mostly on this site, it appears the 1700 is equally strong tractor to the 2000, yes?

Thanks again for lending your experience.

Sometimes it depends on the searches you find on the web. From what I know the grey markets yanmars such as the YM1700 is a 20hp engine give or take 1-2hp with 17hp at the PTO. The U.S. models were rated the opposite of the tractor model number, meaning the model number like my 155d is a 15hp engine with 13hp PTO

 

[dchad]

Here is what TractorData states:

Yanmar YM1700 Power
Engine: 17 hp
12.7 kW

But this information is posted on several sites:

Yanmar 1700
Produced in 1979, this agricultural tractor has a diesel Yanmar engine with natural aspiration and 2 cylinders. It is 20 horsepower, or 14.9 kW. It has a gear-drive transmission with 8 forward gears and 2 reverse gears. It weighs 1,829 pounds and has a length of 98 inches, width of 44 inches and height of 68 inches.

It's interesting that the photo on TractorData is the grey/red paint and the one i'm looking at is the light green. Would that have anything to do with different hp?

Thanks again,

 

[dchad]

"meaning the model number like my 155d is a 15hp engine with 13hp PTO"

I agree with your comment above, which is why it makes me think the YM1700 is a 17hp engine, and less at the PTO. The manufacturer of the sprayer I want to use with it recommends 19hp and above.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Jtullis13]

Ok so some of the real early yanmars such as the 1700 may have been green. As for the year that depends on the hood/headlight placement. If this 1700 is green it could have been repainted or is an early version of the 1700 from 1975 or 76 possibly. So if the headlights are on the outside of the hood on each side it is a very early model if they are in the grill/hood it is a later model from 1979 ect. Either way I stand behind what I said about the hp ratings and such unless someone else here has a different opinion, feel free to correct me on this.

Do you have a picture you can post for us to look at so we can better help you identify the year/time frame of this tractor?

 

[dchad]

Ah, I had to reread your comment. Got it.

Tried to upload a photo, first time, not sure it worked correctly. Can you see it?

 

[Jtullis13]

That is a very early yanmar 1700. That is probably from 1970-1975 you can tell by the hood, grill and healights. Still probably a very good tractor and looks to be in good shape. How does it run?

 

[Jtullis13]

As for the hp rating, and the color on that machine that is still a grey market tractor and engine is still 20hp give or take 1hp and pto is 17hp still since it is a grey market tractor. Again someone else feel free to correct me.

 

[dchad]

I'm headed out in about 2hrs to test drive it. Talking to him over the phone, he claims no issues with it, and it definitely looks clean for it's age.

 

[Jtullis13]

It does look very clean. See if you can get any history on it. Check for blow by and excessive smoke or oil leaks. Be sure to go through all gears and run the pto too.

 

[Jtullis13]

Just a quick thought, try to get a video of it starting and running so you can post it.

 

[dchad]

Will do. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[CoyPatton]

As for the hp rating, and the color on that machine that is still a grey market tractor and engine is still 20hp give or take 1hp and pto is 17hp still since it is a grey market tractor. Again someone else feel free to correct me.

I agree with you! As it is a ym xxxx model meaning a 4 digit model number the 1st 2 numbers in the model represent the PTO hp. While US models were 3 digit models and the 1st 2 represent the engine hp.

Somewhere, years ago I was told or read to get a rough conversion on PTO to engine hp to multiple PTO hp by 1.2 and you would get very close to engine hp. So 17*1.2=20.4. Again this is a estimated engine hp. That is a rough conversion because a ym1700 and a ym1710 or ym1720 (not sure if those models exist or not) would loose more engine hp to PTO to run the addition transmission power needs.

 

[California]

That rough hp conversion gray/US is based on the fact that YM240 (US) and YM2000 (Japan) are the identical engine but each is described in local terminology.

US engines are rated for advertising with the naked engine, no accessories, set on a test stand and driving a dynamometer. Long tradition in the automotive world.

In Japan they hook up a dynamometer to the tractor's PTO - because that measures the power provided by the tractor to drive a rototiller.

 

[careyo63]

A good rule of thumb to get the PTO. Hp. rating I learned of on here Yrs. ago was. Use 5 Eng. Hp. to get 4Hp. PTO.. I've used that on 2 different Yanmars for buying Implements and it seems to be correct and works for me. I believe I first heard that was by Aaron@Hoye.......

 

[dchad]

Well, I joined the team. Went and looked at the tractor and the guy gave me to good of a deal to say no. Head has health issue and is selling all his toys and letting someone else do the work.

A good rule of thumb to get the PTO. Hp. rating I learned of on here Yrs. ago was. Use 5 Eng. Hp. to get 4Hp. PTO.. I've used that on 2 different Yanmars for buying Implements and it seems to be correct and works for me. I believe I first heard that was by Aaron@Hoye.......

 

[dchad]

Didnt get a video but it seems to run really well. Startles you when it starts, seems like you should duck in case a piston flies out the side, but up the rpms just slightly, and it sounds much better.
Makes me want to sing green acres when I drive it.