Gray market tractor report - Farm Pro brand

[moopups]

Its a 25 hp, 3 cylinder diesel, 4wd, made in China, costing about $11,000.00 here. Now at 56 actual hours of operating time. So far one broken shift lever on the high/low transfer case; the about 6mm or so lever has broke from the shaft collar via a MIG weld, much too inadequate compared to an arc weld.

Second problem is the throwout bearing is singing, the China craftsmen do not have metal hardening sciences correct yet. We are light years ahead of their methods.

Engineering and design are better than expected, there are some innovations we could learn from. Also there is a separating chain link on the three point anti sway links, again a MIG weld where an arc weld is needed.

Over all power, not adequate, as is anything less that 20 tons and 1,000 hp! Hydraulics are not strong, no gages here to check the blow off pressure settings. The front end bucket is Koyker brand, new to me, adequate for loose material such as manure, sand, or gravel but not something I would want to dig stumps with. Maybe it would do well working a bush hog for continuous mowing, but is not comfortable in a stop and go situation. The 3 point lift lever is constantly digging into my right thigh, this will be corrected as soon as I get another tank of oxygen for my torch so I can warm that puppy up enough to change its shape. I would not buy this brand if Kubota or similar were available.

[Chas in Me]

Thanks for the info. I had been considering that brand. Will rethink.
Chas

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by moopups

Over all power, not adequate, as is anything less that 20 tons and 1,000 hp! .

HAHAHA!

[Jolly]

I've always thought they were a bit crude, but they're really not what you'd call "grey market". I think that would apply to the various Yanmar, Hinimoto, etc, coming in from Japan right now, against the OEM's wishes.

As for the FarmPro (or Jinma)...back when you could buy a 20hp 2WD for $3K I might be tempted. For $11K, no way...

[Daryll in NW FLA]

Hey Mitch, Maybe that seat was made for a smaller butt? :>)

[Dahc]

Originally Posted by moopups

Its a 25 hp, 3 cylinder diesel, 4wd, made in China, costing about $11,000.00 here...

I don't understand all the technical goodies but I have a 17hp 3 cylinder diesel from China. A Yanmar 1700. We bought it 5 years ago and have used it steadily every since... except when it's in the shop. It was in the shop quit a bit until about year ago. I just quit taking it there. It's still broke. It runs, but not good. The cooling system is poorly designed, the replacement parts are inferior, the hydraulics just plain stink, the wheel base is too short, the tires that were stock on it are way to thin width wise. There's more but I wont include it all.

It cost us 5500$ and we have put about 6000$ into it. parts that were replaced break again and it's almost impossible to do good work on it because the thing is so poorly designed. Other than that, it's a great tractor. I can dig better holes with the rear tires than I can with the bucket on the front.

So, is this common with chinese stuff? I thought I had the perfect self-reliance machine when we got it because it will run off VO and the PTO will push a good gen head...

[neolady]

Wow - am I glad I opted to buy an old Bolens/Iseki diesel!!! No complaints with it so far!

I had looked at a few Chinese gray market tractors, did some research on the tractor boards and decided not to go that route.

[WAB]

I have a Kubota B7510 (21hp). That is a great little tractor. One row stuff works well. Just keep in mind how small it is and what limitations it has and you cant do wrong. For a small garden and homestead,it works just fine.

[mightybooboo]

Ive learned my Chinese lesson at Wally World.
Sure wouldnt buy a Chinese vehicle.

Thanks for the eval Mitch.

BooBoo

[arabian knight]

Then you also have to be careful because I know of a guy that imports China tractors. I looked them up on the net and the Name is Just China Tractor Company. Anyways He is Importing them LEAVING OFF ALL names and stickers that refer to the tractor as Being China Tractor Co. And Putting on His OWN name and is selling that way. So people will NEVER know just where he has gotten the tractor from. We asked him where and he would NOT tell us. BUT I walked around and just Happen to notice one of the Serial Name tags were still on the end loader that he had not taken off yet~!!!!! I then Looked at the China Tractor web site and sure enough that is where it came from. He said he was going to import a few Without the loaders and putting on USA ones. But still does not take away from the fact. He is selling those Tractors under His Name Brand ~~!! And no where on the tractor will identify it as coming from CTC....

[rambler]

Originally Posted by Dahc

So, is this common with chinese stuff? I thought I had the perfect self-reliance machine when we got it because it will run off VO and the PTO will push a good gen head...

Yes, very.

There are 3 state owned companies in China making tractors. They willingly sell shipping containers of these units to anyone here in the USA. You unpack them, put the wheels & a bit of sheetmetal on (some assembly required) and you have a line of tractors to sell. I see many, many labels put on them - all the same stuff tho, poor castings & poor hyd & no stable parts source.


"Grey market" is not the correct term - these are new machines imported into the USA. Grey market means a tractor sold in the home country, & them imported into the USA as a used machine. These do not need to meet emmissions, saftey, or other standards as they are 'used' machines. Typically they actually come from Japan, but I suppose a few are coming in from China now too.

The new crated China machines are - new. Not grey market. But, they are poor quality at this point in time.

Yanmar has been made in Japan in the past. Perhaps they have openned a China division? John Deere has had Yanmar make the drive trains for JD compact tractors for decades. They also make, of course, a lot of tractors for sale in Japan - often of lessor quality, tho some match up pretty close to the JD versions. It's a crap shoot if you buy a true grey market machine.

--->Paul

[Auric]

I'd have to disagree with the drift on this thread. I bought my Jinma through Northern Tool Co (Nortrac) in spring of 2005 and have been very happy with it. I also have the 25HP with the front end loader and box blade for $11K. I bought a 4 foot rototiller at the same time. Since then, I've picked up a posthole digger. I've been able to acomplish everything I wanted too and haven't had any mechanical issues. The paint job left much to be desired, but I shed the tractor anyway. A similar sized and equipped tractor from Case would have cost me $32K (without the blade). The chinese tractor may not have the hydrostatic shifting and remote hydrolic hookups, etc. but I'm not complaining!

'Course I teed off my dad, who just retired from Deere's...

[Ramblin Wreck]

Originally Posted by Auric

I'd have to disagree with the drift on this thread. I bought my Jinma through Northern Tool Co (Nortrac) in spring of 2005 and have been very happy with it. I also have the 25HP with the front end loader and box blade for $11K.

Just for comparison purposes, I bought a Kubota 3130 in 2004 with a loader for $16,200 (driveout). They also financed it for three years at 0% interest. It's got a 31 HP engine, but I believe it is 25-26 at the PTO. Used midsize tractors sell for almost as much as the new ones in our area. The best deals on used tractors (here) seem to be the 50+ horsepower tractors.

[Dahc]

Yanmar has been made in Japan in the past. Perhaps they have openned a China division? John Deere has had Yanmar make the drive trains for JD compact tractors for decades. They also make, of course, a lot of tractors for sale in Japan - often of lessor quality, tho some match up pretty close to the JD versions. It's a crap shoot if you buy a true grey market machine.

It was told to us by the dealer that our Yanmar came from the chinese govt who used the machines for their govt controled farming. Once they used them for so long, they just sold them off no matter how well they still operated (or how bad). They are all used tractors in this area so I it could have very well been produced in Japan. I can't read the "made in" sticker. It's in another language. lol.

[Shinsan]

Our Kubota was a 'grey' imported from Japan after being used for one season on a rice farm - had less than thirty hours on the clock. My Japanese born wife said that most farmers there replaced their machines after one or two years, and they often do not get a great deal of use during that time anyway, (compared to the way we use them in the west). Our only problem is the local dealership who claim not to have parts for those particular imported models as they "weren't built for Australian conditions". After checking around with other suppliers, we found that the ony things we couldn't replace easily were the Japanese language decals on the operating controls - LOL - if we wanted to repaint our machine completely, we would have to replace those with English language decals!

[moopups]

Just got it back yesterday, an 80 miles haul each way to find a dealer that was still operating, original dealer went out of business. It was not the throw out bearing, it was the PTO drive shaft between the engine and PTO gear reduction unit. Lacked lub. No provision were designed into the unit to furnish this lube.

The good news here is that it was under an honored warranty, amazing. The dealer whom repaired this unit did not sell it to begin with, but still honored its warranty. Tractor Factory located in Eustis, Fla are good people to deal with, two of the women there are cute enough to be seen with me! They also carry a brand (Korean made) called Montana Brand; I was in manure piling heaven last evening! Keep in mind that JD is also made in Korea these days.

[deaconjim]

I wouldn't expect much out of something built by slave labor.

[MWG]

I had a Yanmar 1700 with a front bucket for about 6 months. True about the rear tires digging. Then I went and bought a New Holland TC 30 new (and I never buy anything new) for 11,000 with 0% financing for 3 years. I had them switch the bucket over to this tractor and I COULDN'T BE ANY HAPPIER!

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Holland-TC30...QQcmdZViewItem

4 wheel drive and it has done everything I have asked it to plowing, digging, bush hogging hole digging, landscaping, or lifting engines out with the bucket. I would recommend this tractor to anyone!

[doohap]

deleted ... sorry.

[silverbackMP]

Originally Posted by moopups

They also carry a brand (Korean made) called Montana Brand; I was in manure piling heaven last evening! Keep in mind that JD is also made in Korea these days.

IMHO Korea makes some good stuff--good workers, very educated work force (I would say 50% of all Koreans under 40 have degrees), very competitive type atmposphere, as technologically advanced as most parts of the U.S. #1 in ship building.