Ok, heres the scoop.. I went over to the sale this morning and checked out lall the tractors.. and yes it was homier.. and they were jinmas.
They had the 20hp 2wd models, the 25 hp 4wd and a 30hp 4wd model. 2999.00 5999.00 and I didn't catch the 30hp price.
I've read all I can find on the jinmas, but had never had my hands on one. I actually test drove the small one.
The outside sales guy was walking around telling people generic stuff abou tractors, and when he got to me, I got down to business .. after about 2 minutes of him not being able to answer my questions.. he started asking me questions.. and I actually had to show him how to use the high and low range on the xmission..etc...( and I never seen one before!... just common sense controlls, etc ).
Apparently they buy them in crate, attatch the fenders, wheels, and put gauges in them.. also add a bracket at the clutch pedal for ignition safety.... looked fairly decent.
Castings were not as crude as I was expecting... Out of the 5 tractors, only 1 had any visible leaks.. a drop of fuel at the bottom of the fuel bowl... but no puddle on ground.
I ran the small 2cyl. It started up and sounds about like my 2cyl yanmar.. hammered and roughish at extremly low idle, but comfterable at normal idle.
1st gear low range is super super super slow.....like I could drag myself across the pasture with my tounge faster than it.
No smoke.. looked good.
They were listed cat 0, but you could tell, the ends of the lower lift arms had been removed with a smoke wrench, and welded back on as cat 1.. polished the weld a little bit... not alot.. then hit it with some chassie paint... quick and dirty change... but heck.. that is what I would have done too.../w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif.. especially on a 2999 tractor...
There was no sheetmetal.. all was fibreglas, smooth on the outside, but rought on the inside where it doesn't matter... cannopy looked fibreglass as well.. not sure how those hold up to vibration....
all rops were foldable.
All in all, beter than I was expecting. No bulging seals / gaskets with permatex squezed out, etc.
One thing though.. all the grease zerks had obviously been fresh greased... probably shipped ungreased. Looks like the plain honey colored axle grease. I am a bit preferable to the red peneplex grease for most of my impliments, and the blue NH grease on my nh 1920 and ford 8n. I only use the cheapo axle grease on the grey iron bearings on my 1950's era disc harrow.
A few of the grease zerks spit out a spagetti string of grease as if the balls didn't re-seat well.
Perhaps a complete re-greasing, and complete fluid change if anyone buys one.
Had I been in the market for another tractor, the Cheif financial officer had approved the 2999 tractor, and I had the credit card with me... All in all, I would have bought one, as i didn't see anything that scared me away.... actually the scarriest thing there was the sales man who knew nothing about them...
If you want more info, just ask.. I am just posting what I can think of. Also, they will be here for 4 more days so if anyone needs specific info, I will be glad to run into town again tomorrow and smell the tractors again.
oh yeah, offered a 6mo part/labor warranty.
Soundguy
