Don't Believe Everything You Read

   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #1  

BillyP

Veteran Member
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Dec 5, 2002
Messages
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Location
Eagletown, OK
Tractor
JD 4610 ehydro MFWD
Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

I came across the Nebraska Tractor test site. I noticed they had the John Deere 4320, 4520 and 4720 tests posted. Seems the tests show these tractors don't live up to the company's advertisement. Below is some of what they said about the 4320.

This tractor did not meet the
manufacturer's claims of 3130 lb (1423 kg) lift
capacity at ball ends nor implement pump flow
of 12.0 GPM (45.3 l/min). For the maximum
power tests, the fuel temperature at the injection
pump inlet was maintained at 167oF (75oC).

Before you Kubota guys get all excited, below is what they said about the M5700DT. This Kubota was the only model I saw listed.

This tractor did not meet the
manufacturer's claims of 26% torque rise nor 3310 lbs
(1500 kg) 3 point lift capacity. The performance
results on this summary were taken from OECD tests
conducted under the Code I Test procedure.

Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #2  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

This is sad. I can see a 10-15% tolerance difference, but many of the actual mesurements are 20-30% less than advertised.

Joe
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #3  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

I am defending no one, but I wonder if the manufacturers estimate the stats for sales literature before they go to Nebraska?
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #4  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

This has been batted around for years. The compact market is notorious for "false claims". They all measure the 3 pt. hitch where it is the most advantageous. The NTT has a standard fro each tractor to compare apples to apples finally. You think Deere and Kubota are bad you should see what the others are. Many don't even have 50% of the rated hp or lift capacity. Numbers in the compact tractors are nothing more than a joke. It's sad but true.
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #5  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

Interesting article,

I work for a Company that has many "internal" battles between Engineering and Marketing. (FYI I'm in Engineering.)

I can show you the battlescars I have from wins/losses in fights with the Marketing types on statements they wanted to publish to "sell" our products. Many were misleading and some were just outright wrong! It reached a point in the Company that Marketing was refusing to allow Engineering to review specifications before being released to the public. I still "grit" my teeth on marketing hype on claims inwhich the product was never tested against or failed if it was tested.

Scary to say but sometimes the debater with the "golden tongue" wins over common sense and sound engineering principles.

After reading this post, I begin to wonder if JD has the same internal problems......
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #6  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

Carefull about fighting with marketing, in the coporate world being right means nothing and marketing has the power. I lasted 6 years in upper management with Motorola and finally got tired of fighting/loosing the battles. I didn't tell them what they wanted to hear and wasn't a good fit in the coporate world.
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #7  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

I own a load testing cell, i've intended for awhile to test some machines and publish the results. So far I've only done a Kubota BX which met their claims spot on. Once the weather clears up hopfully I'll have time to do more.
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

I just looked at the site again and noticed they added 3 more Kubota models, the M120DT, M6800DT and M9000DT. They all flunked their advertisements but the M120DT did it badly.
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read #9  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

Plus the good folks in Nebraska can't sell kubotas because of there exclusive little tax for doing business there . I wonder if tehre is any connection?
 
   / Don't Believe Everything You Read
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Re: Don\'t Believe Everything You Read

Kubota can sell tractors in Nebraska, just like anyone else.

The Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA) proclaimed at a forum held in Louisville, KY that they wanted every tractor coming into Nebraska to have an OECD test. Their representative also made the same statement at the public hearing on February 15th. This can be verified by reading the transcript of the hearing. One is at a loss as to how sponsoring LB 317 can accomplish that desire. In the past, INEDA has pushed for a bill that if passed, would have eliminated any requirement to test a tractor before sale in Nebraska.

This discussion has been going on for ten years. The push has always been from INEDA, an association headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Taking into account the money INEDA has paid a lobbyist and the time and resources spent by other interested parties over these ten years, well over $100,000.00 has been spent on this issue. Kubota was the original driver of these discussions. Kubota tractors are tested in Japan, but Kubota has refused to obtain the necessary sales permits to sell in Nebraska. If Kubota has eight models that they want sold in Nebraska, this could have been accomplished for a cost of $17,200.00. This whole issue could have been solved many years ago with minimal cost, saving valuable resources for all parties.

There now is an offer on the table from the Supporters of the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory to pay for a sales permit for a Kubota tractor if the Kubota dealers in Nebraska, Kubota or INEDA would agree to pay for the remaining models. This offer was made at the hearing on February 15th and can be read from the transcript of the hearing. Taking into account time and resources, this is a deal that should not go unanswered.
 
 
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