Us vs Japanese models

[kayssupply]

I just took in a US YM 240 for repairs. I can not get over how we Americans abuse our equipment. The Japanese know they aren't going to keep theirs very long but still take good care of them. This US model is a real turd. The owner told me on the phone it was in great shape for its age. Well if it were 150 years old it would be. He told me to look it over and fix it up like it was mine. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd kick it off the trailer if it were mine and not look back. I still haven't figured out how to tell him it will take half what he paid for it to get it up to where you could sell it for half what he paid for it. Oh yea , from his uncle.

 

[normde2001]

Any specific problems you can get into, and how many hours?

 

[Inspector507]

I saw one at an auction today. It was a green YM155D that had been painted red. Even had green brackets on it for what I assumed was mower brackets. It had been re-wired using whatever length wire they had available. Colors match??? Nope, black wire spliced to white, red to yellow......hope it was right. The meter showed 852 hours, but that was incorrect as the tach bounced from 0 to 1000 at any engine RPM. Hydraulic fluid all milky. No fluid showing in the front diff. The battery had been relocated on a home made bracket OUTSIDE and to the left. He used 36-40" cables when 20" would have worked.
I found the mower deck(in pieces) in 2 different piles in the barn. Tractor ONLY sold for $2800.........geesh
I told the buyer that the mower was in the barn. He got pi$$ed because it wasn't included, then said "Oh well, didn't buy it to mow with".
We talked for a bit, then he mentioned that you can get all your parts at a JD dealer. And I also found out that JD makes them in Japan and puts a Yanmar label on them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[cfoxmd]

Some people's idea of maintenance is that when soemthing makes the tractor inoperable, you fix it. If you still can make it work, but it doesn't work right, you just put up with it. Eventually, small problems turn into big ones, and there are many of them. I've seen people who can wear out a car in 3 years. Probably the fact that the engine still turns and it is over 10 years old means it is in good shape (in his mind).

These people probably leave the tractor out in the rain and weather for weeks on end. Then they wonder how water ends up in the exhaust pipe and transmission, etc.

With any type of equipment, some will treat it better than they would treat their children and others treat it like a redheaded stepchild. No oil change, no injector cleaner, hydraulic screen never cleaned etc.

Make a list of the likely costs to put systems back in working order and estimate the costs. Show him what is wrong. Then watch him walk away (obviously a tractor such as his could never need that much work). If he chooses to have some work done, put it on the work order that you recommend the other work. Or if you really don't want to get involved tell him you don't have enough time, but you could help him with parts.