Looking for first Yanmar

[woolyAcres]

I'm looking for my first (non-lawn/garden) tractor. My budget has me in the used market and I've found a YM186D not too far away. I'm curious what I should be looking for if/when I go see it. A general inspection, confirm what works what doesn't, check the oil and transmission for water, PTO, 3-PT, etc. Where would I find the dipsticks for the oil and transmission fluid? This machine does not have a loader though I could sorely use one. Can this machine handle a loader? What type/size/brand.

Thanks in advance for any input/advice.

Regards

 

[woolyAcres]

Could this tractor be hauled in the bed of a full size (3/4-ton) pickup with 8' bed?

TIA

 

[California]

I've found a YM186D not too far away. I'm curious what I should be looking for if/when I go see it. A general inspection, confirm what works what doesn't, check the oil and transmission for water, PTO, 3-PT, etc. Where would I find the dipsticks for the oil and transmission fluid? This machine does not have a loader though I could sorely use one. Can this machine handle a loader? What type/size/brand.

These are an excellent model. Yanmar's smallest with Powershift. I have two of them. Lets just say both of them were better looking 35 years ago but both run flawless.

The first one, no loader, dyno tested to match the original specs. The second one seems similar. Both start instantly.

The transmission dipstick is on top of the left axle housing, a small button and hard to see.

Transmission range three seems to be an overdrive for transport. Both of mine whine some in range three but this doesn't seem to be a problem. That's the only thing I can think of that might make you wonder what is going on. Otherwise just check for all the usual stuff. I think only abuse like overheating or running out of oil could harm these but normal hours won't wear it out.

Check for slack in the steering box, one stored outdoors will eventually rust the steering box bearings and need the steering box overhauled. Parts are available. And check if the bolts that secure the adustable-width hubs onto the axles are snug. That's a simple test indicating if the seller kept up on his maintenance since they need to be tightened monthly or so. I can't think of anything else that isn't obvious when you look it over.

A lot of them were sold with OEM Yanmar loaders (I think actually US or Canada made). And I think it is a lot less expensive to buy one that already has a loader, compared to adding a loader yourself. They handle a loader fine assuming you ballast as needed.

You'll love it.


A guest who wanted to play farmer for an afternoon. She helped harvest apples.

Watering new trees last week. Trailer is 2600 lbs loaded, but down to less before I feel comfortable taking it down grades like here.
The front bin was to harvest some family pears while I was down in the back of the apple orchard.

 

[California]

Could this tractor be hauled in the bed of a full size (3/4-ton) pickup with 8' bed?

Well it sorta fits this 4x8 trailer. It can be adjusted well under 48" wide. Without a loader there are several inches of slack front to back. With loader - I might bring it home in a pickup but wouldn't plan on hauling it around to jobsites etc. A proper trailer is better for that, and essential if you have an implement on it.

I brought this second one home 20 miles like it was a special-permit load: back roads, quiet time of day, slow and cautious.

 

[kenmac]

Don't know if coldwater is still in business or not... They may build a loader for this mod

 

[woolyAcres]

@California-

Thanks for the input and the details about the dipsticks.

Seems I was too slow. I only noticed the Craigslist ad today so I contacted the seller. By the time he responded it had been sold. Too bad. Seems like a great little machine. No loader, but the asking price was $2500 which included a 4' brush hog, a belly mower, and 4' pull-behind finish mower. Ad said 'Fair' conditions, but the couple photos looked promising and with the attachments I thought it sounded like a pretty good deal, if in fact, the tractor was in at least fair condition. No hours indicated.

I've been lurking here a while so I feel I've got some sense of the value of these things, but in your opinion what should I expect for $2500? I'm mechanically inclined and not looking for the perfect tractor. But I want to buy something that will run (or can be made to run) and not require lots of fiddling to get it going or keep it going.

My preference would be a slightly larger machine (25-30) HP for pulling a brush-hog, cleaning up abandon fields, box-blade, moving material (loader), snow removal, etc. But the way my budget is right now I'm going to have to work up to that machine. I figured this machine for $2500 add a loader for $1500 next year, then try to sell it or trade it for a larger machine down the road. In the meantime I'd have a tractor instead of just dreaming of the perfect tractor.

Regarding moving it, I'd just want to get it from the seller to me- could be 3+ hours away, but I wouldn't plan on moving it around to job sites. Just getting it home and get to work!

Thanks

 

[California]

That guy sold it too cheap. $2500 without the implements would be a good deal.

In my limited experience - you will find nearly all US Yanmars are going to be in 'Fair' cosmetic condition. They are durable, mechanically you seldom see one worn out, but nobody took care to preserve the appearance (or avoid dents) by the time these had passed beyond third-hand. The good news is they still operate like new regardless of appearance. Maybe there are more US Yanmars out there with better appearance, but I haven't seen them.

Realistically I would budget $4k minimum for a complete rig, ready to go to work, with loader and with the implements you need. And don't buy a box blade first thing, the loader will do most of what as box blade is specialized for. At least here, loader and rotary mower or rototiller are the first essentials depending on your application, then an adjustable-angle rear blade for road maintenance. If your need is mostly to till a garden, the Yanmar (Japan) tillers are cheap and bulletproof, if you can find one. For a long time it was customary to send over the tiller that had been with the tractor since new, when a lot of used Yanmars were shipped from Japan and then from the VN 'rebuild' (repaint) factories. Or a small US disc harrow may be useful, but the common ones for a Ford 8N are too big for the smaller Yanmars.

Good luck with your search!

 

[woolyAcres]

Well, he certainly priced it to sell because the ad was up for less than a day. You snooze, you looze.

I've been searching for some time for a tractor but it's not actually "urgent". I live down the road from my father and he's got a 45HP NH 4WD with loader. I can use it but I hate to use it too much and there are times when we both want to use it- like now. He's brush hogging some of his fields and I'd like to be doing some clean up around my new property. I had been searching for the some just a bit smaller than his (35-40) and found a few locally but they were more than I wanted to spend. Then I got the tuition bill for this fall and my budget dropped dramatically- as in it dropped to only those deals that were too good to pass up. I think this was one. But oh well, there's always another deal waiting on Craigslist.

I've already got a 5' box blade and a 5' york rake which I've been using on the 45HP machine. Whatever machine I get, I'd like it to handle those. And the brush hog at my dad's is 5'. Although I can see the usefulness of having my own brush hog, to save a few $$ it'd be nice if the one I bought could run my dad's 5'. Oh and he's got a 5' rear-tiller as well. If I found one with a mower I could sell my little Wheel Horse (with 60" mowing deck and snow plow) to help offset the cost.

Frankly, shopping is half the fun....

 

[woolyAcres]

There are a few 1500Ds locally but they are priced at $5K with no loader. That doesn't seem like a deal to me....

 

[clemsonfor]

My feeling was that was a good price for that tractor...espicially if the implements were in working order!!!

If you have any amout of acres to do reguarly and dont want to spend lots of time doing it...esp if you only bushhog old abandonded fields a few times a year you might want a few more HP or if you want to use ground engageing things like a disk harrow or plow you may want a slightly larger machine.

hate you didnt even get to see it.