Two Years with a Dongfeng 304
Model Year: 2011
The tractor is supplied with a Changchai 30 hp 3 cyl. diesel engine. It operates readily. However valves need control and adjustment rather soon after delivery. No 3 cyl. inlet valve had a lash of 0,7 mm (required 0,25-0,30 mm). The PTO lever and users manual states wrongly that PTO lever should be in a forward position for 540 rpm. When using a rotor cutter at a presumed 540 rpm, it was 1000 rpm. The clutch was excessively worn by that. Later adjustment of the clutch is rather tedious, due the lack of visibility when adjusting. The user's manual prescribes a distance of 156,5 mm from the engine flange to the clutch lever tip, near the shaft, which is quite difficult to measure accurately. I made little measure of 79,5 mm to adjust the drive clutch adjusting nut. I assumed the pitch of the adjusting bolt to be 1 mm and leverage to the lever tip to be about 3:1. ( It means that one full turn of the nut moves the tip 3 mm) After some adjusting the correct clutch lever ti. P distances could be reached. The PTO clutch adjusting screw should be 1,0 mm from the clutch disc, the manual says 1.8 mm. At that distance the PTO clutch cannot be disengaged. Some help was received via e-mail by Dongfeng customer support. The Swedish agent was not that helpful. The tractor seems very robust, not elegant but produces the expected service. After some 50 hours, check all important measures like valve lash, clutch lash and change oil soon. The magnetic plugs are overloaded with metal filings.
Pros: Robust.
Cons: Requires checks.