Cadillac of tractors?
- Thread starter beppington
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BSVLY
Silver Member
As a farm boy I operated Massey's, IH's and Ford tractors. Man that Boomer 8N looks cool. The new Massey's are very cool. What do i own today? A Kioti. It is built very stout. Check out the Kioti 50's..
doall
Platinum Member
didn't mean kubota's are rebadged, just a response to someone talking about buying American. Kubota assembles some here, but they are foriegn too.
Builder
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IMO, after owning 4 Kubotas (L-285DT, L-35, L-39, M-7040), it seems like they have more American content on them as time goes by. The American brands seem to have less. John Deere, MF, NH are more of a world tractor. Deere becomes more American when they get over 100+ HP. Kubota has huge plants in the USA.
IMO, they have a great business model, however lately they seem to be dipping their toes in the pool of cheaply built tractors. I hope they don't bring the rumored economy lineup of Vietnamese built stuff over here. I think it would damage thei reputation.
IMO, they have a great business model, however lately they seem to be dipping their toes in the pool of cheaply built tractors. I hope they don't bring the rumored economy lineup of Vietnamese built stuff over here. I think it would damage thei reputation.
While most of us like to support American, I do, it's not where the tractor is made it's the company and the tolerances they demand from their suppliers.
Two tractor manufacturers can get parts from the same supplier and one can spec out tighter tolerances than the other, that's what counts. A tractor can be made entirely in the US but that doesn't guarantee it will be a better tractor than one made overseas.
Other things to look out for are how a manufacturer specs out a tractor to the public and how well things like castings are made. Are they telling you it's 30 hp when it's only 25? How about castings, just because a tractor is 100% cast iron doesn't mean it's strong. It's the foundary that molds the metals, will they crack down the middle under hard use? Aluminum is stronger on certain tranny parts than cast iron. How well is the aluminum cast and ribbed?
Howtight are the tolerances on the tires? Is one tire an 25 mm larger than the other? This can ruin 4WD.
Take a rullerwith you when you go to look at a tractor. Look atthe small details too. Just becasue a hood is plastic doesn't mean it's weak. It could be made like a carbon fiber fly rod and be very strong and resistant to dents. Corvette's are plastic, are they cheap?
Rob
Two tractor manufacturers can get parts from the same supplier and one can spec out tighter tolerances than the other, that's what counts. A tractor can be made entirely in the US but that doesn't guarantee it will be a better tractor than one made overseas.
Other things to look out for are how a manufacturer specs out a tractor to the public and how well things like castings are made. Are they telling you it's 30 hp when it's only 25? How about castings, just because a tractor is 100% cast iron doesn't mean it's strong. It's the foundary that molds the metals, will they crack down the middle under hard use? Aluminum is stronger on certain tranny parts than cast iron. How well is the aluminum cast and ribbed?
Howtight are the tolerances on the tires? Is one tire an 25 mm larger than the other? This can ruin 4WD.
Take a rullerwith you when you go to look at a tractor. Look atthe small details too. Just becasue a hood is plastic doesn't mean it's weak. It could be made like a carbon fiber fly rod and be very strong and resistant to dents. Corvette's are plastic, are they cheap?
Rob
OP
beppington
Elite Member
When our gov't (except Arizona I guess) lets non-Americans freely come into America, what exactly is an American?
whodat526
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According to that statement, nothing above a sub-compact is manufactured in the USA. Where are the compacts manufactured and assembled?
Although this is a moot point, again, it's how well they are designed and how well they are assembled and what tolerances they require of their suppliers.
Even with that you can have a solid design that's awkward or a burden to operate or use.
I'm not picking on Kubota, I don't own one but I don't like the toe/heel controls personally and I've heard many people feel the same way as I do.
Rob
Although this is a moot point, again, it's how well they are designed and how well they are assembled and what tolerances they require of their suppliers.
Even with that you can have a solid design that's awkward or a burden to operate or use.
I'm not picking on Kubota, I don't own one but I don't like the toe/heel controls personally and I've heard many people feel the same way as I do.
Rob