Buying Advice Considering a YM2000 purchase

[bridler]

Hi Everyone - First post here. Want to purchase a Yanmar YM 2000. I have put one on hold with Fredricks Equipment in AL. I understand they refurbish the tractors in house and provide a one year warranty. Any feedback on this dealer would be appreciated.

I''ll be using it mostly for mowing and some bush hogging. Will be fitting it with turf wheels/tires. Should I get a 4' or 5' finish mower? And should I be using a 4 ft. bushhog on this tractor?

All advice much appreciated!

Thanks
Bridler

 

[284 International]

Welcome to the forum. There are several members here who have purchased from Fredrick's. They have a good reputation clear out to this area. With that said, people make mistakes. Check the machine over well when you get, and be sure to test all the functions.

The YM2000 is a terrific machine. You chose well. I have one and use a 4 foot cutter. Depending on conditions, a 5 foot brush mower would be usable. I imagine a 5' finish mower would be fine, depending on how thick the grass gets.

I like the smaller cutter because it can be used on thicker material very slowly, or, if conditions are good, at higher speeds, while a larger unit becomes bogged more easily. I had a 5' unit and sold it, because I found the 4' cutter more useful for my machines and conditions. (I run the cutter on my YM2000 and a smaller 15 hp 186D.) Others' experiences may vary. As a rule, though, I think 4 to 5 foot implements are a good match for this machine, with heavier things (box blade, brush mower, disk) being better at the 4' size, and lighter things (finish mower, rake, angle blade) at 5'. Show us pictures when you get your new tractor!

 

[California]

284 just said everything that I was going to reply.

re 4 ft brush hog vs 5 ft: I might consider a 5 ft if I frequently mowed a pasture, frontage, etc where you just let out the clutch and drive along. In grass that isn't very high. On level ground.

But if you need the brush hog to shred brush, or pioneer through waist-high grass that is a nuisance to walk through, or mow uphill, a 4 ft will work the tractor as hard as you would want and a 5 ft rough mower used for that application is just too much for YM2000.

5 ft implements are considered standard for an 8N (27 hp and a half ton heavier than YM2000) so you can see how hard they are going to work the smaller Yanmar.

Here's an old thread about mowing that I started a couple of years ago. The point relevant here is that the grass in this photo was so wet and heavy that it was difficult to mow uphill with the 4 ft mower.

 

[clemsonfor]

Fredericks is the main USA refurber. They are kind of pricy, you usually can do much better on price to find a good used one if you can. But anyway thats your choice and there a good place.

As to the mower, if you are mowing yard like grass or a pasture every 3-5 weeks you can probly mow with a 5fter, but me i mow my fields 2-3x per season and a 4fter is all it can handle. I mow in 7 out of 8 gears and when really thick i have to go to 6th and it can still tax it hard when mowing thick bermuda that is shin high. or fescue that is waist to chest high.

 

[deepNdirt]

Hello and welcome to the site, You'll find some great informative Folks around here, and always willing to help,:thumbsup:
only thing I have to add is to be sure and get you a overrun clutch for the PTO shaft to use with your rotary implements,

 

[bridler]

Thanks for the advice...so l will opt for the 5' mower and 4'ft brush hog.

I'll be getting the tractor in a couple of weeks and will post pics then.

 

[bridler]

Hi deepNdirt

Is the "overun clutch" you refer to - the same as the overun coupler?

 

[kenmac]

Welcome to the Fourm :thumbsup:

Have you priced a cutter from Fredricks ? They sell light duty to heavy duty cutters & other equipment

 

[bridler]

Hi kenmac

Yes, I'm considering their 5' ft finish mower, and 4'ft. brush hog.

 

[jerrybob]

284.....comment are right on. Don't know if it was just a typo....but the 186d is 18hp.:thumbsup: