Tractor News New Kubota M7 Series

[MHarryE]

You missed that France is West and Central Europe's largest agricultural producer and the last I saw was second only to Poland in total tractor sales. I believe the ZF transmission plant for ag tractor transmissions is in France, and France has a lot of suppliers that can make the fenders and hoods, parts that, from experience, are too difficult to source all the way from Japan (shipping lots of dead space). Having managed a factory near Paris, transportation for overseas shipments is great being so close to Antwerp. Being only an hour from Massey's plant in Beauvais is also a plus - even though the companies are competitors, they will be using common suppliers. Knowing this tractor is not intended for production in Japan, their design team would likely work with local suppliers for a lot of components. Also the UK is a very quick trip from the plant near Dunquerque.

 

[rScotty]

IMO.. I'd like to wholeheartedly agree, but I'm afraid we're caught in a political movement rather than really trying to fix the problem. We're adding 10's of thousands of dollars to equipment to take emissions to levels cleaner than the ambient air, while leaving much larger sources of green house gases untouched. Literally, farting cows have a bigger impact on the environment than diesel emissions at this point but you don't see anyone trying to do anything about it. Rather than being a scientific effort its easier for the movement to point fingers at an exhaust pipe or a factory than it is a cow.

Whether it's cows or diesels or both, you have to admit it's a lot easier to fix the exhaust pipe on a tractor than the one on your average cow. One does what one can.

Is this a political problem? Yes, I think it is too. Politics seems to get involved in everything it can, and politics itself is a pretty distasteful undertaking. But on a grander scale, it's probably better than the alternatives.
rScotty

 

[Kubota Belgium]

Are prices M7 already known ?

 

[jayman30]

Stumbled across what is apparently a new pdf brochure for the M7s, lots of good info! http://cdn-7.psndealer.com/e2/deale...ta/M7 Series Brochure FINAL 11-2-14 small.pdf

The dealer's website says these tractors will be available in November, can't wait to check one out in person. Kubota 2015 M7-171 Premium

 

[ShowroomShine]

I saw one of these at the Louisville farm show this past Feb.

Was not impressed overall. The build quality and cab interior quality were second to none, however a 15,000lb machine with a tiny 4cyl engine pushing 170hp trying to turn MFWD and Duals (on the one that I saw) is ridiculous. The engine is way to small to be running a tractor like that. Serviceability looks like it will be hampered by all the Tier 4 stuffs under the hood (ie: the hood is cram packed with stuff). Axles looked rather small as well.

On the Case IH's that I sell, you get a 6.7L 6cyl engine on even the smaller 13,000lb tractors. I'm not saying the Kubota is a bad machine, but it just looks like they (Kubota) have not put in the correct size engine or heavy build that a tractor this size needs.

 

[Fordman1981]

I saw one of these at the Louisville farm show this past Feb. Was not impressed overall. The build quality and cab interior quality were second to none, however a 15,000lb machine with a tiny 4cyl engine pushing 170hp trying to turn MFWD and Duals (on the one that I saw) is ridiculous. The engine is way to small to be running a tractor like that. Serviceability looks like it will be hampered by all the Tier 4 stuffs under the hood (ie: the hood is cram packed with stuff). Axles looked rather small as well. On the Case IH's that I sell, you get a 6.7L 6cyl engine on even the smaller 13,000lb tractors. I'm not saying the Kubota is a bad machine, but it just looks like they (Kubota) have not put in the correct size engine or heavy build that a tractor this size needs. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kubota-buying-pricing/415295-new-kubota-m7-series-10974431_10152722185236267_6300140268758002449_o-jpg"/>

Here's my take on it if I'm buying a tractor that size it'll be John Deere for many reasons but one of the top is because they are made in the USA. I have nothing against case new holland I have a T5050 and it's a great tractor but if the JD in that size was made in the USA too I would have choose the JD.

 

[ShowroomShine]

Here's my take on it if I'm buying a tractor that size it'll be John Deere for many reasons but one of the top is because they are made in the USA. I have nothing against case new holland I have a T5050 and it's a great tractor but if the JD in that size was made in the USA too I would have choose the JD.

Depending on what line of Deere you are looking at, a good majority of them are made overseas.

Deeres large tractors are starting to fall out of popularity because of a decline in build quality, an increase in price due to Tier 4, and horrible Tier 4 systems. Deere uses SCR and DPF (so DEF AND Regen) to make Tier 4 compliant engines, and the system is super complicated.

Case IH or New Holland larger tractors are DEF only, no regen, no filters, no intrusion.

 

[PapaPerk]

Here's my take on it if I'm buying a tractor that size it'll be John Deere for many reasons but one of the top is because they are made in the USA. I have nothing against case new holland I have a T5050 and it's a great tractor but if the JD in that size was made in the USA too I would have choose the JD.

You may wanna check your facts on JD and US made. They really like off shore production. Deere is as bad as GM in my opinion. All about profit at the cost of quality, American workers and heritage. Deere should OWN the farm equipment industry with their storied successful past.

 

[Fordman1981]

You may wanna check your facts on JD and US made. They really like off shore production. Deere is as bad as GM in my opinion. All about profit at the cost of quality, American workers and heritage. Deere should OWN the farm equipment industry with their storied successful past.

I'm pretty sure that the 7,8 and 9000 series are made in Waterloo Iowa. Ever heard of the gold key program. If you have one built in Waterloo you can watch it being made and they present you with a gold key and let you be the first one to start it. If their is a choice I almost always choose made in the USA.

As far as quality issues in the big Deere I don't know about since they went to DEF I haven't run one but I do run an 8320R early tier 4 that has no DPF or DEF and it's been a great tractor. So has the 8335R that has the DPF filter no issues with either tractor. DOF machines usually have issues when being used under light load. The 8335 and 8320 don't get cranked unless they are going to be doing some big time work.

 

[MHarryE]

Farmers I know with the Tier 4 interim Deeres have had no problems but that is a small sample. Our Tier 2 built in Waterloo definitely has better build quality than our Tier 3 built in Mannheim but the only Tier 4s we have are Kubota. As for the M-171 engine being small, it actually has a lower output per liter than many others. It's 28 HP/liter vs 32 HP/liter for a New Holland M5.115 for example, a spec sheet I had handy. But those are relatively low power density engines compared to what the future will hold. Engines are based on simple physics. Additional cylinders create additional friction which is measured in lower efficiency. The basic engine I was testing when I retired created 44 HP/liter, cost less than the 6 cylinder Tier 3 engine it replaced, and reliability has been outstanding. Kubota is, however, getting away from their current designs which have a higher Kubota design content. The M7 for example switches from Kubota's own front axle to a Dana axle, and transmissions are Z-F. Electronics are based on their recent European acquisitions. The front 3-point hitch is from a European supplier - the name escapes me. There is not a lot of old Kubota in the tractors other than the engine and the Orange paint. As for FPS, the main source for CNH tractors - they have a combination of DEF and DPF engines in the line and due to several companies skirting the intent of the regulations, Euro Stage V is in the works to insure all engines will have DPFs by 2020. If that translates to USA time will tell.