Looking for first Yanmar

[California]

My experience says unless you have "considerable" rear weight on the rear of a small tractor with a loader you will have a hard time backing up with rear drive and a bucket full of dirt.

True that.

I had to hang a hundred+ lb chunk of cast iron pipe off the back of the box blade before the YM240 was useful to carry gravel out to a septic field project. I couldn't dig into the pile of loose gravel and get a full bucket without it. Another time, a concrete pier block (40 lbs?) in the back wheel structure of my rotary mower, to dig up and remove a raised garden bed. More recently, the backhoe extended full length like the tail of a cat to load some weight to the rear, for backing out of a downhill situation with a load of dirt. These were necessary, but they weren't hard to set up when needed. I still feel within a $2500 budget, 4x4 is a feature I would sacrifice to stay within budget.

Nobody has talked about power steering but I think its essential if you have more than just casual loader work. I generally drop the bucket, push it down to raise the front tires, turn the steering wheel while the front tires are suspended in the air, raise the bucket again, and start off in the new direction - if I have to make more than the most gradual turn. Forget turning the wheel standing still with a load suspended. (but I'm usually operating on loose, disced ground). I think all the old Massey's had power steering, model 35 and I think before.

In summary I think a loader is essential on the first tractor at a site, with 4x4 and PS highly desirable.

 

[California]

i did notice what i thought was eucalyptus in your pics. And No we do not have it here in the south...other than like cultivar plantings. The cold i would think would kill it and limit it.

Thanks! Its so common here, just a big universal ditch weed, that I wondered if it might be everywhere.

You're right, I hadn't thought that frost kills it so it range is limited.

It's a species that never should have been brought over here - not useful for furniture as the early planters intended, shades and chokes out native species, useless for firewood because it burns hot and loads a chimney with creosote that will then burn way too hot. In summary a noxious weed.


Sorry Wooly, I've sure pulled this thread off-topic far too much. :duh:

 

[woolyAcres]

Sorry Wooly, I've sure pulled this thread off-topic far too much. :duh:

Don't worry about it. This thread started out about the YM186D and morphed a long time ago. I've been enjoying the discussion, photos, and back and forth. I did however create a new thread with my problem re-stated and not specific to any one model.

 

[woolyAcres]

@clemsonfor-

Thanks for the photos. Your YM2000 looks pretty tall and narrow to me. I assume swapping the wheels and pushing them as far out as possible made a noticeable difference? Are you saying the frame and rear wheels on the YM240/TM2000 is roughly the same?

 

[California]

Are you saying the frame and rear wheels on the YM240/TM2000 is roughly the same?

They're the same tractor. YM240 is YM2000 with a few minor additions to conform to US safety requirements.

There is additional linkage in the throttle linkage so you pull, rather than push, to shut down the engine.

An integral overrun clutch (same as a bicycle coasting 'ratchet') is inside the PTO gearbox, so the inertia of a rotary mower can't push you into the side of the barn.

Horsepower on the YM240 - for the same identical engine - is rated US style: 24 hp for the engine running naked, vs 20 hp measured with a dyno attached to the PTO output, claimed in Japan for YM2000.

Later US Yanmars - and the final year (1981) for YM240, had a better air cleaner ('Donaldson' type) mounted exterior to the left side of the hood.

Green paint used until the end of this model. The Japan version went to red paint when they changed the sheet metal about 1978.

And YM240 remained in production (or at least offered as new) for a couple of years beyond YM2000.

I have some original US dealer brochures for YM240 linked from here if you are interested.

It just occurred to me - there's some history that may be obscure by now. Kubota and Yanmar set up US branches in the early 70's, following Honda, Toyota, etc. Around 1980 Yanmar contracted with Deere to build Deere's whole line of small tractors for the US market, and gradually abandoned their presence here probably as a term of that contract. These US Yanmars are still here but are now vastly outnumbered by the used Japanese Yanmars brought over second hand by independent dealers later. (Yanmar returned to the US market about 5 years ago selling top-quality equipment but those dealers never heard of the older Yanmars.)

And something I made up that might become urban legend - I think YM240 was the specific US Yanmar model that spooked Deere into not trying to compete against Yanmar in the US market for under 40 hp tractors. Deere recognized they had been outclassed before they could ever start their own development and it made more sense to just buy ready-made tractors to sell as Deeres.

The resulting Yanmar-Deeres started with the Deere 750-850-950 etc series. I think its the Deere 850 that is a manual transmission version of YM2500 for example. Most of the other Yanmar-Deeres were contract-spec'ed so don't have a direct twin in Japan, but they are generally built from common Yanmar components.

 

[kenmac]

One more pic for Clemsonfor and Winston. I posted this here last Thanksgiving.

As soon as the rains come the place looks a lot better!

He's probably got his belly full of apples :laughing:

 

[woolyAcres]

It's a fascinating history.

Thanks for spelling out the differences between the made for US models (YM240) and the made for Japan, but imported into the US models (YM2000). I suppose that's what someone was trying to say earlier but I was too dense to catch it. Is there are decoder or trick to recognizing which US models map to which imported models? It seems like there are more imported/grey market models than made for US.

The brochure and additional photos you linked to make the YM240D look like something that could really get some work done. That might be a suitable tractor for what I want to do, or at least a really good starter tractor. A YM276D looks like it would be a pretty good fit as well. I'm not sure I've ever seen one of those for sale.

My path to the older Yanmars started with that Case excavator back a few posts. The engine in that machine just runs so well that I looked into who made it. When I found out it was a Yanmar I started researching their newer machines. I was dead set on an EX3200 with FEL about 4 months ago but some things came up and the money for that is gone, but I was hot onto Yanmars and the need for a tractor. I've seen a few local JDs. In face I've seen a 750 in person. Frankly, that'd be a very nice size for my needs. The ones I've seen have all had turfs and the green JD paint seems to add a premium to the price. That why I shifted over to the original Yanmar.

 

[clemsonfor]

It's a fascinating history.

Thanks for spelling out the differences between the made for US models (YM240) and the made for Japan, but imported into the US models (YM2000). I suppose that's what someone was trying to say earlier but I was too dense to catch it. Is there are decoder or trick to recognizing which US models map to which imported models? It seems like there are more imported/grey market models than made for US.

The brochure and additional photos you linked to make the YM240D look like something that could really get some work done. That might be a suitable tractor for what I want to do, or at least a really good starter tractor. A YM276D looks like it would be a pretty good fit as well. I'm not sure I've ever seen one of those for sale.

My path to the older Yanmars started with that Case excavator back a few posts. The engine in that machine just runs so well that I looked into who made it. When I found out it was a Yanmar I started researching their newer machines. I was dead set on an EX3200 with FEL about 4 months ago but some things came up and the money for that is gone, but I was hot onto Yanmars and the need for a tractor. I've seen a few local JDs. In face I've seen a 750 in person. Frankly, that'd be a very nice size for my needs. The ones I've seen have all had turfs and the green JD paint seems to add a premium to the price. That why I shifted over to the original Yanmar.

There are more grey models. there are few imports sold here under there three digit model number. no expert and i am sure i will leave some out but there is like the 186/7, 240, and 336 and maybe just a few others? I wont even begin to list all the grey models there lots. And there itterations of transmissions and setups. take for example the 2200 thats a geared tractor and an orphin not well supported model to say the least, then there is the 2210 which is similar newer powershift model and the 2210 where it too is powershift the only difference i think is one shifted on the colum and one on the dash. I think the latter is shifted on the sterring column but i am not a powershift expert on the shifters either. For just regular tractors they start at something like 1100 which is similar to the garden tractors of the 60-70s and i think there is some ultra rare like 4500s or something? anything bigger than like ym3000 is not common even it is rarely seen.

 

[winston1]

The 240 US and 2000 grey are likely the closest cousins of any. After that the differences get a little more. You can note the engine model numbers given that will clue in on closest cousins. Same thing can be done with the green John Deere's although differences may become even more. I don't think John Deere ever used the power shift transmissions.

Sure wouldn't rule out the F series either. They have a flat platform that makes mounting and dismounting much easier. Little more modern. I had the opportunity to operate one of them and was impressed. Their pto hp is indicated by model #.

 

[clemsonfor]

There are more grey models. there are few imports sold here under there three digit model number. no expert and i am sure i will leave some out but there is like the 186/7, 240, and 336 and maybe just a few others? I wont even begin to list all the grey models there lots. And there itterations of transmissions and setups. take for example the 2200 thats a geared tractor and an orphin not well supported model to say the least, then there is the 2210 which is similar newer powershift model and the 2210 where it too is powershift the only difference i think is one shifted on the colum and one on the dash. I think the latter is shifted on the sterring column but i am not a powershift expert on the shifters either. For just regular tractors they start at something like 1100 which is similar to the garden tractors of the 60-70s and i think there is some ultra rare like 4500s or something? anything bigger than like ym3000 is not common even it is rarely seen.

California i was watching i think the first episode of this seasons Mythbusters off my dvr last night and i saw the same trees you posted when they were at the shooting range they go too. I assume them to be the Eukalyptus (spelling??) The side of the hill of the little valley the range was in looked like your ravine cover type

I have a buddy that just moved out to Northern California to work for the BIN (bureau of indian affairs) i wish i could see just some of california. NO desire to see the mega cities but the country side, the hillsides and the huge trees in some of the forests are my interest. I watch lots of reality shows (not sure why i like them so much. i guess cause i see and learn about other areas allbeit that much of what they say you cant trust but the scenery is not faked.) and i saw this season of filthy riches on NATGEO they followed a burl hunter in california. Pretty rolling hillsides as he searched oaks and in a walnut grove for burls. I dont think i will be in a place to visit before my buddy leaves his job there in California to head back this way...unless his life turns? But he has no plans to stay forever.