Can the Japanese or Indians build better tractors?

[MessickFarmEqu]

when you look at tractors all day, you can look at the castings on a tractor and tell if they are from the developing world. The day may come, but they are not there yet.

 

[Deere Dude]

In the sub 100 hp class, I doubt there are any American built tractors.

Grovetown, Georgia

Utility tractors
Compact utility tractors

I took a tour through there in 2003 and they made CUT at that time.

 

[Wolfy]

When you bought a compact tractor 30-40 years ago, they were all Japanese and all ruggedly built. Today in 2017, no longer the case.

 

[rustydollar]

when you look at tractors all day, you can look at the castings on a tractor and tell if they are from the developing world. The day may come, but they are not there yet.

Purchased a 14x40 Chinese metal lathe a well known brand, the castings on the bed are so bad in some places the voids were filled with body filler then painted over for that brand new look.

Bought an injector pop tester made in India the inside was full of machine swarf ( black grit ) left over from honing, pumped this crap into the first injector tested.

My Japanese Kubota B7001 going 40 some odd years old never let me down once this winter, the hookie worm drive gear used on the snowblower is another matter. I suspect the brass hear was made using powdered metallurgy.

 

[bookmyer]

I don't think India can make tractors better but they certainly can make them cheaper. That's the only reason they are being manufactured there. At least the American brands that are built there.

 

[jeff9366]

Perhaps the fact that India is the second most populous country, after China, and a nation of small farmers, has something to do with why Mahindra exists.

 

[bspeedy]

Purchased a 14x40 Chinese metal lathe a well known brand, the castings on the bed are so bad in some places the voids were filled with body filler then painted over for that brand new look.

Bought an injector pop tester made in India the inside was full of machine swarf ( black grit ) left over from honing, pumped this crap into the first injector tested.

.

And I think this sums it up. The Indians and Chinese have all the same tools as the USA and Europe. Same CAD software, same machine tools, same presses, etc. What they don't have is experience and an understanding of WHAT is important and WHY. Those are key aspects that will come with experience. In my opinion, they are 10-20 years from building quality goods in those countries.

 

[ovrszd]

when you look at tractors all day, you can look at the castings on a tractor and tell if they are from the developing world. The day may come, but they are not there yet.

You beat me to it. I totally agree.

 

[bookmyer]

I test drove a Mahindra utility tractor a few years ago and was really surprised how rough the castings were. Everything was really rough looking with that tractor. Reminded me of a really old tractor. The small compact Mahindra that I drove (28 hp?) was actually kind of nice.

 

[ovrszd]

And I think this sums it up. The Indians and Chinese have all the same tools as the USA and Europe. Same CAD software, same machine tools, same presses, etc. What they don't have is experience and an understanding of WHAT is important and WHY. Those are key aspects that will come with experience. In my opinion, they are 10-20 years from building quality goods in those countries.

I'll take this a step farther. If there is a lack of quality, it's the original buyer's fault. Couldn't think of a better word than "buyer". So I'll plug in names, don't want to get accused of talking in "code".

If John Deere goes overseas and contracts with a company there to build tractors it's JD's responsibility to write a contract that binds the Overseas Manufacturer to meet a specific standard. So, if JD imports a tractor that is substandard, that's JD's fault, not the builder, regardless of what country it comes from.

So to answer the original question, neither. In regards to Japanese tractors, the only brand I am familiar with is Kubota. For me, they are built to a very high standard. That has not so much to do with the Country of Origin as it does to the standards that Kubota requested and demanded at their production facilities, regardless where those facilities are located.

To go back to Neal's remarks, it's apparent to me at a glance.