55HP Tractor

[rScotty]

This is the OP. Thanks for all the good advice. Based on the dealers near me I think I have narrowed it down to Kubota, Kioti and Massey Ferguson. I still want the HST option and I want R1 tires instead of R4 tires (which seem to be standard on some of these tractors), so it is probably gonna come down to availability. I am gonna continue to look at low hour used tractors also.

Yes, after all the debating and discussion settles out you do have to narrow it down. I think that's a decent set of choices. Try them all if you can. We aren't done yet.....

 

[strantor]

THAT is about a mile from the truth!

SR

Is it? Care to contradict me more specifically? Maybe include where you think they are made? Or even better cite a source that refutes my claim.

 

[strantor]

Dang....a post implying that LS is a better designed and engineered loader than deere and kubotas

No implication intended. I meant to say it flat out. If I didn't achieve that goal, then maybe I saved myself some embarrassment. "Designed and engineered" are not the words I used but if that's criteria this hinges on then I'm not sure my argument holds up. I don't know how well the LS loader is "designed and engineered." All I know is that when I look at the girthy slabs of steel and massive weld fillets that make it up, I get an overwhelming feeling of being powerless to destroy or damage it in any way if I wanted to. I don't get that with other loaders. It could very well be not that well designed and engineered. Maybe if the design were optimized it would be lighter, maybe it could lift higher, maybe it would be faster, and maybe it would be made out of sheet and tube like other loaders. I'll take "grossly overbuilt" over "better designed and engineered" when it comes to anything like a tractor.

 

[LouNY]

I'm surprised this took until the 5th page to get mentioned, especially after several LS owners have chimed in.



Massey Ferguson? Which model? Their tractors (in your HP range) are made in India (might as well buy Mahindra) or China (might as well buy Jinma).

If you're looking at a Case Farmall or a New Holland Boomer then what you're looking at is an LS tractor (made in S. Korea) with a different paint job, a higher price tag, and an inferior loader. LS makes those tractors and sells them to CNH, who slaps their stickers and loaders on them. Compare an LS loader and a Case/New Holland loader if you have access to both, and make up your own mind. In fact, compare an LS loader to any other loader and make up your mind. Where LS uses 3/4" plate steel, JD uses brittle hollow cast iron and everyone else (Kubota, New Holland, Mahindra, MF, etc.) uses flimsy weldments of 1/4" sheet and 1/8" tubing. Kioti's loaders look pretty stout from across the internet but I've never seen one in person.

I will make an attempt to not be completely biased by saying about LS, that they're typically sold through mom & pop dealers, so hit-or-miss on the quality of post-sale service. Someone said earlier that the dealer is more important than the brand; I don't feel that way, but I can see where others would, and if that's the camp you're in then I recommend doing a deep dive on whatever dealer in your area sells LS, but definitely don't look past LS under the assumption it's "sub par quality." Also I found that LS tractors don't run well on gasoline, so you can jot that down as another "con."

I would say that this entire post is just a bunch of bull and negativity.

All of the overseas plants and for that matter any manufacturing facility in this country can and will produce the quality of product that the seller specifies.

And filled with unproven accusations of the construction methods and materials.

And NO I haven't gone and looked at that size tractor in any detail, I have browsed them on occasion but I am normally looking a bit larger.
I did look at the Kioti, LS this summer in the 90 - 115 HP range.

 

[strantor]

I would say that this entire post is just a bunch of bull and negativity.

All of the overseas plants and for that matter any manufacturing facility in this country can and will produce the quality of product that the seller specifies.

And filled with unproven accusations of the construction methods and materials.

And NO I haven't gone and looked at that size tractor in any detail, I have browsed them on occasion but I am normally looking a bit larger.
I did look at the Kioti, LS this summer in the 90 - 115 HP range.

Which parts were bull and which parts were negativity? The post was meant to encourage another option that didn't seem to be getting any attention. I agree that you can get good quality products from countries known for poor quality manufacturing. In fact the whole point of my post (maybe too obscure) was not to rely on an "American" name under the pretense it's automatically a superior quality product (or even an American product). Materials and construction methods were something I explicitly encouraged the OP to look at for himself and form his own opinion (twice). Not sure what it is I need to prove? If you don't believe me, go look! The proof is sitting right out there in the dealers' lots, I'm sure you drive by at least a few a week.

 

[LD1]

No implication intended. I meant to say it flat out. If I didn't achieve that goal, then maybe I saved myself some embarrassment. "Designed and engineered" are not the words I used but if that's criteria this hinges on then I'm not sure my argument holds up. I don't know how well the LS loader is "designed and engineered." All I know is that when I look at the girthy slabs of steel and massive weld fillets that make it up, I get an overwhelming feeling of being powerless to destroy or damage it in any way if I wanted to. I don't get that with other loaders. It could very well be not that well designed and engineered. Maybe if the design were optimized it would be lighter, maybe it could lift higher, maybe it would be faster, and maybe it would be made out of sheet and tube like other loaders. I'll take "grossly overbuilt" over "better designed and engineered" when it comes to anything like a tractor.

Not sure which specific part of the loader you were refering to comparing 1/4" tubing to 3/4" plate....but for what its worth....

2x4x1/4" tubing is stronger in every direction including torsion when compared to a slab of 3/4" x 4" plate of steel.

 

[strantor]

Not sure which specific part of the loader you were refering to comparing 1/4" tubing to 3/4" plate....but for what its worth....

2x4x1/4" tubing is stronger in every direction including torsion when compared to a slab of 3/4" x 4" plate of steel.

With the reference to 3/4" plate I was referring specifically to the interface between the loader and the tractor. It is hard to find good pictures of this on the internet but I did my best (hence why recommend looking in person).

LS:

Deere:

MF:

Kubota:

New Holland:

But that's just one example. You really need to look at one and then the other (better yet side by side), look over the whole loader. Look at how the loader is tied in all the way to the back axle (or not), look the size of the cylinder rods and the pivot pins they use, look at the gussets (or lack of), the gauge of the metal used throughout, you'll see what I mean.

 

[jyoutz]

I know that they build a lot of them in Brazil, some in France and some in China, but I thought the China plant was shut down, or being shut down as Brazil expands. I wasn't aware that they where building Massey Ferguson tractors in India. I saw a video on Youtube about the Massey factory building tractors and it was state of the art. Super clean, organized and what you would expect to see for Mercedes being built. I don't remember where it was at, but it did help me lean towards Massey when I was looking around.

Perhaps the tractors built in China and India are intended for sale to those markets?

 

[jyoutz]

With the reference to 3/4" plate I was referring specifically to the interface between the loader and the tractor. It is hard to find good pictures of this on the internet but I did my best (hence why recommend looking in person).

LS:
View attachment 736625
Deere:
View attachment 736626

MF:
View attachment 736627

Kubota:
View attachment 736628

New Holland:
View attachment 736629

But that's just one example. You really need to look at one and then the other (better yet side by side), look over the whole loader. Look at how the loader is tied in all the way to the back axle (or not), look the size of the cylinder rods and the pivot pins they use, look at the gussets (or lack of), the gauge of the metal used throughout, you'll see what I mean.

Those components on my Kubota MX are 3/4” steel and the subframe ties to the rear axle.

 

[strantor]

Perhaps the tractors built in China and India are intended for sale to those markets?

I did some more research and you are correct. I was wrong in suggesting that if you're shopping at a MF dealership in the USA that you're looking at Chinese/Indian tractors. More likely Brazil as other suggested.