Are they the same?

[Anonymous Poster]

I looking into buying a compact tractor. I was wondering: Is Yanmar and John Deer the same? (does one make the other?)
Thanks

 

[lens12]

Yanamr made JD. They are not the same.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Once upon a time, back in 1980, JD and Yanmar both came off the same Yanmar assembly line, one after the other. The only difference was the paint color. Then, JD got in a fight with Yanmar. Now, JD is built by the lowest bidder. Yanmar decided the US market wasn't worth the costs involved, and abandoned the US tractor market. Yanmar engines are still used in JD excavators because JD knows Yanmar builds a better engine than JD can.

 

[Inspector507]

Yanmar still builds for JD tractors too

 

[Tractors4u]

What fight? Where did you hear that? The tractors were built on the same assembly line and a couple of them were very close matches but not the same. Now Yanmar builds the engines for the JD compacts and builds the 4010 and 4110 compact tractors. JD also uses Kanzaki (sp?) transmissions. Kanzaki is a subsidiary of Yanmar. JD also uses Yanmar diesels in it's diesel lawn tractors and the diesel Gator.

 

[roger_scotty]

I remember when JD started selling compact tractors. Yes, at that time they were completely built for them by Yanmar. Today Yanmar only builts part of the JD compacts. Those compacts that JD originally sold were excellent machine....very well worked out.. The JDs looked very similar to the line which Yanmar was just discontinuing in order to introduce their own powershift models. So the JD/Yanmar commection was good for both companies.
I know we have a couple of dealers who were around then. Maybe one of them can comment on this:
I vaguely remember that part of the JD Yanmar deal included an agreement that Yanmar would stop retailing new machines in the US. But I believe that I also heard at the time - or maybe read it in one of the JD company history books - that another part of the deal was for Yanmar to import the larger JD models into Japan. Did that ever come to pass? What color were those tractors painted? Anyone else recall this?

 

[Turfman]

I saw a new 790 yesterday. Looked it over closely to compare to my Kubota. The stamped decal riveted to the back of the sheet metal, over the three point, said something to the effect: Manufactured by Yanmar Diesel....Japan.

So I assume this one was made entirely there. Nice machine. A little close between the seat and the steering wheel for a fat man like me, the deck was not flat, but it did have ports for rear remotes and looked well made. I didn't start it, but was tempted to see if my Kubota key fit it.

Turfman

 

[MJB]

The 790 and 990 JDs are made entirely by Yanmar. The 4100, 4010, 4110, and 4115 are also. The other JD 4xxx series machines just have Yanmar engines. I don't know if any of these machines has an equivalent Yanmar model.