Belarus tractors

[ksluy]

Good job Arie hardly anything is built in the U.S.A anymore. I work on diesels for a living and most all new engines come from Asia even Cummins with exception to a few from Europe [ Lister Petter, Duetz, VM motori and a few more smaller companies ] I would consider buying a new Belarus. I have had good luck with mine but they are the air cooled [ look a lot like a Duetz F4L910] models with less to worry about. Do not know much about the larger sizes 500 models and up but the smaller 400 series and below are tough enough for me [ I used mine to clear a hard wood lot 10 acres]. Would like to see better manuals on your website for the smaller units. The simpler a machine is built the better it is from my experience 20 years in the offshore oil fields.

I think you need to check your facts on Cummins being built in Asia. From what I see on there web site almost all there diesel motors are built in the U.S.A.

 

[Trillium Farm]

It's possible but unlikely as they were obliged to buy from Russia whatever they produced, I remember there was quite a stink about this decision.
The Czechs have always had a very good industrial system of arms and machinery, their Skoda cars were light years ahead of the russian Lada. On a side note I remember the first time I saw SAME tractors, they were sooo ugly I thought they were russians, then I wondered what do russian tractors do with italian names on them, that's when I inquired and discovered that they were italian, oh boy were they ugly!

 

[Choke]

They have plants in China and Mexico using local workforce with company rep for quality control

 

[Choke]

I omitted most of the factory wiring used updated switches, hardware and mechanical gauges. Converted to a 10si alternator,gear reduction starter, and a group 31 12 v battery haven't had any issues since took me about 8 hours or so to get everything together. I got my tractor for a helluva deal so I didn't mind putting a little into it. Have heard horror stories about these tractors but from my experience with them they are decent tractors. The tractors are crude and could use some refinement but overall I'm happy with what I have.

 

[Alberta Haymaker]

I omitted most of the factory wiring used updated switches, hardware and mechanical gauges. Converted to a 10si alternator,gear reduction starter, and a group 31 12 v battery haven't had any issues since took me about 8 hours or so to get everything together. I got my tractor for a helluva deal so I didn't mind putting a little into it. Have heard horror stories about these tractors but from my experience with them they are decent tractors. The tractors are crude and could use some refinement but overall I'm happy with what I have.

Years back the Alt. went out on my 825. I could have bought a new one from Belarus but I had like 3 chevy spare Alternators collecting dust up on the shelf so I just put one of them on. They are very simple in that aspect when it comes to doing updates and what not. For the mechanically inclined person who doesn't mind tinkering on his equipment they can be a real bargain if you can find a used one. But more and more I find the old used ones are becoming harder to find.

There is a Belarus Tractor Forum now at MTZ where you can post and share your Belarus tips and tricks.

 

[Alberta Haymaker]

Good job Arie hardly anything is built in the U.S.A anymore. I work on diesels for a living and most all new engines come from Asia even Cummins with exception to a few from Europe [ Lister Petter, Duetz, VM motori and a few more smaller companies ] I would consider buying a new Belarus. I have had good luck with mine but they are the air cooled [ look a lot like a Duetz F4L910] models with less to worry about. Do not know much about the larger sizes 500 models and up but the smaller 400 series and below are tough enough for me [ I used mine to clear a hard wood lot 10 acres]. Would like to see better manuals on your website for the smaller units. The simpler a machine is built the better it is from my experience 20 years in the offshore oil fields.

In all fairness a 30 year old Belarus tractor doesn't really have much .... wiring on it to begin with . Mine is close to that era too and I don't know the wiring it seems ok so far (no issues). Yeah its European wiring, and if you're not used to that it can be a learning curve for sure.

As for the factory yeah I've heard some bad stories too of the factory back in the cold war days. The issue wasn't with the engineering of the product as they had some pretty interesting ideas it was always in the assembly of the product and some of the materials they used. Definitely not for everyone and certainly not a luxury tractor that's for darn sure!! What's attractive to some with the new ones is they are still pretty simple in design.

Pic below not fair just pick on JD as they make some basic models too. Actually now a days Fendt would be the leader in high-tech gadgets I would think.

Got to say them Fendts do look nice and comfy in there!

 

[Trillium Farm]

They've come a long way then, are they still +grounded? Glad you had a deal they are (were) simple but easy to repair if you are mechanically inclined.

 

[Alberta Haymaker]

They've come a long way then, are they still +grounded? Glad you had a deal they are (were) simple but easy to repair if you are mechanically inclined.

My old one from the early 90's is negative ground new ones are negative ground. I Don't know were the ones in the 70's Positive ground or something?

 

[Trillium Farm]

Yes in the 70s they were positive ground and that's what started all the electrical gremlins. As Alberta haymaker said, the problem was mainly at the assembly line level as in all communist production at the time. I wonder though what will happen of today's tractors in 30 yrs with all the electronics in them.

 

[paulharvey]

Yes in the 70s they were positive ground and that's what started all the electrical gremlins. As Alberta haymaker said, the problem was mainly at the assembly line level as in all communist production at the time. I wonder though what will happen of today's tractors in 30 yrs with all the electronics in them.

There are a pretty good number of nearly 70 year old tractors around still running, and doing meaningful work. Something tells me 70 years from now you will see more early Fords and Ferggies then you do 2014 models still running.

 

[Alberta Haymaker]

Yes in the 70s they were positive ground and that's what started all the electrical gremlins. As Alberta haymaker said, the problem was mainly at the assembly line level as in all communist production at the time. I wonder though what will happen of today's tractors in 30 yrs with all the electronics in them.

Oh okay yeah I've seen that too with old equipment the early JD 4020's and such were positive ground. Along with various auto's back in the day. I agree some of the stuff they built was quite something for sure. I heard some of the big 4 wheel drive tractors (Russian built and branded Belarus) had a provisions for wood stove type contraption to heat the engine! Below is an interesting option for starting those vintage 70's tractors ....

 

[rScotty]

Oh okay yeah I've seen that too with old equipment the early JD 4020's and such were positive ground. Along with various auto's back in the day. I agree some of the stuff they built was quite something for sure. I heard some of the big 4 wheel drive tractors (Russian built and branded Belarus) had a provisions for wood stove type contraption to heat the engine! Below is an interesting option for starting those vintage 70's tractors ....

OK, I watched the video but what is the "interesting option"? What's he doing?
BTW, my old JD is positive ground, the newer one is negative gnd.
rScotty

 

[Alberta Haymaker]

OK, I watched the video but what is the "interesting option"? What's he doing?
BTW, my old JD is positive ground, the newer one is negative gnd.
rScotty

He's using the little 2 stroke (you pull start it like a chain saw) pony starting motor the tractor has instead of an electric starter. Some big old diesels built over here use to have pony motors too back in the day.

Some Belarus tractors spec'd for I guess remote areas had this goofy 2 srtoke starting motor so they don't have to rely on having a working battery.

 

[rScotty]

He's using the little 2 stroke pony starting motor the tractor has instead of an electric starter. Some big old diesels built over here use to have pony motors too back in the day.

Some Belarus tractors spec'd for I guess remote areas had this goofy 2 srtoke starting motor so they don't have to rely on having a working battery.

I wondered if that was what the video was showing. Here in the US, heavy equipment 50 years ago most medium to large machines - mostly Cats - for road and oil field work had starting motors. We called them "pony motors". I remember them as being two cylinder 4 stroke gasoline engines only marginably more reliable about starting than trying to get a big diesel to crank over on the batteries of that time. Most batteries were six volts back then.
The starter motor had a hand clutch that could be used to get the diesel turning over fast enough for it to start.
It wasn't uncommon to spend a few hours getting all the equipment going in the morning. And that was in the summertime.

I'm not sure that today's diesels are all that much better about starting once they have a thousand hours of wear on them. I don't think it makes a bit of difference who makes it. Instead, the big differences seem to me to be modern low viscosity@low temperature oils, electricity for block heaters is more available, and battery technology has advanced a lot. My newish JD 310SG backhoe/loader is as modern as they come, with computer contolled injection, two monster 12 volt/1000 amp hr batteries in parallel, JD's big OEM block heater plus a factory installed ether boosting system. Right now it's -8 F outside and it would probably take all of those things and a bit of luck to start it up.... I'm not even tempted to try !
rScotty