Compact tractor brands that have bit the dust.

[Guesseral]

I myself was a while back wondering if Deere would stay in the small tractor business or not until I saw them on the news. I cannot remember the exact percentage the small tractors made up but from what I remember the number was very high which led me to believe it would be stupid of them to exit the small tractor business.

I keep getting flyers in the mail for JD, they don't list any pricing but the pictures are of green tractors.

 

[rtimgray]

Look closer at the wiki

If I remember right, Kioti was originally imported and distributed by Lely, which I think was mostly an implement company at the time, and I think that they only imported the 1914, 2554 and 3054 (I may not have the numbers right, but I think it was the 19, 25 and 30 hp tractors, so you get the idea). I think that's where the "LK" in those original designations came from, as in Lely-Kioti. I remember looking at a 3054 in the early 90s (I was still in college, that's the only time frame I can be sure of).

Then again, my memory isn't what it used to be. Luckily, my imagination has gotten better, so I can make up cool stuff to fill in the blanks.

Good luck and take care.

 

[Cherokee140]

Then again, my memory isn't what it used to be. Luckily, my imagination has gotten better, so I can make up cool stuff to fill in the blanks.

I am going to steal that....hope you don't mind

 

[rtimgray]

I am going to steal that....hope you don't mind

Okay by me; I'm can't remember if I stole it or made it up....

 

[DavesTractor]

If I remember right, Kioti was originally imported and distributed by Lely, which I think was mostly an implement company at the time, and I think that they only imported the 1914, 2554 and 3054 (I may not have the numbers right, but I think it was the 19, 25 and 30 hp tractors, so you get the idea). I think that's where the "LK" in those original designations came from, as in Lely-Kioti. I remember looking at a 3054 in the early 90s (I was still in college, that's the only time frame I can be sure of).

Then again, my memory isn't what it used to be. Luckily, my imagination has gotten better, so I can make up cool stuff to fill in the blanks.

Good luck and take care.

I think this scenario is common. Branson tractors were brought into the USA by a couple of guys from Georgia with a dream. A few years later Kukje bought them out and started Branson USA. Mahindra tractors were brought in by a couple guys in Texas and sold for a while until Mahindra USA was formed. That is why we often get a discrepancy in years when we talk about how long a brand has been in the USA. The tractors often precede the corp. that follows.

 

[94BULLITT]

The tractors often precede the corp. that follows.

Kubota was the same way wasn't it?

 

[murphy1244]

Kubota was the same way wasn't it?

No Kubota started out as a grocery store.

 

[fieldman12]

Cat did supply CUTs under the Challenger name until they sold the ag business to AGCO. Caterpillar bled dearly from their agriculture venture so as soon as that CEO retired ag went. However Cat does still build engines and power train components for ag, and Cat didn't leave their dealers holding the bag. Our dealer in Minnesota, Ziegler, has actually expanded their ag business into other Cat dealer's territory where that dealer doesn't want to do ag (Cat is not like a car company - a dealer gets an exclusive territory. In this case Ziegler has ag dealerships in Fabco's territory in Wisconsin and Yancey's territory in Missouri. Some sell Challenger, some sell the full AGCO line, and some I'm not sure. Like I've never asked our local branch, which has only Challenger brand Massey tractors on the lot, if I could buy the same tractor with Massey paint and still get my employee discount.

Yes Cat did supply the cuts under the Challenger name. Our crew had three Cat 580R combines, articulated tractor, and track machines. They over all where good machines but when they broke down even for simple stuff you where down the entire day. Switched all back to Deere since. Around here the only thing Challenger you see is the track tractors. There are a few wheeled machines but they are just not popular around here and from snooping around on the internet they do not seem to be that popular in allot of other states. Pretty much all of your Challenger line now uses the Agco (Sisu) engines and Mercedes in the Claas combines. A Claas combine I might add at that time would smoke a Deere combine. Now they are pretty close.

 

[fieldman12]

Cat did supply CUTs under the Challenger name until they sold the ag business to AGCO. Caterpillar bled dearly from their agriculture venture so as soon as that CEO retired ag went. However Cat does still build engines and power train components for ag, and Cat didn't leave their dealers holding the bag. Our dealer in Minnesota, Ziegler, has actually expanded their ag business into other Cat dealer's territory where that dealer doesn't want to do ag (Cat is not like a car company - a dealer gets an exclusive territory. In this case Ziegler has ag dealerships in Fabco's territory in Wisconsin and Yancey's territory in Missouri. Some sell Challenger, some sell the full AGCO line, and some I'm not sure. Like I've never asked our local branch, which has only Challenger brand Massey tractors on the lot, if I could buy the same tractor with Massey paint and still get my employee discount.

Yes Cat did supply the cuts under the Challenger name. Our crew had three Cat 580R combines, articulated tractor, and track machines. They over all where good machines but when they broke down even for simple stuff you where down the entire day due to dealer service. Switched all back to Deere since. Around here the only thing Challenger you see is the track tractors. There are a few wheeled machines but they are just not popular around here and from snooping around on the internet they do not seem to be that popular in allot of other states. Pretty much all of your Challenger line now uses the Agco (Sisu) engines and Mercedes in the Claas combines. A Claas combine I might add at that time would smoke a Deere combine. Now they are pretty close.

 

[JoeinTX]

"Farmtrac never went out of business. The did however stop importing them to the United States. Last year, another import company started importing them again, and new Farmtrac are available again in the US."


I did not know this (and I typed that thinking how Jeff Bridges from "True Grit" would sound saying it.) I checked your website and I see '14s advertised so I gots to believe it. Who is the new importer? When I search "Farmtrac" on Google I see many old (pre-collapse) dealer sites, the EU website, and, dead links.