Factory rebuilt tractors

kayssupply · Oct 7, 2002

Has anyone else seen the " factory rebuilt " tractors being sold on Ebay? That suggests that Yanmar is rebuilding them.
Heck, I guess I have a tractor factory in my garage. I just wonder why they needed " rebuilt ". The ones I have seen didn't need much more than an oil change and a seat cover.
Paint can sure do wonders for rebuilding an engine or transmission. I guess I shouldn't be so distrusting of others, but I just had to ask.

Anonymous Poster · Oct 7, 2002

Aircraft engine manufctureres do Factory remanufacturing where the engine is taken apart, x-rayed, and put back to within factory specifications. almost as good as new. Yanmar certainly could do this, but it would cost more than the cost of the tractor. So you are correct, an outside "shop" is doing some sort of work and calling it a reman. It could be as little as changing some/all of the fluids, a paint job, and fixing/covering up the obvious problems. Everyone's fear in buying a used item is that they are getting something that is not what it purports to be. Once the machine has been painted and the fluids changed, who knows the real condition. Hour meters are not much help. Easily disconnected, and with only 3 digits, they can be incorrect, misleading (600 vs 1600 vs 2600 hours), or even replaced.

Someone should design a checklist and video that shows what needs to be inspected and how to do this.

YanmarFever · Oct 7, 2002

You are describing the (vietnamese tractors)
they claim the have rebuilt engines , new paint,
air cond. cruise ect...

kayssupply · Oct 7, 2002

The main reason I am bringing this up is that a local dealer traded for several of them. One had a bad piston. One had frozen and cracked the block during shipping ( new antifreeze?) the thirds engine siezed up shortly after unloading. But they all had new tires and even new bolts. The paint looked like new.

DavesTractor · Oct 8, 2002

There is a guy in Southern California (who will remain nameless) that has brought in a bunch of Vietnamese rebuilt tractors. I'm sure many others in different parts of the US are using this supplier as well. These are real rough tractors bought cheap, them rebuilt. The cosmetics are good, but the mechanicals are poorly done. A good way to spot these is to look for the new bolts almost everywhere. From a good source I understand they are having a great deal of problems with them. I'd stay away from such tractors. As we all know, if you take good care of a tractor it can last decades. Why buy something that has been thrashed and re-done. Instead, buy a well cared for low hour machine.

heehaw · Oct 8, 2002

i just saw those on ebay yesterday, they look pretty good, but i got the impression the shop in SC of NC, was doing the rebuilding?? i wondered the same as the rest of you, all the ones i have seen were pretty slick and low hours, why did they need the rebuild?? i think it mentioned 2 hours on the meter since the major rebuild.
heehaw

jimstractors · Oct 8, 2002

There is a "dealer" near me (probably the one Dave's referring to) selling the Vietnam "rebuilds". They look real slick and shiny, but from what I've heard, many have severe mechanical problems. Many are fitted with Nuco loaders.
Jim

Whiskey · Oct 8, 2002

Thinking we have all seen the "FACTORY REBUILT" at one time or another. Now that I have a greater love for the Yanmar YM187 that I own since I've found this site and have learned what a little jem of a tractor that Yanmar builds, I see this all the time on E-bay our local equipment trader mag. we even have a florida dealer up in the pan handel that claims this in his adds in the equipment trader, these tractors are a lovely shade of John Deer green with bright yellow rims sure looks and smells of a Handlers tractor from up north. Factory re-built my back side.
I have learned so much in the past 6 months or so and that is just from crusing around the web watching, lisitioning and learning, I have already found what I feel are good quilty folks that state what they sell and are willing to find and share what info or find what part you need some dealers will leave you a E-mail addy or for gods sake a phone # where you can reach them and talk to them, this is your real dealer that has his heart into what he's doing. No B.S. just the facts "yes it's close to 20 years old, yes it's used, yes it came from Japan, yes I will stand behind it and help you in anyway I can because I want your buiness and the guy that lives next door to you too!!!!
Sorry for ranting and raving but you as a consummer are the one who has to be responsable for when, where & why you spend your money. Just because it's a tractor dosn't make it any differant from spending your hard earned money on anything else you buy in life (maybe I should take my hard earned money and take a spelling class?). Do I think this practious should stop with this so called Factory Re-built garbage yes of course I do and this is the form where it starts with learning and sharing that info with others.
OK, I'm all but talked out here but I have one question. being what I have just blabed out here am I wrong in beliving that Yanmar factory in Japan has no intresed in re-building there tractors because the intress lays in selling new tractors in Japan with the goverment incentives for rice farmers to buy new every 15-20 years and that what we call 'GRAY MARKET" tractors are some what of a problem of "what in gods name are we going to do woth all these tractors we have building up in out country" here is where the importer comes in and says hey we can find a market on these tractors you have and make some money too??????am I right or way off base?

Whiskey

Anonymous Poster · Oct 8, 2002

You are not off base, but the tractors in really bad condition don't just disappear. They get re-incarnated by being bought extremely cheaply, and then having something done to them. Ever see all the junk cars sitting around in yards in the country. What if someone offered $500 for the non wrecked ones, painted them, changed the oil and fluid. You'd have a pretty piece of junk with new fluids. Unless they replaced the entire drive train, it would still be junk.

This is not to say that you can't rebuild a old car, tractor, etc. Talk to someone who rebuilds cars--its a hobby, not a business because you only get out what you put in (and virtually nothing for the labor).

So these people are probably making some misrepresentation to make money because they certainly aren't doing it for a hobby.