I'm thinking of buying one of the gray market used compact import tractors from SE Asia, but how can I solve the use limitations? Where are belly mowers available? It seems the wheel base of most is too short for a belly mower and there's no mid-pto. Additionally, the rice lug tires would really tear up lawn turf. If I try to replace them, turf tires would require new rims - if rims to fit could be found. Wouldn't I loose my original cost advantage in buying tires and rims? Where are loaders available? As these tractors were designed for rice paddy use, is the structure of the tractor strong enough to handle a loader? Many come with a roto-tiller attached, but will this tiller work in our US soils? What about tractor parts availability? Who carries parts? Do these imports with all sorts of far eastern names have close cousins that were marketed in the US under names we recognize? Of course there's Deere-Yanmar, Ford-Shibaura and a Kubota is a Kubota but what about the others? Any insight or experience would be appreciated. Thanks.
Gray Market Compacts?
- Thread starter lfnle
- Start date
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diggerjim
Silver Member
lfnle
I have a Yanmar. My tiller performs fine in our hard clays and soft loams. Have even chewed a little blacktop. The rice tires will tear the heck out of sod and most everything else. Loaders, parts, rims and just about everything else is available for most of these tractors. If you look around on this site you will find what is available, where, and fits what. The structure of my tractor is not a concern in normal use to me. However, some have had trouble adding backhoes and breaking major components. My full-size case hoe has had major breaks too. It all depends on the use, and abuse factor. You get what you pay for, look around, listen and read, and as you are doing here, ask questions. It all comes down to how much you want to spend, have available to spend, what you require of the machine, and what you are satisfied with. You can do so much with a compact, so much more with a ag tractor, so much more with a dozer, etc., etc,. Its your choice.
Jim
I have a Yanmar. My tiller performs fine in our hard clays and soft loams. Have even chewed a little blacktop. The rice tires will tear the heck out of sod and most everything else. Loaders, parts, rims and just about everything else is available for most of these tractors. If you look around on this site you will find what is available, where, and fits what. The structure of my tractor is not a concern in normal use to me. However, some have had trouble adding backhoes and breaking major components. My full-size case hoe has had major breaks too. It all depends on the use, and abuse factor. You get what you pay for, look around, listen and read, and as you are doing here, ask questions. It all comes down to how much you want to spend, have available to spend, what you require of the machine, and what you are satisfied with. You can do so much with a compact, so much more with a ag tractor, so much more with a dozer, etc., etc,. Its your choice.
Jim
kayssupply
Platinum Member
To start with, the tractors on this board are from Japan not SE Asia. If they have been routed through there they are usually junkers that have been painted and passed off as " refurbished". If you hear that or factory reconditioned , RUN.
EFC
Veteran Member
Please fill in your bio a little more. If you live in Turkey our answers are much different than if you live in the USA.
TOMLESCOEQUIP
Platinum Member
Attached is a photo of my " grey" Kubota L1500DT. I trashed the rice tires and retrofitted turfs on 6 lug implement rims (rear) and had 14" rims custom built for the front (used rims with proper offset from a dodge mini van and had centers cut out on a lathe and new centers machined and welded in at a local machine shop.) I use a 5' 3 point hitch belly mower ( they have adjustable center beams to fit different wheelbase tractors and drive off the rear pto).........Used it the past 7 years this way with no problems..........Some filters are a little hard to locate and expensive but otherwise my "grey" tractor has performed well........Tom
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njrqs
Veteran Member
TOMLESCOEQUIP
Platinum Member
stnickstoys
Gold Member
I mow my 3 acre lawn with my TU220 and a 6' First Choice 3pt hitch finish mower. I love mowing with it and have fun doing it. I mounted an AM/FM cassette radio on the fender, added a wheel spinner knob, and left my "rice" tires on. I don't tear up my lawn. You just need to mow like you were driving a tractor not a small 12hp MTD. You make larger sweeping turns, catch the backside of trimming around trees on the next pass and mow in a different pattern. With a full width rear discharge mower it doesn't matter which way I go. My wife thinks I'm nuts when I'm out there mowing a cross hatch pattern so my front lawn looks like a big league ballfield in the pros. My 3 boys think its really cool to play ball in the yard and pretend they are in the big leagues! I haven't yet wished I had turfs. Here on my little patch of the world, I play hard in the dirt, move snow, pull my neighbors out of the snowbanks, etc. and I don't know that I would be happy with the traction provided by turfs. Just depends on what you plan on doing with your tractor. Have fun, happy tractoring!
Here's a pic of my 220 with mower, check out the radio!
Nick
Here's a pic of my 220 with mower, check out the radio!
Nick
