Jinma how reliable
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DavesTractor
Elite Member
One of the neat things about this board is that there are "communities" of people on it. Some love their Chinese models, some are died in the wool Green and Yellow, some pitch the Korean labels, and some even are quite enamored with their Power Trac. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif What works well is that we all have a section where we can extol the virtues (or lack thereof) of our brand or brands to a friendly audience.
On some other boards the mention of a Yanmar or Iseki (or Jinma) will immediately get scornful comments from a diehard Kubota fan or the like. That is really not productive. I rarely see that sort of attitude on this board.
Jinma owners need to be able to exchange ideas and data with other interested parties. Guys like Fourteen are sure welcome to throw in their two cents worth, but they need to know when they are no longer needed in the conversation. His point is made, now he is just stirring the pot.
Moderators, you do a great job on this site! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
On some other boards the mention of a Yanmar or Iseki (or Jinma) will immediately get scornful comments from a diehard Kubota fan or the like. That is really not productive. I rarely see that sort of attitude on this board.
Jinma owners need to be able to exchange ideas and data with other interested parties. Guys like Fourteen are sure welcome to throw in their two cents worth, but they need to know when they are no longer needed in the conversation. His point is made, now he is just stirring the pot.
Moderators, you do a great job on this site! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
DavesTractor
Elite Member
Back to the point...I had a Jinma. It ran strong and was reliable. I had some electrical problems with the dash and gauges, some hose leaks and minor problems like that. I would have to tinker on it fairly often. I did not like the ergonomics (not a word in Chinese I suspect). It wasn't real comfortable or user friendly. It did, however, always start, and it was a workhorse. For the price it is a good deal to the guy willing to tinker and willing to accept less than cutting edge features.
Inspector507
Super Member
Dave,
When I first purchased a tractor, I had to decide between a used unit or a new Chinese tractor. I looked at Jinma, Nortrac, FarmPro and ShenNu (however it's spelled). I had limited funds. What I found was, a Yanmar fit MY my uses better at the time. All the guys at work kidded me about it. Basically my point is.....there's a Yanmar for certain people, a Jinma for certain people and a PT for certain people. I think the PT's are a great unit, but so are the Jinma's for the price. Oh and BTW......I'd not trade my new NH TC18 for any of the others.........but thats what I like and I won't try to intimidate others into buying one or chide them if they didn't......such as "Your XYZ will sit in the barn.....yadda yadda yadda"
When I first purchased a tractor, I had to decide between a used unit or a new Chinese tractor. I looked at Jinma, Nortrac, FarmPro and ShenNu (however it's spelled). I had limited funds. What I found was, a Yanmar fit MY my uses better at the time. All the guys at work kidded me about it. Basically my point is.....there's a Yanmar for certain people, a Jinma for certain people and a PT for certain people. I think the PT's are a great unit, but so are the Jinma's for the price. Oh and BTW......I'd not trade my new NH TC18 for any of the others.........but thats what I like and I won't try to intimidate others into buying one or chide them if they didn't......such as "Your XYZ will sit in the barn.....yadda yadda yadda"
SPIKER
Elite Member
boy getting off here!
anyhow yesterday I went to the farm (it is my 2nd home) and I had not been there in almost a week. Drive had 1.5' of snow in it with Ice frozen on top and under neath. I attempted to drive in before I relized I was using part of the yard as a drive and started to slide down slop, so I stopped. trugged into the barn and got on my jinma 284. it had not been started for over 2 months! no battery maintainer or block heater either. hit the starter to glow plugs, left it on for about 20 sec and hit starter, she didn't do my firing. went back to glow plugs for about 10 more sec, and hit starter again, cranked slow but sputtered and almost took. waited for about 10 sec, went to glow plugs for 10 sec and hit starter again, she fired and sputtered to life! wheeee. (I had no other way of getting out of the yard with the car.
I ended up plowing the drive and pulled out the car (93 full size crown vic ford.) note everythign was ICE under the 1.5' of snow and on top was 1/2" of ice too from freezing rain. temp was an amaizinb 8 degrees out according to my thermometer on the barn wall. It took about 20 min of playing to dig the drive clean using my6' box blade, (~250 feet of drive) car was stuck about 1/2 way down it. so had to clear around it first. and find a chain (all of which I left burried in the snow.!)
anyhow I was WAY impressed that it started and still uing the china battery after 2 years. Many people say toss the china battery, but I figuerd it works and when it don't then it goes to wally world for a replacement. I had to replace the heat bypass hose on mine, anti freeze and the china rubber are not compatable (gylcol eats it everyone complains about them but they are easy replacement from local auto parts...) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
mark M
anyhow yesterday I went to the farm (it is my 2nd home) and I had not been there in almost a week. Drive had 1.5' of snow in it with Ice frozen on top and under neath. I attempted to drive in before I relized I was using part of the yard as a drive and started to slide down slop, so I stopped. trugged into the barn and got on my jinma 284. it had not been started for over 2 months! no battery maintainer or block heater either. hit the starter to glow plugs, left it on for about 20 sec and hit starter, she didn't do my firing. went back to glow plugs for about 10 more sec, and hit starter again, cranked slow but sputtered and almost took. waited for about 10 sec, went to glow plugs for 10 sec and hit starter again, she fired and sputtered to life! wheeee. (I had no other way of getting out of the yard with the car.
I ended up plowing the drive and pulled out the car (93 full size crown vic ford.) note everythign was ICE under the 1.5' of snow and on top was 1/2" of ice too from freezing rain. temp was an amaizinb 8 degrees out according to my thermometer on the barn wall. It took about 20 min of playing to dig the drive clean using my6' box blade, (~250 feet of drive) car was stuck about 1/2 way down it. so had to clear around it first. and find a chain (all of which I left burried in the snow.!)
anyhow I was WAY impressed that it started and still uing the china battery after 2 years. Many people say toss the china battery, but I figuerd it works and when it don't then it goes to wally world for a replacement. I had to replace the heat bypass hose on mine, anti freeze and the china rubber are not compatable (gylcol eats it everyone complains about them but they are easy replacement from local auto parts...) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
mark M
FOURTEEN
Veteran Member
- Joined
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- Efland - Triangle of North Carolina.
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Mike,
Sorry to have been repetitious!
It just seemed that my simple suggestion to "check out" a new, to me, product was misunderstood, and interpreted as an attack on traditional tractors in general and Jinma in particular. The repetition was a result of my eagerness to clarify, not a dogmatic chant!!
My intention was to inform. To share what I had learned. Until I discovered the Power Trac, the Jinma was indeed my first choice over NH, JD, and MF. For ME, with MY needs, the Power Trac appears to be superior. I just wanted more people to have the opportunity to make a informed decision. That is why I only said: "check it out!". Do that, and perhaps you will confirm that the Jinma is superior for YOU!
I hope that we all may be happy with our tractors whatever make, model, or style! There is a saying: "No mother has an ugly child!"
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Sorry to have been repetitious!
It just seemed that my simple suggestion to "check out" a new, to me, product was misunderstood, and interpreted as an attack on traditional tractors in general and Jinma in particular. The repetition was a result of my eagerness to clarify, not a dogmatic chant!!
My intention was to inform. To share what I had learned. Until I discovered the Power Trac, the Jinma was indeed my first choice over NH, JD, and MF. For ME, with MY needs, the Power Trac appears to be superior. I just wanted more people to have the opportunity to make a informed decision. That is why I only said: "check it out!". Do that, and perhaps you will confirm that the Jinma is superior for YOU!
I hope that we all may be happy with our tractors whatever make, model, or style! There is a saying: "No mother has an ugly child!"
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
lwh
Member
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- Oregon
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- MF 1260, Mitsubishi 372, Case 450B crawler/loader, and plenty of others
As to the original question, I have a Jinma 224 and am very pleased with reliability. It has 16" front tires and is same physical size as 254/284. There is no reason it wouldn't work fine with backhoe.
Yes, ergonomics are not strong suit, but fit and finish stuff that I read don't match with the nice tractor that I own.
As for weight, size, etc, it all depends on what one wants to do. A 4000lb unit will shove a front bucket into more dirt than a 1500lb rig. But 4000lbs will make bigger ruts in the lawn.
As to value, I paid $8900 for my 4000+ lbs of tractor/loader/chipper, can dig rocks and tree stumps out of hard, dry, clay with loader, can chip anything I don't want to burn in stove, and usually stay off of the wet lawn. I'm happy.
Yes, ergonomics are not strong suit, but fit and finish stuff that I read don't match with the nice tractor that I own.
As for weight, size, etc, it all depends on what one wants to do. A 4000lb unit will shove a front bucket into more dirt than a 1500lb rig. But 4000lbs will make bigger ruts in the lawn.
As to value, I paid $8900 for my 4000+ lbs of tractor/loader/chipper, can dig rocks and tree stumps out of hard, dry, clay with loader, can chip anything I don't want to burn in stove, and usually stay off of the wet lawn. I'm happy.
Well I'm the guy who started this bees nest. I looked far and wide for a "working" tractor, the jinma was the best price for my money. We can argue brands all day and night. I.E. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif(Chevy,Ford Dodge, ect). I need a tractor that will do what I ask and I'm willing to give up some comforts/options. No one came close to beating the price. Even the Korean tractors were 5,000 more.
DavesTractor
Elite Member
The Korean makes were built to compete with the likes of Kubota, John Deere and NH, not the Chinese imports.
Different target audience.
Different target audience.
Soundguy
Old Timer
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( group response here)
I think the fit/finsih issues are also dependent on the state side dealer who unpacks and assembles them. Ive seen both a farm-pro unit, and a nortrac. Like you said.. night and day difference. Course the nortract was 2500 more than the farm-pro unit.
As for tinkering as someone else mentioned...As long as it is minor tinkering.. that's part and parcel of tractors. All of mine save myNH are antiques. And they liked to be touched and tinkered with every now and then.
The guy with the 2 year old chineese battery still performing in the frost made good time. Saved you some money for two years too. Way to go. I still might change the fluids when i bought it.. but as you said.. get all the life outta the battery before plunking down some cash for a new one.. might as well..
Soundguy
I think the fit/finsih issues are also dependent on the state side dealer who unpacks and assembles them. Ive seen both a farm-pro unit, and a nortrac. Like you said.. night and day difference. Course the nortract was 2500 more than the farm-pro unit.
As for tinkering as someone else mentioned...As long as it is minor tinkering.. that's part and parcel of tractors. All of mine save myNH are antiques. And they liked to be touched and tinkered with every now and then.
The guy with the 2 year old chineese battery still performing in the frost made good time. Saved you some money for two years too. Way to go. I still might change the fluids when i bought it.. but as you said.. get all the life outta the battery before plunking down some cash for a new one.. might as well..
Soundguy
