Looking at buying a Chinese tractor

[Ross71]

Hi Stuart. I think what you guys call a wheel rake, we would call an "acrobat". A set of thin spidery wire wheels mounted on a bar on the 3PT. Not used much any more. I've not seen one in use in 20 years or so.

The rake I was using is what I think americans would call a rotary rake . A 14' long spine, axle at the back, with the two rotors folding out like butterfly wings to ride on four wheel bogies, just used for rowing up, not for tedding. Each rotor is about 8' diameter. I run in high 2nd gear at 1500rpm(yes, tacho still works). The tractor could manage 3rd but the rake is a bit old and vulnerable, and they are very expensive to repair or replace (£5000 plus for a 20 year old rake) so our motto is "take care of the rake".

Good idea with the centering springs, I'll have a look at that tomorrow. Do I use 4x4 much, yes, all the time. I have to use a lump hammer to move the selector lever, so it's easier just to leave it in 4wd. means you've always got some braking on the steer axle- it can be exhilarating going downhill on the road,with 3 tons on the back and you suddenly have to brake for a car coming the other way. Once the back axle locks up you're just a passenger...

Ross

 

[jkis]

thanks ross, always good to hear other peoples ways
cheers stuart

 

[Klaush]

My Agrison 50hp 2012 G3 tractor is for sale. Tractor was most of the time in my shed - I have it since a year and it has only 55 hrs. Any offer around the 20k mark is welcome

 

[paul735]

Any changes to these thoughts now 5 years on.
There are so many chinese tractors available on Alibabba etc, and i notice Agrison offers 5 yrs warranty.
Its also noted there are not so many second hand Chinese tractors on the market.
I have a 20hp Kubota with has had enuff issues, but i have delt with all of them, but i need a 50hp and im seriously considering going Chinese, perhaps directly impoted, the low prices are very hard to ignore, and im only doing a couple of hours a week.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I would only buy from a US dealer. Anything with an engine brought into the US has to pass EPA regulations. Sellers on AliBaba don't seem to be aware of this. If you attempt to import something that doesn't comply with EPA regulations it can be seized at customs and the owner is out of luck.

There are Chinese tractors that meet EPA standards, but not many. US based dealers have them.

 

[paul735]

I would only buy from a US dealer. Anything with an engine brought into the US has to pass EPA regulations. Sellers on AliBaba don't seem to be aware of this. If you attempt to import something that doesn't comply with EPA regulations it can be seized at customs and the owner is out of luck.

There are Chinese tractors that meet EPA standards, but not many. US based dealers have them.

Im in Australia and i dont think this applies, Yet.

 

[Ross71]

5 years on, my DF254 is still going strong. Radiator gave out a couple of years back, but that is the only serious failure I've had.
I think people tend to keep Chinese tractors because either(a)they have a good one, so they keep it, or (b)they have a bad one and it is unsalable. Resale values tend to be low, because potential buyers presume that any tractor that is for sale is knackered, so if you are (a), why sell your good machine for less than its worth to you, your replacement might be a (b).

Thing is, I haven't encountered a bad Chinese tractor. I have heard rumours of them, but I've not yet met a Chinese tractor owner who wasn't an (a), but the rumours still affect us.

Plenty of bad mahindras and jimnas out there, but the dongfeng machines seem to be good.

Big farmers in Britain tend to buy a tractor, run it, then trade it in when the warranty is up. 2 years old, 2-3000 hours, good resale value and still looking newish. It must make business sense to them, but it is a different business model to mine.