Looking for first Yanmar

[woolyAcres]

I'm looking for my first (non-lawn/garden) tractor. My budget has me in the used market and I've found a YM186D not too far away. I'm curious what I should be looking for if/when I go see it. A general inspection, confirm what works what doesn't, check the oil and transmission for water, PTO, 3-PT, etc. Where would I find the dipsticks for the oil and transmission fluid? This machine does not have a loader though I could sorely use one. Can this machine handle a loader? What type/size/brand.

Thanks in advance for any input/advice.

Regards

 

[woolyAcres]

Could this tractor be hauled in the bed of a full size (3/4-ton) pickup with 8' bed?

TIA

 

[California]

I've found a YM186D not too far away. I'm curious what I should be looking for if/when I go see it. A general inspection, confirm what works what doesn't, check the oil and transmission for water, PTO, 3-PT, etc. Where would I find the dipsticks for the oil and transmission fluid? This machine does not have a loader though I could sorely use one. Can this machine handle a loader? What type/size/brand.

These are an excellent model. Yanmar's smallest with Powershift. I have two of them. Lets just say both of them were better looking 35 years ago but both run flawless.

The first one, no loader, dyno tested to match the original specs. The second one seems similar. Both start instantly.

The transmission dipstick is on top of the left axle housing, a small button and hard to see.

Transmission range three seems to be an overdrive for transport. Both of mine whine some in range three but this doesn't seem to be a problem. That's the only thing I can think of that might make you wonder what is going on. Otherwise just check for all the usual stuff. I think only abuse like overheating or running out of oil could harm these but normal hours won't wear it out.

Check for slack in the steering box, one stored outdoors will eventually rust the steering box bearings and need the steering box overhauled. Parts are available. And check if the bolts that secure the adustable-width hubs onto the axles are snug. That's a simple test indicating if the seller kept up on his maintenance since they need to be tightened monthly or so. I can't think of anything else that isn't obvious when you look it over.

A lot of them were sold with OEM Yanmar loaders (I think actually US or Canada made). And I think it is a lot less expensive to buy one that already has a loader, compared to adding a loader yourself. They handle a loader fine assuming you ballast as needed.

You'll love it.


A guest who wanted to play farmer for an afternoon. She helped harvest apples.

Watering new trees last week. Trailer is 2600 lbs loaded, but down to less before I feel comfortable taking it down grades like here.
The front bin was to harvest some family pears while I was down in the back of the apple orchard.

 

[California]

Could this tractor be hauled in the bed of a full size (3/4-ton) pickup with 8' bed?

Well it sorta fits this 4x8 trailer. It can be adjusted well under 48" wide. Without a loader there are several inches of slack front to back. With loader - I might bring it home in a pickup but wouldn't plan on hauling it around to jobsites etc. A proper trailer is better for that, and essential if you have an implement on it.

I brought this second one home 20 miles like it was a special-permit load: back roads, quiet time of day, slow and cautious.

 

[kenmac]

Don't know if coldwater is still in business or not... They may build a loader for this mod

 

[woolyAcres]

@California-

Thanks for the input and the details about the dipsticks.

Seems I was too slow. I only noticed the Craigslist ad today so I contacted the seller. By the time he responded it had been sold. Too bad. Seems like a great little machine. No loader, but the asking price was $2500 which included a 4' brush hog, a belly mower, and 4' pull-behind finish mower. Ad said 'Fair' conditions, but the couple photos looked promising and with the attachments I thought it sounded like a pretty good deal, if in fact, the tractor was in at least fair condition. No hours indicated.

I've been lurking here a while so I feel I've got some sense of the value of these things, but in your opinion what should I expect for $2500? I'm mechanically inclined and not looking for the perfect tractor. But I want to buy something that will run (or can be made to run) and not require lots of fiddling to get it going or keep it going.

My preference would be a slightly larger machine (25-30) HP for pulling a brush-hog, cleaning up abandon fields, box-blade, moving material (loader), snow removal, etc. But the way my budget is right now I'm going to have to work up to that machine. I figured this machine for $2500 add a loader for $1500 next year, then try to sell it or trade it for a larger machine down the road. In the meantime I'd have a tractor instead of just dreaming of the perfect tractor.

Regarding moving it, I'd just want to get it from the seller to me- could be 3+ hours away, but I wouldn't plan on moving it around to job sites. Just getting it home and get to work!

Thanks

 

[California]

That guy sold it too cheap. $2500 without the implements would be a good deal.

In my limited experience - you will find nearly all US Yanmars are going to be in 'Fair' cosmetic condition. They are durable, mechanically you seldom see one worn out, but nobody took care to preserve the appearance (or avoid dents) by the time these had passed beyond third-hand. The good news is they still operate like new regardless of appearance. Maybe there are more US Yanmars out there with better appearance, but I haven't seen them.

Realistically I would budget $4k minimum for a complete rig, ready to go to work, with loader and with the implements you need. And don't buy a box blade first thing, the loader will do most of what as box blade is specialized for. At least here, loader and rotary mower or rototiller are the first essentials depending on your application, then an adjustable-angle rear blade for road maintenance. If your need is mostly to till a garden, the Yanmar (Japan) tillers are cheap and bulletproof, if you can find one. For a long time it was customary to send over the tiller that had been with the tractor since new, when a lot of used Yanmars were shipped from Japan and then from the VN 'rebuild' (repaint) factories. Or a small US disc harrow may be useful, but the common ones for a Ford 8N are too big for the smaller Yanmars.

Good luck with your search!

 

[woolyAcres]

Well, he certainly priced it to sell because the ad was up for less than a day. You snooze, you looze.

I've been searching for some time for a tractor but it's not actually "urgent". I live down the road from my father and he's got a 45HP NH 4WD with loader. I can use it but I hate to use it too much and there are times when we both want to use it- like now. He's brush hogging some of his fields and I'd like to be doing some clean up around my new property. I had been searching for the some just a bit smaller than his (35-40) and found a few locally but they were more than I wanted to spend. Then I got the tuition bill for this fall and my budget dropped dramatically- as in it dropped to only those deals that were too good to pass up. I think this was one. But oh well, there's always another deal waiting on Craigslist.

I've already got a 5' box blade and a 5' york rake which I've been using on the 45HP machine. Whatever machine I get, I'd like it to handle those. And the brush hog at my dad's is 5'. Although I can see the usefulness of having my own brush hog, to save a few $$ it'd be nice if the one I bought could run my dad's 5'. Oh and he's got a 5' rear-tiller as well. If I found one with a mower I could sell my little Wheel Horse (with 60" mowing deck and snow plow) to help offset the cost.

Frankly, shopping is half the fun....

 

[woolyAcres]

There are a few 1500Ds locally but they are priced at $5K with no loader. That doesn't seem like a deal to me....

 

[clemsonfor]

My feeling was that was a good price for that tractor...espicially if the implements were in working order!!!

If you have any amout of acres to do reguarly and dont want to spend lots of time doing it...esp if you only bushhog old abandonded fields a few times a year you might want a few more HP or if you want to use ground engageing things like a disk harrow or plow you may want a slightly larger machine.

hate you didnt even get to see it.

 

[clemsonfor]

There are a few 1500Ds locally but they are priced at $5K with no loader. That doesn't seem like a deal to me....

THAT is NOT a DEAL!!! Last i looked, which was a few years ago you could get a recondidtioned YM2000 from frederics or spalding(one of thier dealers) for like $4200. NOw this is not the 4wd D model but i am sure there not much more than your seeing on those used 1500s and the ones i am talking about are painted with new rubber and totally gone through!!!

I see 1500 and 2000s around here with not much difference ini price but i see them and can buy them it looks for about $3000 give or take $500 and many times that is with a bushhog. I am talking 2wd units as i dont see nearly as many ym2000D around.

 

[clemsonfor]

Well, he certainly priced it to sell because the ad was up for less than a day. You snooze, you looze.

I've been searching for some time for a tractor but it's not actually "urgent". I live down the road from my father and he's got a 45HP NH 4WD with loader. I can use it but I hate to use it too much and there are times when we both want to use it- like now. He's brush hogging some of his fields and I'd like to be doing some clean up around my new property. I had been searching for the some just a bit smaller than his (35-40) and found a few locally but they were more than I wanted to spend. Then I got the tuition bill for this fall and my budget dropped dramatically- as in it dropped to only those deals that were too good to pass up. I think this was one. But oh well, there's always another deal waiting on Craigslist.

I've already got a 5' box blade and a 5' york rake which I've been using on the 45HP machine. Whatever machine I get, I'd like it to handle those. And the brush hog at my dad's is 5'. Although I can see the usefulness of having my own brush hog, to save a few $$ it'd be nice if the one I bought could run my dad's 5'. Oh and he's got a 5' rear-tiller as well. If I found one with a mower I could sell my little Wheel Horse (with 60" mowing deck and snow plow) to help offset the cost.

Frankly, shopping is half the fun....

I use a 5ft bush hog with my ym2000 and that i think is the minimum size for that mower.

Is this your tuition bill or your kids?

If your in school i would wait till your through and then get a tractor. If this is your kids maybe sock away a few hundred here and there till you can swing it. Untill then i know you hate to do it but borrow dads. You may just have to mow late in the evening around his useage schedule. If he is like most of us that are not useing it for business the tractor probably sits 90% of the time so i am sure you can find some idle time to borrow it.

 

[woolyAcres]

My feeling was that was a good price for that tractor...espicially if the implements were in working order!!!

hate you didnt even get to see it.

Yeah. I would really have liked a chance to see it. But unless you're on craigslist daily or even 2x daily, it's hard to catch all the deals.

 

[woolyAcres]

THAT is NOT a DEAL!!! Last i looked, which was a few years ago you could get a recondidtioned YM2000 from frederics or spalding(one of thier dealers) for like $4200. NOw this is not the 4wd D model but i am sure there not much more than your seeing on those used 1500s and the ones i am talking about are painted with new rubber and totally gone through!!!

I see 1500 and 2000s around here with not much difference ini price but i see them and can buy them it looks for about $3000 give or take $500 and many times that is with a bushhog. I am talking 2wd units as i dont see nearly as many ym2000D around.

I'm not sure if these guys are getting anything close to these asking prices. If these were larger machines (24-28HP) I'd probably go take a look. But frankly, $5K is more than I can spend so unless they are greatly over-pricing these, and willing to knock off more than a grand, I don't think there will be any deals made.

I need a machine that can do winter snow removal and since I need a loader, I think 4WD is a must even on the entry/starter tractor. So the 1500s 2wds are non-starters.

 

[woolyAcres]

I use a 5ft bush hog with my ym2000 and that i think is the minimum size for that mower.

I agree. My goal is something over 24HP.

Is this your tuition bill or your kids?

Kids.

Certainly borrowing my father's tractor isn't ideal, but it's workable and, frankly, affordable.

 

[woolyAcres]

T

Watering new trees last week. Trailer is 2600 lbs loaded, but down to less before I feel comfortable taking it down grades like here.
The front bin was to harvest some family pears while I was down in the back of the apple orchard.

If I get an older Yanmar will my orchard start producing like your's?

@California, how do you feel about the stability of your smaller Yanmar tractors? My land is kinda like a plateau. Flat on top but we sit about 25' above everything else around. Once you leave the flat part it's always downhill. Sometimes steeply, other times gently. These older machines have no ROPS but you seem to manage alright. I assume it's the pushing aspect of your water tank/trailer that makes you hesitate. Do you worry about rolling?

 

[California]

If I get an older Yanmar will my orchard start producing like your's?

@California, how do you feel about the stability of your smaller Yanmar tractors? These older machines have no ROPS but you seem to manage alright. I assume it's the pushing aspect of your water tank/trailer that makes you hesitate. Do you worry about rolling?

Yes, avoiding rolling over is the first thing in mind when I leave the level portion. (upper photo). After a while, you get a sense of what will push it to the limit. Similar to the instincts to operate a motorcycle or sailboat. The main strategy for sloping ground is to crawl along in second range, even low range for downhill u-turns like in the second photo. At these less than walking speeds, the physics are obvious and there would (hopefully) be time to shut down the engine, get off the little YM186D, and reconsider the situation if things got too spooky. The main consideration is to avoid adding any force of inertia to the unavoidable downhill forces. The YM240 is larger and there is no way you could get off it if it started to go over, you would have to climb over a huge revolving tire which would be impossible. I put a ROPS on that one as soon as Fredricks contracted to have them made up.

Both tractors are wider than original spec. The YM240 has bigger tires and wider, deeper-dish wheels apparently from a larger Kubota, that were on it when I bought it. On the YM186D's, there is a flange to center the wheel when the adjustable hub is mounted outboard of the wheel but I run them the opposite way, wheels outboard of the hubs, with only the lug bolts centering the wheels. This is widest possible configuration. And I bought the YM186D specifically because it is low to the ground on these small wheels, not skinny and tall like YM1500 etc. Both models have the tires filled with water ballast, and the YM186D has wheel weights out beyond the tires. These ballast measures make a large difference in stability, with this much ballast going over a bump on a side slope doesn't feel like it will lift the uphill side but instead just slew the tractor sideways. (but I avoid that!)

My neighbor with a larger orchard operates this old orchard along with his own: prune/disc/spray/thin/harvest/haul/market, with me responsible to backhoe out stumps of old fallen trees, water and maintain new trees until they are bearing, maintain roads, water supply, etc. I would need a labor crew, larger equipment, marketing connections, and more time than I have, to operate it myself. And the income from only 11 acres wouldn't support a family. This is more a retirement hobby, my neighbor is the one trying to make a living. (And I suspect his premium vineyards are more profitable than the apple orchards he also operates).

I hope you can find what you want. My advice if you really mean a $2500 budget is that a YM2000/YM240 2wd is the only thing cheap enough while big enough to run those borrowed implements. I don't know much about the old Ford 8N's and 50's Masseys but they might be another solution within this budget. They would be more stable on sloping ground.

 

[clemsonfor]

California, that picture with the tank on the trailer on the side hill. Is that steeper than it looks in the picture? Cause it doesnt look too steep. These tractors really start to slede down hill before they roll unless you hit something or maybe jerk the wheel. Mowing the side of the road my tractor almost sits on the axle on the uphill side. i have to keep the fronts pointed up hill to conbat the sliding or gravity pulling it down the other way. It is harry though.

And to wooly, they make a ROPS for them. It is pricy but they do make one.

 

[clemsonfor]

My neighbor with a larger orchard operates this old orchard along with his own: prune/disc/spray/thin/harvest/haul/market, with me responsible to backhoe out stumps of old fallen trees, water and maintain new trees until they are bearing, maintain roads, water supply, etc. I would need a labor crew, larger equipment, marketing connections, and more time than I have, to operate it myself. And the income from only 11 acres wouldn't support a family. This is more a retirement hobby, my neighbor is the one trying to make a living. (And I suspect his premium vineyards are more profitable than the apple orchards he also operates).

I hope you can find what you want. My advice if you really mean a $2500 budget is that a YM2000/YM240 2wd is the only thing cheap enough while big enough to run those borrowed implements. I don't know much about the old Ford 8N's and 50's Masseys but they might be another solution within this budget. They would be more stable on sloping ground.

I meant to ask this California. I was wondering what you were doing with the orchard...cause it looked like it was in production but had no idea how you maintined that thing and did the work as i dont hear you talk about hands. And was wondering where you sell too. You answered that though.

And about the old 8ns/9ns/2ns they are still very cabable tractors along with the JD counterparts and the Masseys of later and farmalls. Their problem or benefit, is that they do weight a good bit more than the yanmars this is the reason that there about the same HP yet can pull a 2 bottom plow and heavier disk. They also are heavier to trailer. They too though are reliable and simple. they do not have a live pto so you have to let the clutch out to lift the implement from what i understand which means turning the bushhog as you lift it up. They also DRINK fuel, almost 2-3x the amout of gas that our little diesels sip to do the same work. They also only have (the Ns) 3 gears in fwd i think? ANd from what i understand most old american tractors lack a really slow speed that you may want for a tiller or to creep around for what ever reason.

I work with a guy that has a 60s model JD1020 and although it is 35+ HP i beleive from his description he can cut similar stuff that i can with a bush hog and finish mower...yet he uses something like 2x the amout of fuel to do so.

 

[California]

California, that picture with the tank on the trailer on the side hill. Is that steeper than it looks in the picture?

And to wooly, they make a ROPS for them. It is pricy but they do make one.

It is a little steeper than it looks in that photo, look at the water level in the tank.

This is one of a couple of spots where I have to turn and start uphill. The water trailer weighs more than the tractor and its trying to push the tractor while the disced ground doesn't give much traction to steer against. As you described, everything wants to slew downhill. I stop and switch to low range before starting to go around that tree, then 'plow' considerably as I slowly make the turn.

Wooly, Fredricks contracted with what I think was the original OEM supplier to Yanmar-USA, to make a line of OSHA-conforming ROPS for Fredrick's rebuilt tractors. Several dealers retail these. I bought mine from a HoyeTractor Ebay auction. Expect roughly $700 with shipping, or they might be a little more now.

Clemsonfor, another photo from the same day, I think its the same spot. Water level in that first picture showed the slope front to back, in this one the water level shows the side to side slope. I'm safely within the limit where the water tank won't flop over but I had that in mind as I slowly started this turn. The main problem operating there is the rig wants to plow sideways instead of going where its steered. And obviously the inertia of all that water slopping around could add a lot of force if I went fast then hit a bump, or fell in a gopher hole on the downside. Tractors are dangerous, I don't want to discover the outer limit of what it can do.