Old Yanmar vs what I have now?

etpm · Nov 11, 2023

I have a Yanmar YM2310. It has the powershift transmission and I love that feature. I do sometimes wish it was 4WD and it was available with 4WD. It also has a front end loader, which I think is essential. The FEL gets used so much that I would never buy another tractor without one. Even though the tractor was made in 1980 or 1981 the 3 cyinder engine runs great and is pretty quiet.
Eric

California · Nov 11, 2023

After now 20 years with the YM240 I wouldn't buy another 2-cylinder (YM1700 etc) Yanmar. The coarse racket is overwhelming, no joy to run for hours. At least for amateur hobby-farmer use, a much smoother 3 cylinder would be my preferred choice. But YM1700 or YM2000 will still be the least expensive choice in that HP range - and parts support is excellent like Jeep or VW.

PowerShift and power steering are now more available, and those, along with a loader, are well worth paying for.

I've retired the YM240 to backhoe use only. Running it at 1200-1300 rpm, near idle and not working hard, hearing protection (earmuffs) on, is ok. The YM186D with power steering and loader can do near anything that I used the YM240 for, except it can't lift that 750 lb backhoe.

bmaverick · Nov 11, 2023

California said:
After now 20 years with the YM240 I wouldn't buy another 2-cylinder (YM1700 etc) Yanmar. The coarse racket is overwhelming, no joy to run for hours. At least for amateur hobby-farmer use, a much smoother 3 cylinder would be my preferred choice. But YM1700 or YM2000 will still be the least expensive choice in that HP range - and parts support is excellent like Jeep or VW.

PowerShift and power steering are now more available, and those, along with a loader, are well worth paying for.

I've retired the YM240 to backhoe use only. Running it at 1200-1300 rpm, near idle and not working hard, hearing protection (earmuffs) on, is ok. The YM186D with power steering and loader can do near anything that I used the YM240 for, except it can't lift that 750 lb backhoe.

My co-worker grabbed a YM1720. Has good power, 3-cly, factory power steering and is a really nice SCUT. Not so tiny like a YM1300/YM135 or YM1500/YM155. It would be more on par with the YM186/YM187. A YM1610 is very apt with a belly mower too. So don't rule it out either.

These are off the manual covers. And yes, the belly mowers are fully defined in the parts manuals too.

Where would you find a DGR mower for these two machines you might ask? I see one right here - - -
JD650 ~ YM1610

JD750 ~ YM1720

782Diesel · Nov 11, 2023

Love the little Hino picture, yes its a cute little SCUT and I actually like its quaint Japanese styling. I dont mind the "yammerhammer" 2 cylinder sound. Its actually pleasing to me for some reason, more so than the 3 cylinder machines. But those 2 cylinders dont seem to have the power shift in the older models. once you get into the newer F series I am lost. Its the older ones I have interest in from both an old iron stand point and styling. Dont really want anything to much larger than the Hino we have. I worked as a small engine/diesel tech for almost 30 years before going to work for Chrysler(better pay/benefits) and worked at a CC dealership when they paired up with Yanmar. Those are nice but out of our price range locally. I am hopefully once I put a new head gasket on the Hino's engine, she will be a solid little tractor for many years. I will do some plowing with it at a few tractor events, probably with a single bottom plow so as not to overstress things. I have a Brinly cat 0 12" moldboard plow for the 782d that could easily be fitted with cat 1 pins. Green JD's are nice, but we dont buy green tractors. IH family here for the most part. I have owned other brands, mostly to flip them for a profit after fixing them. Not sure how the International 234 compacts rate for dependablity, and they are a bit to big. If a YM1510D pops up locally for a good price, I might grab it.

California · Nov 11, 2023

There's one old big 2-cylinder Powershift with FWD: YM2210D. We've seen here people who bought a VN 'reconditioned' one and found it had been re-powered with a 2TR20, the YM2000/YM240 engine. The displacement is identical, the 2210's extra couple of HP at a little more RPM may just reflect different cam lift plus better cooling or something to run at that higher rpm without greater wear. And it weighs a little more.

Clank Clank Clank.

Before I bought the YM240 I was sure there was a rod knock. Seller said no, that sound of idiots pounding on a manhole cover with heavy pry bars is the sound of Raw Power!

camshawn · Nov 11, 2023

Our little 70’s 155D just keeps chugging along. The 15 hp 4wd with a little aftermarket loader has been a work horse. Only repair was to a shaft that the tierod is attached to On the front axel. The key way wore out after 30 yrs. A quick fix by a local machinist. It pushes a 6foot snow plow in the winter as long as the snow isn’t too deep If I chain up all 4 wheels. I would buy Yanmar again.

782Diesel · Nov 12, 2023

One of the 155's is on my list of possible tractors, especially the 4wd version. I dont remember if Yanmar did the YM135 in 4wd or not. It was a perfect size for us, but was only 2wd and we lived in Erie, PA at the time where we got tons of lake effect snow and I needed 4wd to do much in the way of snow removal with it. Otherwise I loved the tractor and it size. Our current Hino E14 is about that same size but with us living in Indiana now, the snow is much less of a concern.

careyo63 · Nov 12, 2023

My Ym2000 been banging out the power for over 15yrs. Tow truck driver dropping off the ford asked how long I had it. I'm old school Iron my self. My lawn mower. Keep up with the neighbors yard not happening...............

Never get much over 2000 Rpms so the Yammer Hammer doesn't bother me. Worked in Large offset Printing. So I'm use to loud machinery noise.

782Diesel · Nov 12, 2023

Being on the autism spectrum, anytime I run any of my tractors for work like mowing ect, I have a headset style hearing protection over my ears. My YM135 was a noisy little beast, but you couldnt kill it. If I upgrade anything it will be to a 4wd that is close in size to Hino. I also prefer old iron, they were built like tanks back then and designed to be serviced and repaired vs replaced. Then the neighbors that have to get the newest lawn tractor kill them or have issues, they come down to borrow one of mine or get me to cut their yard. Only one has seen "the light" and got himself a nice older IH Cub Cadet to mow with.

California · Nov 12, 2023

782Diesel said:
... the neighbors that have to get the newest lawn tractor kill them ...

City folks vs country folks:

New neighbors. They clearly moved to the country so they wouldn't have to talk to anyone. I had mowed the back of their parcel for the previous owner once, on my 30 year old Yanmar (photo) but when these folks needed it but rudely ignored us, I didn't offer to mow it again.

Then I saw the neighbor mowing there for the first time on his brand new John Deere lawn tractor. He made it about 20 minutes. Stalled a few times. Then BLAM!!!! Silence. The tractor sat there for a couple of days. Haven't seen it since.

His 20 minutes mowing must have been real expensive.