T273 made in china???

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

I went to a TYM dealer to look at a T273. There was only 1 on the lot. I noticed the sticker on the frame said "Made in China". I thought this is a Korean made tractor? I asked the salesman, he said they were assemble in China with Korean made parts. That why they can sell it cheap. Is this true for all TYM T233 & T273 tractors?

Maka · Mar 19, 2008

These are manufactured in So. Korea using Mitsubishi engines (Japanese), and some assembly is done in China but the answer is no they are not made in China. You are also incorrect with it saying "made in China" on a sticker, it does not.

On the lower left front of the frame where the serial numbers for the chassis, engine, transmission number and model is not a sticker but a metal plate with 4 rivits and at the bottom clearly says "manufactured in Korea assembled in China".

Go take another look.

Maka

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

Maka said:
These are manufactured in So. Korea using Mitsubishi engines (Japanese), and some assembly is done in China but the answer is no they are not made in China. You are also incorrect with it saying "made in China" on a sticker, it does not.

On the lower left front of the frame where the serial numbers for the chassis, engine, transmission number and model is not a sticker but a metal plate with 4 rivits and at the bottom clearly says "manufactured in Korea assembled in China".

Go take another look.

Maka

You are correct. It's a metal plate. I wish I took a photo but the one I saw says "Made in China" on that plate rivet to the frame near the lower left front wheel just behind the exhaust.

Any T273 owners here, please help verify. Thanks.

Bud Soda · Mar 19, 2008

stumpfield said:
I went to a TYM dealer to look at a T273. There was only 1 on the lot. I noticed the sticker on the frame said "Made in China". I thought this is a Korean made tractor? I asked the salesman, he said they were assemble in China with Korean made parts. That why they can sell it cheap. Is this true for all TYM T233 & T273 tractors?

Only the sticker is made in china not the tractor.

myyaz33 · Mar 19, 2008

Manufactured in Korea
Assembled in China

Just bought the T273 last week.

See attached picture.

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

myyaz33 said:
Manufactured in Korea
Assembled in China

Just bought the T273 last week.

See attached picture.

There must be different versions of the T273. The plate on this one clearly says "Made In China (LTYM)". See the attached picture. Any idea how old this tractor based on the serial number?

TYMinColton · Mar 19, 2008

Kinda weird. The T273 is a 3-cylinder and not a 4, and the plate depicted in your picture also appears to refer to T233 . . . . ???? Could this plate have been inadvertantly tacked on (even as a practical joke????).

From everything I've read, the K2 series tractors (T233/273) are all built by TYM in Korea with Japanese built Mitsubishi engines. It's possible that many parts, especially those that are die-cast could, however, be made in China. Then again isn't just about everything made in China? Let's just hope all the important parts, and especially the engineering are still Korean. . .

TYMinColton · Mar 19, 2008

By the way. . . I just picked up my T273 w/ FEL about 3 weeks ago and absolutely love it!! At $11,500 delivered, it was a no-brainer. I've used it with a 10" auger, 60" bush-hog, and a 48" tiller . . . hardly a strain. Darned things a nearly indestructible beast (with a cupholder). . . . I'll have to have a look tonight and see if mine came with a similar "made in china" plaque.
Good luck!

Maka · Mar 19, 2008

Thanks Stumpfield. Never seen that one but the serial number is very old. That is an early K2. TYM said that back then they did not clarify very well but that it is actually assembly only in China. I have also been told by TYM that over 90% of the parts are from So. Korea and I have been told that the assembly that does take place in China is at a TYM owned facility.

You spotted a good one. Thanks for the post.

Maka

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

Maka said:
Thanks Stumpfield. Never seen that one but the serial number is very old. That is an early K2. TYM said that back then they did not clarify very well but that it is actually assembly only in China. I have also been told by TYM that over 90% of the parts are from So. Korea and I have been told that the assembly that does take place in China is at a TYM owned facility.

You spotted a good one. Thanks for the post.

Maka

Should the rubber hoses (hydralic and bumper rubber parts) crack only sitting in the Sun for a year? May be this one is a longer a year old. or the hoses are not UV treated chinese parts. How long has the K2 line or tractors been in the USA?

woodlandfarms · Mar 19, 2008

Maybe I am thinking of Montana or Kioti, but I swear there was a moment when East Coast TYM imported a bunch of chinese tractors and badged them TYM. It was a brief test that failed if I am not mistaken. Maybe this is one leftover as Stump feels this tractor is new (you have a picture of the whole thing?)

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

I called tym-usa trying to find out what's the difference between these 2 versions of the same tractor and when this particular tractor was manufactured. Guess what? they don't know or I was talking to the wrong guy after being transfered several times. Flyer91 pointed me to the service manual on how to read the serical number. However, I still don't know what the code meant?????? What is the manufacture year for the letter "H"???? Here's what it said in the manual...

Maka · Mar 20, 2008

That must be older than a year. I have been selling the K2 for over 1 1/2 years now and have never seen that decal. We have not had any hose problems but our tractors don't sit out in the sun for years either. They do sit in some cold rainy and snowy weather but not for long.

Maka

flyer91 · Mar 20, 2008

I hadn't looked at how the codes are written.
My help was about as useful as breasts on a bull .... unless you have the secrete decoder/bazooka whistle ring.

woodlandfarms is probably right about the origin of that tractor.
I do think I'd pass on that one Tom, and look for a dealer that has current 'TYM' stock.

As far as cracked hoses, it made me think a bit, and for those of us that live in the sun belt and can't park under a cover of some sort, we probably should get the type of spiral hose wrap that is used on (dare I say it) Jinmas.
That appears to be a good way to protect the hoses from the ravages of the sun

stumpfield · Mar 20, 2008

woodlandfarms said:
Maybe I am thinking of Montana or Kioti, but I swear there was a moment when East Coast TYM imported a bunch of chinese tractors and badged them TYM. It was a brief test that failed if I am not mistaken. Maybe this is one leftover as Stump feels this tractor is new (you have a picture of the whole thing?)

Here's a picture of it. I don't have a picture of the side view. I was trying to compare the engine cover to see if it's the same as the current model. The color does look very dull. I just inform the dealer that I will pass on this one.

EFC · Mar 21, 2008

woodlandfarms said:
Maybe I am thinking of Montana or Kioti, but I swear there was a moment when East Coast TYM imported a bunch of chinese tractors and badged them TYM. It was a brief test that failed if I am not mistaken. Maybe this is one leftover as Stump feels this tractor is new (you have a picture of the whole thing?)

Here ya go, it was marketed as the ET350

Buck