What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors?

   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #1  

KiwiBro

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
415
Location
New Zealand
Tractor
Kioti RX7620
Am still looking around for a good tractor in the 50HP or thereabout range.

Have heard good things about Yanmar tractors but there is no serious representation here in New Zealand that I can find. Whilst the lack of dealers will stop me buying one, I'm still very interested in learning more about them. Have read the specs and really can't find much of anything particularly bad written about them online.

So, if you own one and know of areas for improvement, or have been around them long enough to know what's coming back under warranty, etc, could you please let the rest of us know?

Cheers,
Tony
 
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   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #2  
Don't know anything about the LX, but My EX450 has many things I don't like. Fuel tank behind the seat, can't reach anything on the 3 point, and can't see directly behind. Single speed PTO. Muffler under the hood and exhaust up behind front wheel - very noisy, and a small headwind will gas you out. Loader hydraulics have problems Yanmar can't (or won't) fix. No hydraulic load compensation on 3 point. No cup holders. Had dealer install remote front hydraulics for grapple, and he installed homebrew system instead of factory, now can't install factory rear remotes without replacing it all. Yanmar America customer service is not in touch with the rest of the mfg group. They don't know what is going on, and can't solve problems, or else they're not allowed to. If I had it to do over, it wouldn't e a Yanmar.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
What's wrong with the tank location? Is it difficult to fill? Less protected?

What do you mean you can't reach anything on the 3PH? From where?

I've wondered about the 2-speed PTOs. I have been wondering if I'd ever use a 1000RPM PTO implement off the back of a 50HP tractor. Currently, no, but I guess never say never.

My previous tractor had a similar exhaust. I like the lack of exhaust stack - one less thing to worry about when in tight spaces in bush or around or pushing through overhanging trees. What I did notice though was that on dusty tracks the exhaust pressure could kick dust off the back of the front right wheel, exposing the FEL cylinder to fine particles. I wondered if the right cylinders seals would fail before the left as a result. Never owned that tractor long enough to find out, thankfully.

What FEL problems does yours have and what has been the response from dealers and Yanmar? Have you found anyone else with such a problem?

What do you mean by load compensation please? Draft control for ground engaged implements?

No cup holders? Can't say that's even on my wish list but I guess it could be handy, if they built a chiller into it and anti-vibe, but then I'd be wrecking fences and gates by about 3pm in the arvo.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #4  
I've got 50 hours on my LX4900.
Issues are - no step on the right side of tractor....I bought the step from Yanmar for $14.00 and installed myself, works great. 3-pt lever is back to the right, and control arm is too short.....will address this someday, and extend it up and out for better ergonomics. Would be nice at times to reach it from the rear of the tractor when hooking up implements, but I bet Yanmar wont do it, cause the first guy to drop an 800 lb tiller on his foot will sue them....:laughing:
No other issues. Very well built machine, very strong and lifts a LOT.
No problems with exhaust, hydraulics, remotes, fuel tank, and I have a very nice cupholder.:thumbsup: I was actually interviewed by a Yanmar rep from the big plant in Georgia because I've bought and sold several Yanmar tractors.....he taped the interview, and asked several questions about how to improve the product.

I've read eyecatchers woes on his EX450, and think he's got a lemon there.....the LX is quite a bit more machine.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks scoutcub.
I've got 50 hours on my LX4900.
Issues are - no step on the right side of tractor....I bought the step from Yanmar for $14.00 and installed myself, works great.
Must admit to just accepting step on the left only. Do you use the right step much and do the FEL controls or anything else get in the way at all?
Would be nice at times to reach it from the rear of the tractor when hooking up implements
That would be very handy. I think the Kioti I was looking at had this. You mentioned the 3PH levers are too short. Can you reach them from off the tractor or do you have to climb back on? I ask because I'm short and could only just reach those on my last tractor.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #6  
Seems like I use the right hand step moreso, for whatever reason. But it's nice to be able to climb on from either side. The valves are behind the step, so unless you stick your foor all the way to the back of the step, I've never had a problem.
The 3 PH levers are a bit too short to operate from off the tractor.....if you climb up on the 3 pt lower arm you can get em.....not really an issue tho.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #7  
KiwiBro - The tank being up behind the seat, you can't see down around the PTO to see what's going on, or what's happening with the hitch points of the 3 point. I have a cyclone fertilizer spreader, the controls for outlet opening are impossible to reach. You cannot see what is happening with any ground engaging tools, such as a hiller or a middle buster or cultivator.
the 1000 rpm pto lets the engine run slower. like on a generator, or even a rototill. Yeah, load control=draft control. The FEL has hydraulic control problems. The bucket tilt "floats". If you dump it, it will either dig in or float on top when you try to load it. Customer service guy and area rep have been here at the farm and both agree the problem is big. Dealer where purchased let the tractor set for weeks, and did nothing but take videos of how it worked and send to Yanmar. Convinced them to take it to a different dealer, who first insisted it had the wrong fluid. Changed the fluid, and tried to give it back - I wouldn't take it. Then said they changed the control valve, and it worked pretty good for a few weeks, now it's worse than it was. Yanmar America isn't interested once it's out of warranty. Also kept twisting the pipe that ties the two mounting pads on the quicktach. Cut out the schedule 40 and replaced with schedule 80 - no more problem. The basic tractor is a heavy hard working machine, and yes, I work it hard. But no harder than the 336D it replaced. That one never complained. Bt the way, CS at Yanmar America finally admitted they had other loaders with similar problems. Didn't seem to bother him much.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #8  
The loader is impressive. Strong lifter, with piranha bar it is a real digger, can fill the bucket every trip in heavy clay. I just excavated two feet of dirt for a barn floor. And I dug out stumps with it on some large stumps. there were no rocks and this thing really was able to tear into a stump digging down on each side and then in front letting the piranha bar chop the roots by easing into the area under the stump repeatedly and after the bucket has cut to depth of bucket just lift and push on top of stump and over it goes. Surprise surprise. Blew my neighbors away and the Yanmar is becoming the talk of the neighbor hood.

I have done a several acres o bush hogging and this thing really handles a 6 footer easily in heavy grass, brush and everything in between using 6 foot deck. I would not hesitate to hook to a 7 footer.

I can just reach the 3 pt lever when hooking up but that will be easier when I mod the lever to be about 6" longer.

Having the tank in rear is OK since if it is not there it has to be somewhere. That spot works well since I spend a lot of time among bushes so am glad it is now down low and it is easier to fill on rear than it would be up front with loader.

This tractor is very fuel efficient when doing utility work, dragging a tree here, digging a hole there, making trips to the burn pile then tearing into another dirt mound where you need alternately something strong and then a lighter tractor would do. I chalk this up to direct injection in combo with turbo.

I have not found the placement of the tank to be visibility problem, that would depend on what I was doing though.

This is an awesome quality built tractor. Just make sure it is what you need.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors? #9  
Areas of improvement. This tractor needs a skid plate underneath. There are electrical (pto solenoid for example) and hydraulic fittings including filter that are very vulnerable to some expensive damage. I have had to be much more cautious than I am accustomed about what I drive over. I am going to kluge something up out of angle iron when I get some down time this fall or winter. If I wasn't doing work in the woods and brush I would be fine with things as they are.
 
   / What's not to like about the Yanmar LX490/4900 tractors?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
KiwiBro - The tank being up behind the seat, you can't see down around the PTO to see what's going on
That would be very frustrating, especially when trying to hook up an implement. I guess another reason to get an easy/quick change option on the 3PH.
Yeah, load control=draft control.
Whilst not needing the tractor for any serious ground engagement activities, that still sounds like a pretty big oversight by Yanmar. If users want to allow an implement to float at a set load on it, is there a way? I take it they can still set the depth or is that not an option either unless the actual implement allows for it?
The FEL has hydraulic control problems. The bucket tilt "floats".
What a nightmare. Surely they can sort that out? If it is happening on yours then it will happen on other such models too unless it's some sort of valve failure in which case you'd think they could sort it pretty easily. I know what it feels like to be hung out to twist in the breeze by dealers who can't give a hoot for their customer so I hope someone comes to your aid soon.
 

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