when did nortracs ( northern tool ) get shibarau engines?

MossRoad · Dec 1, 2018

Link works now. Somebody at mission control must have dozed off...

Sawyer Rob · Dec 1, 2018

when did nortracs ( northern tool ) get shibarau engines?

You know the saying about "putting lipstick on a pig", don't you??

SR

MossRoad · Dec 1, 2018

Sawyer Rob said:
You know the saying about "putting lipstick on a pig", don't you??

SR

Is the tractor or the engine the pig? :confused3:

Soundguy · Dec 3, 2018

MossRoad said:
Is the tractor or the engine the pig? :confused3:

I'd say the engine is the lipstick. Shib's are good engines.. New Holland used plenty of them. My guess would be the chinese chassis is the pig.. but then, I have not been following nortrac tractors in years.. I don't know what their track record or service issues are. I did see that they only have a 2 year warranty.. and as a comparison.. their 55hp cab/loader model costs MORE then the RK 55HC, and the RK has better shuttle and hydro trans options. 12x12 vs a 16x16, etc.

Tennsawdust · Dec 17, 2018

Soundguy said:
I'd say the engine is the lipstick. Shib's are good engines.. New Holland used plenty of them. My guess would be the chinese chassis is the pig.. but then, I have not been following nortrac tractors in years.. I don't know what their track record or service issues are. I did see that they only have a 2 year warranty.. and as a comparison.. their 55hp cab/loader model costs MORE then the RK 55HC, and the RK has better shuttle and hydro trans options. 12x12 vs a 16x16, etc.

The warranty is only 2 years and you will be looking for a 3rd party service center that is willing to do the work. That could get interesting, to say the least. Their 35HP with loader is within $1,000 of the RK37 and doesn't appear to include many of the features that are standard on the RK37. I'm sure it is an OK tractor, but the price difference isn't enough to sell me on it, especially knowing that things will break on it that just wouldn't happen on other tractors. The Nortrac 35 hp uses a Laidong engine. All that said, if I ran across a good deal on a used one I might consider it. I could fix a few things for the right price.

Soundguy · Dec 27, 2018

I hear you.. I remember when 'Homier' tool sales sold a 20hp, 2wd basic diesel. It was on a palate, you put the tires on. They were 2000$. I very nearly took one home way back then..was gonna have them load it in my pickup bed.

At that $, it was cheaper than the usual antique I was buying, and with a free engine and 2wd, probably about as capable as a 70yr old ford N.

If I was northern tools id look at the rk 37/55 offering and adjust the prices on my machines.

Lets face it.. The nt55 with a 12x12 shuttle, costs nearly 1k$ more than the rk55hc. I picked up a ssqa bale spear for 750$ and my purchase price for a rk55hc was nearly dead on the nt55 shuttle, no spear, 6 us LESS warranty, no loaded tires, etc, etc.. Numerous other economy options on the NT vs the upgrade RK options.

Not saying the NT is bad, frankly have no current info on the, just saying, they are not an apples to apples machine, so there should be a $$ difference.

MossRoad · Dec 27, 2018

Soundguy said:
I hear you.. I remember when 'Homier' tool sales sold a 20hp, 2wd basic diesel. It was on a palate, you put the tires on. They were 2000$. I very nearly took one home way back then..was gonna have them load it in my pickup bed.

At that $, it was cheaper than the usual antique I was buying, and with a free engine and 2wd, probably about as capable as a 70yr old ford N.

If I was northern tools id look at the rk 37/55 offering and adjust the prices on my machines.

Lets face it.. The nt55 with a 12x12 shuttle, costs nearly 1k$ more than the rk55hc. I picked up a ssqa bale spear for 750$ and my purchase price for a rk55hc was nearly dead on the nt55 shuttle, no spear, 6 us LESS warranty, no loaded tires, etc, etc.. Numerous other economy options on the NT vs the upgrade RK options.

Not saying the NT is bad, frankly have no current info on the, just saying, they are not an apples to apples machine, so there should be a $$ difference.

Wait a second..... YOU bought a NEW tractor??? :laughing:

Nice! :thumbsup:

Soundguy · Dec 27, 2018

Tell me about it!

Had plastic on the seat and floor board!

First 0hour tractor I've ever owned!

I go out to do something and forget I don't have to add time to air tires, add gasoline, or be aware of where jumper cables are...just in case.