Yanny vs. Kubota

[houstonscott]

I think you find that when you really get into Japanese small tractors you will find that Kubota is middle of the road stuff, Iseki and Yanmar being above Kubota in desirability and interest to rebuild and restore. I would interject that maybe Mitsubishi bets out Kubota too. I don't even see a desire to restore Kubota's in the US where they are revered. Most of the old stuff being restored in the USA is USA stuff, lets face it Farmall cubs and M's, JD 320's, 420's all the high crop stuff but not old Kubota's. Maybe the Kubota guys are just not old enough yet to get nostalgic and start restoring Kubota's from the 70's and 80's, maybe they just were not that good, just cheap?

HS

 

[clemsonfor]

Oh the blasphemy! California, you're one of the best guys on TBN but this is why the "Mitsubishi guy" i.e. me, has to troll the Yanmar forum......well, OK there's only about a tenth of the traffic in the Mitsubishi forum so I have to troll somewhere. Satohs are super dependable and almost all but the early oddball and maybe largest models are well supported machines. They made a BUNCH of those and the variations of that thing under the Satoh and Mitsubishi brands and the Beaver III was even the U.S. model. Parts are as abundant as about any of the old Japanese compacts. Nothing will ever match Yanmars support but I would never pass on a Beaver because of worry for parts( at least at this point in time). and as far as technical knowledge, as long as people like Bill Rodgers and Len Sheaffer are around they will have dealers that can help owners with any conceivable issue anyone would ever have.

I read every other blue moon in the grey forum and Mitsu forum. Im thinking i have seen tractors that even Len and others could not help on. Yea i know even JD has those type models but i was thinking that things like gears etc could not be had and there are not that many parts tractors avialible to even part out. This guy had a busted rind gear in a good tractor but no parts even the pros could not help locate. Im not sure if i could find a ring gear for my yanmar NEW but there may be one at Hoye on the self? But i know if i wanted to i could find a parts tractor (ym 2000) easy or could buy the tranny out of a parts tractor at Hoye or somewhere else if need be. But Really at that point it may just be as easy to part my tractor out and but anouther $3000 ym2000 and keep mine for parts.

 

[California]

Oh the blasphemy! California, you're one of the best guys on TBN but this is why the "Mitsubishi guy" i.e. me, has to troll the Yanmar forum......well, OK there's only about a tenth of the traffic in the Mitsubishi forum so I have to troll somewhere. Satohs are super dependable and almost all but the early oddball and maybe largest models are well supported machines. They made a BUNCH of those and the variations of that thing under the Satoh and Mitsubishi brands and the Beaver III was even the U.S. model. Parts are as abundant as about any of the old Japanese compacts. Nothing will ever match Yanmars support but I would never pass on a Beaver because of worry for parts

Ok, maybe I was a little harsh. I didn't notice the OP was a long time TBN member so he should have a better perspective than someone who appears here *after* they buy. My main point was to caution the OP to locate one of these Satoh parts suppliers before he commits to buy.

My opinion was based on a couple of things I've read here - Someone commented that he hadn't located Satoh parts and got no reply when he asked in the Satoh forum. Also Iseki was mentioned above. My only experience of Iseki was at an importer of VN refurbs, where a frustrated new owner told me his tractor had been back in their shop for over 30 days waiting for parts that might not even exist.

My impression of Iseki and Satoh is they are great tractors *in the markets that have good parts support*, Japan and maybe Australia or someplace. But a buyer here in the US should definitely locate the support as the first step before buying one. I stopped by the local Deere dealer who still advertised Authorized Yanmar Parts before I bought my first (US model) Yanmar. Maybe that was excessive caution. Where should the OP ask?

I respect Mitsubishi quality; I have considered buying a Mahindra (Mitsubishi relabelled for the US) but I really can't justify it.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Yes, my 169D is just plain gear. No power shift. It is very similar to the JD 650. The 650 has position control on the 3 point hitch and different sheet metal. that is what I can note from just looking at pictures and parts diagrams.

 

[David F]

I have a Yanmar 186D that I purchased new in 1986. It currently has around 2500 hours and still runs great. In 1986, there were really only 3 tractors I considered. The John Deere 650 or 750 (can't remember which one) was basically a Yanmar built to JD specs. It did have a walk thru platform, but at twice the money of the Yanmar! The Kubota was around the same money as the Yanmar but in order to put a loader on the Kubota, one had to install a aux. hydraulic pump. So the Yanmar, at the time, was the logical choice. Soon after I purchased the tractor, Yanmar stopped importing tractors into the country and I thought "great, I now own another orphan". However, this has been a great little tractor, and has really only required normal maintenance and repairs. I mainly use it for mowing, (48" Bush Hog Squealer), pulling a 42" offset disc between our Christmas Trees, or an occasional new lawn assignment where it pulls a 5' gill rake around and around. It will run any one of these implement without complaining all day long. I have a good friend who has the same vintage Kubota and his tractor has also been very reliable. So what tractor is better? Chevy or Ford? think its just a matter of preference, at least tractors from this era. I do have a Bush Hog 1840 QT Loader I am trying to sell, bought new, and is in very good shape. We just do not use it enough any more. We use our Toro Dingo and Skidsteers for what we need to do. You can e-mail me about the loader if interested. Thanks, David F

 

[YannyMan]

The two folks I've talked face to face with that have owned both say the Yanmar is hands down better. While I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there that like the Kubotas, and the owner of the company I work for has several, most folks I've taled to don't really care for them.

All I know is this, I got a tractor that scared Deere enough to start contracting through them for engines instead of competing against them. Cadet is now using them to try to restore their name and reputation as well. That says something.