"Bought this tractor after spending months looking for an affordable SCUT w/a loader. Actually, this is a YM1702D. The "D" signifies 4WD. The day after I bought it and hauled it to my 2nd home in Maine, I found an 855 on Uncle Henry's. It would have been my ideal pick for my needs. Strike 1 against the Yanmar.
Then, I found out Yanmar will not support this model as it is grey market, and will cut off rlations to any JD or Yanmar dealer it catches selling parts or service to my "grey tractor". Mine had been "legalized" w/a ROPS, PTO shield and several other updates, but still remains "grey". That's Strike 2.
After using it in the woods for a day or two to drag some logs and tote some firewood in the bucket, it developed a flat front tire. I took it back to my home in Mass. and removed the tire and the tube, which had a tiny sliver of steel in the side. The inside of the rim had such thick rust that I had to rip the tube from it, as the thick rust was stuck to it. I thought that was what was wrong with it, then found the tiny sliver sticking thru. Must've been shaved from the rim when the tire was last mounted.
The rim had also had a 1 1/2" square patch welded into it, which was only rusted half as bad as the rest of the inner rim. You could not tell of this repair from the outside and the new paint (on the whole tractor) made it look brand new. I replaced the tube with a new one from Hoyes (great service) after sandblasting and painting, and will do the other wheel some other time. Strike Three.
Unfortunately, I had seen the JD 855 being trailered through Greenville, ME. about a week after I bought this lemon so, of course I'm still stuck with the Yanmar (has basically the same engine as the 855).
Okay, now after returning to Maine, last week of 2011, I discover a small pool of gear oil (?) under the other front wheel. Haven't yet determined the source, yet, as there's plenty of GO in the front axle.This will be Strike 5 as I forgot to mention that my temp. gauge and idiot light had quit working a while back, for Strike 4.
Fortunately (I hope), I had learned to disregard this little malfunction, through the info from a generic manual I had purchased from Hoyes, which mentioned that the senders tend to "go south".
Oh yeah, for STRIKE SIX, speaking of Hoyes manuals, I had ordered the repair manual for my YM1702D. Being a "grey" tractor, the manual is in Japanese only, so the good folks at Hoyes send a manual for a "legal" tractor as close as possible to mine, which is written in English.
The 229D & 226D have some similarities to mine but also many differences. At least it gives some moral support. Well, game over, Caveat Emptor, or something like that, to anyone contemplating purchasing a tractor not sold and serviced by an authorized dealer in the U.S.A.
Bye"
