Gray market tractor

[Greenman]

I bought an old gray market Bobcat, made in Japan and never intended for import to the US. I've been looking for a service manual and my googlefoo has utterly failed me. I can't find anything. Bobcat doesn't even list in their discontinued models.
It has a Kubota diesel engine, so I'm not worried about parts for that, but pumps and clutches die, and it would be nice to know where I can get new ones.

Any thoughts on what my next course of action should be?

It's a Bobcat 315.

 

[Raizinman]

There are numerous off brand models of pretty much everything out there that are being sold both new and used for what we would normally say is a very ridiculously low price. I almost bought a tractor made in Japan a few years ago.

But when you do your homework and research and find out that there is virtually no service or parts availability; then you must see how fast you can resell this piece of junk to the next fool. Good luck!

 

[Jadow]

I'd go to Jimmy Johns and get a tuna sub.

 

[tortillasoup]

I bought an old gray market Bobcat, made in Japan and never intended for import to the US. I've been looking for a service manual and my googlefoo has utterly failed me. I can't find anything. Bobcat doesn't even list in their discontinued models.
It has a Kubota diesel engine, so I'm not worried about parts for that, but pumps and clutches die, and it would be nice to know where I can get new ones.

Any thoughts on what my next course of action should be?

It's a Bobcat 315.

try using google.jp when doing searches.

TCM makes the bobcat equipment in Japan.

 

[Greenman]

There are numerous off brand models of pretty much everything out there that are being sold both new and used for what we would normally say is a very ridiculously low price. I almost bought a tractor made in Japan a few years ago.

But when you do your homework and research and find out that there is virtually no service or parts availability; then you must see how fast you can resell this piece of junk to the next fool. Good luck!

I've never heard of an off brand or knockoff that uses a Kubota diesel, those are the gold standard in small equipment. It's without doubt a Clark Bobcat, just not one meant for sale in the US.

 

[Zivic]

id start calling bobcat dealers. I have a gray market lift truck. local dealer is able to get me most parts

 

[Raizinman]

I've never heard of an off brand or knockoff that uses a Kubota diesel, those are the gold standard in small equipment. It's without doubt a Clark Bobcat, just not one meant for sale in the US.

Just because some piece of equipment has a Kubota engine doesn’t mean it is for the US. If you do a Google search you will find that Kubota will NOT even sell you parts for a gray market tractor. Here is their actual policy.

http://kubota.com/priorproduct/GrayMarketFindOut.aspx

"Please be advised that since April 30, 1997, the importation, distribution and sale in the United States of Kubota "gray market" units under 50 PTO horsepower has been prohibited by a General Exclusion Order of the United States International Trade Commission."

There are too many OSHA requirements for these imported machines. If dealers supported these machines by selling parts, they would be risking extreme liability.

The whole gray market thing is part safety compliance, part emissions requirement, and a whole lot more about money. There is nothing illegal about buying a gray market machine, but most do not meet current US safety code regarding rops protection, pto guards, and safety labels as US requirements differ from Japanese requirements. Kubota and other Japanese manufacturers want their products to be sold through licensed distributors so there is a nice cash flow back into their pockets. The gray market machines short circuits the cash flow so legitimate dealers are threatened with being dropped if even a whiff of gray market support is found out. It is a crazy world.

Yanmar, Kubota, and Mitsubishi are three of the biggest gray markets machines around, but there are others. You must be careful, as the above manufacturers have specific models that they do import to the US.

Keep in mind most all gray market machines DO NOT meet US Safety and OSHA requirements, so what happens if your employee gets hurt or your local state or OSHA inspector finds out about this?

 

[Greenman]

Good info, but it relates to Kubota tractors, not Kubota engines used in other equipment. The engine is used in other equipment and parts are available. I already looked into it.

 

[Raizinman]

Good info, but it relates to Kubota tractors, not Kubota engines used in other equipment. The engine is used in other equipment and parts are available. I already looked into it.

The OP already stated: "It has a Kubota diesel engine, so I'm not worried about parts for that, but pumps and clutches die, and it would be nice to know where I can get new ones."

Its the rest of the machine that he is worried about, which is where he will likely run into problems.

 

[waffleironhead]

You should be order most parts for that from Australia I would imagine. Maybe even find an Aussie with a scanner.

 

[Raizinman]

Depending on the age of the machine (older machines break down more) and the frequency of break down you could easily lose your 'great price purchase' by purchasing parts overseas. Shipping would obviously be expensive and should you need a parts warranty or return a wrong part, that will also be costly.

People always brag about the great deal they got from purchasing a gray market machine - up until the day it breaks down.

 

[Greenman]

Depending on the age of the machine (older machines break down more) and the frequency of break down you could easily lose your 'great price purchase' by purchasing parts overseas. Shipping would obviously be expensive and should you need a parts warranty or return a wrong part, that will also be costly.

People always brag about the great deal they got from purchasing a gray market machine - up until the day it breaks down.

There was no brag involved, I'm just looking for information. I understand the issues involved with gray market equipment. But at this point I own it, and I won't sell it without disclosing that it's gray market. I'm not a thief.
My guess is that there is a US made bobcat that uses most of the same parts, or that someone imports the parts for it. I had thought that there might be someone here that could point me in the right direction.

 

[PottedMeat]

are there any part numbers more than a few digits on the body? maybe #->part seller + alt model -> manual?

 

[Greenman]

are there any part numbers more than a few digits on the body? maybe #->part seller + alt model -> manual?

That doesn't seem to be the case. It appears the machine was produced entirely in Japan, and the part numbers are exclusive to that market. It's also at least 20 years old, which adds another layer of complication.
Things like hydraulic cylinders are easy enough to change, bushings are simple as well, and the engine parts are available. My concern is clutches, gears, transmission parts, things like that. It could be that they simply aren't available.

Searching in Japan hasn't been productive. Google translate gives me things like "happy clutch for powerful go back". It's less than enlightening.
I'm going to hunt down a bobcat mechanic next week and see if this thing is comparable to any US made unit.
I may end up just running it till it dies and then junking it. If that's 3 years I'm good, if it's 3 months I got hosed.

 

[Greenman]

The finial update.
I spoke with a local bobcat dealer, the parts guy was very helpful. Told him the the story of how I acquired this machine and asked if there were comparable parts from a US unit that would work. He spent some time with his contacts and told me there wasn't a part available through Bobcat that would work, though engine parts are available from Kubota. So I contacted the company that sold it to me and they agreed that it should have been disclosed that it was a gray market machine. They gave me a full refund and an apology for my trouble.
I really enjoy doing business with honest people.