LS Tractor MT342 Cab with backhoe review - MT347 MT352 MT357 it's all the same, baby!

Hey! It's another cab tractor! Let's look inside and wish we spent money on a temperature controlled relaxation station.

[@70cyclone]

The return line for the backhoe goes to the axle housing to allow better flow and lower hydraulic oil temps. I hooked mine up to the main connectors and you could feel the hoses getting hot without actually using the backhoe yet. I have a MT357H (no cab) with the larger backhoe option. 500 hours or so and no issues that I didn't cause.

[@keegancrue7432]

Btw, if anyone is looking for a cab tractor, these cab series are worth every penny you’ll spend!

[@keegancrue7432]

Also, once your oil temperature and hydraulic oil temps get to their full operating temperatures, the loader and transmission will work much better and wont cause damage. Compared to other cab tractors, this cab is much quieter.

[@madtater5948]

thanks for reviewing the ls tractor you tell it like it is but they're really nice tractors

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

They're not perfect, but there's a lot of value there for the money!

[@SanctuaryGardenLiving]

Wow great tip on the PTO. Wish I knew that years ago... That drove me crazy many a time

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

You and me both!

[@nelsoncreekfarm]

You just about have me sold on a MT3 series with a cab. I'd like one with Ag Tires though.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

I've had a lot of customers who have been very happy with that model. Great machine!

[@joebartlett3255]

I was about to buy that exact model but the dealer sold it. He offered me a MT347 at the same price instead. Getting it delivered this weekend.

[@terrymorris7773]

Great video

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

Thanks Terry!

[@gabrielleandremysuncle6541]

Nice updates as our 4055 will not do 2 functions at once on the loader. No active link pedal or Pto neutral which would be great for us. We added a 4wd light and air seat to ours for the long days out on the course. BTW put 750hrs. on it a year so it gets used a bunch.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

750 a year? Holy smokes! You're a power user!

[@michaelblack2135]

I finally pulled the trigger on MT347 HST w Cab. Been looking at these for a long time, now I just have to wait for a few months for it to be delivered.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

It'll be worth the wait! We've had some great feedback on the cab models!

[@michaelblack2135]

@@HomesteadBandwagon While I am waiting for July to roll around I will start collecting implants. Things like forks, box level etc. I ordered the tractor with the backhoe 24" bucket and added a 12" bucket for smaller jobs.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

@@michaelblack2135 We've got the 24 and 12 as well. I'm thinking it would be cool to have a ripper tooth for doing tree roots. Haven't found anything with the right pin size yet, but I haven't really tried too hard either. Forks are our #1 most used tool for sure.

[@michaelblack2135]

@@HomesteadBandwagon How often do you use the grapple? I have a wooded lot and need to fell a bunch of trees and of course move them. I know forks can be used for some of this as well.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

We use the grapple a lot for brush removal and slash piles and whatnot. We're plagued by blackberries, so they're in regular use to up-root them since we don't spray. The forks do a pretty good job of moving lumber, though.

[@keegancrue7432]

My local dealer finally found the MT357 hydrostatic for me. Just waiting on my backhoe attachment.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

That 357 is a beast. Be patient on the backhoe. Ours took 9 months

[@keegancrue7432]

It is a beast. I ordered my backhoe in the middle of January and it arrived today. Hopefully things are turning around for the world’s shipping delays.

[@douglasjackson1998]

The MT357 has a short list of differences from the MT342 he showed here. 1) 57 horsepower. 2) Three rear remotes. 3) Cat 2 balls on the implement ends of the 3-point. If you decide to get hydraulic top link, get one with cat 1 on the tractor end. Awesome tractor.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

@@douglasjackson1998 Want to hear something weird? We had a 357 delivered last year that was a Cat. 1 machine. Generally, they are cat 2. Just an oddball, I suppose...

[@douglasjackson1998]

@@HomesteadBandwagon I once saw a new car on the lot with a mix of Pontiac and Oldsmobile badges on the outside. Last parts to go on at the factory. I have one pair of socks that's red, blue. It's OK. It came with one that's blue, red.

[@westvirginiacoop222]

What is the process of becoming a dealer like and has it been worth it to you financially? How many boomerangs have come through the shop and what are the common customer complaints on the newer models? I’m interested in the potential of selling an affordable tractor locally, but my past experience working on them as a service tech in a shop that sold them makes me leary. I feel like there are a ton of easy improvements that could happen before they hit the showroom floor. Harnesses need to be better supported, hydraulic accumulators to allow smooth digging operations, handles that need properly secured, and truthfully I’ve seen their axels snap. Granted the broken axel came about from LS offering dual wheels when common sense said it was too light duty.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

I don't own the dealership, but I've worked in both the automotive world and with AG equipment for a little over 25 years. There's a lot of similarities in both. The AG business is a lot easer to get into as an owner, although the returns can be lower as a result. The big thing you have to have is a thick skin and a sense of humor. I've seen dealers succeed because they focus on taking care of the customer and focusing on the positives, and I've seen plenty fail because they can't help but focus on the negatives. You've gotta approach the business as a business owner rather than a mechanic for sure. I've heard a bunch of techs who just relentlessly complain about every machine (no matter what brand it is) being "total junk." You have to keep in mind that the shop only sees the machines that are broken.

[@JesseKlaus]

I'd really like to see a MT235EC

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

I'll be at the LS dealer meeting next month. If they have one there, I'll defintely get some video!

[@rufusdecker27]

😮😮