Both compact · LS Tractor against John Deere
LS MT232 vs John Deere 3043D
| Spec | LS MT232 | John Deere 3043D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,635–$33,397 | ~$29,644 |
| What that price is | dealer list, not MSRP, spread across dealers | MSRP, base build |
| Size class | Compact | Compact |
| Transmission | Hydrostatic | Shuttle |
| Engine hp | 31.7 hp | 41.6 hp |
| PTO hp | 26.2 hp | 36.3 hp |
| Loader lift | 2,506 lbsmeasuring point not recorded | 1,186 lbsat the pivot pin |
| Three-point lift | 1,808 lbsat the ball ends | 2,081 lbs24 in behind the lift points |
| Hydraulic flow | 11.7 GPM | 10.3 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Yanmar | Yanmar |
| Weight | 3,210 lbs | 2,840 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 10.6 gal | 9.7 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | Yes | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr powertrain | 6 yr / 2000 hr powertrain |
A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.
From owner discussion and long-term write-ups
What owners of each one say
LS MT232
What they like
- 2,506 lb loader lift is the headline over the 226 - a 27 percent jump for roughly 7 more engine horsepower
- 26.2 hp at the PTO from 31.7 gross is an unusually small loss for a hydrostatic in this class
- Naturally aspirated Yanmar three-cylinder with no turbocharger and nothing exotic to service
- Three-range hydrostatic rather than two, so there is a genuine working range between crawl and road speed
- Factory cab versions are catalogued on the same frame
What they complain about
- LS publishes no price, and the three dealer figures found for the open-station build spanned $29,635 to $33,397 - a real 13 percent disagreement, shown here as a range
- 3-point lift stays at 1,808 lb, unchanged from the 24.6 hp MT226, so the extra power does nothing for the hitch
- Past 25 gross hp the machine is into the emissions band where LS does not publish its aftertreatment, so DPF presence is not something the maker states
- Hydraulic flow is identical to the MT226's 11.7 GPM, which limits how much the bigger loader can actually speed up a cycle
- 10.6-gallon tank is unchanged from the smaller model despite the higher fuel burn
- No loader measuring point published, as on every LS model page
John Deere 3043D
What they like
- 36.3 PTO hp is more than the hydrostatic 3046R delivers at 33.9, for roughly $9,500 less on Deere's published base list
- Turbocharging pulls 41.6 hp from 1.57 L, a smaller engine than the naturally aspirated 3035D's 1.642 L makes 34.2 from
- 2,081 lb at 24 in. behind the link arms and two rear SCVs as published, enough for a 6 ft cutter or a rear blade with hydraulic angle
- Same 9.7 gal tank and 2,840 lb chassis as the rest of the D line, so the price step over the 3035D is almost entirely engine
- Gear drive keeps more of that engine at the PTO than a hydrostatic would
What they complain about
- The turbo and the diesel particulate filter together are the most complex emissions plumbing in the D line, on the model with no hydrostatic option to show for it
- No cab and no cruise control on any 3D model
- 10.3 gpm total flow is unchanged from the 3035D despite 7 more horsepower, so implements do not move any faster
- Still the 300E loader at 1,186 lb at the pivot pin, unchanged from the 24 hp 3025D - the price step buys no loader capacity at all
- 845 lb at 500 mm ahead of the pivot pin is modest for a 41 hp machine, and it is the forward figure that governs pallet forks